My new fave tofu spot! Ordered: *Oyster Tofu: soup was tasty/flavorful, tofu was soft and there were generous amounts of oysters. *Kalbi: DELICIOUS...Extremely tender and meaty! Banchans: Yum! 9 different sides (fish cake, bean sprouts, seaweed, cucumbers, egg, kimchi, mac salad, sweet potato mash and this white gelatin-like thing) + yellow croaker. I didn't eat the croaker because THEY DIDN'T REMOVE THE SCALES! Did they forget or is that how it's served here? I was grossed out! **Rice is served scooped in a bowl. I believe it's extra if you want it in a stone pot....Boooo! The restaurant is very clean, spacious and modern. The best thing was the A/C...it was on full blast! I hate eating and sweating...Yuck! Prices: it's about $1-2 more than other tofu restaurants. Service: Good. Parking: Shared lot w/ Costco, Souplantation and others...GOOD LUCK FINDING A SPOT ON THE WEEKENDS! =)
(4)
James W.
This place is pretty good! Love the large tables and decor. Great service. I ordered the bibimbap combo, which comes with a tofu soup. Pricing is decent - $15. Large stone bowl bibimbap with dumpling tofu soup. You can choose from a large variety of soups. You also get a ton of Korean small dishes (~10) plus a breaded and panfried fish, which was great! Free unlimited refills on the small dishes. The bibimbap was a good portion, but didn't think it was very flavorful. You get sesame oil and hot sauce on the side, which helps, but the ingredients themselves were not as good as they could have been. If you order the bibimbap without the combo, you get a small cold vinegar soup with seaweed and cucumbers, which is quite refreshing.
(3)
Harrison X.
I don't know why this place gets so much smack. Is it BCD? No. But it's still really good and the staff is super friendly. The side dishes are ok, the fish is really good and so is the little ice tea dessert thing.
(5)
Hongyu L.
Great place to eat, have nice tofu abd korean bbq, next to costco
(5)
Jacob H.
Wow this place has gone downhill. Last weekend I came to eat here. Got the mushroom soon tofu and it came with ONE piece of mushroom. ONE! The color of the soon tofu wasn't the same and it tasted really bland. I ordered a spicy and got something that looked like coconut soup. They also skimmed on the side dishes too. I ordered a bulgogi combination and it was kind of weird. The onion flavor was really strong and it tasted too sweet. Not sure what happened. I'm pretty sad that this place went downhill. I really liked the fried fish that comes with your meal. Probably won't be coming back here again because 1) parking sucks and 2) food didn't deliver. A Ri Rang is still my favorite.
(2)
Richard L.
This is newest Korean Tofu House in the San Gabriel Valley. Funny but irony it seem many of the well American Establishment is been replaced by Asian Restaurants. I not a surprise, different audience now live in this area. Young folks this day just not thrilled about going Tony Roma's for ribs, they rather head to KBBQ...This location used to be Sizzler, I never see this placed packed from the look of outside. Unlike the Souplantation next door... This place look completely different from the Sizzler, dramatic remodel has been done interior of the restaurant. It got very traditional Korean Style, the ceiling dice looking light was interesting and is an eye candy for sure. Our group when here during the World Cup Game that happened the South Korean team is playing, the restaurant was only half-full. All the server wear the Korean Soccer Jersey. Service was quite slow maybe has to that the server paying too much attention watching the game... I can forgive that. Heartbreaking as it seem, the team didn't win or advance. In fact no Asian team did in this tournament. Bachan selection is impressive, perhaps this is the biggest plus of this place. They gave you 9 bachan dish, this is almost double than most other place tofu place I been too. All of them were pretty good. Their combo price is kinda a bit high, but there's some lunch price discount. Our group all order all kinds of meat for the combo. I find the best is the Short Ribs (Kaibi) The Builgogi was too sweet. We also get to try their fried dumpling which just was ok. Tofu soup is very good, it stay hot even after half hour. It is on par with most other tofu house but I think is slight better than BCD as a whole. However they no longer serve you stone rice like when they first open.... Why they would bother to switch, I just don't think this is the right strategy. People see picture of stone rice in the yelp page, but when they go there. They no longer serve is a bumper. Also the so called free ice cream in the end is not available this time, they claim the machine is broken. I afraid to come here in the weekend, because of damn Costco shopper which I also happened to be one of them...
(4)
Jenn T.
Came here after going to Costco one day. I got seated right away as it wasn't very crowded. The menu here has a list of some appetizers, tofu soup, and some combinations with different BBQ and tofu soup options. The prices are pretty decent. I went for the kimchi and beef tofu soup. They give you an egg to crack yourself into the soon doo bu. they also give you a few side dishes as well as the fried fish. The rice is the brown/purple rice which was pretty good. The tofu soup had good flavor and had lots of tofu and a decent amount of beef. I got medium spicy which wasn't that's spicy. The service here was very fast. Parking is in the nearby lot, try to avoid the Costco side of the parking lot as it can get kind of crazy. Overall decent Korean restaurant.
(4)
Joey K.
Strongly recommend their new menu Beef noodle soup and cold noodle!!!! They are just amazing!!!!!
(5)
Joleen Q.
This place is beautiful inside... A lot of light and modern decor like a house inside... I will say that the service was not that attentive. There seemed to be 4 people running around but never anyone that would come over unless you flagged them down. The spicy bbq pork was delicious and the wonton soup was delicious. I loved the the side dishes... a lot of variety. The Kimchi was bright and I liked the fishcakes a lot.
(4)
Michelle L.
Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that this particular Oo-kook only serves up soondubu? I mean I was excited either way because I love soondubu but I think a lot of people come here thinking they're going to eat AYCE KBBQ. They do serve kbbq but only the typical galbi or spicy pork like the other tofu joints. Service is pretty good here but maybe that was because it wasn't too crowded when we went. We ordered our regular bowls of tofu. Seafood tofu soup (spicy) and Beef tofu soup (spicy). I was a little disappointed when I found out that they don't serve steamed rice in a stone pot. I mean you have to pay extra for it if you want it. I find that kind of atrocious because it should just come with your meal. I felt a little robbed of my soondubu experience for sure. The banchan is a hit or a miss. There were several dishes that were quite excellent and some that were very mediocre. But where Oo-Kook let me down the most was the soondubu itself. It was salty and it was missing the depth of flavor that I always look for. It was decent enough that it satisfied my craving but it was nowhere near great. It wasn't even spicy which was just another thing that failed. Overall, while I always recommend Oo-Kook's AYCE KBBQ, I can't recommend their tofu. Service is good which is a plus but it's just not worth it for me. Not to mention, parking in this area is horrendous. 3/5
(3)
Morison W.
Pretty new place that opened a few months ago. It's not exactly the same as the other Oo-Kook's because this is mainly just a tofu house. When I first walked in, I noticed how big it was. It's a good thing for a tofu house to be this size. Waiters were on top of their service. They brought out the side dishes right away. And boy do they give a lot of side dishes. I haven't seen this many at other tofu houses before. Thumbs up to that. I ordered the Galbi combo, and you can choose a tofu soup with it, so I got the assorted tofu soup, which came with beef and seafood. They give an egg on the side too, so you can put that into the soup. Also ordered the noodles, which was pretty yummy. The Galbi ribs were definitely the best though. Not too hard to chew and perfect flavoring. Parking is a bit hard to find on the weekends though since it is in the same center as Costco.
(4)
Donna S.
The appetizer are a lot and the food is excellent. Be careful of how spicy you order cause it can be really spicy and dangerous!! Overall I like this place, been coming here for a while now and I like the bugoli bimibamp :)
(4)
Marco J.
I seriously don't get all the negative nancies in here. I've come to learn that people love to complain and moan, but hate singing praises. I came here with a group of friends pretty late on a Sunday evening. We got here at 9:00 pm and were promptly seated and served. The service was really nice and professional. I don't think at any moment our glasses were empty. The food was a bit pricey, but for all the side dishes and banchan, well worth it. What was really cool is that we were the last group in the restaurant, but they informed us that we could still stay an extra half hour after closing just so we could finish our meal in peace. With service like that, you bet that I'm willing to come back again.
(4)
Karen Y.
I've had this place twice. The first time I came everything was great. Great flavors and all. But the second time I came it was all off. People at my table said the kalbi was tough and my tofu soup was very under seasoned. The chap chae was not worth ordering. There were hardly any noodles and they were all broken pieces. Too much beef. They need to get their chefs all on the same seasoning page. The place is really pretty for one thing. It's great for a big group since they have large tables in the back. But it's roulette on whether the food is good I guess. They had different ban chans the two times I went but I think most places cook up whatever they like. The parking lot is shared with Soupplantation and Costco. Big contenders for parking spaces so you may be circling for a while.
This place is not like the other oo-kook on Rosemead Blvd. I was under the impression that this location was an AYCE BBQ place like the other. To my surprise, I was still really impressed with their food. First, if you're a Young Dong lover, you might want to give this place a try. The combination options are the "best value" You get your choice of tofu soup and a bbq dish along with a side of rice. It's easily splittable with two people who are not extremely hungry. Prices here are comparable to Young Dong, but at oo-kook, they have tastier and more side dishes. I ordered the dumpling tofu soup + galbi for dinner. The dumpling tofu soup was great and even better than Young Dong. It didn't leave any lingering traces of MSG in my mouth afterwards or have me desperate for water later, which is always a plus. However, I'd skip the galbi. It was overly cooked and really rough to chew through. Flavors were mediocre, but the amount of fat in the meat left me feeling heavy. What I do enjoy about this place is they are always asking you if you'd like more banchan. However, I'd skip the fish. It's extremely hard to eat. Every bite is filled with tiny bones that will choke you to death. Parking is not a problem if you're coming at hours Costco isn't open. I enjoyed eating here from the moment I walked in and to my last bites of ice cream (which they give to you as a dessert - really refreshing!) Tip: if you're familiar with the area, this used to be the old Sizzlers. I hope to come back and
(4)
Lisa C.
I've been coming here at least 4 times now. The first time I was very impressed. But as I keep coming back, it started becoming less and less impressive. I was also a bit unsure about trying this place since 1) it shares a crazy parking lot with Costco/Souplantation and 2) my love for A Ri Rang. PRO: There are LOTS of banchan. I mean A LOT. This is the most I have ever seen from a restaurant. And to top it off, it came with the long forgotten fried croaker! (A Ri Rang use to serve this when they first opened but decided to remove it.) Service isn't too bad. When it's busy it can be difficult to track down your server. However if you ask for more banchan, they generously bring out trays of it so you can pick what you want. CON: Every time I come here, I get the clam tofu soup. With each visit, the taste started getting less flavorful. On my recent visit (Monday night) the tofu soup had no flavor. I was tempted to ask for some salt. It was as if I was eating plain tofu. Also, this may be trivial, but we had asked to have one of the TV channels changed to the LA Kings' game since it was on (and they were just showing some ESPN discussion about the basketball game that was happening the next day) and we were denied :( Usually wherever we go and ask them to switch it to a playoff game, the staff were willing to do so. This place does not serve their rice in the stone pots. I love me them crunchy rice that is stuck on the side of the pot! Pour some tea in it and it's so good! SUMMARY: I would love to give this place another try (for the 5th time) but I'm afraid the more I eat here, the worst it's going to get.
(3)
Jennifer T.
Quick Note: This place is serves Korean Tofu like Young Dong...it is NOT like an AYCE KBBQ place. FOOD: The tofu soups here, to me, are okay. I ordered the Mushroom and Vegetable Tofu soup. Boyfriend ordered the Seafood Tofu Soup. Each Tofu Soup ordered comes with a bowl of rice. To me, they're not as flavorful as any of the Young-Dong's I've been to, but it's not bad. And maybe Young-Dong spoiled me with the massive amount of mushrooms they had in their soup. Where was all the mushroom in Oo-kook's MUSHROOM and Vegetable Tofu soup?! Maybe I'm just too picky. As a matter of fact my boyfriend really loved his. Also, unlike Young-Dong's rice, which comes in a super hot pot that makes your rice crispy, the one here was just....normal. (CRIES!) The refillable banchan (aka small side dishes), however, were VERY delicious! Yes, I'd have to say it might even have been better than Young-Dong's! SO many dishes, and a small fish for each person! Beware, there are a LOT of bones in this fish! Looking through pictures from other reviewers, it seems like the banchan varies from time to time, but there's always SO MUCH! In the end, you get a small cup of fulfilling thick ice-cream. I love ice-cream, and I loved this! Boyfriend thought it was too thick...whatever! SERVICE: Great! From the person who immediately greeted us upon entrance, to the waiter, to the servers, etc. Everyone was friendly and the food came out quick! (As a matter of fact, the banchan arrived at our table 2 seconds after we were seated.) FINAL VERDICT: Though it's not my Korean Tofu Soup restaurant of choice, it's one that I'd say I'd revisit. I didn't get to try any of the bbq meat, but the reviews seem pretty good. Also, it's so close to home (where the old Sizzler's used to be...near Costco)!
(3)
Jack B.
This place states 'Under New Management'. Since the change, my family has gone once. My kids complained that the Beef rib soup didn't taste the same, etc... Fast forward many months, I decided to try it out again. Conclusion: Oo-kook's beef rib soup is good. It's probably best in the area, short of places in Ktown, LA. HOWEVER, I have a gripe! The restaurant plays Kpop music videos! I have no problems with Kpop. I listen to Kpop, etc. But, the problem is that many of the Kpop music videos are not appropriate for family setting or for little children. The Korean media rate some of them 15+ in age. Moreover, the images in those videos are just not appropriate for meal time viewing. Note to owner/management: Please stop showing those music videos. Many of them are INAPPROPRIATE for children! I will boycott your restaurant as long as those videos are playing. Literally, I will walk in, and before I get seated, if those music videos are showing, I will walk out. Note to other parents: Please do not expose your kids to those videos. Tell the management/owner to show something more pleasant and salubrious to meal time fellowship.
(4)
Jennifer P.
The food was good! Our server Lanhua was super attentive and friendly. Amarillo ( the busboy) was also helpful! He should be a server! The rest of the staff was also friendly and helpful! The rooms were spacious. I would come back. The fried fish that's free is good here too
(4)
Ed L.
The ham, sausage and cheese spicy tofu tastes just like it sounds. Awesome. The ham and sausage chunks had a nice smoky flavor. I couldn't taste the cheese at all. So I guess if the thought of cheese in your tofu soup scares you, there's nothing to fear here. As for me, I love cheese so much, I'd put it on my rice if I could, so I was a bit disappointed. I think this place used to be a Sizzler, but they did a great job renovating it. It's modern Korean rustic if that makes any sense. Tons of seating, and tons of windows. The quality of the service is directly proportional to the age of your server. If he looks young and hip, he'll be sullen and indifferent. If she's old and motherly, she'll take care of you just like Moms. The other tofu soups, and combos including the spicy pork and kalbi are slightly above average. The side dishes, although numerous, are forgettable and sometimes looked and tasted a little old. The prices a little higher than your average hole in the wall place. I'm a fan though, because of the ham and sausage soon tofu.
(4)
Karen T.
This Korean restaurant is a welcome replacement of the sizzler that used to be here. The interior is spacious and clean and doesn't reek of BBQ. We came for lunch and tried the kalbi, spicy pork, and tofu dumpling soup. The kalbi ($14.99) was overcooked and too many burnt pieces. We opted for the full kalbi portion instead of the combo and it supposedly has 2 more ribs (6 pieces) than the combo portion. We also got the combo ($14.99) with spicy pork and the dumping soup. The spicy pork was pretty fatty but the flavoring was good. The tofu soup had two dumplings and beef in it. The food is served with 12 banchan including croker, kimchi, spicy cucumber, mashed sweet potato, macaroni salad, fish cake, vegetables, bean sprouts, seaweed, daikon, and tea egg. Overall the food is pretty good and the environment is pleasant. Dinner prices are approximately +$2. Too bad the parking lot is attached to costco. It makes it difficult to get to when costco is busy (which is most of the time).
(4)
Lisa D.
don't even waste your money! don't waste your time. don't waste your calories! by far the worst tofu house knock off i've been to. never in my life have i experienced such bland tofu soup. especially when i ordered it "SPICY". it was bland!!!!!!!! BLAND i tell you! very little clams. but mainly i was very disappointed at how lack in flavor it was. beef short ribs. ehh.. a little chewy and wasn't as well marinated as young dong tofu house, a ri rang tofu house, etc. it was just okay. not the worst but definitely not the best. side dishes and no seaweed. makes lisa very sad! :I fish cakes were the best thing i had here. so ask for tons of it! i highly recommend it!! dear oo kook tofu & bbq staff, if you choose to dress up for halloween please do not wear a jason mask. i can't see your face and that scares me and makes me feel so uncomfortable especially when i'm trying to eat! service was nothing special. had to wave down the staff for refills on fish cakes, water, and our check. almost seemed like they were a little understaffed for not such a busy night. ... other than that i think i prefer eating oo kook AYCE instead. i wouldn't come back and once again i would not recommend it. totally did not satisfy my tofu soup cravings! :( tips: *cash and credit card accepted *indoor seating only *has lunch specials *same plaza as costco *charge extra for rice *rice comes in a small bowl instead of the stone pot *great for large groups. *roomy and spacious *clean place
(1)
Vickie C.
The only reason I come here is because it is close and convenient. Besides that, there's really nothing else it has going for them. It works on days where I don't want to drive to ktown and stand in line for Beverly Soon Tofu. The soondubu here lacks flavor. I'm not talking about bland vs. salty. I'm talking about the flavors of the tofu, soup and spices. Even when you order spicy, everything just tastes watered down. Also, the hot stone bibimbap is quite expensive for the portion you get. I usually add another bowl of rice to it to mix it with everything for it to look like a decent portion. The banchan is ok. There's variety, but taste-wise it lacks flavor and authenticity. They have the fish that BCD gives out, but I'm not a great fan of it. The kimchi is more salty than fermented. Service is mediocre. The place is big and they only have a few waiters. They should consider installing the bell system in order to be more efficient. It takes quite a while to flag someone down to refill our water or banchan. Overall, I'd only come here when I'm craving soondubu really bad but too lazy to drive to ktown. Parking: Huge parking lot shared with Costco.
(3)
Bic T.
My newest fav Tofu house in town... Give u a lot variety of small dishes.. banchan .So better control yourself before real food arrive. They have short rib stew and korean style ginseng chicken soup, which cannot be found in the SGV area unless u go to k town. Plenty of booth seating and the modern decor makes the dinning experience more enjoyable. Parking share the same lot with souplantation and Costco so can be hard to find parking on busy weekend .
(4)
Karen K.
There aren't a lot of choices for Korean food in the Alhambra area, but this place is the best I could find in the area. I ordered the galbi tang (short rib soup) and my husband and brother in law ordered the combo soon tofu soup with galbi (short rib) and deji bulgogi (spicy pork). The broth for the galbi tang was good. The meat wasn't cooked long enough, so it didn't fall of the bone easily. The noodles in the broth were good, too. It makes me want to try their jap chae. Overall, the dish is much larger than the soon tofu which is about the same price, and I would much rather order this dish. Too bad it's only a summer special. The broth of the soon tofu is thick with seafood. If you can't eat it, make sure you tell them. I think I tasted clam in the kimchi broth. It was pretty good. The combos come with fried fish, that was done well, and tasty. The sides are okay. They weren't the best or the worst I've had. I wish they didn't use dried fish cake. Overall, I'll give this place 4 stars, because they have some of the best Korean food for the Alhambra area. Some of the dishes are a bit on the pricey side, but they don't have much competition.
(4)
Becky W.
First time eating here..It's pretty nice. I like the shrimp that they serve I the tofu pot because it comes with eggs. How often do you eat shrimps that have eggs in them? For me, I rarely get that. The galbi is pretty tasty. Bulgogi..was average for me. I got a free coke from checking in here. The barley water is very refreshing to drink. My boyfriend thought it was gonna be all you can eat, but apparently we arrived at the wrong location lol. Overall, I had a pleasant time..wouldn't mind coming back next time.
(5)
Shirley W.
The decors at the entrance is cutsy, and cultural. Tables are large, seats are comfy, and they are very very well spaced out--something you rarely see in a tofu house. The interior is absolutely adorable, running fountains and decorative fermentation tanks of kimchi and garlic. The paper art chandelier, the bonsai settings in the corner, reminds me a lot of Asia. Side dishes are another thing you can only get at a Korean restaurant. Their side dishes are spot on. Worthing mentioning is the toasted crunchy seaweed, a hint of sweetness with mouth full of sesame oil scent, just can't get enough. It is not only good to munch on alone, but also great to top off your tofu soup, YUM! The macaroni salad was decent, they also give you the fish cake that my friend loves. BBQ bulgogi and short ribs hit the spot and the portion is good. I don't usually give 5 stars, but OO-Kook out shine most of the 4 star places I rate. I do hope they stay consistant with their service and quality, because I will be hungry for more.
(5)
Annie L.
3.5 stars but decided to round up .5 stars for the decor. Sunday night dinner rush: 5 minute wait.. not too bad! Decor: This place is fairly new, which may be the true reason why it is so clean but they also have decorations around the restaurant to help liven up the place which I think the other tofu houses around lack. Very aesthetically pleasing indeed! Service: After being seated, the server came over promptly to take our order without being waved down which was nice. On top of that, she also stopped by to refill our waters and side dishes which is a rareity at tofu houses so that was a nice surprise as well! No complaints. Food: Side dishes: Unfortunately, I can't really comment much on this because I did not eat many of the side dishes that night. But I did enjoy the two that I did eat. The fish fillet breaded with egg was something unique. Tasted pretty good but the temp could of been warmer. The second item was the cucumbers. The flavor was there but I just wished that the cucumbers were more crunchy, but that's just a personal preference. Tofu: I ordered beef tofu soup and I thought it was just average. Although, there was a lot of beef in it, it was a little salty for my taste. Would I order this again? Yes, because it was not the best but not the worst. Final verdict: Probably going to come back again & give this place another try!
(4)
Saki U.
There is never a wait! It's a big place with a lot of seating. Not saying that it's not busy! I usually go on weekdays where there's less people anyway. Very affordable price for a huge portion of food. You can take home left overs so it's all good =]] When I don't know what to eat and I'm lazy to cook, this is my spot!
(4)
Calvin L.
Def had better. Young Dong in San Gabriel is not only cheaper, but the quality of the food is better. Granted Oo Kook does give you more side dishes, and the service is a little bit better, I'd rather have cheaper, better tasting food any day of the week. BBQ Spicy Chicken + Tofu Soup ($15.99 - Dinner) The Chicken was good. Not really that spicy, which is what I was hoping for. You get to choose your own tofu soup just like with any Korean tofu restaurant. I don't know if I'd come back here. I mean the food was okay, but I just really like Young Dong, and Oo Kook couldn't compare.
(3)
Tina W.
Very fast and great customer service :) i really enjoyed select side dishes, like the seaweed with vinegar and kimchi cucumbers. There's also bean sprouts, kimchi (which were on the bitter side :/), these caramelized brown fish strips, and fish. Luckily, you can ask for another set of side dishes (all of them come together) with no extra charge. I ordered a Galbi combo with mildly spicy mushroom and seafood tofu soup. I have to admit: the soup was plain and totally flavorless! This might be how it's enjoyed, with not too much seasoning (healthy) but it wasn't enjoyable :( my Galbi (beef eye ribs) were flavored deliciously (sweet Korean BBQ sauce) with caramelized onions, but I would have to complain that there was mostly fat in each rib piece and not as much meat, it was really greasy :( I wish I got the Bugolgi instead. You can get the meat dishes individually, but with the combo (12.99-14.99) you get soup and rice as well. The glass noodles my sister ordered were delish, very sweet (not savory at all) from a ton of sesame oil and sugar, with egg strips and carrot shavings. It was considered an appetizer but was a huge serving that was shared amongst about 4 other people and still couldn't be finished in the end. There's also fried dumplings, which my brother ordered. They were good. There's a great variety of the tofu soups: beef, pork, chicken, seafood, mushroom and vegetable, wonton, dumplings... The ranges of spicy are: plain, mild, and then 3 levels of spicy. I would recommend the Bugolgi and glass noodles. Take advantage of the side dishes!!
(3)
Velinda L.
Wow what a beautiful restaurant. Large, clean, interior and plenty of lighting. The modern decor of this place is definitely its best point. Unfortunately the food is only okay. Tofu soup was standard, no different from most other Korean tofu establishments. Instead of the traditional hot stone bowl, the rice came in a metal bowl which I actually prefer because its easier to dig out and eat (however, people who like the crispy rice may be disappointed). What I didn't like were the BBQ meats. The spicy pork and chicken were drenched in straight up plain red pepper sauce. Usually even though some foods are too spicy for me I will still eat it because it is still tasty. But this sauce was so flavorless (just spicy) to the point it was almost bitter and that ruined both these dishes for me. We also got the bulgogi which (thankfully) didn't have the red pepper sauce but was relatively bland. Banchan was below average, although I do appreciate the way the waiters arrange it when they bring it out. You can ask for more side dishes free of charge! They also give you a little baked fish which you don't get at all Korean tofu houses so I thought that was nice. A Ri Rang in San Gabriel is still my favorite tofu house in the area. 2.5 stars (bumping up for the pretty decor)
(3)
Steven C.
Known for their beef short rib soup !!!!! The soup is rich in flavor and full of ribs. Tried other dishes but did not come close to the rib soup. If you are in a mood for some hardy soup on a rainy cold day, give it a try !!!!!!
(4)
Isabel L.
This place's is overall delicious and the service isn't that great. They wouldn't come though. The food is the bomb though!!! This is currently one of my Korean go to places.
(4)
Jenny L.
Service is.. well.. almost non-existent. We were seated at our table and no one came to bring us water or take our drink order until five minutes later. When a waiter finally came to our table, we hurriedly ordered drinks and dinner since we weren't sure when he'd be back. I ordered bibimbap. It was good. My friend ordered the spicy pork and it came out on one of those stone plates but it wasn't sizzling. Every other table received sizzling pork. Why was his hot, but not sizzling? We wanted more banchan. I flagged a waiter down. He didn't seem to understand English. So maybe that's why he never came back out with them? I had to flag our original waiter down to get those two tiny banchan dishes because I wasn't going to leave without getting what I wanted. Ookook on Rosemead - the AYCE place - is awesome. I love it. But this place needs help. Seriously. Hire more staff. Train your current staff. Get them to stop looking like they hate their lives. It makes for a really terrible dining experience.
(2)
Tad K.
Impressed. From the core, to the Excellence service, to the quality of the food all great. Parking can be bad sometimes because of Costco nearby, but don't let that stop you enjoy this location. Unlike the Rosemead Boulevard location or original in Koreatown this is not a all-you-can-eat place. They have a dozen different tofu soups, combos with different meats, or ala cart items as well. Plenty of BanChon items to start off the meal, which are cheerfully refilled upon request. Choice of four different spice levels on the soups, all served bubbling hit to the table. We usually get one combo and one soup on its own and share the meat. There is plenty. Don't be afraid to try something new, you'll like the value, cleansiness, quality and service.
(5)
Lia W.
This Place is the Bomb I literally love re Summer Soup Speicals and I usually get the Beef Soup. The soup I great with rice, and it's always filling! I'm actually going there right now!! Awesome food, but it would be better to have the soups all year long
(4)
Emily L.
Good flavor, but pretty pricey. I came here for lunch on a weekday. It was not busy at all. They seated us quickly and immediately served us with barley water. Honestly, it just tastes like water, but it's a good gesture since it was hot that day. We ordered the spareribs and beef tofu combo ($16 for lunch, includes multigrain rice in a stone pot and Banchan). We wanted to get kabli combo, but that was $20 (one price for lunch and dinner). The spareribs were good, on the dry side, but the flavor was there. The tofu soup was soooooooo good. One of the best I have ever had. So much flavor and the beef was tender. We also ordered bulgogi bibimbap. It was good, not much veggies or rice and a lot of bulgogi. Oh and the banchans were good they were definitely marinated enough and for three people, they gave us two fish banchans. Over all good experience, but if they want more business, they should definitely lower prices.
(4)
Richard L.
The food is over priced compared to other Korean BBQ and the portion is much smaller. I had better. Would not come back.
(1)
Akiko T.
God I am so upset! This place is no longer oo-kook but owned by YungDong. forgive me if I am wrong on this, but the menu and flavor is too similar to YungDong for me to just assume. I've always adored oo-kook. Service was spotty, but the tofu was always on point. Broth was always so flavorful. But now, it's bland. Like the other YungDong. Lame. And now you can only get fried fish with combination meals where as oo-kook gave out as part of banchan. Oh, not to mention oo-kook banchan was WAAAY better!!!! So sad to see this place change. Bf however said he liked the new bibimbap, so we might come for that and I'll give the tofu another chance...maybe. RIP best tofu in 626.
(2)
Cam C.
Our first time here wasn't great at all. The service was good but the food was below average. We were planning to go to souplantation but the line was too long. We decided to give oo-kook another try. This time and I'm not sure if we hungry or they change the chef but the food was really good. Service was good and they weren't that many people. I ordered the combo tofu soup with bugolgi bibimpa and my husband order the combo tofu with ribs. The tofu soup was flavorful and they didn't skimp on the oysters. The rice was crispy on the bottom and tasty because of the fat from the bugolgi but the bugolgi was dry and no flavor. The ribs was yummy with a balance of fat on it. You get a free sofa if you unlock it in yelp.
(4)
Phillip F.
Always come here when I get craving for korean food. Not to mention zero wait time for a table~
(5)
Vicky F.
We went in to order take out so we sat outside for a bit. It was still early so the dinner crowd didn't come in yet. While waiting, I saw friendly servers who helped take care and play with some of the customer's kids. Halfway into our wait, we were informed that they were out of fried dumplings so we ordered something else. When we got our order, the server told us that they still gave us some fried dumplings free of charge because they didn't have enough for a full order! The food was great. Everything was delicious. We will be back again.
(5)
Amy S.
Wasn't feeling for tofu soup but was feeling for some meat and rice. We ordered the non-spicy chicken and the bulgogi. Chicken was good. Bulgogi was tough and not flavored well. The side dishes were meh - kimchi wasn't good. I also had the worst garlic breathe for the entire night and day after! :( Maybe should've tried what they're known for but don't bother ordering the meat.
(2)
Aron K.
We went here on September '14. The place was clean and spacious. As a starter, they gave us side dishes (typical Korean restaurant) and a fried fish. We really like the side dishes, and the fish was tasty and still hot. When the main dishes came, they were sizzling hot. The taste on the soup was quite weak, but the spicy chicken was very very very tasty. That was (hands down) our favorite dish. Server was.... let's say.... 'typical' for a non-luxury restaurant. Well, at least this place was above average in regards to cleanliness.
(4)
Laura T.
I really really enjoy coming here, as a matter of fact, I was here early tonight! Haha. Upon arrival, I was always seated right away by the friendly hostess or any available server. Menus were handed to us right away. Side dishes are brought to us shortly after. So, its generally different each time but there are a few stables that are regular: the chili cucumber, bean sprout, kim chi and mini deep fried fish. Which I found is a bummer is that they don't serve the potato salad one. I find that shocking. I always get the Seafood Tofu soup either mild or medium spicy, depending on my mood. The beau is a bit more adventurous, he would try out assorted items, For the seafood tofu soup, its the usual tofu soup packed with calms, shrimps and an oyster or two. It is just like the usual that you get at all other korean tofu houses. A Korean Tofu House can't really go wrong with this dish, if they fail to perfect this dish. The place will be doomed, since this seems to be pretty much the base of all the other soups. Soup Combination is what the beau would get, like mentioned earlier, for soup he would try assorted ones. But it seems like he would always go back to the Beef Seafood Tofu Soup, mild or medium spicy. It just like my soup, but with beef. Items that we ordered as combination - Spicy Chicken: cubed chicken breast, season with red chili sauce - Non Spicy Chicken: cubed chicken breast, that is grilled then placed on a bed of onions - Beef Ribs: to me, it feels like the exact same ones from korean bbq ayce place, and there is much of a difference in taste compared to other spots They use to before serve our soup with white rice, but today, I got the mutli grain (purple) rice. I am not a huge rice fan, so to me, whatever rice you give me I will only eat about 25% of it with my soup. Customer Service: very good, friendly, always checked up on us, whatever issues we had it was addressed right away Parking: shared with the Costco & Souplantation plaza, that alone is a crazy combo. That's why I would recommend coming at night, close to 8 pm. That's when Costco closes and a lot of the parking spaces will be available. Price: I would say, reasonable to a bit high, depending on what you are looking to get, personally, I don't mind it, I live in Alhambra, so I just see it paying a little bit more for a closer distances Will I return: yes, I actually have been back quite a few times since they opened Recommend to family & friends: Yes Tried their other location (AYCE in Rosemead): Yes
(4)
Hae A.
I finally tried this place out and it's good. Better than the salty places that I used to frequent around Alhambra. I ordered the seafood soondubu. The broth was rich and flavorful. There was a lot of seafood in the soup. It is comparable to the soondubu in K-town. Hubby got the dolsot bibimbap. This was also good. A good mix of veggies. The cold vinegar-y soup thing they give you with the rice is very refreshing. Although this place is slightly more expensive than the places in K-town, I save on gas and time which more than makes up for the price difference. But then they also gave me more seafood than the places I've had in K-town.
(4)
Rebecca C.
Typical tofu house. Their side dishes are pretty tasty and good. The service was slow at first but then it began to pick up again; they refilled our side dishes which is a plus. Their tofu soups taste okay. I still think Cho Dang in Cerritos has the best tasting tofu soups. Here, if you order the combo, your tofu soup will be served in a smaller pot than the average just FYI. Overall, decent price!
(3)
Michelle C.
Clean environment. Entertaining atmosphere. The food is quite bland compared to what you could find in K-town. The side dishes were good though. The service wasn't too great. Waitress wearing a high bun was quite impatient while my parents decided how spicy they wanted their soup to be (they couldn't hear her when she asked how spicy they wanted it). A bit unprofessional. Most of the employees can't tell the side dishes apart (we had to ask 2 different employees). C'mon, if you're gonna work at a Korean restaurant, know what you're working with. The pricing is pretty typical for a tofu house; the food just isn't that great. The chicken ginseng soup barely had any ginseng and had more ginger than anything. On a side note, I would recommend Namsan Restaurant in Koreatown for the best samgyetang (it has more of a distinctive ginseng taste). The ajumma's there are so sweet and welcoming too! I'll probably return to Oo-kook because of the convenient location.
(2)
Chris K.
Just had the cold noodle today. Very comparable to LA if not better. The naeng myun needed no extra vinegar, which I usually put in whenever I have naeng myun in Koreatown. Will definitely be back for more naeng myun.
(5)
Tommy W.
Came here for the first time on Friday night for dinner. Nice and professional staff. The ambience is great for a laid back date night or with the family. The small dishes are delicious and they have a variety of selection. Will definitely return.
(5)
Kim H.
Ate here for lunch! I had the pork tofu soup regular with a rice bowl on the side. The sides (banchan) they serve is probably a 2.5 to 3. I do like the fish they give...which was good but salty. The kimchi was a bit stale...I think they need fresher ones. The place is the old Sizzler...and it is much improved. It is bright and airy and great decor. A lot of wasted space though but I guess it gives it the not so cramped feeling that many Korean places have. The service is a 4 hands down. Let's face it...in the heart of Chinatown (Alhambra / Monterrey Park) area...there is a lack of good Korean food if you don't want to travel to Ktown. I do not call Gen Korean Place in Alhambra good Korean food...that is mediocre at best! Now back to the soup...get it regular or higher. If you don't you probably won't get good taste. Mine was tasty...the pork was a bit tough...but overall it had a kick and taste to it. The only downside is the broth was a bit heavy and not the feeling of being fresh like (Beverly Soon Tofu) which is a 5 hands down! Overall - def coming back and will try other stuff on the menu which is pretty extensive.
(4)
Nitar L.
I end up going to this place more often than I'd like to because the line for dim sum across the street can make me hungry and impatient. I had to downgrade a star for them not having orange soda. Have you ever had Korean food with orange soda? It's the best! I haven't found a Korean restaurant that didn't carry orange soda until this one. Also, the picture on the menu shows glass noodles/jap-chae as one of the side dishes/banchan. Pictures on the menu lie because when I asked if the noodles were included with the side dishes, I was met with much disappointment. Regardless, still a good spot for perfectly marinated galbi and some satisfying spicy tofu soup.
(4)
Anthony C.
Service 5/5 Food 4/5 Decore 4/5 Pretty good soon dubu for the SGV. Panchan is indeed limited at 5 items but all were tasty: kimchee with a bit of sweetness, marinated broccoli, pickled burdock root, flavored crumbled hard tofu, and pickled seaweed. The bibimbap stone pot was really hot with all the standard fixins. The Korean beef noodle soup was quite tasty - almost buttery. We did get the purple rice in a hot stone pot - I think as a side to the noodles. Kalbi was decently tasty but the combo order size had only 5 pieces. The restaurant is decorated well in a cute modern Korean style, and had your requisite K-Pop playing on 2 large flat screens. Very spacious and comfortable. We came on a Friday night at 8p and there was no wait for a table for 4. Very kid and baby friendly. Excellent service for a Korean restaurant. It's not AYCE so that's probably why it wasn't packed like the other Ookook locations. I would return again.
(4)
Diana H.
To me, this is a nicer version of BCD Tofu House. It's good for satisfying a craving, but a little pricey. Service: we usually come during busier nights so we have to ask for water refills, side dish refills, etc. and it's pretty difficult to flag them down. But they're friendly and efficient otherwise. Food: purple rice!!! I love purple rice! I usually get the combination: beef kimchi tofu and meat (sometimes the beef is on the drier side but their chicken was great). The side dishes are a little lacking for the price we paid, in terms of variety. Overall: my family loves this place, but having tried other places in Koreatown, I wouldn't say this was a better alternative. But if you want to save yourself the pain of parking, Oo-gook is in a giant plaza!
(3)
Traveler L.
They developed a few new menu for hot Cal summer and they are the bomb! Cold noodle combos are must try. Their kimchi is little sweet side but I still like it. Their fish that comes with combo is always dry and small but it's a sort of free, so it's whatever. Service has gotten a lot better than when they first opened as well as servicing speed. Overall, pleasant restaurant with good new food.
(4)
Monica N.
They had a change in ownership, but it's still really great. In fact, I think the service might be better. Try the bulgogi bbq!
(4)
Daniela K.
It's the only decent Korean restaurant in Alhambra. I always go there for some home cooking if I'm not able to drive all the way to Koreatown or after my Costco/Target shopping trips. I still remember the week they opened and I've been a loyal customer ever since. I normally come here once a month and I've experienced several menu changes over time. They added a lot of new Korean dishes to the menu, but at the same time they removed a lot of the banchan (free small dishes). BIG NO NO Quality and taste are almost the same, but quantity decreased and prices have gone up for sure. To make up for the cost increase or to treat frequent customers, they started with a points program in June and I visited them 3 times since I got my card. It's a 3% rewards cash back program for the pre-tax amount, but you can only use it once you have $10 dollars in it so basically you need to spend $335 to even have the chance to use it.
(3)
Jamie F.
Bad service!!!!! Can't flag anyone down for ten minutes to get more side dishes. But when we asked for a check they were all over us. Would not venture back again.
(3)
Donna C.
When my party and I first walked in, we were seated right away. This restaurant is clean and the decor is the cutest thing you've ever seen..just WOW.. they put a lot of work into it and it looked amazing. Once we sat down, we were given ice teas and salads. I was highly impressed with the service. Then....we sat there...for 10 minutes...watching everyone else get their orders taken. We tried to flag down someone to help us but I swear we were invisible. This was the most annoying part of the visit. Finally, we were able to catch the attention of Eric, one of the servers. He was awesome. I think he could tell from my plea to take our order that I was super hungry and really, just needed to be fed in order to keep my boyfriend and parents safe from my hungarrry mood swings. Eric took our order right away and the banchans came out immediately after. I'm really excited to say that everyone who ordered tofu got a whole fried fish!! The only other place that does this (that I know of) is BCD Tofu House. Oo-kook has way less banchans than BCD but ehh.. what can you do? Their kimchi was bomb and Eric refilled the banchans without us having to ask (major PLUS). The tofu comes with the dark multi-grain rice which is delicious. If you want an egg to crack in your soup, you have to ask for it. The japchae was not as delicious as I had imagined it to be but it was still good. Parking was not thaaaat bad. There's a huge lot but it's in the same parking lot as Costco so the weekends may be harder to find a spot. The plus side is that you can go to Costco afterwards (if you're a member) and walk off your meal by buying more food! :)
(4)
Badhaircut S.
Salad is delicious. CLAM TOFU SOUP!!!!! I am also having spicy pork. The combo plates are such a good idea and great value! Good prices and great food!
(5)
Deiz Jane C.
Everything is good but I hate the fact that they don't have unlimited soda. Their potato salad is a hit or miss. One thing I don't like is when you order baby octopus and shrimp. It's like, seriously? 4 pcs of shrimp anf 3 literally fetus octopus? But everything else is great!
(4)
Chanel C.
Good soon-dobu in Alhambra?! Typically I'd roll my eyes and say "yeaa righhttt" but Oo-kook surprisingly was really, really good. First off, BIG SHOUT OUT to our amazing server who was so kick ass. He was so friendly, and upbeat -- just a radiantly positive person who made our meal so much more enjoyable. The banchan was good as well. My family and I were big fans of the kimchee and seaweed. They also offer a baby crocker fish on the house which I always enjoy. The soondubu itself was really tasty -- thick, flavorful, and boiling hot broth. I got the octopus and while there were some SUPER CHEWY pieces, it was overall fantastic. The soup was not watered down at all, and i completely killed it. Another thing that I liked was their purple rice lol. Thumbs up.
(4)
Kylie K.
Best Korean restaurant I have been to outside of Korea. The topokki, ham and cheese tofu soup, and beef and octopus tofu soup are especially excellent. Almost the same menu as Young Dong Tofu in San Gabriel, but more spacious, has shorter lines, and has more beautiful interior decorations. Has Kpop videos playing at all times.
(5)
Maki K.
I was pleasantly surprised with this place! The restaurant is clean, the service was attentive, and the food was good! Parking was also simple in the large free parking lot. The Highlights of My Dining Experience: - The TOFU SOUP was some of the thickest and flavorful tofu soups I have ever had! I loved it! Our party of 3 ordered a Mushroom Tofu Soup, a Kimchi & Beef Tofu Soup, and a Pork Dumpling Tofu Soup, which we all enjoyed. - The SPICY CHICKEN we ordered was very tender and succulent. Not dry at all! - We also ordered the JAPCHAE, which was delicious! I highly recommend it! - They do not serve the traditional white sticky rice. Instead, they serve a MULTIGRAIN type of rice that is a reddish-purple color served in a hot stone bowl, which is great for someone trying to watch what they eat. But if you do want white sticky rice, I'm sure they can accommodate you as well. All in all my experience here was a positive one and I look forward to being back.
(4)
Claudia Z.
Lunch with family. Excellent food, love the kimchi and side orders. Had a craving for tofu and here we are. Beef short rib soup with clear noodles and some spicy seafood tofu will hit the spot. Yum yum yum.
(5)
Vivian S.
I came here during lunch with my coworkers and had a good time. Service was fast and they were patient with our big group. I ordered the pork rib tofu combo with the seafood tofu. The pork rib was very flavorful, I'm a fan. The meat was tender and slid right off the bone. The tofu was ok, I ordered medium spicy and it was not spicy at all. The side dishes were good as usual, they even had the fried fish. The potato salad is probably my favorite. I sampled some of my coworkers bulgolgi and short rib they were great too. I think the food here is on the sweeter side. For dessert they offered the macaron icecream sandwiches, I didn't get to try unfortunately. They give you this peach tea drink after your meal, I thought that was good.
(4)
Eric C.
I seriously do not fathom how they get the audacity to overcharge people and still manage to stay in the business? After our disastrous Mother's Day Dinner, I decided to let my family pick where we'd go for our belated Father's Day celebration. Naturally, they picked this joint. Given the fact it was a Saturday night, and the restaurant was quite busy, I was surprised that our party got seated in a matter of 10 minutes. As any other Korean restaurants, banchon were served once we were seated. And I have to agree with other yelpers, the selection was just lazy and pitiful. I've been to AYCE Kbbq places that served better banchon...!! Initially, our waitress was Kim, a sweet Korean lady who couldn't had been nicer. But for some mysterious reasons, halfway into the meal our server was switched to Eric, who obviously does not belong to the food services industry. When he brought the food to our table he would constantly exhibit his impatience while demanding the answer of "exactly, who ordered this dish?" Or "where does this plate go?" The eye rolling was so over the top I thought he should see an ophthalmologist. As far as the food? Honestly, it was nothing special. I did appreciate the fact that instead of white rice, they offer you multigrain stone rice, which is far more flavorful. For those who are looking for a little buzz? They sell beer and soju, that's all. Toward the end of our meal, I thought perhaps the macaron ice cream sandwiches could somehow salvage the evening and they turned out to be just as tragic as the rest. If it weren't for Kim's attentiveness I would've given this place just one star... Seriously, save your money and time and go somewhere else, even the cheapest AYCE KBBQ in Ktown I've eaten was a much more gratifying experience...
(2)
Lisa Y.
Oo-kook Tofu and BBQ is located next to Souplantation. Parking can be a nightmare as it also shares the parking lot with Costco patrons. Banchan- Every table seems to get something different. I noticed that all the neighboring tables had various items. Overall I was disappointed in everything. Parking was horrible, the service was just so-so and the tofu soup lacked flavor. It took forever to get the check, so we ended up walking to the front counter to pay so we could get out of there. There are so many other options for Korean food in the SGV, and Korea town isn't too far from here for that matter.
(2)
Maria W.
Great service and the food was flavorful and beautifully presented. They use the purple rice and the meat quality was a plus and the sides are fabulous. The kimchi was delicious, sides were fresh. They have very authentic food and the cold noodles are available. I highly recommend this place because it has little bit for everyone.
(5)
KK L.
Dinner time with family. We love the bbq beef ribs and tofu soup here. Trying out the ginseng chicken soup today, loving it. My son even eats has vegetables here. All the side dishes here are great too.
(5)
Sylvia C.
Been wanting to try this and finally did, and I'm glad we did. Everything looks clean and most importantly fresh! Compared to another nearby Korean tofu place nearby though, I didn't like their tofu soup as much here. They still gave you the little side dishes while you wait for are very small. Positive part is they are more than happy to refill but it looks horrible if you ask more than once, I guess. So i would prefer a little bit larger portions and more selections like my nearby favorite pad. (minus 1-star) If I were to come back its definitely for the freshness over their food. I LOVE their non-spicy chicken dish (that comes in a combination with the tofu soup). It was one of the best and most fresh I have tasted! Love how they serve mixed black rice into the regular rice rather than the plain white rice like most places do! Their small dishes are very good too. Again, just wish their were a few more selections and a little bit larger portions. Service was perfect and great! My iced barley tea was never empty. They advertise as no MSG used which I doubt. That may be false in my opinion which can be bad for people allergic or sensitive to MSG. Its more like no "added" MSG is what they meant.
(4)
Yvonne N.
Looked Nice, new, and friendly. The place did give us sticker shock. After our sticker shock, the food is very good. I ordered non-spicy chicken, hubby ordered bulgogi bimbimbop, and short rib plate. It was all pretty delicious and filling. The rice was good too. They bring out side dishes like a Korean Bbq place. (Seaweed, mac salad, kimchi, bean sprouts, and kimchi cucumbers) it was pretty darn good. Then they have these amazing desserts of macaroons stuffed with ice cream. Now that was amazing!! If you order two items and share among 4 you should be good. Overall, I give it a 4 stars...only because of that sticker shock!!
(4)
Jo L.
Finally, there's a tofu house in Alhambra. Every time I want tofu soup, I'd have to go to San Gabriel or MPK. Food: tasty. I wish their soup was spicier. I ordered spicy tofu soup and it tasted like mild to medium. I really like that they give out multi-grain rice without an extra charge. Their side orders are standard- and good. Service: overall, very nice. We got our food within a matter for 4-5 minutes. Location: parking is terrible since they share the parking with Costco and Souplantation. Overall, nothing to rave about, but a good/ clean tofu house.
(4)
Vencci H.
Your average Korean Tofu house. No real wow factor, in fact it was kind of basic and was lacking in the side dish department. Service was attentive--5 stars The tofu soup base did not hit the spot and lacked some thing that other tofu houses use. Liked that they give a fried fish. Would be better if they could make the soup a bit thicker?
(3)
Jade D.
My wife was eager to satisfy her korean food craving, so I decided to take a friend's suggestion to try this bulgogi house around the corner from where I live. Upon arrival I asked if Lam was working! (Sadly he wasn't but I'm happy he suggested this to me) Kim was the Hostess/Server and she was sure to give us a prompt professional service, even during the slow daytime. I really appreciate the fact she continues to work hard to show others a good time. After the order the Kitchen/Food runner Eric brought out all the bonchan and appetizers. He brought out everything while it was steaming hot and the fact that we can eat everything while it's steaming or boiling means they have the correct staffing behind the restaurant and all the customers expectations are met. As for the flavor of the food, authenticity is valid here. There is no dry in the mouth msg heavy food here and all of the flavors are familiar and hit home for me and my wife. My wife adores the beef tofu soup here! So again one more time thank you Kim and Eric for an excellent service. Your professionalism in the daytime is unrivaled! Lam, thanks for suggesting this place to me. We will definitely be coming back here and I hope to catch you working hard sometime. Take care, brother!
(5)
Ben Y.
The food is average to below average, the tofu soup here is definitely more bland than your average Korean tofu joint and the bulgogi + teriyaki chicken were also sub par. The prices are average to slightly above average and honestly I would have given this place 3 stars but the portions are noticeably smaller than average so if you add everything up it's squarely in the 2 star category
(2)
Danny N.
I've had Oo kook AYCE kbbq, now it is time to try their tofu place! My gf and I shared the combo, which came with one of the tofu soup and the galbi. The galbi was good. I would make sure to get the pickled seaweed! The service is VERY quick and attentive. Whenever we needed a ban chan refill, it was right there instantly!
(4)
Joanna L.
So I came here for dinner again about 19 days ago - at least that's what my check in tells me - I do still remember it of course - I was here with my brother and mom after shopping at Costco. I ordered the same thing I've ordered about twice already here and that's their Short Rib Soup - it was a summer special but I guess they are keeping it on the menu and I'm glad because it's really a delicious bowl of soup. My brother ordered the Teriyaki Chicken combo and my mom ordered the Bulgogi combo. The Teriyaki chicken and Bulgogi was good but would be better if the servings were bigger. They were friendly and quick as usual and there's really not much to dislike about this place - they are not super busy - at least not the times that I have been here and it's usually weekends too. Overall they kept up with the great service and good food so I'm pretty satisfied each time.
(4)
Wendy L.
I never post lukewarm reviews. I usually post only extreme reviews, either 5 stars or one. Unfortunately for this place, it's the latter. I've been to this place a couple times before and it was always good but not great. It always got one step worse with each visit, but still just good enough to come back, when I'm in the area but not in the mood for dim sum at King Hua. First thing I noticed is that on the menu, the meals with galbi (either by itself, or the "C-1" with a tofu soup for a dollar more) had no lunch price. Probably because it's most people's go-to dish. Instead of knowing that to have a special lunch around it, they use it as an opportunity to extort more money from their galbi-loving customers. AND the price went up $3 for the dinner price. It used to be $16.99, now it's $19.99 (I checked the pictures on Yelp to confirm that the menu used to have a lunch option for galbi, and I also confirmed the price increase.) The waiter said they changed owners a few months ago. The banchan was a joke. They used to give you 11. Now they give you five. And the five of my very least favorite ones: the kim chee (too spicy for me), some sort of vinegar marinated root like lotus root, a new potato thing (not the salad, which I love), some sad little dollop of seaweed and that salty, boney little fish with just tiny shreds of meat. I ate only the potato and the slivers of fish. Also, they served the purple rice in the crock pot. I prefer white rice. There was white rice in all the pictures on the menu. I decided to just deal with that. The galbi came out first. It was not like it was in the picture. The picture had two slabs of three ribs each; which would have been about an average sized portion. The galbi they gave me had six ribs but they were't connected at all and were small pieces. It was about half the meat as in the picture. It was about the same amount of meat as the "half portion" lunch size of Korean BBQ House in Little Tokyo, which is less than half the price as this Oo-kook's combo. The little meat they did give me was good, there was just too little of it. I decent amount of galbi would have enabled me to forgive all of the other problems, but this is the biggest issue I had: less galbi for more money. They did not give me a plate and I couldn't find my waiter or any waitstaff to give me one. I tried to use the platter they served it on but I burnt my hand in the process. I didn't blame them too much for this because I should have known it was burning hot, but it made my mood even worse. The tofu soup came next. I had ordered the dumpling tofu. The picture had three plump dumplings sitting on top of the soup. The actual soup had only two dumplings, submerged and then quickly disintegrated into the soup. Plus, it was way too spicy. I had ordered it mild. I RARELY send things back. I could usually add rice to take away some of the spice, but this soup I had to send back. They were reluctant to make me a new one. The replacement wasn't a new bowl of soup. It had the same remnants of dumpling that my first one had when I sent it back. They must have spooned out some of the original soup and added flavorless soup. This was not really a big deal because I was glad that no more food went to waste, but it was still wrong to say they'd give me a new one when they just re-served me a modified version. The "new" tofu was still a little spicy but manageable with rice. I asked for white rice this time to diffuse the spiciness. They gave it to me in a small bowl instead of the crock pot, which was fine. I then noticed a sign on the wall that said there was a free soda with check-in. I asked the waiter about that - he said they'll give you a free soda if you leave a nice review on Facebook or Yelp. I thought it was inappropriate to condition the soda on a positive review. I checked in on Facebook and took the opportunity to say it was a horrible experience. I figured that if they charged me for the soda because of it I'd just take it out of the tip. They didn't end up charging me for the soda. It took a really long time to get my bill. When I finally got it, I see they charged me $2 for the rice. I don't have time to make yet another stink so I just took it out of the tip and left about 10% (I usually leave over 20%.) On the way out the guy who had originally taken my order was at the hostess podium. I told him nicely that they shouldn't have charged for the rice, it is the white rice on the menu and they didn't even give you an option to order white or purple. He pointed to a little sign that said "Multigrain rice!" Still, that's no excuse. The sign is not prominently displayed and doesn't say it is standard with a meal. They could have also told me another bowl of rice would be $2 more. He apologized. I told him that if they wanted to adjust the bill they could keep the difference as part of the tip. Needless to say, I'm not going back.
(1)
Holly C.
Delicious and convenient as I can order it to go :)
(5)
Lynette T.
I'm surprised I got my hubby in the door. This guy, he loves buffets & AYCE K-BBQ. He loves grilling his meat up and getting all smokey. I've been wanting to come here for quite a while but every time we were in that parking lot, I'd get out-voted and we'd end up at Souplantation or in line at Costco for a Polish dog. Funny getting out-voted when it was only us two! Anywho, this was a satisfying meal for both of us. For me, the selling point was a nice decor, no K-pop blasting our ears and not going home smelling like eau de charcoal. I ordered the Bulgogi Bun appetizer because I wasn't too hungry and knew that I'd probably end up eating most of the banchans. Loved these little sandwiches! Korean style of the Chinese steamed duck buns. With spring greens inside and a lovely tangy dipping sauce. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… One was enough to fill me up and I brought the other one home for later. The hubby went with the lunch serving of their bulgogi & rice. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… He's so Japanese when it comes to rice. "Hey, it's purple!" and "Is that all I get?" Me: "Eat it; you'll like it." "Take half home and I'll make you some more rice!" For a lunch serving, this was quite a lot of meat piled on the serving plate. He really liked the flavoring and that it came garnished with onions and other stuff. I got him to concede that how nice it was to have the Bulgogi perfectly seasoned and cooked. We liked the banchans here! yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… He went nuts for the fish and picked it clean. I called dibs on the delicious pickled lotus root, kombu seaweed and bean sprouts. Another thing to appreciate was being served barley water. I love drinking that for its health benefits. Service was very attentive and friendly. Loved the decor in the lobby. Lots of room inside with the tables nicely spread out. Parking is a problem most times because Oo-Kook shares the Costco lot. I really wouldn't mind returning every so often!
(4)
Kay H.
The service is not bad here. The cold noodle was very good. The problem was the galbi! How can the cook let a plate of burnt meat out the kitchen? The galbi was not only burnt, but the 2 unburnt pieces were very fatty. That just left me with only 1 piece that was edible! So basically I paid $20 to eat a bowl of cold noodle and 1 piece of galbi. I don't I will be returning because this is not the first time this happened.
(1)
Tracy D.
There is no BBQ grill on the tables. When I drove by this place, I thought it was another oo-kook ayce BBQ restaurant. However, I was wrong. This is a tofu house. The menu contains simple BBQ dishes (served cooked), tofu stews, bibimbap, and so much more but just not raw meats. I was amazed by the side dishes they served. Delicious! I ordered the chicken soup. I can't say it's the best chicken soup I ve ever tried, but it was good. When the server served it, the soup was still boiling in the stone pot! The best thing about this tofu house is the location. There aren't many of the same kind of Korean tofu house around this area. The restaurant located in same plaza with Costco. It's very easy to find.
(4)
Christina G.
Oo-Kook is THE place to go if you're craving Korean food in SGV. Can't believe I only recently discovered it this past weekend. Prices are reasonable (extremely comparable to k-town minus the parking craziness). Tofu soups start at $9.95 by themselves. The combos (bibimbap, galbi, beef, spicy pork, etc) include a tofu soup and start at $15.99. I had the "C1 Combo" (Galbi Ribs) along with a Spicy tofu soup. Note: "spicy" isn't deathly spicy, it is tolerable and not misleading! The banchan was generous, there were 8 varieties and since we were a party of 6, they gave us two sets of eight. Overall, we had a TON of food at a reasonable price with satisfying quality.
(4)
Wendy T.
Came here cause I didn't want to wait at young dong, I should've just waited at young dong.. Ordered Kim chi beef tofu medium spicy, it was so bland and not even spicy at all, don't let the red color fool you.. Super plain and bland. Also got the combo of BBQ beef and Octopus beef tofu in spicy. Again, not even spicy at all and the octopus was super chewy and hard to swallow. The BBQ beef was okay but the pieces were so small I had to use a spoon to scoop it cause my chopstick couldn't pick up more than one tiny piece. All the tofu comes with stone pot rice but they recently changed it to multigrain rice. We requested white rice instead and it came out super mushy and sticky. Overall, probably won't return, I'll just learn to be patient at young dong
(2)
Ken K.
My mother-in-law wanted Korean food, and just like the last time we went to Oo-Kook out of laziness, we left disappointed. Whether it was because I didn't remember how bad the food was or if I just thought the food would be better this time, it's safe to say that Sunday's visit would be our last. Never again will we settle for the short drive when craving Korean food. I ordered the Ham, Sausage, and Cheese Soondubu, my wife ordered the Donkatsu, and my MIL got the Beef Short Rib Soup (AKA Galbi Tang), which is apparently a "summer" special. The soondubu was underwhelming. I've never had Ham, Sausage, and Cheese soondubu, but I felt like trying something different. I don't think it really wouldn't have mattered which one I ordered, as I suspect they all would have had the same problems. As far as the broth was concerned, it wasn't bubbling hot (probably because it was served in a faux stone pot), it was extremely watered-down, and it had a weird color. It was lacking the depth of flavors I enjoy in soondubu, and I swear the ham was actually Spam (which I don't have a problem with, but you need to advertise it as such). The Donkatsu was so bad, my wife literally took one bite and had them take it back. The pork was either just bad quality or cooked poorly (or both), but it was tough with weird texture and it was really not good. She ended up getting an order of the Fried Dumplings to replace that dish, which she liked, but I thought they were really oily and not enjoyable whatsoever. Finally, the Galbi Tang was average (according to my MIL). I tried some of the meat, and I thought it was nothing special. Overall, service is usually fine, but the food needs a lot of work. If you make some quick observations inside the restaurant, you'll notice that there aren't any Korean servers or Korean patrons, and that says something. If you want good Korean food, go to K-Town. It's worth the drive.
(2)
Emma C.
One people who take us to the seat near the door is not kindly . I say it's cold near the door because we take my baby ,we want to have a seat inside. But the waiter is unhappy from her face. En..... Anybody else are very kindly to us .
(3)
Seraph L.
New KBBQ place! I shop at Costco all the time, so I figured I'd come by here before one of my Costco trips to give this place a try. They really make it a point to get the side dishes to the table as the customers are being seated. The moment we were brought to our table, there were already two waiters with trays full of the side dishes. While we dined, I noticed that they did this for every new table. I enjoyed just about every single one of the banchan - they were all so delicious! Many of the waiters and waitresses don't speak English too well, but we were able to get by with pointing at the menu. We ordered, and in no time, the food arrived! The meat tasted pretty good, while the tofu soup was mediocre. However, one of our orders didn't arrive for some time, so we called a waiter over to ask to check up on it, no biggie. Moments later, a manager came over to apologize to us about getting us a dish late, and gave us 20% off our entire check. If this is how much value management puts on providing good service, then I'd come here every time, even if the food didn't taste as good as at other places.
(4)
stephen C.
Excellent service and good quality food. I love all the small plates and tofu soup with beef at a medium heat. Amazing flavor in the spicy pork.
(4)
Julie J.
This is my second time here. The galbi tang is yums and def hits the spot on cold nights or when u r sick. My bf ordered the tofu soup medium spicy but he said it is not as spicy as the other places like arirang so this time he ordered it spicy. They have good service and servers are friendly too. And the hostess' uniform is cute too!
(4)
Cindy L.
This restaurant is fairly new and the establishment looks clean and fairly spacious. We were offered numerous side dishes as we sat down at a booth and the dishes were all decent. Waiters also didn't hesitate when you ask for side dish refill too :) We ordered two combo with galbi, bibimbap, clam tofu soup, and (out of curiosity) ham and cheese soup. The main dishes were both okay but not memorable. I like how you can add your own oil and korean sauce into the bibimbap to customize how oily/salty/spicy you want the dish to be. The ham and cheese soup came out looking just like other tofu soup (I had pictured like a pot of cheese with korean spice or something haha). I think the cheese melted into the soup because it is slightly thicker. Overall the soup was pretty good. We ordered both soup spicy and both tasted mild... so asked for extra spicy if you like spice! Service was great and prompt, so one more star for them :)
(4)
Grace K.
Banchans are much better now but what happened to the tofu soup? It definitely didn't taste the same as before :( The seafood in the soup were not fresh, too much msg and overall just not good at all. . . Also, they added ddukbokki (spicy rice cakes) to their menu but it was also very disappointing. It was way too red in color, overly spicy and had a strange smell. Awwww oo kook, what happened?
(2)
Tiffany W.
I have been coming here for the past year, and recently they have gone through a management change. Although the food is quite good the non-spicy chicken and galbi aren't bad, the tofu portions have gotten smaller. It has also gotten very difficult to get service. We had to wait a long time water, napkins and the check, while we were past by many waiters and waitresses. It is not busy on Fridays at 9 o'clock at night and I can see why. With the Korean pop on repeat on the TVs, the videos tend to distract the mail servers more than assist with the ambience of the restaurant.
(2)
Aaron G.
The food was good, but I think they were short staffed when we went. Folks didn't come by that often until it was time for the bill. I'm not too sure about having rice in that stone pot. Half of it stuck to the pot. I ordered the Clam Tofu soup and it was filling. A lot of bang for your buck.
(4)
Julia Z.
Their appetizer is very... impressive. A lot of dishes with fish for everyone. But the entree was ok. I ordered the tofu pot and asked for spicy, but it's not spicy at all.. well a little bit i would say. And it's not really flavorful. My friend's tofu pot is similar. Plain in flavor.
(3)
Eric Y.
Review number 1, visit number 2! The first time during the grand opening was a fine experience, fast service and decent taste. The second trip was not as great, unfortunately. The side dishes came out and we were met with a nice 3 inch piece of metal in our potato salad (yum!) It took about 5 minutes (and 6 hails for a server) before someone came to our table. The waitress could only say "sorry" with a weak smile, then promptly left(!) I was a bit taken aback by her abrupt separture, but it was apparently to call the manager. The young man came out and explained it was due to a piece of their potato masher coming off, which raised more questions than it answered.. They offered their apologies and gave the standard free meal, but it's a bit hard to get your appetite back after almost biting into a metal rod... Ultimately, the rest of the food tasted fine (of the bit that I ate), and the servers were a LOT nicer after the fact. They even took back my soon tofu which had cooled and offered to warm it up, though who knows if it was just an excuse to spit in it. This would have been an assured 1 star, but my previous experience was decent, and I'm assuming this isn't a regular occurence, so an extra star as a sign of faith.
(2)
Viola K.
Order to-go today. Service was good. It is about $1 or $2 more than the one I usually go, but this one is nearer and new, so I would like to try it. I give 3 star because the tofu soup taste like nothing, I mean not salty enough and even no spicy! I usually order mild in other tofu house, and I feel spicy enough! This one just look red, but not spicy! Even the kimchi side dish is not spicy! I think the spicy paste in this tofu house is just not spicy! But! The side dish fish cake taste so good! May go there again if I don't have time to drive to the one that I usually go when I want tofu soup.
(3)
Andrea C.
I've been here twice- Service: First time with my whole family and our waiter was so rude (maybe my guests asked for too many side dishes and it annoyed our waitress) that one of my guests had to complain to the manager. They didn't do anything about it, they just said okay. Second time I came here was today- the service improved (the person that was rude last time wasn't working). Food: Not impressed. The meat always tastes like stale meat, not quality meet. We always order short ribs and spicy pork along with the tofu soup. The tofu soup is never hot enough to cook the egg when they put it in, so what you end up getting is raw egg soup. Their soup broth isn't great- it's watery. The side dishes are fine. If you like tofu soup and you want to be in the San Gabriel Valley, try A Ri Rang. Much better, in my opinion. Also, parking is not great here when Costco is busy.
(2)
erica c.
Good food! Zero wait time!! No more driving to Korean town!!! The chicken soup noodle is always good!
(5)
Tim L.
More like 4.5 stars. Food is very good and for the most part tastes like every other K-BBQ joint. As far as the meats go, I can't really tell one place from another. The side dishes, however, are slightly better at other places. In addition to the typical side dishes, this place also gives you a fried fish, which tasted pretty good. However, I prefer steamed eggs and seafood pancakes that other places serve and this place does not. I know I'm nitpicking here but it's just a preference of mine. Service at this place is exceptionally good (better than just about any restaurant, not just K-BBQs). I must've been served by at least 6 different people and all were very friendly and spoke fluent English. Price is the same as most K-BBQ places. Galbi with tofu was $17.99 for dinner and other items were slightly cheaper. Parking could be a problem because Costco customers share the same lot. I lucked out and went on a Sunday night after Costco closed. I didn't have to wait at all to get a table since this place is gigantic by K-BBQ standards. Overall, this is a clean, friendly K-BBQ place. I'd definitely repeat if I'm in the area.
(4)
Luke R.
Came here tonight for the soft opening. Not everything was in working order, but here goes: Decor: 5 stars. Beautifully decorated with lots of authentic Korean touches. All table tops are made from wood imported from Korea. Seating was spacious and the climate was very comfortable. Service: 4 stars. Very good. Unlike most Korean restaurants, they only serve tap water here (small ding for that). Food: 4 stars. I had the kalbi/seafood tofu combo. Excellent. My wife had the spicy chicken/beef tofu combo. Excellent as well. The panchan was somewhere between good and very good. So, in recent weeks, we've been to Genwa on Wilshire (5 stars) and Osek in Pasadena (3 stars). On that scale, this place would be between a 4 and 4.5 star rating.
(4)
Joseph W.
Oh oo-kook how you disappoint me. Stick to what you know.
(2)
Eriko M.
I'm not sure if this i like a sister company for the "grill your own meat" oo-kook but I prefer this place better. I actually didn't have the grilled meat dishes here but the meat at the grilling place was very poor quality. I liked this place. The service is MEH and the things we asked for (like water) was often forgotten and we had to ask several times but for appetizer, we got a whole deep fried fish(it was like a 20cm long fish). the Banchan are refill free. I got the bibimbop+tofusoup dish. The tofu soup dish was A-OK, nothing to write home about but I wouldn't mind going back for it. I really liked the bibimbop. Lots of veggies. They give you some kinda spicy sauce and sesame oil to go with it. I liked that this place had actual korean dishes compared to the other grilling place. It is a little expensive but its a set meal for ~$15 you get the tofu soup and something else. I took half home and made it lunch for the next day.
(4)
Johnny T.
The beef bulgogi ribs are delicious! They give you free fried fish as an appetizer and if you want more it's only a dollar each more. The eating atmosphere is really nice. You can tell that the owner invested $$$ in the furniture and decor of the restaurant.The service is definite quick and the food comes out hot and fresh. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Ray L.
Came here on a Wednesday night with my GF around 9PM. Felt a little bad going so late but there were still 5-6 tables at that time so that made me feel a little better. The waiters were both very nice and prompt with service so I was really glad how our lateness didn't affect their behavior towards us. Bacchan were very tasty but cannot say the same about the soon tofu. There's 4 levels of heat (plain/mild/spicy/hot) and My girlfriend ordered plain while I went for spicy. Hers was REALLY flavorless to the point where she had to ask for soy sauce just to eat her tofu while mine had some heat but just as bland in terms of flavor. We don't know if the chef had an off day or not but that kinda ruined the overall pleasantness of our visit. I might consider going back to try again but with so many other good soon tofu places around, I rather visit those places instead. I'm keeping it 3 stars because it was my first time and the service really made it better despite how disappointed I was with the soon tofu. PROS: - great and prompt service despite going one hour before it closes. - tasty Bacchan CONS: - Didn't know tofu can be blander than itself but it's possible!
(3)
Christy M.
I came here for lunch earlier today with my mom and brother and was expecting it to be the AYCE OO KOOK like at the Rosemead location, but it turns out it wasn't. Which kinda worked out for us, because it definitely saved us a lot of money. Anyway, when walking in, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess, and she immediately asked if we wanted any beverages. Our waters came, and we were still looking through the menu to see what we wanted to order. We got the: Japchae (Korean Sweet Potato Noodles) - $8.99 Seafood Tofu Soup, Spicy - $9.95 C1 Galbi Combo with Intestines Tofu Soup, Mild - $14.99 Lunch / $16.99 Dinner Kyle was our server, and he was very friendly with us. He repeated our order, and made sure we were happy with what we got, and checked up on us a lot throughout our meal. He brought us our banchan first, which included: Fried Yellow Corvina Fish, Macaroni Salad, Kombucha Pumpkin Mash, Kimchi, Pickled Cucumber, etc. The banchan was actually pretty good! Some places just have the typical "does the job" satisfactory, but my mom really liked the kimchi, and i loved the vegetables that came with it. The kombucha mash was a bit on the sweet side, but the pumpkin is naturally sweet... so I mostly saved it towards the end of our meal. First came out was the piping hot tofu soups. Most places, like Young Dong or BCD, have you crack your own egg in the soondobu (tofu soup), or some just automatically do it for you. Kyle was very friendly and professional, and asked if we would like our eggs cracked in, and volunteered to do it for us. It was nice because we didn't have to worry about getting our hands sticky from the egg goo. The Tofu Soups had very good flavor to them. My mom ordered the soup by itself, so it came in a good portion sized ceramic bowl. I ordered spicy for her, and I could barely taste the spice. There was plenty of clams, baby tiiiiiny oysters, shrimps, and octopus in her soup. It's not as good as Young Dong's, but definitely better than BCD. My brother's was the lunch combo, so his ceramic bowl was a bit smaller, but still just as flavorful. There was a plethora of intestines and tofu, and a very subtle hint of spice. The Japchae ($8.99) came out next, and the noodles were still very lukewarm, and very flavorful! That was probably the highlight of the meal for me. My mom really liked it too. The noodles had a great texture, and the seasoning was delish. Sweet, salty, savory, perfect. The vegetables cooked with it, and it was great too. Great textural balance, when in comparison to the tofu soups. The Galbi (short ribs) were very tasty! Very flavorful, and not burnt like some places I have been to. The only real downside about this dish was that the meat was jam packed with fat! There were about 3-4 pieces with about 30% of the fat, in comparison to the meat and bone ratio. Some pieces were always very undercooked. I personally love eating meat slightly rare.... but it was pretty bad that you could see some of the blood drip out on my plate. My mom only ate one piece, and unfortunately it was the piece with rare meat and packed with fat. This place probably would've gotten a 5 star rating if it weren't for these two factors. Like I said, service here was great! Especially for a Korean restaurant. Our hostess was very friendly, Kyle was great to us always checking up on our table and reassuring us that we would get refills on waters, or any banchans we wanted more of. Kim was also another server, and she stopped by our table a few times, asking us how our meal was, and if there was anything we needed. Kyle and Kim were amazing! They made us feel so welcomed, and aside for the good food, we would definitely come back just for them. Danny was also one of the servers, and when my mom had asked him for a refill, he gave a sour face and didn't come back. When he finally did, he reached over the table, insisting that I pass him my glass to be refilled. In most cases, servers usually just walk around, or I would voluntarily pass over my glass. But I was midway chewing on my galbi, that it was a bit difficult to stop mid-way to pass my glass. Another incident was when my mom had politely asked for the check, Danny gave my mom a smug look of annoyance, and brought it over to unhappily. Aside from those two things... Oo Kook Tofu & BBQ was still pretty good, and we'll probably come back. Some prices are a bit higher than most places we've been to, but flavor was still pretty spot on.
(4)
Chris W.
Love the window side seating style, cause there is no vertical space between the table and the bench, it's super convenient for us to keep our baby on the bench safely; so we can enjoy our dinner. The side dishes are awesome. The smashed pumpkin ball is very special. Our baby had two of them. Severs are very friendly, and speedy.
(4)
Squirrel S.
Owner changed. Only 5 side dishes and no more fried fish. Price up and not taste as good.
(2)
Cory K.
They changed the owner.... Food and service are not as good as before. They didn't turn on the air condition so it too warm inside. I won't come back again.
(1)
Christina P.
Never been so upset. Why do I have to ask for a daym egg for my tofu soup and rice. Sue and Christina the two dumb servers read about customer service instead of going on Facebook while being clocked in.
(1)
CJ Y.
Tried this place for dinner tonight. Side dishes was pretty basic but decent. The tofu was bland. Didn't really have any flavor to it except for the ingredient to make it spicy. The service was very slow..took them 30 to 45 mins to bring out the tofu. We reminded three different servers to check up. Not sure if they did. The tofu was served by none of the three that we asked to check status. All the other dishes that came with the combo came out first (yellow croker, kaibi, etc.). Since it's, I am willing to give them another chance three to four months down the line. Price wise, its like any other Korean tofu restaurant.
(3)
Paris N.
This is my third time here. The food has a home cooked fresh style to it. When I come here with my husband we split a dish and between the small plates and the main order get out of here under $15. The decor is a combination of traditional and modern with a bright open layout. Love this place. We'll be back.
(5)
Jason L.
I've always wanted to try out the place and I'm glad I did today. My mom got the ribs and I got the tonkatsu. It was all really good. It was really filling too. Our server, Sherrie, was really nice and attentive. I am definitely coming back for more.
(5)
Katy Y.
Quality of food has gone done drastically. I didn't think SO SOON!! As my previous review said, they used to greet us with pan chans (side dishes) with a small fried fish for each member in the party right away before we even order. bUT NOW??? They wait until you order and if it's a BBQ and or combo dish then u get a fish. And I did order a combo with bulgogi and the quality of meat sucked... Look how many check ins I've has and I've ordered the same thing each time so big disappointment the last visit. But they did try to make my 3 friends' bday extra special by singing for them but that's about it.
(3)
Michael S.
I always have an excellent experience when I come here. Sherrie, one of the waitresses was amazing and made me feel at home. Great food with a friendly staff what's not to love.
(5)
Jonathan W.
I don't really eat Korean tofu, mainly because it is usually too hot for me to eat. I came here with my friends and we ordered some dinner combinations. we ordered a tofu combo, a spicy pork and bibimbap in a clay pot. The spicy pork was tender, spicy, and very tasty!! I'm not sure what they marinated it in, but it was very delicious! much better than what I would have cooked in an AYCE place. Tofu was too hot, so I ate it when it was warm. It was good.. I guess, but not as good as the pork. The clay pot bibimbap was very good! They gave us a squirt bottle for the chili sauce and it was good. I wish they gave bigger portions of the panchan, since we were a party of 4, the banchan disappeared quickly. I usually don't like the fried fish that comes with the meal at Korean places, but the fried fish here was very good!! It didn't taste bland or dry! It actually had some flavor in it. yay 4.5 stars because we kept running out of banchan, but their service is excellent and their food is great! :)
(4)
George P.
Loved it! Not a fan of Asian food but being a little adventurous today lead me to this new spot. Great flavors, nice decor, friendly and prompt service. Lots of parking but beware...Costco is nearby and it can't get busy around here. Love the music and they have a nice 42" flat screen playing ESPN. Can I live here? Keep on Yelping
(5)
Christine N.
Yesterday my sister and I decided to try this place out. I can confidently say it was well worth it. First and foremost, the service is excellent. I've never encountered such a nice, welcoming, helpful staff before. Samuel, Sherri, and Angel all helped at our table. I hope I didn't get any of their names incorrectly. So, kudos to the manager and staff. Secondly, food was delicious! Kim Chi was tasty, the fried fish was awesome and crispy. The spicy seafood tofu was soo perfect. Most places overfill with tofu but this place had perfect ratios. Must try!! Spicy chicken and beef was cooked just right. We really enjoyed it! And at the end of your meal you get this delightful slushy-ginger-cinnamon tea. It was by far the BEST end of meal tea I've ever had!!! I will definitely be returning!
(5)
Kim N.
I've tried this place around the time it first opened and a few times after. My last recent time coming here, I tasted a good upgrade; however, not my recommended place to go for korean tofu house. The price has gone down from what it was before, but still not worth the quality you would find somewhere else nearby. The people there are friendly and are glad to be of service, but I noticed that they don't notice the little things after serving the customer their food such as refilling water/side dishes and/or customers raising their hands because they always seem like they are in a rush (maybe understaffed?). Another thing I noticed, normal in several companies, but one should be wary about is the receptionist and his/her math. It's not so hard punching in numbers and giving the right amount of change, so count your change before you leave to be safe! Let's just say I wouldn't go here willingly, haha; however, Lam gives great service and is quick on it so ask to sit in his section if available!
(2)
Jose V.
Sherrie is the best. Thanks for the big salad today!! You remembered..... Excellent service and food.
(5)
Andrew M.
The food was great. My favorite was the Korean short ribs. Very sweet and juicy. I didn't like the onions on the bottom. A little gross. The service was really. Except the receptionist. I asked for a refill on my water twice from her and never came back. She was in the front chilling on her phone. Another server Danny seemed to have had a bad day. My mom asked for the bill and he gave such a dirty look. My favorite server there was Kim. She's so friendly and helpful. She'd stay on top of all things. Made sure our water was filled, and kept our side dishes filled at all times.
(4)
Lu T.
This restaurant was very good. The food was very tasty and the service was very good. I would come back and highly recommend it.
(5)
T S.
Sorry. It's nice, clean and spacious. The fried yellow croakers were nice and the spread of banchan was good. But the food tastes just ok. Nothing to complain about but nothing stood out when we were there. Considering the nightmarish parking situation near Costco, it's probably not worth the trouble.
(3)
Eun Y.
Ordered sam gye tang. I had three bites and couldn't eat anymore. One of the worst retaurants I've ever been to. Service is okay, but food is bad. Never going back. I love ook kook korea bbq on rosemead, though.
(1)
Tony I.
Worst service ever. Host sat me down. Waited twenty minutes. Attempted to get the attention of server. Guess they were too busy to provide customer service. About ten customers and three servers. Left business and I told them that they should not seat me if they have no intentions of serving me. At least the servers saw the videos on tv since they paid more attention to the tv and not the customer.
(1)
Michael Y.
good food, we had the combo and it was delicious. this is a convenient place to go to especially after shopping at Costco or to get filled up and warmed up. Slightly disappointing service though (everything else was 5 stars), it was hard to get our servers' attention, and the hostess made a mistake and gave our table to another group (that was annoying) so waited an extra 5-10 minutes because of that mistake and almost all of the staff are young people so it's not surprising to get this quality of service I guess. We had the short ribs (fatty but loved it) combo with beef (very good), chicken (great) and dumplings tofu. The tofu is soft and there are generous amounts in the soup. Main dishes come with a good variety of sides, including spinach, kimchi, bean sprouts, etc. Food comes at a price of around $10-$20 per person, which is quite good considering the amt of food too.
(3)
Andrew L.
Tried this place during grand opening and was meaning to leave a review. Their side dishes were average at best, didn't taste too fresh. They also had fried fish which to me was stale and not even warm... The kimchi tofu soup i ordered was pretty good but their BEEF brisket tasted awful. It was the most thin and airy meat I've tasted. their service was okay given it was grand opening. i was excited that this place was walkin distance from my house but I'll pass on this place for the near future.
(2)
Jawn H.
Service: Great staff, friendly and prompt. What you would expect in an establishment that caters directly to its consumers. Options: Good variety of traditional Korean hot stone bowl dishes and tofu soup options. Prices differ in sizes of meals. Food: flavor wise, it was good, not the best I've had around the 626 area. Multiple dishes were a little more dry than I had hoped but in the end you get ice cream! Overall experience: I came to eat dinner with my family and ended up enjoying myself. The vibes and lighting of the restaurant really gave a home like feel to things and made my dinner quite satisfying. I recommend people to try their food at least once, because unless you're a die hard Korean BBQ and stone bowl critic, I believe you will enjoy yourselves.
(3)
Tulio D.
Excellent service and great Korean food! We were stuffed with the free appetizers alone! Highly recommend this place to all, I guarantee good food nice old school R&B music playing on the background. Clean and refreshing change to our typical restaurants. Try the tofu beef soup, perfectly spicy.yummy!
(5)
Yun S.
The food here is just ok. Nothing special. I heard that they had shrimp in their side dishes, but I did not find that. But they have fried fish~ we tried the tofu soup in mild spicy and medium... the mild one just like a plain one..not spicy at all.. please order medium if u want mild...
(3)
Raina P.
They changed the menu a lot. I ordered spicy octopus bibimbop combination with dumpling tofu. if u guys like spicy food, u must try octopus bibimbop!! Even they serve fewer side dishes but, one of waitress said their ingredient quality is better than last time.
(5)
Rachele H.
This restaurant has delicious food and reasonable prices. The bibimbap was out of this world. What was even better than the food was the service. Our waitress is woman named mrs. Kim. Never was our beverages empty. Everything was serve promptly with her and she even came back to wish me a happy birthday. Because of her I will definitely come back and bring my friends.
(5)
Virginia Y.
I was super excited to see another Ookook opening up in the area. But then a bit disappointed it was a tofu house, we gave it a try anyways, since their Kbbq is good shouldn't their tofu be too? Guess I was wrong. They give you a good amount of ban chan, even fried fish. They are a bit more pricey than other tofu houses in the area. Food was pretty bland, even my mom said it was bland and she already eats bland food in my mind. Pretty disappointing, don't think I'll be returning.
(2)
Carmen T.
Honestly, this place is okay for the location, because there aren't many Korean places like this around this particular area. The prices are slightly higher than other places, but I think the combos are still a better price then ordering the individual stuff. Oh and if you only want soup DON'T come here because the individual soups are $10! And that's just ridiculous! So on to the food...I thought the soup was pretty good, slightly spicier than the other places but still good. The meats now: galbi- lots of pieces but mainly bones and fat; bulgogi- pretty good but too much of that tendon stuff in the way making the meat kinda tough; spicy pork- not that spicy and the flavor is just ok. Sides dishes were good. Everyone gets their own small fish, AND lots of side dishes. Service was actually really good. The servers were nice and attentive, but there was one bad thing...the server who cracked the egg for the soups....he sounded kinda impatient since another coworker was explaining to us why they don't have the stone pot rice yet. BUT that's not the bad part!! The bad part was when I was mixing my egg in the soup I found a huge egg shell in my soup the size of my thumb...but whatever I just took it out. Overall I think this place might be good on some occasions if I'm too lazy to drive any further away...but not a place I would frequent.
(3)
Joyce N.
Service was good, but that might be because 3/4 of the restaurant was empty tonight. There was a good amount of banchan. Napa cabbage kimchi, bean sprouts, fish cake, cucumber kimchi, some kind of green vegetable and macaroni salad. The fish cake, banchan was very tough and dry. All 4 tofu soups were hot, but not boiling hot like other tofu houses when they bring it to your table. I was worried that the raw egg wouldn't cook in the soup since it didn't seem to be hot enough. The rice that comes with it is in a small metal bowl, not in the usual stone pot. The frozen yogurt they serve in the end also had a weird taste so I didn't finish it. Overall, not that impressed. A ri rang in San Gabriel is way better. Won't be coming back again.
(2)
Jenny C.
Very generous w the side dishes. The place is clean and nice and there is never a wait. MAIN PROBLEM is the food is bland and sucks.. Whoever is the owner needs to get a new chef and new ingredients or even a new menu. This is probably the worst sun du boo I've ever had. I ordered the topooki and the instant ones are way way better. Spicy chicken was dry on the inside w sauce smothered on top. Good service. Non Asians eat here.. Cuz real Asians know food is actually suppose to taste better than this. They got 3 stars because of the side dishes and the service. Sad but they need to step it up
(3)
Sharlene C.
It really improved a lot! Absolutely love the beef short rib soup. The small dishes are really nice too, except maybe the kimchi is too salty. If they can actually put less salt in everything, it will be perfect!
(4)
Kathy V.
We went here because my boyfriend lives nearby and we've all heard great things about the other locations. So we decided to check it out since they opened at this location. 3 stars because they had such good service! All the workers that helped us were really attentive and friendly. But the food was alright in our opinion. The food was either too salty or too dry :( rice was on the dry side as well.. I'm hoping we just went on a bad day and that this business does well! This branch just opened at this location not long ago. Note that it is NOT an ayce kbbq place! You pay by entree. Although our party of six all thought that the good could have been better, the restaurant was pretty crowded and busy.
(3)
Jason H.
Thought this was Korean BBQ like the other locations, but it sadly isn't the same. It isn't actually Ook Kook but instead on the chopsticks it apparently said YounG Dong Tofu House. So try not to be fooled by the name, it isn't actually Korean BBQ :( So Next Time if you are deciding on going to a Korean BBQ Don't come here.
(3)
Kristyn G.
Their service is on point. The workers are very fast when you ask for something and if one can't get it another will right away. Side dishes come right when you sit down. I love their side dishes. They give each person a fish. Only thing I didn't like was their kimchi. It wasn't that good but everything else was great. Their food is good pretty average because I think all Korean food tastes pretty much the same. It's a bit more expensive than a usual Korean place. Maybe a dollar or 2 more. I didn't like their rice though. It's a bit too sticky. But they have good water. Clean water where the ice is completely clear and tastes good.
(4)
Jason L.
My family and I ate here for me and my wife's nieces birthday. The service was terrible they took our orders wrong and there is a new owner as well. The side dishes have been decreased and the service takes forever. My brother in law never got his seafood soup and my sister in law never got her order until we requested to speak to a manager. I recommend to not come here until they straighten things out and they get waiters and waitresses that speak English. They ended up apologizing for what was caused but the damage has been done.
(1)
Xiaoyang W.
The service is bad, one waitress even taught us a lesson which made us felt very unhappy. The food there is just so so.
(2)
Kevin C.
My go-to tofu house in the SGV. I've been to their original AYCE KBBQ in K-Town and was excited when this place opened up in the area. The ban chan is amazing and the service is always on top of it with refills. Portions are big enough to share and will fill you up with a variety of 12 different side dishes. I enjoy how they always change up the ban chan so every visit you get to try something different. The fried fish side dish is tasty but has a ridiculous amount of tiny bones. Food is on par and always comes out fast and sizzling. The decor is very authentic and they even serve ice cream for dinner!
(4)
Sarah T.
Sunday afternoon and it wasn't super busy The place is near Souplantation and Costco Very clean and nice. The background music is really good too. The service is very attentive and the servers were young and spoke English. We ordered: Bibimibap Galbi Seafood tofu soup Their sides are decent and it comes with deep fried fish. The tables around me were getting their fish when they get their sides. We didn't get the fish until halfway thru our meal...Odd Bibimibap was delicious and hot! I love drizzling it in hot sauce with the steamy white rice. HEAVEN. Galbi was a little too chewy but it was alright. Not fantastic. Seafood tofu soup was aaamaazzzinggg. I always get this when going to tofu houses. It's a staple. Sipped every last bit. The clams and shrimps were not fishy at all too! This is odd but I feel like this Korean restaurant was a bit more..whitewashed?...or Americanized.. but I enjoyed it.
(4)
Joshua O.
Finally a decent place Korean place near me!! This place specializes in Tofu soup but also carry other things on the menu if you don't feel like eating something really hot. The service here is probably the best out of all the Korean restaurants I've been to in this price range. The ban chan is excellent here with their variety. I've eaten their tofu soups and also have tried other things on their menu and have not been disappointed with anything. Oh the chapchae is much much better as a dish than the ban chan. Parking can be pretty bad when the Costco and soup plantation are open. But if you get here after Costco closes then parking is a breeze. This place has no street parking and since lot is shared with the above mentioned businesses it can be a battle to get a spot.
(5)
Aileen G.
I am very sensitive to msg, I feel sleepy and sluggish, and MSG is one of the triggers. I love Korean tofu, but I have to be real careful about where I can order from. Unlike other tofu restrants in SGV area, OoKook tofu well controlled the level of MSG in their food. It's a big plus! P.S. Wow! This place also serves vanilla ice cream as desserts!
(4)
Stephanie Y.
I went to this place ar least 3 times. My server's name is Jun Hao today. I ordered Togo. One of my order is Bibimbap. When I took to the hospital I found out they gave me the bibimbap is COLD!! So I called Oo-kook, I asked them why Bibimbap is cold cuz it supposed be hot. The girl said: cuz u didn't asking .Wtf! She is the server, she need to let customer know what's the difference between the food eating in the restaurant and Togo. and she told other people around her says I giving her the hard time. = = I talked to their manager, he told me that server forgot to let me know the bibimbap togo is cold, but he told me I can eat cold food with rice. Lol! Of course all the food can eat in cold, but that's not the way they are!!
(1)
Ash C.
The other Oo kook have better food than this one. I was disappointed with the galbi or the soontofu. The flavor for the tofu is too bland. Overall experience is ok but I won't be coming back because there are lots of better choices for tofu or KBBQ.
(3)
Mary G.
Not bad. I had ordered bibimbap, and felt that the portion size was a bit small. I left feeling a bit hungry still. My mom's dish (i forget what it was) was pretty tiny too. Not going to go out of my way to come back, but it wasn't bad.
(3)
Cindy L.
Very friendly service and clean environment, but the beef have a little too much fat on them. Overall, it's a good place to enjoy Korean dishes.
(4)
Jennie L.
I recommend coming here for lunch because there is no wait, atmosphere is nice, and there's a bunch of lunch specials. Service is very good I was pleased with the attentive waiter and servers. They took care of us right away and I was overall satisfied. The spicy pork is a little different from other places but flavor was good. I would give this place a try_ it's tofu soup is different in terms of consistency however I do believe they are trying to improve on their overall food & services. I would recommend giving this place a try!
(5)
Chris Y.
I have been several times to Oo-Kook in Alhambra and have either really good service and really bad service. On the weekends, the service appears to be more attentive and one of the waitresses always asks if I want any more side dishes and insists I eat more. However, on the weekday, the service is beyond terrible. I ordered seafood tofu which is suppose to have rice with it, instead I only got my bowl of seafood tofu. The waiter never brought my bowl of rice and nobody seemed to check up on me if I needed more water or napkins. I've always enjoyed their short rib soup which is always consistent and their fried dumplings always fill me up. However, the quality of the food has lately been bland and has no flavor in it. Not sure what is happening to Oo-Kook, maybe they need to find a new cook (not Kook). I had to complain to the waitress that service was terrible and she gave me a 20% discount off my bill. That still wasn't good enough for me since I shouldn't need to flag down someone, never got my bowl of rice and shouldn't need to feel disrespected. I won't be going back to this location unless I am around on the weekends. Beware of the service on the weekdays!
(2)
Tam-Ada F.
This place probably the best tofu place I've ever been to. First of all, they give you so many more side dishes than your normal run of the mill tofu house. They even introduced me to these dried sweet shrimp that blew my mind with their deliciousness! The prices are reasonable, but maybe slightly more expensive than other places (by 50 cents or 1 dollar). However, the quality, taste, and friendly service are worth the minuscule price increase. An attentive staff, clean facility, and the close proximity to Costco all make this location a hot spot that you must try!
(5)
Alan K.
Wondered what happened to Sizzler? Well, it just transformed into a Korean restaurant. I thought the food was decent, but definitely more expensive than many of the restaurants around the neighborhood. The service was rather lackluster, especially how I was greeted at the front door. I think my impressions were diminished after the hostess was rude. Overall, the interior is nice, but the service needs to be improved.
(3)
Ishnoelle C.
Best Tofu House in Alhambra ... Great staff, the ambiance is pretty. Side dishes are so yummy, my favorite is the short rib bbq. It's a must try place ... !!!!!
(5)
Ennovy R.
I was craving Korean. Great service. Everyone was super helpful with all the questions I had. The price is great for the amount of food you get.
(5)
Edwin S.
This is not the AYCE OO-KOOK you are used to. It's a tofu house. Easy to get the two confused. The food here tastes very westernized. The Galbi was neither sweet not salty enough. The tofu soup also was very bland. They didn't heat up my clay pot up enough and consequently my rice couldn't form that tasty crust that we all look forward to. Pricing is a bit higher that expected, especially in LA. The portions were also smaller than the places we frequent. Service is very friendly and fast and everyone speaks great English. This place can become a fantastic establishment if they can get their flavors right.
(3)
Angela M.
I was said to see Sizzler go but was thrilled to see a Korean BBQ Tofu Restaurant open up in its place. I fell in love with Oo-Kook right away. The restaurant is very spacious and has a very nice interior. The employees were friendly. The seats were also comfortable too. I ordered a combination meal with the Corvina fish and the assorted tofu pot. A combo meal here is more than enough to fill you up. I loved their kimchee. Oo-Kook is one of the few restaurants that actually serves spicy squid as one of their small appetizer dishes. This type of dish has to be made fresh daily. For some strange reason, I'm in love with that dish probably because I love seafood and kimchee. I enjoy adding those dishes to my rice. My other favorite small dishes were the flavored dry vermicelli, flavored egg, bean sprouts, spinach, etc. They served so many different appetizers, and they also include free refills on all of them. They also serve dry seaweed which I haven't seen at other restaurants. It's really strong and is probably best eaten with rice. Other than BCD tofu house, Oo-Kook is one of the few restaurants that also serves one small fried fish dish to each person who dines there. I felt bad that I wasn't able to eat my free fish that time because my Corvina fish filled me up. My Corvina fish was crunchy and delicious. By the time I was done eating my fish, appetizers, and rice, I almost had no room left for my assorted tofu pot. I went ahead and stuffed myself anyways because the assorted tofu pot included many different types of seafood. It included clams, shrimp, baby octopus, beef, egg, etc. All of their meat dishes are cooked inside the kitchen so you don't have to worry about inhaling fumes. I'm just so happy that Oo-Kook opened up. I will definitely be returning here more often.
(5)
Art C.
I have to say this is the worst Korean BBQ & Tofu we have ever been to. It should have been a red flag when the place was almost empty in the busy Shopping Mall on a Thursday night. The service was way below average but that's understandable considering they just barely open for business. I ordered ribs/seafood tofu (spicy) $18.99, and wife ordered spicy pork/ham tofu with the request of ZERO spicy for the soup. It was for my son. My food came out in a hurry with 5-5 pieces of ribs and the taste was pretty bland...my wife and son's tofu soup came out in RED spicy ham tofu and we reiterate when ordering that NO SPICY as the soup for my 5 years old son - After all the dust settled a nice waitress came by she knew something was wrong and offered to get another one. The next one came back in REDDISH Tofu Soup again!! WOW, I had it but they were so nice so I refrain myself for taking this to another level. Finally, the third time was the charm and they got it right after the unnecessary confusions... The most disappointing thing was the tofu wasn't even boiling hot when it got to the table. I was afraid to put in the fresh egg and didn't want to get sick the next day. The portions are small considering the $18.99 price point and that's $$$$$ considering you are located in the San Gabriel Valley area where you can find GEN BBQ for $19.99 AYCE, Young Dong $16.99, etc. The Spicy Pork was full of fattening cheap meats and if you want to test out your heart this is a nice place to try. Overall we won't be back and maybe...and that's an iffy MAYBE we might give them a try a year from now...make it a two after rethinking of the ordeal.
(1)
Andy L.
Friendly customer service, and the free fish is delicious!!! Plus the promo for free drinks is awesome!!! :):):):):):):):)
(5)
Linda R.
I was pretty excited to try this place. So I brought my mother. Wellllll.......I was less than thrilled. First off, their appetizers stated like they came out of a jar, freezer, or prepared days ago. They just didn't taste authentic Korean. Then we both had the tofu. My mom had the mild assorted tofu soup (beef pork seafood) and I had the spicy seafood tofu soup (shrimp clam oyster baby octopus). My mom said their beef tasted like it came out of freezer (iow not fresh). The shrimp were smallllll and not fresh. Then I noticed the soup. Mine was very watery. It's almost like their soup mix didn't distribution evenly (think miso soup after it has settled for a while). And the flavor was not savory. It just tasted like water with chili. I tasted my mother's soup and hers had much more flavor. So get the mild if you want flavor. Price for tofu is OK. About ten bucks. I didn't try the meat. It looked ok I guess. Well, I've tried it once and I can say I've tried it. I don't believe I will repeat. I've had better.
(2)
Irving D.
Went to run errands with mom over at Costco and she suggested we try this place. As others have stated this use to be one of the few remaining Sizzler restaurants. Although I hardly ever went there it was comforting to know one was there. Cheese bread and Malibu Chicken is always a winner. Anyhow...on with my review. We had a booth for the 2 of us. First thing is the place is very nicely decorated. Clean and very bright. The big thing for me...NO SMOKE or TYPICAL SMELL. Anyone that eats KBBQ or even Tofu Houses know you and your clothes get a good dousing and you walk out of there smelly. But this place had pretty good ventilation. It was not all smoky, that was the first super positive sign for me. The restaurant is nice and clean and yes the Banchan aka side dishes came out super quick and a decent selection. Cannot hate on the side dishes. My mom got just the tofu soup an "assorted" I got their most popular combo, the Galbi one. I got the dumpling tofu for my soup. My mom and I both ordered it mild...I should of got medium or even spicy. The tofu soup again was decent. Middle of the road. I have had worst and I have had waaay better. So it was just OK. My Galbi though...lacked some flavor. It was not bad, and not good. Just meh. I kind of expect my Galbi to come with some nice hearty flavoring but these were just there. The quality was also so so. Not the most tender mouth water pieces and not the worst either. The staff was good and attentive. Refilled the waters a few times and our empty side dishes too with a smile. No drama and the waiter asked us if we wanted more. Always a plus. This place is a solid 3 stars. I think it is a good "first tofu" for someone. If you have a friend or a date that has never had tofu soup before this place is a perfect spot to go. Not intimidating at all and easy to see how it is. I will probably go back, it is the closest tofu house to me (I live in So Pas) and I do like the atmosphere, clean and roomy and bright so yeah I would go back and try the other meats, chicken and pork next for sure.
(3)
Wendy C.
This place is comparable to BCD. It is never too crowded, so it has a leg up on Koreatown establishments. The food is nothing to write home about, but it does the job when you have a craving for soon tofu. They are generous with the side dishes, and pricing is normal. My only complaint is the service. The servers have all been really nice, but in terms of coming around to check if everything is okay (e.g. refilling water and/or side dishes) or providing the check, you REALLY have to flag them down. It's a training issue, not the servers themselves. This hasn't changed my perception of the place (though it should), but funny story: One time, a server told us, "Crack the egg in the pot; I would do it but my hands are dirty" ... which was obviously concerning because she just served us our food. Ha. Ha.
(3)
Walt L.
Great food next to great stores, Costco & Target. Tackle the weekly grocery runs and satisfy the craving for authentic Korean tofu n BBQ all in the same day, same place. What's not to love?! On top of that, the combinations are good portions and the side dishes are definitely as good n plenty as everyone else claimed. Service was quite considerate, kids were served with closed lid kiddie cups, definitely don't see that often in this type of restaurants. Last but not least, both tofu and BBQ were quite above average. Highly recommend super spicy for the soups, more kick and flavor, but not overbearing at the same time.
(4)
Carmen W.
Me and my friend were excited that there was a Korean BBQ tofu place near our house! We didn't realize that it was ONLY a tofu house. So people who thought they would be getting kbbq, they would have been disappointed. Customer service was a little haphazard. I appreciated the attentiveness, but when 4 different waiters ask if I ordered yet, that's a tad too much. They should have a system established. Also, I don't think many of the waiters are actually Korean. The woman spoke directly to me in mandarin. So it made me and my friend think this place as not very authentic. They quickly bring out the side dishes, but it did not taste that great. The salad dressing was way too citrusy. The fish cake strips were stale. The kimchi was tasteless. The tofu soup was standard, as well as the galbi we ordered. All in all, there are better tofu places around but I wouldn't mind coming here if I was desperate for some tofu soup.
(3)
lynn n.
We saw that a new restaurant was going in at the old Sizzlers... Saw people in there so we went for dinner. They were doing a soft opening tonight. They said they will be officially opening in a few day. We ordered the combination. I had the Galbi beef and the Dumpling soup.. YUM. They had a nice assortment of kimichis.. mild to slightly spicy.. all really good. The Galbi was so good, I finished the whole thing. They were working out the kinks, but service was still good We will definitely be going back
(4)
Irene D.
It's great to see something out of the ordinary in Alhambra and a tofu house is the right fit! Me and my partner made it just in time for lunch prices. I got the beef tofu soup and spicy Korean BBQ combo for $13.99. The price might sound pricy, but for everything you get, it's not. As soon as your seated, you're given a salad and small fish as an appetizer, as well as a bunch of little ramekins with toppings for your tofu soup. I got mine spicy and it was just the right level of spicy. By the time I got my Korean BBQ, I was already full from my tofu soup but I still to some bites in and it was DELICIOUS. I found myself continuously picking at it even though I was full just because it was in front of me. The staff was super friendly, it wasn't just one person checking up on you. The only thing is you have to ask for the bill because they won't bring it to you until you ask, which is fine because they don't rush you. The bill came out to be about $32 for two people which was nothing for everything it came with, as well as plenty of leftovers!
(5)
Judy L.
Changed owners. Used to love this place. Prices went up and quality went down. Meals used to come with around 8 side dishes. Now have around 5. The kalbi combo was $20! Bulgogi was over marinated or old because it was mushy and tasted weird. I was afraid to eat it fearing food poisoning. I always came here when I craved Korean bbq bc I don't wanna cook my own food like at other Korean bbq joints. But, I guess I have to just bite the bullet and go to Gen.
(2)
Wendy M.
My family were here last night. We didn't have a hard time looking for parking. The minute we walked in the server asked us for the number and took us to a table. We got the table right away. The place is amazing. It is clean, big, and everyone there was friendly. It is very nice. We ordered seafood soup, BBQ beef, and noodle. We all ordered multigrain rice except for my husband. He wanted white sticky rice in a hot stone bowl, but they didn't have it. That wasn't too good. He still ordered it. it was served in a regular bowl. My daughter ended up ordered ice cream when she finished her food. They don't have any other dessert except for ice cream. At the end, they gave us free slush drink served in a small cup. it. It was very good. Overall, my experience here was very good. I like the food and the services.
(5)
Andrei S.
Very good tofu soup and nice place!! I like the appetizer dishes. The very best one in town so far.
(5)
Kevin H.
This place is awesome !! Love the food so yummy !! The side dishes are always so fresh especially the kimchi and spicy cucumber let's not forget the bomb potato salad, the water is special here too it's a hybrid mix with tea makes it so refreshing !
(5)
Loobers G.
Delicious food, excellent service, clean, very kind to children, fair prices. Great place to come after going to costco. Will come again.
(4)
Junhao S.
This was a fantastic meal! Very good!!! I would recommend you guys coming here and try the delicious tofu soup in Alhambra area only!
(5)
Anna N.
2.5 Bland. Very bland. Lunch and dinner is about $1-2 difference. I had the spicy pork bulgogi....or I should say it came out like pork bulgogi. Not spicy at all...not even a little. And the pork was very fatty. I combo'ed it up with seafood tofu soup...blah tasted like nothing. Service is alright. Instead of giving us a bit of time to chit-chat once we barely sat down...the older Korean woman came over trying to take our order 3x in 5min.
(2)
Nancy J.
Just tried this place for lunch. I have to say that upon entering, we were pretty disappointed. The restaurant is really nice, but we noticed that there were no grilles on the tables. No salad bar. We live on Commonwealth so when we saw construction going on at the former Sizzler, we were excited about the prospect of a new restaurant. When we saw the Korean bbq sign, we were thrilled. I have never been to an Oo-Kook before, but when I discovered that this was going to be their 3rd location, I did a little bit of research. I was so jazzed to learn that Oo-Kook was an all you can eat bbq/tofu place. And to have one so close was going to be a huge treat. I even invited my parents to go with us, selling it as all you can eat bbq. We have been eagerly anticipating the opening for a few weeks now. Boo. It's JUST a tofu house. And the banchan is not that exciting. My favorite banchan dishes are cucumber, potato salad, soybeans, and Korean pancake. They only had cucumber. Their salad was not very well dressed and the dressing itself was really watery. The tofu was actually spicy, but this place doesn't stand out as far as tofu houses go. I have to say that I think Oo-Kook dropped the ball on this one. Should have kept it an all you can eat restaurant. They would have taken a lot of business away from Souplantation. The Asians that shop at Costco would have loved it. And everyone from the neighboring gyms would have frequented this spot. The staff was really nice, although, the hostess was pretty damn insistent about seating us at a table. Considering there were only 3 parties here, we sat ourselves at a booth.
(3)
Jessica L.
Delicious. Just plain delicious. I got the dumpling tofu soup and loved what I had. The only thing missing was that there wasn't enough soup. There was way more tofu than soup. I loved the side dishes and the service was excellent as me and my friends kept on asking for more of the macaroni salad, seaweed, and broccoli side dishes.
3.5 stars. My mom was so excited about Oo Kook. She thought it was going to be a KBBQ place (even though we've never even been to the other locations), but it's just a tofu place. She still wanted to try it, so I brought her and my dad here for dinner. -- Food: They start you off with a salad, which is pretty standard. We ordered the galbi combo and bibimbap combo, both with oyster tofu soup. The galbi and oyster tofu soup were on par with other SGV Korean restaurants, taste-wise. The portion of galbi was kind of small though. I was worried about bland tasting soup after I read some reviews, but my soup was plenty flavorful. Last but not the least, my bibimbap was only average. As for side dishes (ban chan), there was kimchi, mash potatoes, fishcake, spinach, spicy cucumber, bean sprouts, and fried fish. The portions were a little smaller compared to other places. I'm sure you could ask for refills, but we did not. In terms of taste, it was just alright. I love me some fishcake, but I barely touched this one. Oh, something extra--literally. If you've had tofu soup before, the server usually asks if you want the egg cracked into your soup before they put it in front of you. Here, they automatically gave us three raw eggs before we even ordered. I guess you just crack it yourself, which is fine... but we had an extra egg because we only ordered two tofu soups. I was like... uhhh, what do I do with this extra egg?? Customer service: The servers were very, very friendly. They constantly checking up on us. They might have been a little too attentive for my liking, but I guess it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to customer experience. I accidentally knocked down my full cup of ice water and caused a scene. Two or three workers were cleaning up the spilled water. :( I apologized profusely, but they were very nice about it. Environment/ambiance: This place's decor is kind of interesting. I'm guessing that you're supposed to feel like you're eating outside of a traditional Korean house? We sat in the booth area. It was a little weird because the tables were longer than the seats... It's just not aesthetically pleasing. There's a little too much space, which made eating feel a little awkward, since I'm not used to everything being so spread out. Value: It seemed to me that most of the things on the menu were $1-3 more than other Korean restaurants in SGV. I'm not sure that it's well justified because there wasn't a great selection of ban chan; the portions weren't bigger; and, the food wasn't better. :( !! TLDR; I didn't think the food was anything to rave about. In its defense, I guess it is a new restaurant... Maybe things will be better with time.
(3)
Kevin T.
I've been to quite a few tofu houses and I was hoping that this one would exceed my expectations, but there isn't much difference in taste/quality than your standard place. The restaurant itself is nice and clean seeing as it's brand new, but parking can get a little difficult at times since it's right next Costco and Soup Plantation. The prices are also slightly higher than some places but the portions are basically the same. The spicy chicken wasn't really spicy and, to me but not the others I was with, the tofu soup tasted a little strange. The sides were pretty standard but they did give fried fish for every person which I've only received from BCD but I would've rather had the pancake. Overall it's nice to have a tofu place closer to where I live but I can easily choose Tofu House or the tofu place on Valley as an alternative to here because it's basically the same quality and quantity give or take some small things and a slightly higher price.
(3)
Adriana Q.
I was so happy I finally had a tofu house nearby! But alas the food was just okay. The seafood tofu soup I had wasn't spectacular and neither was the bibimbap. You basically have to add flavor to the bibimbap on your own by adding sesame oil, and chilisauce and if you want bibimbap sauce you have to ask the server for some. However, once all those ingridients were added, it was pretty good. Maybe this is how it's usually served and I just didn't know but at the same time, it wasn't explained to me. The service and environment is great. It's very beautiful inside and when I was there, they had korean girl band music videos playing on their televisions on mute with american pop music in the background. Not sure if I'll ever be back again but if I am, it'll be for the bibimbap only because I don't know of another place that sells it nearby.
(3)
Han W.
I come here basically every day after working out. the beef short rib stew is a great meal after the gym, and Sherri and the staff are always friendly and quick.
(5)
J W.
Too expensive. $75 for lunch for 4 people (4 meals). Way cheaper at a Young Dong. Food is ok. I think the dishes are actually smaller than Young Dong. Dining area is very spacious. Service (at least our waitress) sucks. Never refilled our water cups, basically ignored us after taking our orders. Each person gets a fried fish (croacker?) mashed potato, bean sprouts, bean curd, cucumber, kimchi, some vegetable tips.
(2)
Craig T.
This was my first time at Oo-Kook and I'll have to say it wasn't bad. The condiments were endless on the table, which even included the rarely seen fish! I ordered the hot stone bibimbap with mild dumpling tofu soup. The soup came out first, which was the right temperature and the right spiciness for my liking. The bibimbap came out sizzling, which was music to my ears. When the bibimbap came out the waiter asked if I ever had bibimbap at Oo-Kook before. Since I had never, he took the sauces and mixed them in my bowl, and began to stir away. I understand this is how you're supposed to eat bibimbap, however I didn't prefer for someone else to mix up my food for me. At the end of the meal, they served a nice vanilla sorbet-ish dessert for free! It was a nice palette-cleanser to end the tasty meal. The food was excellent and I would come back again.
(4)
roxanne s.
Brought my friends from norcal here for lunch & we were seated promptly. Service was amazing everyone was so friendly and always checking if we needed anything. I'm usually very picky about the banchan but every dish I tried here I enjoyed they were so fresh! Tofu soup was also very fulfilling and flavorful. Best bulgolgi I had in a tofu house! Definitely worth the trip here and a great place to take friends out for lunch to catch up. Will be back soon!
(5)
Irene W.
I've eyed this place every time I've been to the Souplantation next to it. It's alright. I don't usually have a high expectation for korean tofu soup and their banchan. This place however seemed to keep falling below my expectations. Tofu soup: I got the beef and seafood (T4 I believe) and it was good at first. But then all the clams inside wouldn't open up, which is a sign that they were either not cooked long enough (which i doubt since the pot was hot 10min into the meal) or they just turned bad. This also happened to anyone else in my table who ordered anything seafood. Shame... Banchan (side dishes/small appetizers): It was good. Not much to complain about. Their mac salad was a tad too sweet. The only problem we had was that they were stingy with the portions. Yes, I know that these dishes are not the main, only served on the side blah blah blah. I know that. But when we asked for refills, they said yes but came back with smaller and smaller portions each time. The one thing I really enjoyed was the fried fish that came with my soup. It was perfectly crispy. The bones didn't bother me. And when I put it over my rice and poured soup on it, it stayed crispy for a while longer. Might come back with a friend. Or not.
(3)
Julie K.
I had dduk bok ki, seafood tofu and galbi combo. Dduk bok ki was spicy but very good. Tofu had good amount of seafood. I love the side dishes. Not like other places they give you more choices. Servers were nice too. They gave us extra side dishes.
(5)
Edwin G.
This is the second tofu house I've been to and so far is the best! The ambiance and service is really good! The soup has a lot of flavor and is filling on it's own! But for those days where you have a little extra room the combo plates are the best! As a spicy food eater Mild is just right for any soup and spicy is for those days I want an extra kick! They recently changed their menu and the mineral rice with the hot stone plate is so good!
(5)
Esther A.
Love this place!! Love their tofu soup, teriyaki, short rib, and spicy pork!! everything!! The servers are also all nice!! You should definately come and try this place!!
(5)
Eunju C.
Excellent and kind servers and the tofu soup was very tasty ! If you like spicy and pork, must try spicy pork !! Wonderful place to try
(5)
C P.
Food was great. All very tasty. Would recommend to my friends that like tofu and Korean dishes
(4)
Dana C.
Not bad. The decor looked really nice and the overall restaurant felt very spacious. The side dishes were okay (really liked the mashed pumpkin one, but the kimchi cucumbers were bitter for some reason). Ordered the galbi with kimchi tofu soup combination. Galbi was pretty good, and the kimchi soup was also decent, but I kind of got sick of it towards the end. The soup also didn't come with scallions (which was great for me 'cause I hate them, but scallion lovers might be a bit disappointed). My mom got the chicken soup summer special and it was a huge portion but kind of bland.
(4)
Jane F.
Was very excited to see a Tofu Korean restaurant in Alhambra. Drove by today and it was open. So this may not be a true reflection of what the restaurant will eventually become after they fix the kinks. The decor was really nice. I had been there as a Sizzler and they totally remodeled the inside. Everything was new and clean. The hostess was pleasant and welcoming. My waiter wasn't very attentive. Took ordered and after dropping off some plates and water, I didn't see him again. We had to ask the hostess for the bill because he was off on break somewhere I guess. Not a good impression. We ordered the seafood tofu. I love tofu soup, but this one had no flavor to it. Very disappointed. It was $9.95 and included rice in a hot pot. Instead of ordering the combination meat/tofu, we thought we would get more meat if we ordered each separate, but I was surprised at how small the bulgogi order was. For $16.99, it was a tiny portion or the size I would expected if I ordered the combination. Although the flavor of the meat was pretty good, didn't think portion was worth the money compared to other tofu/bbq places. Wonder what size of the combination would be. It's a nice place and has potential, but there are other Korean Tofu restaurants I would rather go to. Maybe wait awhile and check it out again... or not.
(2)
Jose P.
I work close to this location. Being more familiar with their all-you-can-eat (AYCE) BBQ locations, I thought this was another AYCE place and skipped it over for the longest, since I'm usually not THAT hungry for AYCE Korean BBQ for lunch (nor do I have the time for it). Fortunately, this is NOT an AYCE restaurant. You can still get Korean BBQ, but as an individual dish. The portion is still plentiful, but not AYCE-size. Additionally, you don't need to cook it, saving you precious lunch break time and protecting your clothing and body from smelling like a steak back in the office. Another plus is the amount and variety of banchan (Korean appetizers) you get, and they're all pretty tasty. I read a complaint on this yelp page about getting a fried fish that wasn't scaled. I'm thinking that was a one-off fluke, as I've been here several times and got fish that was properly scaled and battered. Anyway, you get one of those as an appetizer, along with kimchi, pickled cucumbers, macaroni salad, mashed squash, and a whole lot of other things. They occasionally mix things up, as well, so that some days, you might get spiced hardboiled eggs instead of egg omelet (think tamago sushi), or spiced brine shrimp (really good with white rice) instead of fried breaded mushrooms. And unlike other restaurants that only serve banchan to people who dine in, Oo-Kook provides all their banchan offerings of the day to take-out orders. It's summer right now, and they have two really good seasonal specials: (1) a short rib and noodle soup; and (2) a ginseng chicken stew. Both are very good, especially if you're a fan of light broth soups with fresh flavors. If there's anything that I'm not a big fan of, it's the dolsot (stone pot) bibimbap (a stir-it-up-to-your-liking casserole dish that's like a saucy fried rice). It's served on a wider stone pot than i'm used to with a mound of steam rice in the center that's girded with the usual dolsot bibimbap ingredients (veggies, beef and egg). Anyway, I'm a big fan of dolsot bibimbap with a nice crust of crispy near-burnt rice on the bottom, and the stone pot and method of preparation described above doesn't really help to that end - even if you add sesame oil and give it a few minutes to "fry" up. All that aside, this restaurant is still very good and worth trying.
(5)
Johnmirrors Y.
The food was great. I was also well taking care of by my waitress Sherri she was awesome.
(5)
Harry C.
I got the beef ribs and seafood tofu soup. Coworker got the chicken and seafood tofu soup. The ribs tasted good, the chicken was ok. We both agreed the seafood tofu soup was too salty. They give you 8 side dishes and all of them tasted good. Total bill after tax and tip, $40. A little overpriced for ok food.
(3)
Priscilla G.
Impression : Like everyone else I was seriously stoked that there was finally a tofu house opening in Alhambra. It was more convenient to get my tofu soup fix here instead of driving all the way to San Gabriel's Tofu Houses (which is totally worth). Experience: Once you're seated you are immediately given ur appetizers. They even provide a covina for each person. However if I were to compare the Galbi (beef short ribs) here to the other places I go to in SG. I'd much prefer the ones in SG. For one thing, part of my meat was still raw, (which explains why it wasn't sizzling when it came out), and second in my pref I like the meat to be deeply flavored and by having that I think it needs to be cooked well. Good thing is the Dumplings taste great! Very Juicy and just the right mix of crunchiness and flavoring. I don't know about the tofu soup though lol. I feel like they have the potential to make it better but it just wasn't working for me. My brother's order of galbi just by itself came out 20 min later after all of our combos came out. Last thoughts: In all honesty I think I'd only come back as a last option and choice, but utnil then Yong Dong Tofu house here I come hue
(3)
A C.
Great restaruant to go for lunch or dinner. They serve organic tofus and lots of side dishes. The retaurant is spacious, clean, and new. I go there often for lunch and have great experience each time. Keep up the good work!
(4)
Booby G.
we rolled in at 9pm...maybe that was the reason? side dishes - wack. looked fancy, but were room temp and not fresh. did not taste very good. fish cakes were too chewy..didn't have my favorite seaweed! spicy chicken - did not like the sauce on the spicy chicken, different from your regular gochujiang tofu soup - it was coo. solid. had plenty of seafood. lacked a little flavor rice - undercooked. yes, it came in a hot stone pot and it was still undercooked not that good. i hope they do better....spot looks nice though! very cool decor
(2)
Lola Y.
Came here yesterday for the 1st time and I must say I am not disappointed! We had the short rib/kimchi tofu soup combo, a dumpling tofu soup and a bibimbap and it was delicious!!! I loved all the little side dishes that came except I could've done without the soy sauce eggs(they're like hard boiled eggs except the outer layer of the white is brown). I was also bummed that they gave us macaroni salad instead of potato salad but other than that, the service was great, everyone was super friendly and the food was yum! Our waitress was very attentive(constantly checking to see that we were okay) and the place was nice and super clean. I will definitely come back here again!!!
(4)
Jen K.
Today we had the beef rib soup, bibimbap and the seafood soondubu spicy. Ordered a side of the hot stone rice and was flatly told it's not served any more. It irritates me when items not available are still on the menu, and takes away from the way the dish is traditionally served. We tasted the soondubu: it was so spicy that it was not edible and weirdly bland at the same time. The color was a light salmon color, not vibrant red like it should be. We eat here because it beats driving to Ktown. Everything else tastes great but clearly the star dish is a bomb. I flag our waiter to let him know, and this is where it gets bizarre and disappointing; he looks at it, told me that the chili they use are jalapeños, they are spicy and tells me that jalapeños are very very spicy and I should have ordered it medium. As he continues his monologue about jalapeños I looked at his face, and for some reason, I didn't think he was being sarcastic but there is a clear communication problem where for some reason, he doesn't get that I presented him with a dilemma regarding the quality of the food. I asked him about the flavor and he said he would see about having more broth put in. When it came back, it was very clear that it was watered down, still much took spicy and now everything had seized up and rubbery. By this time he was doing his best to avoid us, and his non verbal actions made it clear they were not going to correct this. I asked for an extra fish to eat with the rice and then he came back and said they were charging an extra dollar, which I told him I am aware. Even though I know I had the right to demand better food and service, I just wanted out. This server actually was making me feel crummy and was ruining the experience. He was completely oblivious. I checked out his name on the receipt: Jun Hao and realized he is Korean. I handed him the payment and explained to him in Korean that he didn't check back on the soondubu which was still inedible and incredibly spicy. He responded back in Korean he is sorry and Again, explained the history of jalapeño peppers. I handed him a 10%tip, as I told him "You really shouldn't put the burden on the customers on how to correct the flavor and taste of the food". He was awkward, and apologized but again didn't offer solutions. I will not eat out at oo look restaurant again, and I feel bad that this place will still serve subpar quality and evasive service to customers expecting authentic taste. So to the reviewers who think English might be an issue, nope, service is bad in Korean too.
(1)
Frank C.
The food is fairly typical of Korean tofu and BBQ places. It's not bad, but nothing extraordinary either. The extra star is for the ambiance and the friendly staff. Parking is easy for dinner.
(4)
Cary T.
Walked in and no one greeted or acknowledged me for about 5 minutes although the workers did see me. Should've just left. DO NOT ORDER THE SPICY RICE CAKES. Rice cakes were not soft and the awful thick sauce. Tofu soup was really salty and the kalbi was bland. Would not return.
(1)
Tammy L.
Parking is already hard as it is, knowing that Costco and Souplantation are in the same plaza. Now this....oh boy. I say if you want to come here with easy parking, coming after 7pm. Costco is closing...and you can just share the lot with Souplantaion. which isnt so bad. Decor: This place is pretty nice. Very spacious and a lot of seatings. They have giant tvs mounted on the walls and they both play K-pop music videos. However, the volume is down because they play random radio station...sometimes you hear current kiis fm music, other times korean music that doesnt go with the music video. Staff: You can tell that a lot of them are new at serving or working at a restaurant in general. Seems like there's no organized system going on. My first time there, I think I had 4 different servers. The first one sat my boyfriend and I down and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Then she left to get our water..in the meantime...another lady came and asked if we wanted something to drink...we told her that we already been helped. We got our water like 5 minutes later. At that time, we already knew what we wanted. But the girl just dropped off our drinks and left. We kept trying to wave down the waitress to take our order...A few minutes passed and a new person finally came and took our order. After our order was taken, someone came to place all the banchans down, which looked bomb! While we were waiting for our food, someone came to try to take our order again... really? sorry for the rant..i just couldnt finish one story without being interrupted so many times lol Food: we got the japchae noodle and the dumpling tofu and bulgogi combo. The japchae was so hard. The noodles were not cooked all the way and it was bland. The dumpling tofu was really delicious. Super hot and full of tofu and meat and super flavorful. The bulgogi was good. The meat was cooked nicely and really well-marinated. Note to self, just stick to the main entree. The banchan that were given out had the fried fish, kimchi, cucumbers, potato salad?, seaweed, egg, and bean sprouts. I thinkthey change this up all the time. Theyre all pretty good an basic. Except the potato salad? I think its from Costco or something...I know cuz i just bought the same thing the week before lol Service is slow, but when its time to get your check, its like everyone just got their super powers or something. They become FLASH...you see them running around to get the checks and everything. But even before we finished eating, they already dropped off complimentary ice cream on our table. Rude... but good thing that ice cream was goooooood.
(3)
Gregory L.
Food is good, service is suspect. Servers don't know who ordered what so they come to the table and yell out dishes. Then of course the tofu soups get mixed up. They forgot some rice dishes and the server had to slowly count each rice dish, as if we were lying or hiding one... Also one final dish was very delayed, maybe forgotten, and when asked about the server proceeded to go into a lengthy description on how long it takes to cook Kalbi. Of course, it came right away after the gentle inquiry. One good thing is the crazy K-pop videos! Kinda pricey for the small portions.
(2)
Sally L.
NOTE: -NOT a AYCE kbbq joint. It's by entree so don't come here and be disappointed because there is a sign that says TOFU&BBQ (since people just see the logo and automatically assume) -Free soft serve at the end....FREE. Enough said. Came here for the first time with two friends. Talking from my own experience, I love the little side dishes they bring you the second you sit down! Many choices + they are refillable! Ordered a galbi combination with dumpling soup and it was delicious*_* The meat was cooked just right and the tofu soup tasted spicy and flavorful! I don't know where all this charter is about it being too watery or too much msg....I guess it just depends on your preference of what you like? Nonetheless, I personally thought it was the best I've had so far (sorry Young Dong!) Service: 5 stars Food:5 stars definitely coming back again! =)
(5)
Tuyet H.
This place is amazing. Came in for lunch and was surprisingly impressed with the place. I ordered C2 which was a combination of a tofu soup and bulgolgi. For the sides, they had fish, macaroni salad, seaweed, beansprout, delicious kimchi, and cucumbers. I was pretty stuffed and for price that I paid, I cant complain. For my tofu soup, I ordered the assorted tofu, which contained baby octopus(thats pretty rare... in love already), shrimp, clam, oyster, and beef. They were not stingy with their tofu whatsoever, in comparison to other tofu house where they would barely have anything inside their tofu soups. The bulgolgi was really yummy. What amazed me was the quick and attentive service there. Ask for Lam! He constantly refilled our side dishes, always checked up us, and even thoroughly explained to us some of the dishes we were unfamiliar with. For a korean tofu house, it's pretty rare for a restaurant to have servers provide amazing service. 4 stars for price, 5 stars for food, and 5 stars for service. Ill be back for some more!
(5)
Ying Y.
Excellent food and service--loved their chicken soup, the bibimbap, and the galbi all superior. The fish cake they serve as a side dish is unique and amazing--the texture is similar to a pickled tofu. Their preparation is definitely a cut above others in the area outside of Koreatown.
(5)
R L.
I was here for lunch. Very tasty and clean. However, I couldn't help but notice the unpleasant manners of several of their employees when I returned for second visit. While I was waiting for my takeout orders, the receptionists-yes, there were multiple hanging out together- lack serious professionalism. They would make faces and gossip about customers, flirt with each other, and lack courtesy in general. I wonder if the owner/manager realize how it could impact their business negatively in time. I'd give zero on their customer service but decided to give thee stars hoping they would improve on staff straining issues in a near future.
(3)
Christina B.
I so love this place. . . And all servers are very nice and friendly . Also the foods are delicious.
(5)
Cindy H.
Came here for the first time on a Friday night and got seated quickly with side dishes and beverages quickly served. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was tasty. Love the atmosphere!!
(5)
Kevin L.
Came here finally with my parents this weekend and was very pleased. This place a tofu house instead of the other Oo-kooks that serve ayce kbbq. For the three of us we ordered 2 combos: the galbi combo and the bulgogi combo. In addition to our food, they provided a slew of banchan which was a very pleasant surprise. They had more items than other places. I guess instead of the pancake and salad that other places give, they give a lot of banchan and a fried fish instead. The fish (croaker I presume) was fish-y but it was nonetheless fried well. My dad was a bit off-put that they didn't "clean" the fish like how it would be prepared at other restaurants and that it was literally a whole fish with the guts still left in. The banchan ranged from the average kimchi and pickled cucumbers to fishcakes and fried dried shrimp. The food was really quick to come. The tofu was very hot and spicy, just the way we we like it. The galbi was a bit smaller than expected. My parents said the meat was a bit tough but I thought it was ok. I mean, its ribs.... The bulgogi was better in my opinion. The marinade penetrated the meat more and the meat was more tender. The meal ended with a dollop of some kind of soft serve. It was not ice cream nor was it sorbet but this strange in-between dessert. It was tasteless other than the sense of sweetness and even though it wasn't particularly good, at least they were giving these out at the end of the meal. I enjoyed the design of the area and the service was comparable. I would probably come back to try other items such as the bibimbap or the dokkbokki. Till next time!
(4)
Juliana Y.
the sides are good.. it comes with the little fish.. but the tofu soup itself and the meat was def not up to par.. the beer is $3 but it's the smallest bottle i've ever seen! the place is nice n clean and spacious.. in the beginning they had fast service.. taking your order and delivering the food but after that it's like you dont even exist.. will def not come back here
(1)
Jenny C.
this place is very convenient but that's pretty much it. i'm not impressed and not entirely disappointed. recently they came out with a lot more variety on their side dishes which is very good, and i also appreciate them for serving fish. however, the only thing i would eat here is probably their bibimbap. their dukbokki is not good at all. for the same price, i can pretty much go to any similar korean restaurant and eat the same things... probably tastes better. their service is pretty good, so even though it's not the best korean food around, i think if you're not looking for something to above and beyond, this is a convenient place to go if you live around the area.
(2)
S C.
It was like a normal decent Korean restaurant. Since its my first time trying, I would say that it's good. Nothing really wowed me. The sides were great. The fish was fresh and crispy. One of the best I've tried at a Korean cuisine place. My mom and I decided to share a combination of spicy chicken and kimchi tofu soup. Chicken was ok. Nothing really special. The kimchi tofu soup was spicy is pretty good in my opinion. There was a lot of tofu and beef compared to other places.
(3)
YoungEun N.
Foods are okay, but I had better foods out of this place. Bibimbab is the worst. Do not eat this. I felt banchans are a lot fewer than other places
(3)
Joyce Y.
as many others have already written - this is not AYCE bbq like you're probably expecting from an Oo-kook, however, i won't let that affect my review. this 2 star review is based on their prices and wait staff efficiency. we arrived around 630 on a friday night & was told the wait would be 30 minutes. i thought this was an acceptable time for a friday night during prime dining hours. however, when i walked in to look at the restaurant - half the tables were empty! many people asked about this and walked out after. turns out their kitchen was "backed up" (i'll explain my quotes later) and therefore they couldn't seat more customers. obviously poor management here, huge crowd waiting outside with empty tables inside, tsk tsk - minus 1 star. we were finally seated & our orders were taken. the food came out FAST, ergo my questioning of their "backed up" kitchen. however, the food came out WRONG. so much confusion as to what tofu dishes were coming out and who it belonged to. why did the person with a combo get a bigger tofu pot than the person who ordered it alone? had to send some back to be remade to their proper size - minus 1 star. my favorite korean dish is jap chae and to my delight they had this as an appetizer. unfortunately, the beef was partially burnt, and the overall dish was too oily and too sweet! - minus 1 star. also, we make sure to have a clean space in front of my 1 year old nephew as he likes to grab everything in sight. the waiters kept placing food right in front of him, including the hot tofu pots!! he even got a handful of the jap chae. oh and to top it all off - overpriced!! could get better quality at a better price at other korean tofu restaurants in the 626. in reality, this sounds like a 0-1 star review, but as others have noted, the decor is very nice - i love the lanterns, and its very clean.
(2)
Louis H.
Really enjoyed this restaurant. Their summer beef stew is really tender and delicious so was the spicy chicken. The side dishes are the usual fair. We keep coming back!
(4)
J P.
Beautiful place !!!. Authentic imported korean decor . Service was great, polite and food was delicious.!! Will be back soon for sure...
(5)
JL S.
Yeah great Korean BBQ without having to go to K-Town or Monterey Park! The service was fabulous and attentive; good selection of bonchon and good flavor on the tofu soup and meats; and the decor is cool looking.
(5)
bill m.
Ok, my wife and I had a craving for Sizzler only to find that the Pasadena location and the Alhambra location had both closed. We noticed that Oo-Kook had replaced the Sizzler and seeing so many people inside we assumed it must be pretty good. Pros- Not much. They gave us a small free ice cream for desert. Cons: Service poor. I noticed the appetizers for the Tofu Soup came out rather quickly and seemed old and stale. The cucumber was discolored and the seaweed had the texture of dry cardboard. When I pointed out to the server that the appetizers didn't seem fresh she just ignored me with no response. Quality- Poor. As mentioned above the appetizers were disgusting and the mushroom vegetable tofu soup was very watery with small amounts of mushrooms and vegetables. Price- Above average. The typical price for Korean Tofu Soup is pretty standard at around $7.00 to $8.00. Here it was $9.95. This place, in my opinion. has 3 strikes against it with regard to service, quality and prices. It's basically a fast food place trying to present itself as a quality restaurant. The low quality and high price is something I might expect from an older more established place but this is a brand new business. I assume it's just a matter of time before the novelty of it being new wears off and people get hip to their practices.
(2)
Sunny C.
I would definitely come back again everyone is so kind,friendly,and the service is really quick when we needed help
(5)
Yaerin P.
I'm happy with all the Oo-kook locations in 626 (tofu and kbbq). I always love their food and mostly their service. I have no complaint at all. The food is always high quality and clean at a good reasonable price.I can totally tell that they're not cheap with there banchan's (side dishes) at all.. comparing to other Korean restaurants I've been too. I am really picky when it comes down to my home food.. because I'm so use to my mommy's cooking.. ^^
(5)
Lucy H.
This place is so amazing. although the beef tofu i got wasn't as tasty, perhaps because i got the mild version, the beef ribs were great. The sides that came with the food were amazing and never ending. Some servers didn't really understand English well, but there were so many servers that it didn't matter because we just flagged down another one and got what we needed within minutes. We ended dinner with complimentary ice creams. GREAT SERVICE!!!!
(5)
Jude T.
Very friendly service, but food is not very memorable. I ordered the combo lunch, seafood tofu soup and spicy chicken. Tofu soup is lacking in taste and spicy chicken is alright. Price is about $14.99. Save your money and go to k town for real Korean food.
(3)
Angela L.
This is an overall ok place. Food is still no match for K-town -- hit stone bim bim bop was too oily so rice did not crisp up, bulgogi was quite tough. There is no bbq grill on the tables; they brought the meat out to you already grilled. Nice aspect is the decor is good -- very roomy, comfortable tables and seats.
(3)
J G.
Came here on Labor Day weekend at noon thinking I would get a quick lunch from the menu, but it was not the case. Turns out that on holidays, the lunch price is the same as the dinner, and worse, you get the lunch sized portions for the dinner price. The side dishes were very small, mini-ice cream scoop portions. The Bulgogi was boiled, not grilled, and the Galbi tasted fried. Some of the clams in the tofu soup never opened and the pictures depicted large shrimp but what we got were bay shrimp. Our waitperson was nowhere to be found once we got our entrees. Our water was never refilled, by the time we left, all of the glasses were empty. Yong Dong on Huntington Dr. tastes better because you actually grill it and you get better service.
(1)
Kimberly H.
Came in for dinner on a chilly night. All the tofu soups are delish. Can't wait to go back and try some if the other dishes.
(4)
Colton L.
I have had better. The cold dish doesn't have too much variations. The ribs have like no taste, not marinated long enough I guess. The other restaurant of theirs that does kbbq is a lot better, but they failed at doing a tofu house, need better cook
(2)
Kim Y.
Was craving something new to try and decided to come here. I just became a fan. I was greeted upon entering by two hostess who took us to our tables with no waiting. They took out drink order and our waitress came by with our drinks and asked if we had any questions. Placed our orders , got our side dishes served and then about 10- 15 minutes later our food came out sizzling !! I mean awesomeness sizzling, tofu soup is boiling like a mad scientist. Short Ribs are smelling yummy. It was great. The waitress asked us if we were familiar with what to do with the raw eggs as well as topped off our side dishes and drinks. Now that is service. She came by every other pass to see if everything was good. Overall I'd recommend this place. The food portions are in par with other Korean BBQ & Tofu House, not sure why some people are complaining. I guess they're fat and need the extra helpings. As for taste, it's flavorful and not too salty. Once again some people complain it's bland, but I didn't have that problem. I'd tell them to lay off the salt and enjoy the food. The only problem might be parking, that plaza tends to be busy. I'd definitely recommend this place at least to try.
(4)
Yoshi L.
this place is pretty good !!! very very nice service and attitude... the food was pretty good too and alot of side dishs... but the only part I didnt like was my tofu wasnt hot enough so when I threw my egg into the tofu it never cook the egg it was still raw, but everything eles was prefect !!!
(4)
Rachel O.
This place is solid. It's not as tasty as the food you would get in Ktown, but it's pretty good for Alhambra. We ordered the spicy pork/ soon dubu combo and tonkatsu. The portions were large, and all the food we ordered was fresh and authentic. My only complaint is that some of the banchan looked a little tired. The kimchi was flavorful, but the odeng was a little bit dry and tough. It seemed like it had been sitting around for a while. Extra star for the free ice soft-serve at the end of the meal.
(4)
Daniel S.
If I was going strictly by the star definitions, I'd give 2-3, but people seem to regard 2-3 star places as bad and our experience wasn't bad at all. Ban chan (free mini appetizer plates) options are plentiful. I think there were at least 6-7: kimchi, potato salad, egg/pasta salad, cucumber, bean sprouts, fish cake and maybe one more. They were all good except for the fish cake, which was noticeably dry/chewy. We got the soon tofu (which is pronounced doo-boo in Korean) and dolsot bibimbap combo, which together with the ban chan is more than enough for two people (also ordered an extra rice bowl). The soon tofu was typical, nothing amazing, but not bland, while I personally thought the bibimbap was not that great. It's not bad by any means, but some places (like Beverly Soon Tofu in K-town) have better. The only real issue was trying to get more kim chi. We were one of maybe three or four other parties at 2:30pm. So it wasn't busy. We kept waiting for a server to come by, but it just didn't happen. We ended up being pretty full anyways, so no big deal, but it would have been nice. Also, when we first got there, a server took our drink orders (we just got water) and a different server brought it out to us, then the first server came with water as well. So they still have some communication issues to work out. Two people tried to bring us water, while no one tried to bring more ban chan. Gives you an idea of what to expect.
(4)
Emily F.
I ordered seafood tofu, but it came with tiny shrimps and no baby octopus, not like what it said on the menu! The picture menu shows big shrimp and also baby octopus, but it didn't come out that way!
(3)
Charles L.
Excellent. As soon as we were seated six appetisers were served. - all delicious. We ordered the Galbi Combo and the Spicy Chicken Combo - both delicious. I will definitely be back for more!
(5)
C C.
I would vote this for best Korean restaurant in the area. All portions are huge. THEY HAVE MY FAVORITE SAM GAE TANG(whole chicken soup), and KALBI TANG(spare rib soup). ALL BEEF ARE ORGANIC TOO!!! come all!
(5)
Chandler C.
I usually receive good service here but last week, I came with a group of friends around 2 pm. The service was terrible, I don't know if it's just our waitress, she seem to disappeared. Once we got our food, she did not come around to check. We wanted more side dishes & one of my friend did not get her order. When we did see her, she seemed grumpy maybe she woke up from her nap. Was she the only one who can serve us ? We saw a group of staff eating at corner table hmmm..
(3)
Max S.
A good place to grab korean tofu with some kalbi or bulgogi in the SGV. Standard set up with combos and the like. The restaurant doesn't serve seafood pancakes that you can usually find at most korean tofu houses. The environment is very nice as they spent money to totally renovate a Sizzler's restaurant. Now it has super high ceiling with korean decor all around. Very convenient location right next to a Costco. Plenty of parking spaces.
(5)
Bohyun C.
Tofu soup? Yeah i already knew what n how it tastes like, and i used to go to other one(BCD or youngdong). But one of my friends recommended to me to go this one, so last night, i tried. I ordered spicy beef tofu soup with bbq galbi n another soup for my GF. First of all, the place was actually huge, pretty and clean n staff was also nice. so far i was like Okay, and thought about something special. a few minutes later, they made me such a king(?). What im saying is they bought out 10 different kind of side dishes and added one big fried fish. I didnt say anything when staff served but i was like 'Wow.. Is that $9.99 soup's side dishes? man.. another few minutes later, i got tofu soup and galbi. The soup n galbi was even delicious n satisfy to me.. so far it was actually great. so, I decided to give them 5stars, but they asked me 0.5 more star if it's possible. the happen was when they gave us check, we got two sweet ICECREAM bowls... thanks to my friend n this place, i n my gf enjoyed lovely dinner. Also thank you for helping me to decide to go eat for tofu soup. Bye guys. See u soon. ;)
(5)
A W.
I've been here three times now. The first time I was impressed because it's been nicely remodeled from when it was a Sizzler, but the service was a little off. The second time, I felt that I did not like the place. This last time I went, everything seemed to gel. They have way more banchon than when it first opened. Plus the banchon were good. The servers were more than happy to refill them. The service was good. The tofu soup was also good. The only negative is that they stopped serving the rice in the stone pots. However, the tofu soup was very good and flavorful. Best part of all, I did not come away dying of thirst because everything was too salty.
(4)
Kaji K.
Not all you can eat. Fail
(1)
Jenny U.
This place is definitely a disappointment! Me and my bf came here thinking it was an all you can eat krn bbq but when we walked in there were no built in grills on the table so we were disappointed but was down to try whatever they had. First, 90% of the waiters dont speak good english so it was hard to ask them questions without getting an awkward confused look. The price isnt worth it either. It was $19 for a combo which includes meat and tofu soup. An all you can eat place is average $25 which is a much better deal. I asked for any dipping sauce for the meat and it was an awkward few minute ordeal trying to communicate with them. But they didnt have any sauce. I asked one guy for black pepper and he said they dont have any. I asked another guy and he brings it. Sigh. I asked the waitress if i can have more soup like just add more hot water in my soup and she just said no and walked away. Alright then. The galbi was so overcooked and tough. My bf had the spicy chicken and it was just ok. The only really good thing that got one star was the rice but even a monkey can make good rice. Wont be back.
(1)
astrid s.
What? The name says Tofu and BBQ. I don't get ppl who don't know right off the bat it's a tofu and BBQ combo restaurant; there are tons of these places in KTown, Covina, Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, etc. Anyway, there's not much in SGV to compare to- can only think of Seoul Town which is not good. This place is good but pricey. The combo is $16.99. Tofu soup is good w/ big chunks of tofu in there. I got mine extra spicy but it's not that spicy. The bibimbap comes in a big stonepot. I wish the rice would burn on the sides and make it crunchy, but it never did. Hubs liked it. Hubs got pork bulgogi and I loved it actually. It's not wet like some places. Portion was decent. 2 ppl $37. This was lunch on Sunday. The menu clearly differentiates two prices: regular and lunch. They charged us regular. We asked why and they said there are no lunch prices on the weekends. We examined the menu and nowhere does it say lunch excludes weekends. I told my husband this and said the other Oo-kook in SG does say that Sat and Sun are no lunch prices but this one doesn't say it anywhere. Hubs didn't wanna argue and said to me "you are right. But I don't wanna argue w/ them." Well, I would go more but it's unpleasant to feel tricked.
(3)
Mike N.
One of the biggest problem with this place is the parking. The Costco here makes looking for a spot a pain in the butt during lunch hours, dinner is not so bad as Costco nears closing hours. Why three stars? because you can only eat here if you get lucky and find parking, and for that kind of frustration, this place is not worth it! The service is good as they are very attentive. Initially I thought this place was a Korean BBQ place, but it's not, they just SERVE grilled meats that they prepare in the kitchen. This place is your usual Korean tofu place. The flavor is on par with all other ones I've visited, their fish (starter dish?) was cold and soggy, not warm and crispy like other places. I ordered a combo with the ribs, there was just WAY TOO MUCH oil on the skillet to the point where it overflowed. I think it could have had a better presentation it they drained it first. All in all, I'm glad there's a Tofu place in the area. I'm sad to say that I'm guilty of not visiting the Sizzler that was there previously, I actually loved that place when I was a kid, practically ate there once a week.
(3)
Reggie B.
I was brought here by a friend of mine n his wife. Nice clean place in which we were seated right away. Immediately received water, iced teas, and a small side salad upon sitting down. I ordered the spicy chicken accompanied by purple rice and beef tofu soup. The food was good enough in which I would come back for if I was around the area. The service was to me actually better than the food as we had 4 different people look after us and check on how we were doing. All n all I would recommend this place to family n friends. The beef tofu was actually better then my main medium spicy chicken dish. I actually ended up finishing the beef tofu and taking the spicy chicken dish home.
(4)
Jennifer S.
I came at 6:30pm on a Wednesday. I came here very hopeful, considering a friend said this place has good sides. As for food, my friend and I ate the Bolgogi and kimchi beef soup combo. It came with 8 side dishes and fish. I was expecting more side dishes like other yelpers had posted, but I was told they have changed it to 8 side dishes and a fish. Sometimes they switch up the side dishes. The taste of the food was not as flavorful compared to other Korean places (such as Young Dong) and in my opinion it is because they don't use as much sugar in all their dishes except for the macaroni salad. As for customer service, 5 stars! They must have changed it since the past yelpers have been. The customer service was amazing!!! First of all, we were greeted by several workers and one older women was so sweet checking on us and greeted us in Korean. Our waiter, Jun Hao, refilled our side-dishes without us needing to ask him! He also often checked up on all his customers and was so gentlemen-like. The water man was also extremely attentive! When I needed extra chopsticks, another waiter noticed and helped us right away without any hesitation! I also really enjoyed that they had Korean music on and on the TVs were the music videos that went along with it. The ambience was great and the place is brand new and clean. Even though food was not my top favorite, their customer service is the best I have ever received in as asian restaurant in San Gabriel Valley!
(3)
Christy A.
I drove from Diamond Bar and yelped for a place to eat. Saw some good reviews and decidedbto eat here. We had the cold noodle and the beef noodle soup. Both were SO good. It was, honestly, one of the best I've ever had. I will be back to try other stuff at the this restaurant.
(5)
Scott B.
Excellent, great tasting Korean food at a great price. Staff is courteous and attentive. The interior is spacious and clean. Much better than cramped koreatown eateries. I would write more but I'm busy eating right now.
(5)
Danny F.
This place took over what use to be a Sizzlers in the corner of the plaza with the Costco in Alhambra. There aren't many Korean restaurants in the Alhambra area. In fact, I think this is the only one in Alhambra with the next restaurant in Monterey Park. So that makes this place a little extra special. Since they share the parking lot with Souplanation and horrific Costco, it can get a little challenging to find a spot. Since the place is new, it is clean. The decor is modern, contemporary. Probably won't be like this in 2 years. We ordered the bibimbap and two soon tofu. I didn't try the bibimbap but I didn't hear any complaints nor oohs and aaahss. Soon tofu was alright. It wasn't worst than other places nor did it stand out. The side orders are sized to the number of people in your party. And they are not stingy about giving you seconds of everything. The staff is almost entirely high school or college kids but yet professional. Which is great, especially in Alhambra where it is mostly Chinese. Unlike the older staffs in other Korean restaurants in K-town that hate everyone that isn't Korean. Overall, I gave them one extra star because of the side orders and the pleasant staff.
(4)
Judy W.
This place has changed owners! It's now own by the same owners of young dong in San Gabriel. The food tastes so much better since the kitchen staff has changed/ has been trained. One star docked off for the wait staff. Dropped off food, disappeared, and no where to be found until time to give us a check.
(4)
Peter C.
The remodel that Oo-kook did on this former Sizzler location is beautiful. It's very colorful with a nice mix of booths & tables, and it's very bright. The service is also pretty prompt & they have a team approach to your table. We must have had at least 4 different people take our order, drop off stuff or check on us. However, the food doesn't quite measure up so I'm giving 3 stars. One bonus of this place is that a fried fish was served with the side dishes about 1 minute after we sat down. And it wasn't cold & sitting under a lamp, either. The kitchen seems like a well-oiled machine. However, the bibimbap and the Korean ribs just weren't as good as nearby A Ri Rang, and the side dishes are defiinitely not as good. It's still a satisfactory meal, just not my first choice for Korean since A Ri Rang is so much better.
(3)
Jeremy L.
Oo-kook is at first glance, a pretty nice restaurant. It's large, well lit and decorated, is located by Costco with ample parking, and has friendly and efficient staff. The side dishes are varied, tasty, and quickly refilled on request. But the main dishes are mediocre and inconsistent. The tofu soup on our most recent visit was far too salty across the table, and the short ribs over-cooked. The bibimbap was fine but messing that up would be pretty difficult. Portion sizes also were not as large as one would hope. Overall, the food isn't terrible and the large space makes it good for big groups and families, but there are simply better options in the neighborhood such that Oo-kook isn't really worth the time or money.
(2)
Tony L.
One of the newest korean tofu spots in town. The parking is shared with Costco and Souplantation so it is a major PITA!! The restaurant just opened a couple months ago but the never got a chance to stop by until recently. Like many other customers I was under the impression this place was a AYCE Korean BBQ restauarant like all the other Oo Kook's but this is strictly a Tofu establishment with combos of meat as side orders. First of all the decor in the restaurant is awesome. I really like how clean and modern everything looks and how they incorporated an old fashion wall of a Korean building and roof for one of the walls inside the restaurant. The restaurant is well lit and has plenty of space for you to relax and eat in peace without people bumping into your seats. The tofu beef was delicious and had really good flavor. I opted to order the combo which came with a small order of kalbi which was actually a decent size for two people. The kalbi was nice and beefy without too much fay and was not overly cooked. The highlight of the meal was the quantity and quality of the banchans. I counted 9 including the fried fish which was cooked to perfection. I think we were lucky because they ran out of the fish and they had to refry a new batch for us which came out piping hot and moist with a perfectly crispy skin on the outside. The service was also excellent and the servers seamed genuine in making our experience a good one. If you are in the mood for good tofu and a great atmosphere with good service Oo kook is where you need to be.
(4)
Ross W.
Food isn't bad, but I've had better, and the portion here is on the small side. Lead waiter didn't do much. Busser, on the other hand, was more attentive. The restaurant itself is spacious, clean and bright. I wouldn't make an effort to eat here, but if you're in the area (for Costco?) and feel like Korean, this is an option.
(3)
Liangliang W.
Third time here , very nice place and good food! Highly recommend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Tom T.
Where Sizzler used to be, a Korean restaurant took over the spot. Mother wanted to try it out, even though she mentioned on several occasions that she can't tolerate spicy foods anymore. We went on a Saturday evening, prime time for dinner, except that the restaurant wasn't as packed as what the parking lot made it seemed to be. We were seated right away and received our banchan while looking over the menu. The one problem I would have to say about this place is that even though there are some signs with Chinese on it, the menu was strictly Korean or English. I had to order for Mother, which wasn't a big deal, just that it would have been nice to have Chinese on the menu. Banchan was pretty plentiful, and wasn't aware that we could have gotten more if we wanted to. Some standards, and some new ones. My favorite would have been the mashed kobocha and the tiny sweet/salt fishes. We ordered the bulgogi combo (with a combination soup) and a bowl of bibimbap. The service was nice enough to ask me whether or not if I knew how to eat it, and I said I did, threw my rice in the bowl, slather the sucker with a lot of red chili paste and a drizzle of sesame oil. I would have to say, the bibimbap is just any one you can get anywhere; there wasn't anything different about it. Bulgogi was pretty good, and did like that the dish didn't come out on a dish that was entirely from stone, because moving those around with your bare hands isn't a fun thing to do. Service was great, and very inattentive about refilling my cup of water at least four times. Food didn't take too long and was pretty decent. There were a good mix of people eating here, which is always a nice sight to see, people getting out of their comfort zone of food and trying new things. The thing was, would this be a good place to take someone who has never tried Korean food? My verdict would be yes.
(4)
Michelle V.
If food was good I would have tolerated the terrible service. But it wasn't. I can't believe I wasted my one cheat meal of the week to eat at this place. Seriously, never again.
(1)
Zhi Hong Q.
I really enjoyed the food here. It didn't take too long to came and the staff was really nice. The side dishes came 5 minuets after I was seated. I tried the topokki, seafood soup, dumpling soup, and short ribs. They were all good, especially the topokki.
(5)
Catalina L.
Yummy tofu soup. Great service, nice atmosphere and environment. I got the spicy beef and seafood tofu soup, and it tasted like Korean heaven. Took me all the way back to Seoul, Korea, where I was born. The smell of kimchi was the first breath I took in when I was born. Their server Samuel is super kind, he's the amigo!!! Anyways, at the end of the meal, they give you complimentary iced drinks. They're super good and the ice is really soft as if Santa took a dump of snowflakes into our cups.
(5)
Ron L.
Very enjoyable place with plenty of seating. Love the decors at the entrance. They have huge tables and seats are very comfortable but it was just me at a table that probably seats 10 people. I felt so tiny. I was quite surprised to see a dozen complimentary entrees / appetizers appear before my face. I hadn't ordered that, but kept asking if they were free. Of course they are..the waitress said. The little free sampler fish on the plate kept staring at me. I had to cover his head with a napkin. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… I love the astounding interior design. Really a nice touch of Korea with running fountains and decorative lamps hanging above the tables My tofu beef soup was delicious and just the right amount of spice. I added rice to this, which made it just perfect. Whatever style bowls that they use, kept this soup very hot throughout my whole meal. The spicy chicken was cooked to perfection and very enjoyable. It was great to have leftovers to take home and have for breakfast the next day. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… They did get busy a little and forgot my complimentary ice cream... Service 5 stars Food 4 stars Price 4 stars Ambience 4 stars Definitly a place worth returning to
(4)
Jerry C.
Lots of selections and ready to eat bulgogi hot stone bibimbap, eating out with my girlfriend
(5)
Scott H.
One of the only tofu houses I've been to. However, the service from our waiter was impeccable (Lam). We got the hot stone bulgogi and the waiter prepared it for us because we did not know what to do. We also got the bulgogi and octopus tofu. It was good. A side of fried dumplings topped off our enormous meal and I can say I am thoroughly satisfied, especially with the service. Look for Lam.
(5)
Lauren D.
I feel kind of bad giving 2 stars, but I can't justify 3 stars.... The good parts- Service: Very prompt, kind, smiley. Offered to refill banchan. Banchan: pretty good. 3 stars. The fishy was nice and salty. The bad: the broth in the tofu tasted like nothing. Zilch. Nada. Water. Red water. With flavorless tofu floating in it. We left underwhelmed and still hungry. Sorry but we're not coming back.
(2)
Janey Y.
I wished I could have tried Oo-Kook in the past! Soondubu is around ~$10 for lunch / dinner (same price). Rice doesn't come in a stone clay pot like other tofu places, but the banchan did include fried fish, which is reminiscent of my good ol' college days grubbing at BCD. Would definitely want to try the KBBQ options next time!
(3)
Linda U.
This was my second time here. I love Korean food for the flavor and the Ban Chan they serve. However, I was not so impressed with their "Whole Grain Rice"!!! Sorry, but I prefer my white rice with asian food! I would have been fine with it, if they offered a choice, however they did not. Their "purple" rice may have been healthier, but did not do it for me. Please, please bring back the white rice, if you still have it then give us the option to order it.
(3)
Scott T.
It's probably the best Korean restaurant in the immediate area, but it's not nearly as good as some others further southeast in the SGV, like A Ri Rang. First of all, it's freezing in here. Second of all, the service is a little lacking. Most of the staff are kids who are probably here for like a year or two until they graduate. The big exception - and the star of the show service-wise - is a woman with the name tag "Kim." Kim will come by your table and ask how everything is going in the same tone of voice she would probably use on her nieces and nephews and refill your banchan. Kim is awesome. Speaking of banchan, that's another disappointment here. The beef short rib soup (a "summer special") was hearty but kind of bland. The hot stone bibimbap was decent, but again, not as big or well-done as the one at A Ri Rang. Lastly, the location is somewhat horrible, as it's off one of the worst intersections on Fremont, sharing a parking lot with Costco. Having said that, if you live anywhere within several miles of here, this is your best bet for Korean food.
(3)
Jane H.
I seriously love Korean people, they have the most wonderful restaurants with the most wonderful side dishes. Pretty sure I've stated in many reviews how much of a sucker I am for side dishes. Can I please have some meat to go with my kimchi? But this location seriously deserves better ratings. They had decent service same like any other Asian establishments. Though they were missing the trademark bells I was looking for. Though maybe that was on purpose? Who knows and who cares, they're easy enough to wave down. And they give SOOO many side dishes as far as the eyes can see. Okay exaggerating, but they give ALOT and they're all so yummy. I need to go back just for the side dishes. Nom Nom.
(4)
Sonia H.
3.5 stars overall so I'll round up! Not acye kbbq like the oo-kook on rosemead but has the option of getting bbq. This place is more of a tofu bowl place with lots of delicious side dishes. My favorite side dish anywhere is the thin slices of fish cake and hurray they have it here! Lots of space because the area is huge. No strong smells of bbq lingering when you leave the restaurant which is a HUGE plus. I hate it when my hair smells like it's been soaking in the kbbq fumes at most tofu/kbbq joints and luckily, this oo-kook is spacious enough so the air is spread out. Also, since it's newer, everything is still very clean and neat. Service was friendly, the tofu soup is mediocre but does the job. Plenty of parking available as it's located in the lot with Costco, Souplantation, etc. Also, food arrives quickly although it was pretty lively on a Saturday afternoon. Not sure how it'll be during the summer though when the weather is hotter.. japchae (glass noodle salad) is also good here though! Some complimentary ice cream to finish your meal. I will be back!
(4)
Roger Y.
The food ain't bad, good location. Service is pretty good.would come back again, large portions
(5)
Xavier P.
Quality of galbi is practically 33% chunks of fat. I say chunks, because it's not marbled. This was my experience 2 out of 3 times. Just come eat here if you have no where else to go for Korean bbq and don't want to wait. This is NOT the AYCE OO-Kook on Rosemead in Temple City.
(3)
Gina M.
Very clean establishment the food was fresh and the service was very good I'm very happy I went
(4)
Miss J.
Not a bad place for Tofu and Korean BBQ but I'd definitely had better. Their food is a little on the sweet side. One thing is that I really like their presentation and service. They really know a thing or two about Customer satisfaction. Food quality can improve though. Not a total fail, as they did do some things good. I may come back. Let me add, their All you can eat sister joint in Temple City is delicious. I hope one day they can turn this into a AYCE, with better food quality.
(3)
Nicole W.
Since I am sick of Chinese food everyday, I was craving for Korean food. I have tried Okook BBQ and i like it so I was excited to try their Tofu house this time. The restaurant is huge and they played Kpop music videos on big monitor which makes the restaurant look super Korean. They have alot of banchan and i love their kimchi. The fried fish banchan was outstanding, it was crispy outside and fresh inside, i could not help eating it! We ask for refill and they gave us alot more which makes me super happy! Chicken Ginzeng Soup-Meh..this soup was okay. I had better one in other Korean restaurant. The chicken itself was hard and it takes time for me to swallow it. The broth was good but didnot surprise me. They also put alot of Chinese healthy stuff in the soup so i got super warm after eating the soup which is awesome. Soondubu-This was okay, just like every other tofu house so i wasnot really impressed. Since this is the several Korean place close to Monterey Park, i would not say its super bad since i was tired of eating Chinese food but i do hope there is better Korean place opened up.
(3)
Fernando N.
Second time in this location. Food was good but extremely oily. I ordered a hot pot bulgolgi and the portion was big but it was soaking in oil. I had to remove the oil and got about half a bowl! Service was horrible. Ban Chan was never refilled spite asking them several times. Same for the to go box. Last time coming in here.
(2)
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Address :2201 W Commonwealth Ave
Alhambra, CA, 91803
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Wan L.
My new fave tofu spot! Ordered: *Oyster Tofu: soup was tasty/flavorful, tofu was soft and there were generous amounts of oysters. *Kalbi: DELICIOUS...Extremely tender and meaty! Banchans: Yum! 9 different sides (fish cake, bean sprouts, seaweed, cucumbers, egg, kimchi, mac salad, sweet potato mash and this white gelatin-like thing) + yellow croaker. I didn't eat the croaker because THEY DIDN'T REMOVE THE SCALES! Did they forget or is that how it's served here? I was grossed out! **Rice is served scooped in a bowl. I believe it's extra if you want it in a stone pot....Boooo! The restaurant is very clean, spacious and modern. The best thing was the A/C...it was on full blast! I hate eating and sweating...Yuck! Prices: it's about $1-2 more than other tofu restaurants. Service: Good. Parking: Shared lot w/ Costco, Souplantation and others...GOOD LUCK FINDING A SPOT ON THE WEEKENDS! =)
(4)James W.
This place is pretty good! Love the large tables and decor. Great service. I ordered the bibimbap combo, which comes with a tofu soup. Pricing is decent - $15. Large stone bowl bibimbap with dumpling tofu soup. You can choose from a large variety of soups. You also get a ton of Korean small dishes (~10) plus a breaded and panfried fish, which was great! Free unlimited refills on the small dishes. The bibimbap was a good portion, but didn't think it was very flavorful. You get sesame oil and hot sauce on the side, which helps, but the ingredients themselves were not as good as they could have been. If you order the bibimbap without the combo, you get a small cold vinegar soup with seaweed and cucumbers, which is quite refreshing.
(3)Harrison X.
I don't know why this place gets so much smack. Is it BCD? No. But it's still really good and the staff is super friendly. The side dishes are ok, the fish is really good and so is the little ice tea dessert thing.
(5)Hongyu L.
Great place to eat, have nice tofu abd korean bbq, next to costco
(5)Jacob H.
Wow this place has gone downhill. Last weekend I came to eat here. Got the mushroom soon tofu and it came with ONE piece of mushroom. ONE! The color of the soon tofu wasn't the same and it tasted really bland. I ordered a spicy and got something that looked like coconut soup. They also skimmed on the side dishes too. I ordered a bulgogi combination and it was kind of weird. The onion flavor was really strong and it tasted too sweet. Not sure what happened. I'm pretty sad that this place went downhill. I really liked the fried fish that comes with your meal. Probably won't be coming back here again because 1) parking sucks and 2) food didn't deliver. A Ri Rang is still my favorite.
(2)Richard L.
This is newest Korean Tofu House in the San Gabriel Valley. Funny but irony it seem many of the well American Establishment is been replaced by Asian Restaurants. I not a surprise, different audience now live in this area. Young folks this day just not thrilled about going Tony Roma's for ribs, they rather head to KBBQ...This location used to be Sizzler, I never see this placed packed from the look of outside. Unlike the Souplantation next door... This place look completely different from the Sizzler, dramatic remodel has been done interior of the restaurant. It got very traditional Korean Style, the ceiling dice looking light was interesting and is an eye candy for sure. Our group when here during the World Cup Game that happened the South Korean team is playing, the restaurant was only half-full. All the server wear the Korean Soccer Jersey. Service was quite slow maybe has to that the server paying too much attention watching the game... I can forgive that. Heartbreaking as it seem, the team didn't win or advance. In fact no Asian team did in this tournament. Bachan selection is impressive, perhaps this is the biggest plus of this place. They gave you 9 bachan dish, this is almost double than most other place tofu place I been too. All of them were pretty good. Their combo price is kinda a bit high, but there's some lunch price discount. Our group all order all kinds of meat for the combo. I find the best is the Short Ribs (Kaibi) The Builgogi was too sweet. We also get to try their fried dumpling which just was ok. Tofu soup is very good, it stay hot even after half hour. It is on par with most other tofu house but I think is slight better than BCD as a whole. However they no longer serve you stone rice like when they first open.... Why they would bother to switch, I just don't think this is the right strategy. People see picture of stone rice in the yelp page, but when they go there. They no longer serve is a bumper. Also the so called free ice cream in the end is not available this time, they claim the machine is broken. I afraid to come here in the weekend, because of damn Costco shopper which I also happened to be one of them...
(4)Jenn T.
Came here after going to Costco one day. I got seated right away as it wasn't very crowded. The menu here has a list of some appetizers, tofu soup, and some combinations with different BBQ and tofu soup options. The prices are pretty decent. I went for the kimchi and beef tofu soup. They give you an egg to crack yourself into the soon doo bu. they also give you a few side dishes as well as the fried fish. The rice is the brown/purple rice which was pretty good. The tofu soup had good flavor and had lots of tofu and a decent amount of beef. I got medium spicy which wasn't that's spicy. The service here was very fast. Parking is in the nearby lot, try to avoid the Costco side of the parking lot as it can get kind of crazy. Overall decent Korean restaurant.
(4)Joey K.
Strongly recommend their new menu Beef noodle soup and cold noodle!!!! They are just amazing!!!!!
(5)Joleen Q.
This place is beautiful inside... A lot of light and modern decor like a house inside... I will say that the service was not that attentive. There seemed to be 4 people running around but never anyone that would come over unless you flagged them down. The spicy bbq pork was delicious and the wonton soup was delicious. I loved the the side dishes... a lot of variety. The Kimchi was bright and I liked the fishcakes a lot.
(4)Michelle L.
Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that this particular Oo-kook only serves up soondubu? I mean I was excited either way because I love soondubu but I think a lot of people come here thinking they're going to eat AYCE KBBQ. They do serve kbbq but only the typical galbi or spicy pork like the other tofu joints. Service is pretty good here but maybe that was because it wasn't too crowded when we went. We ordered our regular bowls of tofu. Seafood tofu soup (spicy) and Beef tofu soup (spicy). I was a little disappointed when I found out that they don't serve steamed rice in a stone pot. I mean you have to pay extra for it if you want it. I find that kind of atrocious because it should just come with your meal. I felt a little robbed of my soondubu experience for sure. The banchan is a hit or a miss. There were several dishes that were quite excellent and some that were very mediocre. But where Oo-Kook let me down the most was the soondubu itself. It was salty and it was missing the depth of flavor that I always look for. It was decent enough that it satisfied my craving but it was nowhere near great. It wasn't even spicy which was just another thing that failed. Overall, while I always recommend Oo-Kook's AYCE KBBQ, I can't recommend their tofu. Service is good which is a plus but it's just not worth it for me. Not to mention, parking in this area is horrendous. 3/5
(3)Morison W.
Pretty new place that opened a few months ago. It's not exactly the same as the other Oo-Kook's because this is mainly just a tofu house. When I first walked in, I noticed how big it was. It's a good thing for a tofu house to be this size. Waiters were on top of their service. They brought out the side dishes right away. And boy do they give a lot of side dishes. I haven't seen this many at other tofu houses before. Thumbs up to that. I ordered the Galbi combo, and you can choose a tofu soup with it, so I got the assorted tofu soup, which came with beef and seafood. They give an egg on the side too, so you can put that into the soup. Also ordered the noodles, which was pretty yummy. The Galbi ribs were definitely the best though. Not too hard to chew and perfect flavoring. Parking is a bit hard to find on the weekends though since it is in the same center as Costco.
(4)Donna S.
The appetizer are a lot and the food is excellent. Be careful of how spicy you order cause it can be really spicy and dangerous!! Overall I like this place, been coming here for a while now and I like the bugoli bimibamp :)
(4)Marco J.
I seriously don't get all the negative nancies in here. I've come to learn that people love to complain and moan, but hate singing praises. I came here with a group of friends pretty late on a Sunday evening. We got here at 9:00 pm and were promptly seated and served. The service was really nice and professional. I don't think at any moment our glasses were empty. The food was a bit pricey, but for all the side dishes and banchan, well worth it. What was really cool is that we were the last group in the restaurant, but they informed us that we could still stay an extra half hour after closing just so we could finish our meal in peace. With service like that, you bet that I'm willing to come back again.
(4)Karen Y.
I've had this place twice. The first time I came everything was great. Great flavors and all. But the second time I came it was all off. People at my table said the kalbi was tough and my tofu soup was very under seasoned. The chap chae was not worth ordering. There were hardly any noodles and they were all broken pieces. Too much beef. They need to get their chefs all on the same seasoning page. The place is really pretty for one thing. It's great for a big group since they have large tables in the back. But it's roulette on whether the food is good I guess. They had different ban chans the two times I went but I think most places cook up whatever they like. The parking lot is shared with Soupplantation and Costco. Big contenders for parking spaces so you may be circling for a while.
(3)Monica L.
Yummy! Almost a 4.5 star, but I'll need to come back and reaffirm some things before I make a final decision. The décor is absolutely AMAZING! Clean, high ceilings with authentic Korean props and roofs...really makes you feel like you're eating in a Korean museum or something! Absolutely beautiful! The servers are all very nice and they were very on point with refilling our waters (we were so thirsty...MSG? I'll double check next time I'm back) and getting more sides. Speaking of sides, we had SO MANY! TWO trays came each time to drop off all the sides...what a treat! Japchae: At first I was disappointed as we got a smaller portion than I imagined for $9...but there were plenty of vegetables, taste was pretty good, and the noodles were the chewy ones! Most korean joints have now settled for mushy, overcooked, random clear noodles that they think pass off as japchae, but this was the right amount of chewiness to entertain my tastebuds with both taste and texture. Seafood soondubu: You can definitely taste the seafood taste, which is more than what most sundubu joints can do (normally it's just salted tofu soup with random bits of seafood). This was one of the better sundubus I've had in the area, though I think it may have MSG? (Friend thinks so...I don't know). Bulgogi: Pretty decent...not the best I've had, but not the worst. Most of the meat wasn't dry, and it came out in heaping piles over the plate. I thought the Kalbi would have too little meat, so I opted for this, but I saw a plate of Kalbi come out after and it was WOAH WOW WHAT? I'm def getting that next time...but as far as this bulgogi goes...it was okay. I like this joint the best out of all the sundubu places in SGV I've been to so far...taking into account taste, quantity, service, and ambiance. This is the most balanced of all things taken into account, and I'll be back to check on MSG content soon!
(4)Josephine H.
This place is not like the other oo-kook on Rosemead Blvd. I was under the impression that this location was an AYCE BBQ place like the other. To my surprise, I was still really impressed with their food. First, if you're a Young Dong lover, you might want to give this place a try. The combination options are the "best value" You get your choice of tofu soup and a bbq dish along with a side of rice. It's easily splittable with two people who are not extremely hungry. Prices here are comparable to Young Dong, but at oo-kook, they have tastier and more side dishes. I ordered the dumpling tofu soup + galbi for dinner. The dumpling tofu soup was great and even better than Young Dong. It didn't leave any lingering traces of MSG in my mouth afterwards or have me desperate for water later, which is always a plus. However, I'd skip the galbi. It was overly cooked and really rough to chew through. Flavors were mediocre, but the amount of fat in the meat left me feeling heavy. What I do enjoy about this place is they are always asking you if you'd like more banchan. However, I'd skip the fish. It's extremely hard to eat. Every bite is filled with tiny bones that will choke you to death. Parking is not a problem if you're coming at hours Costco isn't open. I enjoyed eating here from the moment I walked in and to my last bites of ice cream (which they give to you as a dessert - really refreshing!) Tip: if you're familiar with the area, this used to be the old Sizzlers. I hope to come back and
(4)Lisa C.
I've been coming here at least 4 times now. The first time I was very impressed. But as I keep coming back, it started becoming less and less impressive. I was also a bit unsure about trying this place since 1) it shares a crazy parking lot with Costco/Souplantation and 2) my love for A Ri Rang. PRO: There are LOTS of banchan. I mean A LOT. This is the most I have ever seen from a restaurant. And to top it off, it came with the long forgotten fried croaker! (A Ri Rang use to serve this when they first opened but decided to remove it.) Service isn't too bad. When it's busy it can be difficult to track down your server. However if you ask for more banchan, they generously bring out trays of it so you can pick what you want. CON: Every time I come here, I get the clam tofu soup. With each visit, the taste started getting less flavorful. On my recent visit (Monday night) the tofu soup had no flavor. I was tempted to ask for some salt. It was as if I was eating plain tofu. Also, this may be trivial, but we had asked to have one of the TV channels changed to the LA Kings' game since it was on (and they were just showing some ESPN discussion about the basketball game that was happening the next day) and we were denied :( Usually wherever we go and ask them to switch it to a playoff game, the staff were willing to do so. This place does not serve their rice in the stone pots. I love me them crunchy rice that is stuck on the side of the pot! Pour some tea in it and it's so good! SUMMARY: I would love to give this place another try (for the 5th time) but I'm afraid the more I eat here, the worst it's going to get.
(3)Jennifer T.
Quick Note: This place is serves Korean Tofu like Young Dong...it is NOT like an AYCE KBBQ place. FOOD: The tofu soups here, to me, are okay. I ordered the Mushroom and Vegetable Tofu soup. Boyfriend ordered the Seafood Tofu Soup. Each Tofu Soup ordered comes with a bowl of rice. To me, they're not as flavorful as any of the Young-Dong's I've been to, but it's not bad. And maybe Young-Dong spoiled me with the massive amount of mushrooms they had in their soup. Where was all the mushroom in Oo-kook's MUSHROOM and Vegetable Tofu soup?! Maybe I'm just too picky. As a matter of fact my boyfriend really loved his. Also, unlike Young-Dong's rice, which comes in a super hot pot that makes your rice crispy, the one here was just....normal. (CRIES!) The refillable banchan (aka small side dishes), however, were VERY delicious! Yes, I'd have to say it might even have been better than Young-Dong's! SO many dishes, and a small fish for each person! Beware, there are a LOT of bones in this fish! Looking through pictures from other reviewers, it seems like the banchan varies from time to time, but there's always SO MUCH! In the end, you get a small cup of fulfilling thick ice-cream. I love ice-cream, and I loved this! Boyfriend thought it was too thick...whatever! SERVICE: Great! From the person who immediately greeted us upon entrance, to the waiter, to the servers, etc. Everyone was friendly and the food came out quick! (As a matter of fact, the banchan arrived at our table 2 seconds after we were seated.) FINAL VERDICT: Though it's not my Korean Tofu Soup restaurant of choice, it's one that I'd say I'd revisit. I didn't get to try any of the bbq meat, but the reviews seem pretty good. Also, it's so close to home (where the old Sizzler's used to be...near Costco)!
(3)Jack B.
This place states 'Under New Management'. Since the change, my family has gone once. My kids complained that the Beef rib soup didn't taste the same, etc... Fast forward many months, I decided to try it out again. Conclusion: Oo-kook's beef rib soup is good. It's probably best in the area, short of places in Ktown, LA. HOWEVER, I have a gripe! The restaurant plays Kpop music videos! I have no problems with Kpop. I listen to Kpop, etc. But, the problem is that many of the Kpop music videos are not appropriate for family setting or for little children. The Korean media rate some of them 15+ in age. Moreover, the images in those videos are just not appropriate for meal time viewing. Note to owner/management: Please stop showing those music videos. Many of them are INAPPROPRIATE for children! I will boycott your restaurant as long as those videos are playing. Literally, I will walk in, and before I get seated, if those music videos are showing, I will walk out. Note to other parents: Please do not expose your kids to those videos. Tell the management/owner to show something more pleasant and salubrious to meal time fellowship.
(4)Jennifer P.
The food was good! Our server Lanhua was super attentive and friendly. Amarillo ( the busboy) was also helpful! He should be a server! The rest of the staff was also friendly and helpful! The rooms were spacious. I would come back. The fried fish that's free is good here too
(4)Ed L.
The ham, sausage and cheese spicy tofu tastes just like it sounds. Awesome. The ham and sausage chunks had a nice smoky flavor. I couldn't taste the cheese at all. So I guess if the thought of cheese in your tofu soup scares you, there's nothing to fear here. As for me, I love cheese so much, I'd put it on my rice if I could, so I was a bit disappointed. I think this place used to be a Sizzler, but they did a great job renovating it. It's modern Korean rustic if that makes any sense. Tons of seating, and tons of windows. The quality of the service is directly proportional to the age of your server. If he looks young and hip, he'll be sullen and indifferent. If she's old and motherly, she'll take care of you just like Moms. The other tofu soups, and combos including the spicy pork and kalbi are slightly above average. The side dishes, although numerous, are forgettable and sometimes looked and tasted a little old. The prices a little higher than your average hole in the wall place. I'm a fan though, because of the ham and sausage soon tofu.
(4)Karen T.
This Korean restaurant is a welcome replacement of the sizzler that used to be here. The interior is spacious and clean and doesn't reek of BBQ. We came for lunch and tried the kalbi, spicy pork, and tofu dumpling soup. The kalbi ($14.99) was overcooked and too many burnt pieces. We opted for the full kalbi portion instead of the combo and it supposedly has 2 more ribs (6 pieces) than the combo portion. We also got the combo ($14.99) with spicy pork and the dumping soup. The spicy pork was pretty fatty but the flavoring was good. The tofu soup had two dumplings and beef in it. The food is served with 12 banchan including croker, kimchi, spicy cucumber, mashed sweet potato, macaroni salad, fish cake, vegetables, bean sprouts, seaweed, daikon, and tea egg. Overall the food is pretty good and the environment is pleasant. Dinner prices are approximately +$2. Too bad the parking lot is attached to costco. It makes it difficult to get to when costco is busy (which is most of the time).
(4)Lisa D.
don't even waste your money! don't waste your time. don't waste your calories! by far the worst tofu house knock off i've been to. never in my life have i experienced such bland tofu soup. especially when i ordered it "SPICY". it was bland!!!!!!!! BLAND i tell you! very little clams. but mainly i was very disappointed at how lack in flavor it was. beef short ribs. ehh.. a little chewy and wasn't as well marinated as young dong tofu house, a ri rang tofu house, etc. it was just okay. not the worst but definitely not the best. side dishes and no seaweed. makes lisa very sad! :I fish cakes were the best thing i had here. so ask for tons of it! i highly recommend it!! dear oo kook tofu & bbq staff, if you choose to dress up for halloween please do not wear a jason mask. i can't see your face and that scares me and makes me feel so uncomfortable especially when i'm trying to eat! service was nothing special. had to wave down the staff for refills on fish cakes, water, and our check. almost seemed like they were a little understaffed for not such a busy night. ... other than that i think i prefer eating oo kook AYCE instead. i wouldn't come back and once again i would not recommend it. totally did not satisfy my tofu soup cravings! :( tips: *cash and credit card accepted *indoor seating only *has lunch specials *same plaza as costco *charge extra for rice *rice comes in a small bowl instead of the stone pot *great for large groups. *roomy and spacious *clean place
(1)Vickie C.
The only reason I come here is because it is close and convenient. Besides that, there's really nothing else it has going for them. It works on days where I don't want to drive to ktown and stand in line for Beverly Soon Tofu. The soondubu here lacks flavor. I'm not talking about bland vs. salty. I'm talking about the flavors of the tofu, soup and spices. Even when you order spicy, everything just tastes watered down. Also, the hot stone bibimbap is quite expensive for the portion you get. I usually add another bowl of rice to it to mix it with everything for it to look like a decent portion. The banchan is ok. There's variety, but taste-wise it lacks flavor and authenticity. They have the fish that BCD gives out, but I'm not a great fan of it. The kimchi is more salty than fermented. Service is mediocre. The place is big and they only have a few waiters. They should consider installing the bell system in order to be more efficient. It takes quite a while to flag someone down to refill our water or banchan. Overall, I'd only come here when I'm craving soondubu really bad but too lazy to drive to ktown. Parking: Huge parking lot shared with Costco.
(3)Bic T.
My newest fav Tofu house in town... Give u a lot variety of small dishes.. banchan .So better control yourself before real food arrive. They have short rib stew and korean style ginseng chicken soup, which cannot be found in the SGV area unless u go to k town. Plenty of booth seating and the modern decor makes the dinning experience more enjoyable. Parking share the same lot with souplantation and Costco so can be hard to find parking on busy weekend .
(4)Karen K.
There aren't a lot of choices for Korean food in the Alhambra area, but this place is the best I could find in the area. I ordered the galbi tang (short rib soup) and my husband and brother in law ordered the combo soon tofu soup with galbi (short rib) and deji bulgogi (spicy pork). The broth for the galbi tang was good. The meat wasn't cooked long enough, so it didn't fall of the bone easily. The noodles in the broth were good, too. It makes me want to try their jap chae. Overall, the dish is much larger than the soon tofu which is about the same price, and I would much rather order this dish. Too bad it's only a summer special. The broth of the soon tofu is thick with seafood. If you can't eat it, make sure you tell them. I think I tasted clam in the kimchi broth. It was pretty good. The combos come with fried fish, that was done well, and tasty. The sides are okay. They weren't the best or the worst I've had. I wish they didn't use dried fish cake. Overall, I'll give this place 4 stars, because they have some of the best Korean food for the Alhambra area. Some of the dishes are a bit on the pricey side, but they don't have much competition.
(4)Becky W.
First time eating here..It's pretty nice. I like the shrimp that they serve I the tofu pot because it comes with eggs. How often do you eat shrimps that have eggs in them? For me, I rarely get that. The galbi is pretty tasty. Bulgogi..was average for me. I got a free coke from checking in here. The barley water is very refreshing to drink. My boyfriend thought it was gonna be all you can eat, but apparently we arrived at the wrong location lol. Overall, I had a pleasant time..wouldn't mind coming back next time.
(5)Shirley W.
The decors at the entrance is cutsy, and cultural. Tables are large, seats are comfy, and they are very very well spaced out--something you rarely see in a tofu house. The interior is absolutely adorable, running fountains and decorative fermentation tanks of kimchi and garlic. The paper art chandelier, the bonsai settings in the corner, reminds me a lot of Asia. Side dishes are another thing you can only get at a Korean restaurant. Their side dishes are spot on. Worthing mentioning is the toasted crunchy seaweed, a hint of sweetness with mouth full of sesame oil scent, just can't get enough. It is not only good to munch on alone, but also great to top off your tofu soup, YUM! The macaroni salad was decent, they also give you the fish cake that my friend loves. BBQ bulgogi and short ribs hit the spot and the portion is good. I don't usually give 5 stars, but OO-Kook out shine most of the 4 star places I rate. I do hope they stay consistant with their service and quality, because I will be hungry for more.
(5)Annie L.
3.5 stars but decided to round up .5 stars for the decor. Sunday night dinner rush: 5 minute wait.. not too bad! Decor: This place is fairly new, which may be the true reason why it is so clean but they also have decorations around the restaurant to help liven up the place which I think the other tofu houses around lack. Very aesthetically pleasing indeed! Service: After being seated, the server came over promptly to take our order without being waved down which was nice. On top of that, she also stopped by to refill our waters and side dishes which is a rareity at tofu houses so that was a nice surprise as well! No complaints. Food: Side dishes: Unfortunately, I can't really comment much on this because I did not eat many of the side dishes that night. But I did enjoy the two that I did eat. The fish fillet breaded with egg was something unique. Tasted pretty good but the temp could of been warmer. The second item was the cucumbers. The flavor was there but I just wished that the cucumbers were more crunchy, but that's just a personal preference. Tofu: I ordered beef tofu soup and I thought it was just average. Although, there was a lot of beef in it, it was a little salty for my taste. Would I order this again? Yes, because it was not the best but not the worst. Final verdict: Probably going to come back again & give this place another try!
(4)Saki U.
There is never a wait! It's a big place with a lot of seating. Not saying that it's not busy! I usually go on weekdays where there's less people anyway. Very affordable price for a huge portion of food. You can take home left overs so it's all good =]] When I don't know what to eat and I'm lazy to cook, this is my spot!
(4)Calvin L.
Def had better. Young Dong in San Gabriel is not only cheaper, but the quality of the food is better. Granted Oo Kook does give you more side dishes, and the service is a little bit better, I'd rather have cheaper, better tasting food any day of the week. BBQ Spicy Chicken + Tofu Soup ($15.99 - Dinner) The Chicken was good. Not really that spicy, which is what I was hoping for. You get to choose your own tofu soup just like with any Korean tofu restaurant. I don't know if I'd come back here. I mean the food was okay, but I just really like Young Dong, and Oo Kook couldn't compare.
(3)Tina W.
Very fast and great customer service :) i really enjoyed select side dishes, like the seaweed with vinegar and kimchi cucumbers. There's also bean sprouts, kimchi (which were on the bitter side :/), these caramelized brown fish strips, and fish. Luckily, you can ask for another set of side dishes (all of them come together) with no extra charge. I ordered a Galbi combo with mildly spicy mushroom and seafood tofu soup. I have to admit: the soup was plain and totally flavorless! This might be how it's enjoyed, with not too much seasoning (healthy) but it wasn't enjoyable :( my Galbi (beef eye ribs) were flavored deliciously (sweet Korean BBQ sauce) with caramelized onions, but I would have to complain that there was mostly fat in each rib piece and not as much meat, it was really greasy :( I wish I got the Bugolgi instead. You can get the meat dishes individually, but with the combo (12.99-14.99) you get soup and rice as well. The glass noodles my sister ordered were delish, very sweet (not savory at all) from a ton of sesame oil and sugar, with egg strips and carrot shavings. It was considered an appetizer but was a huge serving that was shared amongst about 4 other people and still couldn't be finished in the end. There's also fried dumplings, which my brother ordered. They were good. There's a great variety of the tofu soups: beef, pork, chicken, seafood, mushroom and vegetable, wonton, dumplings... The ranges of spicy are: plain, mild, and then 3 levels of spicy. I would recommend the Bugolgi and glass noodles. Take advantage of the side dishes!!
(3)Velinda L.
Wow what a beautiful restaurant. Large, clean, interior and plenty of lighting. The modern decor of this place is definitely its best point. Unfortunately the food is only okay. Tofu soup was standard, no different from most other Korean tofu establishments. Instead of the traditional hot stone bowl, the rice came in a metal bowl which I actually prefer because its easier to dig out and eat (however, people who like the crispy rice may be disappointed). What I didn't like were the BBQ meats. The spicy pork and chicken were drenched in straight up plain red pepper sauce. Usually even though some foods are too spicy for me I will still eat it because it is still tasty. But this sauce was so flavorless (just spicy) to the point it was almost bitter and that ruined both these dishes for me. We also got the bulgogi which (thankfully) didn't have the red pepper sauce but was relatively bland. Banchan was below average, although I do appreciate the way the waiters arrange it when they bring it out. You can ask for more side dishes free of charge! They also give you a little baked fish which you don't get at all Korean tofu houses so I thought that was nice. A Ri Rang in San Gabriel is still my favorite tofu house in the area. 2.5 stars (bumping up for the pretty decor)
(3)Steven C.
Known for their beef short rib soup !!!!! The soup is rich in flavor and full of ribs. Tried other dishes but did not come close to the rib soup. If you are in a mood for some hardy soup on a rainy cold day, give it a try !!!!!!
(4)Isabel L.
This place's is overall delicious and the service isn't that great. They wouldn't come though. The food is the bomb though!!! This is currently one of my Korean go to places.
(4)Jenny L.
Service is.. well.. almost non-existent. We were seated at our table and no one came to bring us water or take our drink order until five minutes later. When a waiter finally came to our table, we hurriedly ordered drinks and dinner since we weren't sure when he'd be back. I ordered bibimbap. It was good. My friend ordered the spicy pork and it came out on one of those stone plates but it wasn't sizzling. Every other table received sizzling pork. Why was his hot, but not sizzling? We wanted more banchan. I flagged a waiter down. He didn't seem to understand English. So maybe that's why he never came back out with them? I had to flag our original waiter down to get those two tiny banchan dishes because I wasn't going to leave without getting what I wanted. Ookook on Rosemead - the AYCE place - is awesome. I love it. But this place needs help. Seriously. Hire more staff. Train your current staff. Get them to stop looking like they hate their lives. It makes for a really terrible dining experience.
(2)Tad K.
Impressed. From the core, to the Excellence service, to the quality of the food all great. Parking can be bad sometimes because of Costco nearby, but don't let that stop you enjoy this location. Unlike the Rosemead Boulevard location or original in Koreatown this is not a all-you-can-eat place. They have a dozen different tofu soups, combos with different meats, or ala cart items as well. Plenty of BanChon items to start off the meal, which are cheerfully refilled upon request. Choice of four different spice levels on the soups, all served bubbling hit to the table. We usually get one combo and one soup on its own and share the meat. There is plenty. Don't be afraid to try something new, you'll like the value, cleansiness, quality and service.
(5)Lia W.
This Place is the Bomb I literally love re Summer Soup Speicals and I usually get the Beef Soup. The soup I great with rice, and it's always filling! I'm actually going there right now!! Awesome food, but it would be better to have the soups all year long
(4)Emily L.
Good flavor, but pretty pricey. I came here for lunch on a weekday. It was not busy at all. They seated us quickly and immediately served us with barley water. Honestly, it just tastes like water, but it's a good gesture since it was hot that day. We ordered the spareribs and beef tofu combo ($16 for lunch, includes multigrain rice in a stone pot and Banchan). We wanted to get kabli combo, but that was $20 (one price for lunch and dinner). The spareribs were good, on the dry side, but the flavor was there. The tofu soup was soooooooo good. One of the best I have ever had. So much flavor and the beef was tender. We also ordered bulgogi bibimbap. It was good, not much veggies or rice and a lot of bulgogi. Oh and the banchans were good they were definitely marinated enough and for three people, they gave us two fish banchans. Over all good experience, but if they want more business, they should definitely lower prices.
(4)Richard L.
The food is over priced compared to other Korean BBQ and the portion is much smaller. I had better. Would not come back.
(1)Akiko T.
God I am so upset! This place is no longer oo-kook but owned by YungDong. forgive me if I am wrong on this, but the menu and flavor is too similar to YungDong for me to just assume. I've always adored oo-kook. Service was spotty, but the tofu was always on point. Broth was always so flavorful. But now, it's bland. Like the other YungDong. Lame. And now you can only get fried fish with combination meals where as oo-kook gave out as part of banchan. Oh, not to mention oo-kook banchan was WAAAY better!!!! So sad to see this place change. Bf however said he liked the new bibimbap, so we might come for that and I'll give the tofu another chance...maybe. RIP best tofu in 626.
(2)Cam C.
Our first time here wasn't great at all. The service was good but the food was below average. We were planning to go to souplantation but the line was too long. We decided to give oo-kook another try. This time and I'm not sure if we hungry or they change the chef but the food was really good. Service was good and they weren't that many people. I ordered the combo tofu soup with bugolgi bibimpa and my husband order the combo tofu with ribs. The tofu soup was flavorful and they didn't skimp on the oysters. The rice was crispy on the bottom and tasty because of the fat from the bugolgi but the bugolgi was dry and no flavor. The ribs was yummy with a balance of fat on it. You get a free sofa if you unlock it in yelp.
(4)Phillip F.
Always come here when I get craving for korean food. Not to mention zero wait time for a table~
(5)Vicky F.
We went in to order take out so we sat outside for a bit. It was still early so the dinner crowd didn't come in yet. While waiting, I saw friendly servers who helped take care and play with some of the customer's kids. Halfway into our wait, we were informed that they were out of fried dumplings so we ordered something else. When we got our order, the server told us that they still gave us some fried dumplings free of charge because they didn't have enough for a full order! The food was great. Everything was delicious. We will be back again.
(5)Amy S.
Wasn't feeling for tofu soup but was feeling for some meat and rice. We ordered the non-spicy chicken and the bulgogi. Chicken was good. Bulgogi was tough and not flavored well. The side dishes were meh - kimchi wasn't good. I also had the worst garlic breathe for the entire night and day after! :( Maybe should've tried what they're known for but don't bother ordering the meat.
(2)Aron K.
We went here on September '14. The place was clean and spacious. As a starter, they gave us side dishes (typical Korean restaurant) and a fried fish. We really like the side dishes, and the fish was tasty and still hot. When the main dishes came, they were sizzling hot. The taste on the soup was quite weak, but the spicy chicken was very very very tasty. That was (hands down) our favorite dish. Server was.... let's say.... 'typical' for a non-luxury restaurant. Well, at least this place was above average in regards to cleanliness.
(4)Laura T.
I really really enjoy coming here, as a matter of fact, I was here early tonight! Haha. Upon arrival, I was always seated right away by the friendly hostess or any available server. Menus were handed to us right away. Side dishes are brought to us shortly after. So, its generally different each time but there are a few stables that are regular: the chili cucumber, bean sprout, kim chi and mini deep fried fish. Which I found is a bummer is that they don't serve the potato salad one. I find that shocking. I always get the Seafood Tofu soup either mild or medium spicy, depending on my mood. The beau is a bit more adventurous, he would try out assorted items, For the seafood tofu soup, its the usual tofu soup packed with calms, shrimps and an oyster or two. It is just like the usual that you get at all other korean tofu houses. A Korean Tofu House can't really go wrong with this dish, if they fail to perfect this dish. The place will be doomed, since this seems to be pretty much the base of all the other soups. Soup Combination is what the beau would get, like mentioned earlier, for soup he would try assorted ones. But it seems like he would always go back to the Beef Seafood Tofu Soup, mild or medium spicy. It just like my soup, but with beef. Items that we ordered as combination - Spicy Chicken: cubed chicken breast, season with red chili sauce - Non Spicy Chicken: cubed chicken breast, that is grilled then placed on a bed of onions - Beef Ribs: to me, it feels like the exact same ones from korean bbq ayce place, and there is much of a difference in taste compared to other spots They use to before serve our soup with white rice, but today, I got the mutli grain (purple) rice. I am not a huge rice fan, so to me, whatever rice you give me I will only eat about 25% of it with my soup. Customer Service: very good, friendly, always checked up on us, whatever issues we had it was addressed right away Parking: shared with the Costco & Souplantation plaza, that alone is a crazy combo. That's why I would recommend coming at night, close to 8 pm. That's when Costco closes and a lot of the parking spaces will be available. Price: I would say, reasonable to a bit high, depending on what you are looking to get, personally, I don't mind it, I live in Alhambra, so I just see it paying a little bit more for a closer distances Will I return: yes, I actually have been back quite a few times since they opened Recommend to family & friends: Yes Tried their other location (AYCE in Rosemead): Yes
(4)Hae A.
I finally tried this place out and it's good. Better than the salty places that I used to frequent around Alhambra. I ordered the seafood soondubu. The broth was rich and flavorful. There was a lot of seafood in the soup. It is comparable to the soondubu in K-town. Hubby got the dolsot bibimbap. This was also good. A good mix of veggies. The cold vinegar-y soup thing they give you with the rice is very refreshing. Although this place is slightly more expensive than the places in K-town, I save on gas and time which more than makes up for the price difference. But then they also gave me more seafood than the places I've had in K-town.
(4)Rebecca C.
Typical tofu house. Their side dishes are pretty tasty and good. The service was slow at first but then it began to pick up again; they refilled our side dishes which is a plus. Their tofu soups taste okay. I still think Cho Dang in Cerritos has the best tasting tofu soups. Here, if you order the combo, your tofu soup will be served in a smaller pot than the average just FYI. Overall, decent price!
(3)Michelle C.
Clean environment. Entertaining atmosphere. The food is quite bland compared to what you could find in K-town. The side dishes were good though. The service wasn't too great. Waitress wearing a high bun was quite impatient while my parents decided how spicy they wanted their soup to be (they couldn't hear her when she asked how spicy they wanted it). A bit unprofessional. Most of the employees can't tell the side dishes apart (we had to ask 2 different employees). C'mon, if you're gonna work at a Korean restaurant, know what you're working with. The pricing is pretty typical for a tofu house; the food just isn't that great. The chicken ginseng soup barely had any ginseng and had more ginger than anything. On a side note, I would recommend Namsan Restaurant in Koreatown for the best samgyetang (it has more of a distinctive ginseng taste). The ajumma's there are so sweet and welcoming too! I'll probably return to Oo-kook because of the convenient location.
(2)Chris K.
Just had the cold noodle today. Very comparable to LA if not better. The naeng myun needed no extra vinegar, which I usually put in whenever I have naeng myun in Koreatown. Will definitely be back for more naeng myun.
(5)Tommy W.
Came here for the first time on Friday night for dinner. Nice and professional staff. The ambience is great for a laid back date night or with the family. The small dishes are delicious and they have a variety of selection. Will definitely return.
(5)Kim H.
Ate here for lunch! I had the pork tofu soup regular with a rice bowl on the side. The sides (banchan) they serve is probably a 2.5 to 3. I do like the fish they give...which was good but salty. The kimchi was a bit stale...I think they need fresher ones. The place is the old Sizzler...and it is much improved. It is bright and airy and great decor. A lot of wasted space though but I guess it gives it the not so cramped feeling that many Korean places have. The service is a 4 hands down. Let's face it...in the heart of Chinatown (Alhambra / Monterrey Park) area...there is a lack of good Korean food if you don't want to travel to Ktown. I do not call Gen Korean Place in Alhambra good Korean food...that is mediocre at best! Now back to the soup...get it regular or higher. If you don't you probably won't get good taste. Mine was tasty...the pork was a bit tough...but overall it had a kick and taste to it. The only downside is the broth was a bit heavy and not the feeling of being fresh like (Beverly Soon Tofu) which is a 5 hands down! Overall - def coming back and will try other stuff on the menu which is pretty extensive.
(4)Nitar L.
I end up going to this place more often than I'd like to because the line for dim sum across the street can make me hungry and impatient. I had to downgrade a star for them not having orange soda. Have you ever had Korean food with orange soda? It's the best! I haven't found a Korean restaurant that didn't carry orange soda until this one. Also, the picture on the menu shows glass noodles/jap-chae as one of the side dishes/banchan. Pictures on the menu lie because when I asked if the noodles were included with the side dishes, I was met with much disappointment. Regardless, still a good spot for perfectly marinated galbi and some satisfying spicy tofu soup.
(4)Anthony C.
Service 5/5 Food 4/5 Decore 4/5 Pretty good soon dubu for the SGV. Panchan is indeed limited at 5 items but all were tasty: kimchee with a bit of sweetness, marinated broccoli, pickled burdock root, flavored crumbled hard tofu, and pickled seaweed. The bibimbap stone pot was really hot with all the standard fixins. The Korean beef noodle soup was quite tasty - almost buttery. We did get the purple rice in a hot stone pot - I think as a side to the noodles. Kalbi was decently tasty but the combo order size had only 5 pieces. The restaurant is decorated well in a cute modern Korean style, and had your requisite K-Pop playing on 2 large flat screens. Very spacious and comfortable. We came on a Friday night at 8p and there was no wait for a table for 4. Very kid and baby friendly. Excellent service for a Korean restaurant. It's not AYCE so that's probably why it wasn't packed like the other Ookook locations. I would return again.
(4)Diana H.
To me, this is a nicer version of BCD Tofu House. It's good for satisfying a craving, but a little pricey. Service: we usually come during busier nights so we have to ask for water refills, side dish refills, etc. and it's pretty difficult to flag them down. But they're friendly and efficient otherwise. Food: purple rice!!! I love purple rice! I usually get the combination: beef kimchi tofu and meat (sometimes the beef is on the drier side but their chicken was great). The side dishes are a little lacking for the price we paid, in terms of variety. Overall: my family loves this place, but having tried other places in Koreatown, I wouldn't say this was a better alternative. But if you want to save yourself the pain of parking, Oo-gook is in a giant plaza!
(3)Traveler L.
They developed a few new menu for hot Cal summer and they are the bomb! Cold noodle combos are must try. Their kimchi is little sweet side but I still like it. Their fish that comes with combo is always dry and small but it's a sort of free, so it's whatever. Service has gotten a lot better than when they first opened as well as servicing speed. Overall, pleasant restaurant with good new food.
(4)Monica N.
They had a change in ownership, but it's still really great. In fact, I think the service might be better. Try the bulgogi bbq!
(4)Daniela K.
It's the only decent Korean restaurant in Alhambra. I always go there for some home cooking if I'm not able to drive all the way to Koreatown or after my Costco/Target shopping trips. I still remember the week they opened and I've been a loyal customer ever since. I normally come here once a month and I've experienced several menu changes over time. They added a lot of new Korean dishes to the menu, but at the same time they removed a lot of the banchan (free small dishes). BIG NO NO Quality and taste are almost the same, but quantity decreased and prices have gone up for sure. To make up for the cost increase or to treat frequent customers, they started with a points program in June and I visited them 3 times since I got my card. It's a 3% rewards cash back program for the pre-tax amount, but you can only use it once you have $10 dollars in it so basically you need to spend $335 to even have the chance to use it.
(3)Jamie F.
Bad service!!!!! Can't flag anyone down for ten minutes to get more side dishes. But when we asked for a check they were all over us. Would not venture back again.
(3)Donna C.
When my party and I first walked in, we were seated right away. This restaurant is clean and the decor is the cutest thing you've ever seen..just WOW.. they put a lot of work into it and it looked amazing. Once we sat down, we were given ice teas and salads. I was highly impressed with the service. Then....we sat there...for 10 minutes...watching everyone else get their orders taken. We tried to flag down someone to help us but I swear we were invisible. This was the most annoying part of the visit. Finally, we were able to catch the attention of Eric, one of the servers. He was awesome. I think he could tell from my plea to take our order that I was super hungry and really, just needed to be fed in order to keep my boyfriend and parents safe from my hungarrry mood swings. Eric took our order right away and the banchans came out immediately after. I'm really excited to say that everyone who ordered tofu got a whole fried fish!! The only other place that does this (that I know of) is BCD Tofu House. Oo-kook has way less banchans than BCD but ehh.. what can you do? Their kimchi was bomb and Eric refilled the banchans without us having to ask (major PLUS). The tofu comes with the dark multi-grain rice which is delicious. If you want an egg to crack in your soup, you have to ask for it. The japchae was not as delicious as I had imagined it to be but it was still good. Parking was not thaaaat bad. There's a huge lot but it's in the same parking lot as Costco so the weekends may be harder to find a spot. The plus side is that you can go to Costco afterwards (if you're a member) and walk off your meal by buying more food! :)
(4)Badhaircut S.
Salad is delicious. CLAM TOFU SOUP!!!!! I am also having spicy pork. The combo plates are such a good idea and great value! Good prices and great food!
(5)Deiz Jane C.
Everything is good but I hate the fact that they don't have unlimited soda. Their potato salad is a hit or miss. One thing I don't like is when you order baby octopus and shrimp. It's like, seriously? 4 pcs of shrimp anf 3 literally fetus octopus? But everything else is great!
(4)Chanel C.
Good soon-dobu in Alhambra?! Typically I'd roll my eyes and say "yeaa righhttt" but Oo-kook surprisingly was really, really good. First off, BIG SHOUT OUT to our amazing server who was so kick ass. He was so friendly, and upbeat -- just a radiantly positive person who made our meal so much more enjoyable. The banchan was good as well. My family and I were big fans of the kimchee and seaweed. They also offer a baby crocker fish on the house which I always enjoy. The soondubu itself was really tasty -- thick, flavorful, and boiling hot broth. I got the octopus and while there were some SUPER CHEWY pieces, it was overall fantastic. The soup was not watered down at all, and i completely killed it. Another thing that I liked was their purple rice lol. Thumbs up.
(4)Kylie K.
Best Korean restaurant I have been to outside of Korea. The topokki, ham and cheese tofu soup, and beef and octopus tofu soup are especially excellent. Almost the same menu as Young Dong Tofu in San Gabriel, but more spacious, has shorter lines, and has more beautiful interior decorations. Has Kpop videos playing at all times.
(5)Maki K.
I was pleasantly surprised with this place! The restaurant is clean, the service was attentive, and the food was good! Parking was also simple in the large free parking lot. The Highlights of My Dining Experience: - The TOFU SOUP was some of the thickest and flavorful tofu soups I have ever had! I loved it! Our party of 3 ordered a Mushroom Tofu Soup, a Kimchi & Beef Tofu Soup, and a Pork Dumpling Tofu Soup, which we all enjoyed. - The SPICY CHICKEN we ordered was very tender and succulent. Not dry at all! - We also ordered the JAPCHAE, which was delicious! I highly recommend it! - They do not serve the traditional white sticky rice. Instead, they serve a MULTIGRAIN type of rice that is a reddish-purple color served in a hot stone bowl, which is great for someone trying to watch what they eat. But if you do want white sticky rice, I'm sure they can accommodate you as well. All in all my experience here was a positive one and I look forward to being back.
(4)Claudia Z.
Lunch with family. Excellent food, love the kimchi and side orders. Had a craving for tofu and here we are. Beef short rib soup with clear noodles and some spicy seafood tofu will hit the spot. Yum yum yum.
(5)Vivian S.
I came here during lunch with my coworkers and had a good time. Service was fast and they were patient with our big group. I ordered the pork rib tofu combo with the seafood tofu. The pork rib was very flavorful, I'm a fan. The meat was tender and slid right off the bone. The tofu was ok, I ordered medium spicy and it was not spicy at all. The side dishes were good as usual, they even had the fried fish. The potato salad is probably my favorite. I sampled some of my coworkers bulgolgi and short rib they were great too. I think the food here is on the sweeter side. For dessert they offered the macaron icecream sandwiches, I didn't get to try unfortunately. They give you this peach tea drink after your meal, I thought that was good.
(4)Eric C.
I seriously do not fathom how they get the audacity to overcharge people and still manage to stay in the business? After our disastrous Mother's Day Dinner, I decided to let my family pick where we'd go for our belated Father's Day celebration. Naturally, they picked this joint. Given the fact it was a Saturday night, and the restaurant was quite busy, I was surprised that our party got seated in a matter of 10 minutes. As any other Korean restaurants, banchon were served once we were seated. And I have to agree with other yelpers, the selection was just lazy and pitiful. I've been to AYCE Kbbq places that served better banchon...!! Initially, our waitress was Kim, a sweet Korean lady who couldn't had been nicer. But for some mysterious reasons, halfway into the meal our server was switched to Eric, who obviously does not belong to the food services industry. When he brought the food to our table he would constantly exhibit his impatience while demanding the answer of "exactly, who ordered this dish?" Or "where does this plate go?" The eye rolling was so over the top I thought he should see an ophthalmologist. As far as the food? Honestly, it was nothing special. I did appreciate the fact that instead of white rice, they offer you multigrain stone rice, which is far more flavorful. For those who are looking for a little buzz? They sell beer and soju, that's all. Toward the end of our meal, I thought perhaps the macaron ice cream sandwiches could somehow salvage the evening and they turned out to be just as tragic as the rest. If it weren't for Kim's attentiveness I would've given this place just one star... Seriously, save your money and time and go somewhere else, even the cheapest AYCE KBBQ in Ktown I've eaten was a much more gratifying experience...
(2)Lisa Y.
Oo-kook Tofu and BBQ is located next to Souplantation. Parking can be a nightmare as it also shares the parking lot with Costco patrons. Banchan- Every table seems to get something different. I noticed that all the neighboring tables had various items. Overall I was disappointed in everything. Parking was horrible, the service was just so-so and the tofu soup lacked flavor. It took forever to get the check, so we ended up walking to the front counter to pay so we could get out of there. There are so many other options for Korean food in the SGV, and Korea town isn't too far from here for that matter.
(2)Maria W.
Great service and the food was flavorful and beautifully presented. They use the purple rice and the meat quality was a plus and the sides are fabulous. The kimchi was delicious, sides were fresh. They have very authentic food and the cold noodles are available. I highly recommend this place because it has little bit for everyone.
(5)KK L.
Dinner time with family. We love the bbq beef ribs and tofu soup here. Trying out the ginseng chicken soup today, loving it. My son even eats has vegetables here. All the side dishes here are great too.
(5)Sylvia C.
Been wanting to try this and finally did, and I'm glad we did. Everything looks clean and most importantly fresh! Compared to another nearby Korean tofu place nearby though, I didn't like their tofu soup as much here. They still gave you the little side dishes while you wait for are very small. Positive part is they are more than happy to refill but it looks horrible if you ask more than once, I guess. So i would prefer a little bit larger portions and more selections like my nearby favorite pad. (minus 1-star) If I were to come back its definitely for the freshness over their food. I LOVE their non-spicy chicken dish (that comes in a combination with the tofu soup). It was one of the best and most fresh I have tasted! Love how they serve mixed black rice into the regular rice rather than the plain white rice like most places do! Their small dishes are very good too. Again, just wish their were a few more selections and a little bit larger portions. Service was perfect and great! My iced barley tea was never empty. They advertise as no MSG used which I doubt. That may be false in my opinion which can be bad for people allergic or sensitive to MSG. Its more like no "added" MSG is what they meant.
(4)Yvonne N.
Looked Nice, new, and friendly. The place did give us sticker shock. After our sticker shock, the food is very good. I ordered non-spicy chicken, hubby ordered bulgogi bimbimbop, and short rib plate. It was all pretty delicious and filling. The rice was good too. They bring out side dishes like a Korean Bbq place. (Seaweed, mac salad, kimchi, bean sprouts, and kimchi cucumbers) it was pretty darn good. Then they have these amazing desserts of macaroons stuffed with ice cream. Now that was amazing!! If you order two items and share among 4 you should be good. Overall, I give it a 4 stars...only because of that sticker shock!!
(4)Jo L.
Finally, there's a tofu house in Alhambra. Every time I want tofu soup, I'd have to go to San Gabriel or MPK. Food: tasty. I wish their soup was spicier. I ordered spicy tofu soup and it tasted like mild to medium. I really like that they give out multi-grain rice without an extra charge. Their side orders are standard- and good. Service: overall, very nice. We got our food within a matter for 4-5 minutes. Location: parking is terrible since they share the parking with Costco and Souplantation. Overall, nothing to rave about, but a good/ clean tofu house.
(4)Vencci H.
Your average Korean Tofu house. No real wow factor, in fact it was kind of basic and was lacking in the side dish department. Service was attentive--5 stars The tofu soup base did not hit the spot and lacked some thing that other tofu houses use. Liked that they give a fried fish. Would be better if they could make the soup a bit thicker?
(3)Jade D.
My wife was eager to satisfy her korean food craving, so I decided to take a friend's suggestion to try this bulgogi house around the corner from where I live. Upon arrival I asked if Lam was working! (Sadly he wasn't but I'm happy he suggested this to me) Kim was the Hostess/Server and she was sure to give us a prompt professional service, even during the slow daytime. I really appreciate the fact she continues to work hard to show others a good time. After the order the Kitchen/Food runner Eric brought out all the bonchan and appetizers. He brought out everything while it was steaming hot and the fact that we can eat everything while it's steaming or boiling means they have the correct staffing behind the restaurant and all the customers expectations are met. As for the flavor of the food, authenticity is valid here. There is no dry in the mouth msg heavy food here and all of the flavors are familiar and hit home for me and my wife. My wife adores the beef tofu soup here! So again one more time thank you Kim and Eric for an excellent service. Your professionalism in the daytime is unrivaled! Lam, thanks for suggesting this place to me. We will definitely be coming back here and I hope to catch you working hard sometime. Take care, brother!
(5)Ben Y.
The food is average to below average, the tofu soup here is definitely more bland than your average Korean tofu joint and the bulgogi + teriyaki chicken were also sub par. The prices are average to slightly above average and honestly I would have given this place 3 stars but the portions are noticeably smaller than average so if you add everything up it's squarely in the 2 star category
(2)Danny N.
I've had Oo kook AYCE kbbq, now it is time to try their tofu place! My gf and I shared the combo, which came with one of the tofu soup and the galbi. The galbi was good. I would make sure to get the pickled seaweed! The service is VERY quick and attentive. Whenever we needed a ban chan refill, it was right there instantly!
(4)Joanna L.
So I came here for dinner again about 19 days ago - at least that's what my check in tells me - I do still remember it of course - I was here with my brother and mom after shopping at Costco. I ordered the same thing I've ordered about twice already here and that's their Short Rib Soup - it was a summer special but I guess they are keeping it on the menu and I'm glad because it's really a delicious bowl of soup. My brother ordered the Teriyaki Chicken combo and my mom ordered the Bulgogi combo. The Teriyaki chicken and Bulgogi was good but would be better if the servings were bigger. They were friendly and quick as usual and there's really not much to dislike about this place - they are not super busy - at least not the times that I have been here and it's usually weekends too. Overall they kept up with the great service and good food so I'm pretty satisfied each time.
(4)Wendy L.
I never post lukewarm reviews. I usually post only extreme reviews, either 5 stars or one. Unfortunately for this place, it's the latter. I've been to this place a couple times before and it was always good but not great. It always got one step worse with each visit, but still just good enough to come back, when I'm in the area but not in the mood for dim sum at King Hua. First thing I noticed is that on the menu, the meals with galbi (either by itself, or the "C-1" with a tofu soup for a dollar more) had no lunch price. Probably because it's most people's go-to dish. Instead of knowing that to have a special lunch around it, they use it as an opportunity to extort more money from their galbi-loving customers. AND the price went up $3 for the dinner price. It used to be $16.99, now it's $19.99 (I checked the pictures on Yelp to confirm that the menu used to have a lunch option for galbi, and I also confirmed the price increase.) The waiter said they changed owners a few months ago. The banchan was a joke. They used to give you 11. Now they give you five. And the five of my very least favorite ones: the kim chee (too spicy for me), some sort of vinegar marinated root like lotus root, a new potato thing (not the salad, which I love), some sad little dollop of seaweed and that salty, boney little fish with just tiny shreds of meat. I ate only the potato and the slivers of fish. Also, they served the purple rice in the crock pot. I prefer white rice. There was white rice in all the pictures on the menu. I decided to just deal with that. The galbi came out first. It was not like it was in the picture. The picture had two slabs of three ribs each; which would have been about an average sized portion. The galbi they gave me had six ribs but they were't connected at all and were small pieces. It was about half the meat as in the picture. It was about the same amount of meat as the "half portion" lunch size of Korean BBQ House in Little Tokyo, which is less than half the price as this Oo-kook's combo. The little meat they did give me was good, there was just too little of it. I decent amount of galbi would have enabled me to forgive all of the other problems, but this is the biggest issue I had: less galbi for more money. They did not give me a plate and I couldn't find my waiter or any waitstaff to give me one. I tried to use the platter they served it on but I burnt my hand in the process. I didn't blame them too much for this because I should have known it was burning hot, but it made my mood even worse. The tofu soup came next. I had ordered the dumpling tofu. The picture had three plump dumplings sitting on top of the soup. The actual soup had only two dumplings, submerged and then quickly disintegrated into the soup. Plus, it was way too spicy. I had ordered it mild. I RARELY send things back. I could usually add rice to take away some of the spice, but this soup I had to send back. They were reluctant to make me a new one. The replacement wasn't a new bowl of soup. It had the same remnants of dumpling that my first one had when I sent it back. They must have spooned out some of the original soup and added flavorless soup. This was not really a big deal because I was glad that no more food went to waste, but it was still wrong to say they'd give me a new one when they just re-served me a modified version. The "new" tofu was still a little spicy but manageable with rice. I asked for white rice this time to diffuse the spiciness. They gave it to me in a small bowl instead of the crock pot, which was fine. I then noticed a sign on the wall that said there was a free soda with check-in. I asked the waiter about that - he said they'll give you a free soda if you leave a nice review on Facebook or Yelp. I thought it was inappropriate to condition the soda on a positive review. I checked in on Facebook and took the opportunity to say it was a horrible experience. I figured that if they charged me for the soda because of it I'd just take it out of the tip. They didn't end up charging me for the soda. It took a really long time to get my bill. When I finally got it, I see they charged me $2 for the rice. I don't have time to make yet another stink so I just took it out of the tip and left about 10% (I usually leave over 20%.) On the way out the guy who had originally taken my order was at the hostess podium. I told him nicely that they shouldn't have charged for the rice, it is the white rice on the menu and they didn't even give you an option to order white or purple. He pointed to a little sign that said "Multigrain rice!" Still, that's no excuse. The sign is not prominently displayed and doesn't say it is standard with a meal. They could have also told me another bowl of rice would be $2 more. He apologized. I told him that if they wanted to adjust the bill they could keep the difference as part of the tip. Needless to say, I'm not going back.
(1)Holly C.
Delicious and convenient as I can order it to go :)
(5)Lynette T.
I'm surprised I got my hubby in the door. This guy, he loves buffets & AYCE K-BBQ. He loves grilling his meat up and getting all smokey. I've been wanting to come here for quite a while but every time we were in that parking lot, I'd get out-voted and we'd end up at Souplantation or in line at Costco for a Polish dog. Funny getting out-voted when it was only us two! Anywho, this was a satisfying meal for both of us. For me, the selling point was a nice decor, no K-pop blasting our ears and not going home smelling like eau de charcoal. I ordered the Bulgogi Bun appetizer because I wasn't too hungry and knew that I'd probably end up eating most of the banchans. Loved these little sandwiches! Korean style of the Chinese steamed duck buns. With spring greens inside and a lovely tangy dipping sauce. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… One was enough to fill me up and I brought the other one home for later. The hubby went with the lunch serving of their bulgogi & rice. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… He's so Japanese when it comes to rice. "Hey, it's purple!" and "Is that all I get?" Me: "Eat it; you'll like it." "Take half home and I'll make you some more rice!" For a lunch serving, this was quite a lot of meat piled on the serving plate. He really liked the flavoring and that it came garnished with onions and other stuff. I got him to concede that how nice it was to have the Bulgogi perfectly seasoned and cooked. We liked the banchans here! yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… He went nuts for the fish and picked it clean. I called dibs on the delicious pickled lotus root, kombu seaweed and bean sprouts. Another thing to appreciate was being served barley water. I love drinking that for its health benefits. Service was very attentive and friendly. Loved the decor in the lobby. Lots of room inside with the tables nicely spread out. Parking is a problem most times because Oo-Kook shares the Costco lot. I really wouldn't mind returning every so often!
(4)Kay H.
The service is not bad here. The cold noodle was very good. The problem was the galbi! How can the cook let a plate of burnt meat out the kitchen? The galbi was not only burnt, but the 2 unburnt pieces were very fatty. That just left me with only 1 piece that was edible! So basically I paid $20 to eat a bowl of cold noodle and 1 piece of galbi. I don't I will be returning because this is not the first time this happened.
(1)Tracy D.
There is no BBQ grill on the tables. When I drove by this place, I thought it was another oo-kook ayce BBQ restaurant. However, I was wrong. This is a tofu house. The menu contains simple BBQ dishes (served cooked), tofu stews, bibimbap, and so much more but just not raw meats. I was amazed by the side dishes they served. Delicious! I ordered the chicken soup. I can't say it's the best chicken soup I ve ever tried, but it was good. When the server served it, the soup was still boiling in the stone pot! The best thing about this tofu house is the location. There aren't many of the same kind of Korean tofu house around this area. The restaurant located in same plaza with Costco. It's very easy to find.
(4)Christina G.
Oo-Kook is THE place to go if you're craving Korean food in SGV. Can't believe I only recently discovered it this past weekend. Prices are reasonable (extremely comparable to k-town minus the parking craziness). Tofu soups start at $9.95 by themselves. The combos (bibimbap, galbi, beef, spicy pork, etc) include a tofu soup and start at $15.99. I had the "C1 Combo" (Galbi Ribs) along with a Spicy tofu soup. Note: "spicy" isn't deathly spicy, it is tolerable and not misleading! The banchan was generous, there were 8 varieties and since we were a party of 6, they gave us two sets of eight. Overall, we had a TON of food at a reasonable price with satisfying quality.
(4)Wendy T.
Came here cause I didn't want to wait at young dong, I should've just waited at young dong.. Ordered Kim chi beef tofu medium spicy, it was so bland and not even spicy at all, don't let the red color fool you.. Super plain and bland. Also got the combo of BBQ beef and Octopus beef tofu in spicy. Again, not even spicy at all and the octopus was super chewy and hard to swallow. The BBQ beef was okay but the pieces were so small I had to use a spoon to scoop it cause my chopstick couldn't pick up more than one tiny piece. All the tofu comes with stone pot rice but they recently changed it to multigrain rice. We requested white rice instead and it came out super mushy and sticky. Overall, probably won't return, I'll just learn to be patient at young dong
(2)Ken K.
My mother-in-law wanted Korean food, and just like the last time we went to Oo-Kook out of laziness, we left disappointed. Whether it was because I didn't remember how bad the food was or if I just thought the food would be better this time, it's safe to say that Sunday's visit would be our last. Never again will we settle for the short drive when craving Korean food. I ordered the Ham, Sausage, and Cheese Soondubu, my wife ordered the Donkatsu, and my MIL got the Beef Short Rib Soup (AKA Galbi Tang), which is apparently a "summer" special. The soondubu was underwhelming. I've never had Ham, Sausage, and Cheese soondubu, but I felt like trying something different. I don't think it really wouldn't have mattered which one I ordered, as I suspect they all would have had the same problems. As far as the broth was concerned, it wasn't bubbling hot (probably because it was served in a faux stone pot), it was extremely watered-down, and it had a weird color. It was lacking the depth of flavors I enjoy in soondubu, and I swear the ham was actually Spam (which I don't have a problem with, but you need to advertise it as such). The Donkatsu was so bad, my wife literally took one bite and had them take it back. The pork was either just bad quality or cooked poorly (or both), but it was tough with weird texture and it was really not good. She ended up getting an order of the Fried Dumplings to replace that dish, which she liked, but I thought they were really oily and not enjoyable whatsoever. Finally, the Galbi Tang was average (according to my MIL). I tried some of the meat, and I thought it was nothing special. Overall, service is usually fine, but the food needs a lot of work. If you make some quick observations inside the restaurant, you'll notice that there aren't any Korean servers or Korean patrons, and that says something. If you want good Korean food, go to K-Town. It's worth the drive.
(2)Emma C.
One people who take us to the seat near the door is not kindly . I say it's cold near the door because we take my baby ,we want to have a seat inside. But the waiter is unhappy from her face. En..... Anybody else are very kindly to us .
(3)Seraph L.
New KBBQ place! I shop at Costco all the time, so I figured I'd come by here before one of my Costco trips to give this place a try. They really make it a point to get the side dishes to the table as the customers are being seated. The moment we were brought to our table, there were already two waiters with trays full of the side dishes. While we dined, I noticed that they did this for every new table. I enjoyed just about every single one of the banchan - they were all so delicious! Many of the waiters and waitresses don't speak English too well, but we were able to get by with pointing at the menu. We ordered, and in no time, the food arrived! The meat tasted pretty good, while the tofu soup was mediocre. However, one of our orders didn't arrive for some time, so we called a waiter over to ask to check up on it, no biggie. Moments later, a manager came over to apologize to us about getting us a dish late, and gave us 20% off our entire check. If this is how much value management puts on providing good service, then I'd come here every time, even if the food didn't taste as good as at other places.
(4)stephen C.
Excellent service and good quality food. I love all the small plates and tofu soup with beef at a medium heat. Amazing flavor in the spicy pork.
(4)Julie J.
This is my second time here. The galbi tang is yums and def hits the spot on cold nights or when u r sick. My bf ordered the tofu soup medium spicy but he said it is not as spicy as the other places like arirang so this time he ordered it spicy. They have good service and servers are friendly too. And the hostess' uniform is cute too!
(4)Cindy L.
This restaurant is fairly new and the establishment looks clean and fairly spacious. We were offered numerous side dishes as we sat down at a booth and the dishes were all decent. Waiters also didn't hesitate when you ask for side dish refill too :) We ordered two combo with galbi, bibimbap, clam tofu soup, and (out of curiosity) ham and cheese soup. The main dishes were both okay but not memorable. I like how you can add your own oil and korean sauce into the bibimbap to customize how oily/salty/spicy you want the dish to be. The ham and cheese soup came out looking just like other tofu soup (I had pictured like a pot of cheese with korean spice or something haha). I think the cheese melted into the soup because it is slightly thicker. Overall the soup was pretty good. We ordered both soup spicy and both tasted mild... so asked for extra spicy if you like spice! Service was great and prompt, so one more star for them :)
(4)Grace K.
Banchans are much better now but what happened to the tofu soup? It definitely didn't taste the same as before :( The seafood in the soup were not fresh, too much msg and overall just not good at all. . . Also, they added ddukbokki (spicy rice cakes) to their menu but it was also very disappointing. It was way too red in color, overly spicy and had a strange smell. Awwww oo kook, what happened?
(2)Tiffany W.
I have been coming here for the past year, and recently they have gone through a management change. Although the food is quite good the non-spicy chicken and galbi aren't bad, the tofu portions have gotten smaller. It has also gotten very difficult to get service. We had to wait a long time water, napkins and the check, while we were past by many waiters and waitresses. It is not busy on Fridays at 9 o'clock at night and I can see why. With the Korean pop on repeat on the TVs, the videos tend to distract the mail servers more than assist with the ambience of the restaurant.
(2)Aaron G.
The food was good, but I think they were short staffed when we went. Folks didn't come by that often until it was time for the bill. I'm not too sure about having rice in that stone pot. Half of it stuck to the pot. I ordered the Clam Tofu soup and it was filling. A lot of bang for your buck.
(4)Julia Z.
Their appetizer is very... impressive. A lot of dishes with fish for everyone. But the entree was ok. I ordered the tofu pot and asked for spicy, but it's not spicy at all.. well a little bit i would say. And it's not really flavorful. My friend's tofu pot is similar. Plain in flavor.
(3)Eric Y.
Review number 1, visit number 2! The first time during the grand opening was a fine experience, fast service and decent taste. The second trip was not as great, unfortunately. The side dishes came out and we were met with a nice 3 inch piece of metal in our potato salad (yum!) It took about 5 minutes (and 6 hails for a server) before someone came to our table. The waitress could only say "sorry" with a weak smile, then promptly left(!) I was a bit taken aback by her abrupt separture, but it was apparently to call the manager. The young man came out and explained it was due to a piece of their potato masher coming off, which raised more questions than it answered.. They offered their apologies and gave the standard free meal, but it's a bit hard to get your appetite back after almost biting into a metal rod... Ultimately, the rest of the food tasted fine (of the bit that I ate), and the servers were a LOT nicer after the fact. They even took back my soon tofu which had cooled and offered to warm it up, though who knows if it was just an excuse to spit in it. This would have been an assured 1 star, but my previous experience was decent, and I'm assuming this isn't a regular occurence, so an extra star as a sign of faith.
(2)Viola K.
Order to-go today. Service was good. It is about $1 or $2 more than the one I usually go, but this one is nearer and new, so I would like to try it. I give 3 star because the tofu soup taste like nothing, I mean not salty enough and even no spicy! I usually order mild in other tofu house, and I feel spicy enough! This one just look red, but not spicy! Even the kimchi side dish is not spicy! I think the spicy paste in this tofu house is just not spicy! But! The side dish fish cake taste so good! May go there again if I don't have time to drive to the one that I usually go when I want tofu soup.
(3)Andrea C.
I've been here twice- Service: First time with my whole family and our waiter was so rude (maybe my guests asked for too many side dishes and it annoyed our waitress) that one of my guests had to complain to the manager. They didn't do anything about it, they just said okay. Second time I came here was today- the service improved (the person that was rude last time wasn't working). Food: Not impressed. The meat always tastes like stale meat, not quality meet. We always order short ribs and spicy pork along with the tofu soup. The tofu soup is never hot enough to cook the egg when they put it in, so what you end up getting is raw egg soup. Their soup broth isn't great- it's watery. The side dishes are fine. If you like tofu soup and you want to be in the San Gabriel Valley, try A Ri Rang. Much better, in my opinion. Also, parking is not great here when Costco is busy.
(2)erica c.
Good food! Zero wait time!! No more driving to Korean town!!! The chicken soup noodle is always good!
(5)Tim L.
More like 4.5 stars. Food is very good and for the most part tastes like every other K-BBQ joint. As far as the meats go, I can't really tell one place from another. The side dishes, however, are slightly better at other places. In addition to the typical side dishes, this place also gives you a fried fish, which tasted pretty good. However, I prefer steamed eggs and seafood pancakes that other places serve and this place does not. I know I'm nitpicking here but it's just a preference of mine. Service at this place is exceptionally good (better than just about any restaurant, not just K-BBQs). I must've been served by at least 6 different people and all were very friendly and spoke fluent English. Price is the same as most K-BBQ places. Galbi with tofu was $17.99 for dinner and other items were slightly cheaper. Parking could be a problem because Costco customers share the same lot. I lucked out and went on a Sunday night after Costco closed. I didn't have to wait at all to get a table since this place is gigantic by K-BBQ standards. Overall, this is a clean, friendly K-BBQ place. I'd definitely repeat if I'm in the area.
(4)Luke R.
Came here tonight for the soft opening. Not everything was in working order, but here goes: Decor: 5 stars. Beautifully decorated with lots of authentic Korean touches. All table tops are made from wood imported from Korea. Seating was spacious and the climate was very comfortable. Service: 4 stars. Very good. Unlike most Korean restaurants, they only serve tap water here (small ding for that). Food: 4 stars. I had the kalbi/seafood tofu combo. Excellent. My wife had the spicy chicken/beef tofu combo. Excellent as well. The panchan was somewhere between good and very good. So, in recent weeks, we've been to Genwa on Wilshire (5 stars) and Osek in Pasadena (3 stars). On that scale, this place would be between a 4 and 4.5 star rating.
(4)Joseph W.
Oh oo-kook how you disappoint me. Stick to what you know.
(2)Eriko M.
I'm not sure if this i like a sister company for the "grill your own meat" oo-kook but I prefer this place better. I actually didn't have the grilled meat dishes here but the meat at the grilling place was very poor quality. I liked this place. The service is MEH and the things we asked for (like water) was often forgotten and we had to ask several times but for appetizer, we got a whole deep fried fish(it was like a 20cm long fish). the Banchan are refill free. I got the bibimbop+tofusoup dish. The tofu soup dish was A-OK, nothing to write home about but I wouldn't mind going back for it. I really liked the bibimbop. Lots of veggies. They give you some kinda spicy sauce and sesame oil to go with it. I liked that this place had actual korean dishes compared to the other grilling place. It is a little expensive but its a set meal for ~$15 you get the tofu soup and something else. I took half home and made it lunch for the next day.
(4)Johnny T.
The beef bulgogi ribs are delicious! They give you free fried fish as an appetizer and if you want more it's only a dollar each more. The eating atmosphere is really nice. You can tell that the owner invested $$$ in the furniture and decor of the restaurant.The service is definite quick and the food comes out hot and fresh. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)Ray L.
Came here on a Wednesday night with my GF around 9PM. Felt a little bad going so late but there were still 5-6 tables at that time so that made me feel a little better. The waiters were both very nice and prompt with service so I was really glad how our lateness didn't affect their behavior towards us. Bacchan were very tasty but cannot say the same about the soon tofu. There's 4 levels of heat (plain/mild/spicy/hot) and My girlfriend ordered plain while I went for spicy. Hers was REALLY flavorless to the point where she had to ask for soy sauce just to eat her tofu while mine had some heat but just as bland in terms of flavor. We don't know if the chef had an off day or not but that kinda ruined the overall pleasantness of our visit. I might consider going back to try again but with so many other good soon tofu places around, I rather visit those places instead. I'm keeping it 3 stars because it was my first time and the service really made it better despite how disappointed I was with the soon tofu. PROS: - great and prompt service despite going one hour before it closes. - tasty Bacchan CONS: - Didn't know tofu can be blander than itself but it's possible!
(3)Christy M.
I came here for lunch earlier today with my mom and brother and was expecting it to be the AYCE OO KOOK like at the Rosemead location, but it turns out it wasn't. Which kinda worked out for us, because it definitely saved us a lot of money. Anyway, when walking in, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess, and she immediately asked if we wanted any beverages. Our waters came, and we were still looking through the menu to see what we wanted to order. We got the: Japchae (Korean Sweet Potato Noodles) - $8.99 Seafood Tofu Soup, Spicy - $9.95 C1 Galbi Combo with Intestines Tofu Soup, Mild - $14.99 Lunch / $16.99 Dinner Kyle was our server, and he was very friendly with us. He repeated our order, and made sure we were happy with what we got, and checked up on us a lot throughout our meal. He brought us our banchan first, which included: Fried Yellow Corvina Fish, Macaroni Salad, Kombucha Pumpkin Mash, Kimchi, Pickled Cucumber, etc. The banchan was actually pretty good! Some places just have the typical "does the job" satisfactory, but my mom really liked the kimchi, and i loved the vegetables that came with it. The kombucha mash was a bit on the sweet side, but the pumpkin is naturally sweet... so I mostly saved it towards the end of our meal. First came out was the piping hot tofu soups. Most places, like Young Dong or BCD, have you crack your own egg in the soondobu (tofu soup), or some just automatically do it for you. Kyle was very friendly and professional, and asked if we would like our eggs cracked in, and volunteered to do it for us. It was nice because we didn't have to worry about getting our hands sticky from the egg goo. The Tofu Soups had very good flavor to them. My mom ordered the soup by itself, so it came in a good portion sized ceramic bowl. I ordered spicy for her, and I could barely taste the spice. There was plenty of clams, baby tiiiiiny oysters, shrimps, and octopus in her soup. It's not as good as Young Dong's, but definitely better than BCD. My brother's was the lunch combo, so his ceramic bowl was a bit smaller, but still just as flavorful. There was a plethora of intestines and tofu, and a very subtle hint of spice. The Japchae ($8.99) came out next, and the noodles were still very lukewarm, and very flavorful! That was probably the highlight of the meal for me. My mom really liked it too. The noodles had a great texture, and the seasoning was delish. Sweet, salty, savory, perfect. The vegetables cooked with it, and it was great too. Great textural balance, when in comparison to the tofu soups. The Galbi (short ribs) were very tasty! Very flavorful, and not burnt like some places I have been to. The only real downside about this dish was that the meat was jam packed with fat! There were about 3-4 pieces with about 30% of the fat, in comparison to the meat and bone ratio. Some pieces were always very undercooked. I personally love eating meat slightly rare.... but it was pretty bad that you could see some of the blood drip out on my plate. My mom only ate one piece, and unfortunately it was the piece with rare meat and packed with fat. This place probably would've gotten a 5 star rating if it weren't for these two factors. Like I said, service here was great! Especially for a Korean restaurant. Our hostess was very friendly, Kyle was great to us always checking up on our table and reassuring us that we would get refills on waters, or any banchans we wanted more of. Kim was also another server, and she stopped by our table a few times, asking us how our meal was, and if there was anything we needed. Kyle and Kim were amazing! They made us feel so welcomed, and aside for the good food, we would definitely come back just for them. Danny was also one of the servers, and when my mom had asked him for a refill, he gave a sour face and didn't come back. When he finally did, he reached over the table, insisting that I pass him my glass to be refilled. In most cases, servers usually just walk around, or I would voluntarily pass over my glass. But I was midway chewing on my galbi, that it was a bit difficult to stop mid-way to pass my glass. Another incident was when my mom had politely asked for the check, Danny gave my mom a smug look of annoyance, and brought it over to unhappily. Aside from those two things... Oo Kook Tofu & BBQ was still pretty good, and we'll probably come back. Some prices are a bit higher than most places we've been to, but flavor was still pretty spot on.
(4)Chris W.
Love the window side seating style, cause there is no vertical space between the table and the bench, it's super convenient for us to keep our baby on the bench safely; so we can enjoy our dinner. The side dishes are awesome. The smashed pumpkin ball is very special. Our baby had two of them. Severs are very friendly, and speedy.
(4)Squirrel S.
Owner changed. Only 5 side dishes and no more fried fish. Price up and not taste as good.
(2)Cory K.
They changed the owner.... Food and service are not as good as before. They didn't turn on the air condition so it too warm inside. I won't come back again.
(1)Christina P.
Never been so upset. Why do I have to ask for a daym egg for my tofu soup and rice. Sue and Christina the two dumb servers read about customer service instead of going on Facebook while being clocked in.
(1)CJ Y.
Tried this place for dinner tonight. Side dishes was pretty basic but decent. The tofu was bland. Didn't really have any flavor to it except for the ingredient to make it spicy. The service was very slow..took them 30 to 45 mins to bring out the tofu. We reminded three different servers to check up. Not sure if they did. The tofu was served by none of the three that we asked to check status. All the other dishes that came with the combo came out first (yellow croker, kaibi, etc.). Since it's, I am willing to give them another chance three to four months down the line. Price wise, its like any other Korean tofu restaurant.
(3)Paris N.
This is my third time here. The food has a home cooked fresh style to it. When I come here with my husband we split a dish and between the small plates and the main order get out of here under $15. The decor is a combination of traditional and modern with a bright open layout. Love this place. We'll be back.
(5)Jason L.
I've always wanted to try out the place and I'm glad I did today. My mom got the ribs and I got the tonkatsu. It was all really good. It was really filling too. Our server, Sherrie, was really nice and attentive. I am definitely coming back for more.
(5)Katy Y.
Quality of food has gone done drastically. I didn't think SO SOON!! As my previous review said, they used to greet us with pan chans (side dishes) with a small fried fish for each member in the party right away before we even order. bUT NOW??? They wait until you order and if it's a BBQ and or combo dish then u get a fish. And I did order a combo with bulgogi and the quality of meat sucked... Look how many check ins I've has and I've ordered the same thing each time so big disappointment the last visit. But they did try to make my 3 friends' bday extra special by singing for them but that's about it.
(3)Michael S.
I always have an excellent experience when I come here. Sherrie, one of the waitresses was amazing and made me feel at home. Great food with a friendly staff what's not to love.
(5)Jonathan W.
I don't really eat Korean tofu, mainly because it is usually too hot for me to eat. I came here with my friends and we ordered some dinner combinations. we ordered a tofu combo, a spicy pork and bibimbap in a clay pot. The spicy pork was tender, spicy, and very tasty!! I'm not sure what they marinated it in, but it was very delicious! much better than what I would have cooked in an AYCE place. Tofu was too hot, so I ate it when it was warm. It was good.. I guess, but not as good as the pork. The clay pot bibimbap was very good! They gave us a squirt bottle for the chili sauce and it was good. I wish they gave bigger portions of the panchan, since we were a party of 4, the banchan disappeared quickly. I usually don't like the fried fish that comes with the meal at Korean places, but the fried fish here was very good!! It didn't taste bland or dry! It actually had some flavor in it. yay 4.5 stars because we kept running out of banchan, but their service is excellent and their food is great! :)
(4)George P.
Loved it! Not a fan of Asian food but being a little adventurous today lead me to this new spot. Great flavors, nice decor, friendly and prompt service. Lots of parking but beware...Costco is nearby and it can't get busy around here. Love the music and they have a nice 42" flat screen playing ESPN. Can I live here? Keep on Yelping
(5)Christine N.
Yesterday my sister and I decided to try this place out. I can confidently say it was well worth it. First and foremost, the service is excellent. I've never encountered such a nice, welcoming, helpful staff before. Samuel, Sherri, and Angel all helped at our table. I hope I didn't get any of their names incorrectly. So, kudos to the manager and staff. Secondly, food was delicious! Kim Chi was tasty, the fried fish was awesome and crispy. The spicy seafood tofu was soo perfect. Most places overfill with tofu but this place had perfect ratios. Must try!! Spicy chicken and beef was cooked just right. We really enjoyed it! And at the end of your meal you get this delightful slushy-ginger-cinnamon tea. It was by far the BEST end of meal tea I've ever had!!! I will definitely be returning!
(5)Kim N.
I've tried this place around the time it first opened and a few times after. My last recent time coming here, I tasted a good upgrade; however, not my recommended place to go for korean tofu house. The price has gone down from what it was before, but still not worth the quality you would find somewhere else nearby. The people there are friendly and are glad to be of service, but I noticed that they don't notice the little things after serving the customer their food such as refilling water/side dishes and/or customers raising their hands because they always seem like they are in a rush (maybe understaffed?). Another thing I noticed, normal in several companies, but one should be wary about is the receptionist and his/her math. It's not so hard punching in numbers and giving the right amount of change, so count your change before you leave to be safe! Let's just say I wouldn't go here willingly, haha; however, Lam gives great service and is quick on it so ask to sit in his section if available!
(2)Jose V.
Sherrie is the best. Thanks for the big salad today!! You remembered..... Excellent service and food.
(5)Andrew M.
The food was great. My favorite was the Korean short ribs. Very sweet and juicy. I didn't like the onions on the bottom. A little gross. The service was really. Except the receptionist. I asked for a refill on my water twice from her and never came back. She was in the front chilling on her phone. Another server Danny seemed to have had a bad day. My mom asked for the bill and he gave such a dirty look. My favorite server there was Kim. She's so friendly and helpful. She'd stay on top of all things. Made sure our water was filled, and kept our side dishes filled at all times.
(4)Lu T.
This restaurant was very good. The food was very tasty and the service was very good. I would come back and highly recommend it.
(5)T S.
Sorry. It's nice, clean and spacious. The fried yellow croakers were nice and the spread of banchan was good. But the food tastes just ok. Nothing to complain about but nothing stood out when we were there. Considering the nightmarish parking situation near Costco, it's probably not worth the trouble.
(3)Eun Y.
Ordered sam gye tang. I had three bites and couldn't eat anymore. One of the worst retaurants I've ever been to. Service is okay, but food is bad. Never going back. I love ook kook korea bbq on rosemead, though.
(1)Tony I.
Worst service ever. Host sat me down. Waited twenty minutes. Attempted to get the attention of server. Guess they were too busy to provide customer service. About ten customers and three servers. Left business and I told them that they should not seat me if they have no intentions of serving me. At least the servers saw the videos on tv since they paid more attention to the tv and not the customer.
(1)Michael Y.
good food, we had the combo and it was delicious. this is a convenient place to go to especially after shopping at Costco or to get filled up and warmed up. Slightly disappointing service though (everything else was 5 stars), it was hard to get our servers' attention, and the hostess made a mistake and gave our table to another group (that was annoying) so waited an extra 5-10 minutes because of that mistake and almost all of the staff are young people so it's not surprising to get this quality of service I guess. We had the short ribs (fatty but loved it) combo with beef (very good), chicken (great) and dumplings tofu. The tofu is soft and there are generous amounts in the soup. Main dishes come with a good variety of sides, including spinach, kimchi, bean sprouts, etc. Food comes at a price of around $10-$20 per person, which is quite good considering the amt of food too.
(3)Andrew L.
Tried this place during grand opening and was meaning to leave a review. Their side dishes were average at best, didn't taste too fresh. They also had fried fish which to me was stale and not even warm... The kimchi tofu soup i ordered was pretty good but their BEEF brisket tasted awful. It was the most thin and airy meat I've tasted. their service was okay given it was grand opening. i was excited that this place was walkin distance from my house but I'll pass on this place for the near future.
(2)Jawn H.
Service: Great staff, friendly and prompt. What you would expect in an establishment that caters directly to its consumers. Options: Good variety of traditional Korean hot stone bowl dishes and tofu soup options. Prices differ in sizes of meals. Food: flavor wise, it was good, not the best I've had around the 626 area. Multiple dishes were a little more dry than I had hoped but in the end you get ice cream! Overall experience: I came to eat dinner with my family and ended up enjoying myself. The vibes and lighting of the restaurant really gave a home like feel to things and made my dinner quite satisfying. I recommend people to try their food at least once, because unless you're a die hard Korean BBQ and stone bowl critic, I believe you will enjoy yourselves.
(3)Tulio D.
Excellent service and great Korean food! We were stuffed with the free appetizers alone! Highly recommend this place to all, I guarantee good food nice old school R&B music playing on the background. Clean and refreshing change to our typical restaurants. Try the tofu beef soup, perfectly spicy.yummy!
(5)Yun S.
The food here is just ok. Nothing special. I heard that they had shrimp in their side dishes, but I did not find that. But they have fried fish~ we tried the tofu soup in mild spicy and medium... the mild one just like a plain one..not spicy at all.. please order medium if u want mild...
(3)Raina P.
They changed the menu a lot. I ordered spicy octopus bibimbop combination with dumpling tofu. if u guys like spicy food, u must try octopus bibimbop!! Even they serve fewer side dishes but, one of waitress said their ingredient quality is better than last time.
(5)Rachele H.
This restaurant has delicious food and reasonable prices. The bibimbap was out of this world. What was even better than the food was the service. Our waitress is woman named mrs. Kim. Never was our beverages empty. Everything was serve promptly with her and she even came back to wish me a happy birthday. Because of her I will definitely come back and bring my friends.
(5)Virginia Y.
I was super excited to see another Ookook opening up in the area. But then a bit disappointed it was a tofu house, we gave it a try anyways, since their Kbbq is good shouldn't their tofu be too? Guess I was wrong. They give you a good amount of ban chan, even fried fish. They are a bit more pricey than other tofu houses in the area. Food was pretty bland, even my mom said it was bland and she already eats bland food in my mind. Pretty disappointing, don't think I'll be returning.
(2)Carmen T.
Honestly, this place is okay for the location, because there aren't many Korean places like this around this particular area. The prices are slightly higher than other places, but I think the combos are still a better price then ordering the individual stuff. Oh and if you only want soup DON'T come here because the individual soups are $10! And that's just ridiculous! So on to the food...I thought the soup was pretty good, slightly spicier than the other places but still good. The meats now: galbi- lots of pieces but mainly bones and fat; bulgogi- pretty good but too much of that tendon stuff in the way making the meat kinda tough; spicy pork- not that spicy and the flavor is just ok. Sides dishes were good. Everyone gets their own small fish, AND lots of side dishes. Service was actually really good. The servers were nice and attentive, but there was one bad thing...the server who cracked the egg for the soups....he sounded kinda impatient since another coworker was explaining to us why they don't have the stone pot rice yet. BUT that's not the bad part!! The bad part was when I was mixing my egg in the soup I found a huge egg shell in my soup the size of my thumb...but whatever I just took it out. Overall I think this place might be good on some occasions if I'm too lazy to drive any further away...but not a place I would frequent.
(3)Joyce N.
Service was good, but that might be because 3/4 of the restaurant was empty tonight. There was a good amount of banchan. Napa cabbage kimchi, bean sprouts, fish cake, cucumber kimchi, some kind of green vegetable and macaroni salad. The fish cake, banchan was very tough and dry. All 4 tofu soups were hot, but not boiling hot like other tofu houses when they bring it to your table. I was worried that the raw egg wouldn't cook in the soup since it didn't seem to be hot enough. The rice that comes with it is in a small metal bowl, not in the usual stone pot. The frozen yogurt they serve in the end also had a weird taste so I didn't finish it. Overall, not that impressed. A ri rang in San Gabriel is way better. Won't be coming back again.
(2)Jenny C.
Very generous w the side dishes. The place is clean and nice and there is never a wait. MAIN PROBLEM is the food is bland and sucks.. Whoever is the owner needs to get a new chef and new ingredients or even a new menu. This is probably the worst sun du boo I've ever had. I ordered the topooki and the instant ones are way way better. Spicy chicken was dry on the inside w sauce smothered on top. Good service. Non Asians eat here.. Cuz real Asians know food is actually suppose to taste better than this. They got 3 stars because of the side dishes and the service. Sad but they need to step it up
(3)Sharlene C.
It really improved a lot! Absolutely love the beef short rib soup. The small dishes are really nice too, except maybe the kimchi is too salty. If they can actually put less salt in everything, it will be perfect!
(4)Kathy V.
We went here because my boyfriend lives nearby and we've all heard great things about the other locations. So we decided to check it out since they opened at this location. 3 stars because they had such good service! All the workers that helped us were really attentive and friendly. But the food was alright in our opinion. The food was either too salty or too dry :( rice was on the dry side as well.. I'm hoping we just went on a bad day and that this business does well! This branch just opened at this location not long ago. Note that it is NOT an ayce kbbq place! You pay by entree. Although our party of six all thought that the good could have been better, the restaurant was pretty crowded and busy.
(3)Jason H.
Thought this was Korean BBQ like the other locations, but it sadly isn't the same. It isn't actually Ook Kook but instead on the chopsticks it apparently said YounG Dong Tofu House. So try not to be fooled by the name, it isn't actually Korean BBQ :( So Next Time if you are deciding on going to a Korean BBQ Don't come here.
(3)Kristyn G.
Their service is on point. The workers are very fast when you ask for something and if one can't get it another will right away. Side dishes come right when you sit down. I love their side dishes. They give each person a fish. Only thing I didn't like was their kimchi. It wasn't that good but everything else was great. Their food is good pretty average because I think all Korean food tastes pretty much the same. It's a bit more expensive than a usual Korean place. Maybe a dollar or 2 more. I didn't like their rice though. It's a bit too sticky. But they have good water. Clean water where the ice is completely clear and tastes good.
(4)Jason L.
My family and I ate here for me and my wife's nieces birthday. The service was terrible they took our orders wrong and there is a new owner as well. The side dishes have been decreased and the service takes forever. My brother in law never got his seafood soup and my sister in law never got her order until we requested to speak to a manager. I recommend to not come here until they straighten things out and they get waiters and waitresses that speak English. They ended up apologizing for what was caused but the damage has been done.
(1)Xiaoyang W.
The service is bad, one waitress even taught us a lesson which made us felt very unhappy. The food there is just so so.
(2)Kevin C.
My go-to tofu house in the SGV. I've been to their original AYCE KBBQ in K-Town and was excited when this place opened up in the area. The ban chan is amazing and the service is always on top of it with refills. Portions are big enough to share and will fill you up with a variety of 12 different side dishes. I enjoy how they always change up the ban chan so every visit you get to try something different. The fried fish side dish is tasty but has a ridiculous amount of tiny bones. Food is on par and always comes out fast and sizzling. The decor is very authentic and they even serve ice cream for dinner!
(4)Sarah T.
Sunday afternoon and it wasn't super busy The place is near Souplantation and Costco Very clean and nice. The background music is really good too. The service is very attentive and the servers were young and spoke English. We ordered: Bibimibap Galbi Seafood tofu soup Their sides are decent and it comes with deep fried fish. The tables around me were getting their fish when they get their sides. We didn't get the fish until halfway thru our meal...Odd Bibimibap was delicious and hot! I love drizzling it in hot sauce with the steamy white rice. HEAVEN. Galbi was a little too chewy but it was alright. Not fantastic. Seafood tofu soup was aaamaazzzinggg. I always get this when going to tofu houses. It's a staple. Sipped every last bit. The clams and shrimps were not fishy at all too! This is odd but I feel like this Korean restaurant was a bit more..whitewashed?...or Americanized.. but I enjoyed it.
(4)Joshua O.
Finally a decent place Korean place near me!! This place specializes in Tofu soup but also carry other things on the menu if you don't feel like eating something really hot. The service here is probably the best out of all the Korean restaurants I've been to in this price range. The ban chan is excellent here with their variety. I've eaten their tofu soups and also have tried other things on their menu and have not been disappointed with anything. Oh the chapchae is much much better as a dish than the ban chan. Parking can be pretty bad when the Costco and soup plantation are open. But if you get here after Costco closes then parking is a breeze. This place has no street parking and since lot is shared with the above mentioned businesses it can be a battle to get a spot.
(5)Aileen G.
I am very sensitive to msg, I feel sleepy and sluggish, and MSG is one of the triggers. I love Korean tofu, but I have to be real careful about where I can order from. Unlike other tofu restrants in SGV area, OoKook tofu well controlled the level of MSG in their food. It's a big plus! P.S. Wow! This place also serves vanilla ice cream as desserts!
(4)Stephanie Y.
I went to this place ar least 3 times. My server's name is Jun Hao today. I ordered Togo. One of my order is Bibimbap. When I took to the hospital I found out they gave me the bibimbap is COLD!! So I called Oo-kook, I asked them why Bibimbap is cold cuz it supposed be hot. The girl said: cuz u didn't asking .Wtf! She is the server, she need to let customer know what's the difference between the food eating in the restaurant and Togo. and she told other people around her says I giving her the hard time. = = I talked to their manager, he told me that server forgot to let me know the bibimbap togo is cold, but he told me I can eat cold food with rice. Lol! Of course all the food can eat in cold, but that's not the way they are!!
(1)Ash C.
The other Oo kook have better food than this one. I was disappointed with the galbi or the soontofu. The flavor for the tofu is too bland. Overall experience is ok but I won't be coming back because there are lots of better choices for tofu or KBBQ.
(3)Mary G.
Not bad. I had ordered bibimbap, and felt that the portion size was a bit small. I left feeling a bit hungry still. My mom's dish (i forget what it was) was pretty tiny too. Not going to go out of my way to come back, but it wasn't bad.
(3)Cindy L.
Very friendly service and clean environment, but the beef have a little too much fat on them. Overall, it's a good place to enjoy Korean dishes.
(4)Jennie L.
I recommend coming here for lunch because there is no wait, atmosphere is nice, and there's a bunch of lunch specials. Service is very good I was pleased with the attentive waiter and servers. They took care of us right away and I was overall satisfied. The spicy pork is a little different from other places but flavor was good. I would give this place a try_ it's tofu soup is different in terms of consistency however I do believe they are trying to improve on their overall food & services. I would recommend giving this place a try!
(5)Chris Y.
I have been several times to Oo-Kook in Alhambra and have either really good service and really bad service. On the weekends, the service appears to be more attentive and one of the waitresses always asks if I want any more side dishes and insists I eat more. However, on the weekday, the service is beyond terrible. I ordered seafood tofu which is suppose to have rice with it, instead I only got my bowl of seafood tofu. The waiter never brought my bowl of rice and nobody seemed to check up on me if I needed more water or napkins. I've always enjoyed their short rib soup which is always consistent and their fried dumplings always fill me up. However, the quality of the food has lately been bland and has no flavor in it. Not sure what is happening to Oo-Kook, maybe they need to find a new cook (not Kook). I had to complain to the waitress that service was terrible and she gave me a 20% discount off my bill. That still wasn't good enough for me since I shouldn't need to flag down someone, never got my bowl of rice and shouldn't need to feel disrespected. I won't be going back to this location unless I am around on the weekends. Beware of the service on the weekdays!
(2)Tam-Ada F.
This place probably the best tofu place I've ever been to. First of all, they give you so many more side dishes than your normal run of the mill tofu house. They even introduced me to these dried sweet shrimp that blew my mind with their deliciousness! The prices are reasonable, but maybe slightly more expensive than other places (by 50 cents or 1 dollar). However, the quality, taste, and friendly service are worth the minuscule price increase. An attentive staff, clean facility, and the close proximity to Costco all make this location a hot spot that you must try!
(5)Alan K.
Wondered what happened to Sizzler? Well, it just transformed into a Korean restaurant. I thought the food was decent, but definitely more expensive than many of the restaurants around the neighborhood. The service was rather lackluster, especially how I was greeted at the front door. I think my impressions were diminished after the hostess was rude. Overall, the interior is nice, but the service needs to be improved.
(3)Ishnoelle C.
Best Tofu House in Alhambra ... Great staff, the ambiance is pretty. Side dishes are so yummy, my favorite is the short rib bbq. It's a must try place ... !!!!!
(5)Ennovy R.
I was craving Korean. Great service. Everyone was super helpful with all the questions I had. The price is great for the amount of food you get.
(5)Edwin S.
This is not the AYCE OO-KOOK you are used to. It's a tofu house. Easy to get the two confused. The food here tastes very westernized. The Galbi was neither sweet not salty enough. The tofu soup also was very bland. They didn't heat up my clay pot up enough and consequently my rice couldn't form that tasty crust that we all look forward to. Pricing is a bit higher that expected, especially in LA. The portions were also smaller than the places we frequent. Service is very friendly and fast and everyone speaks great English. This place can become a fantastic establishment if they can get their flavors right.
(3)Angela M.
I was said to see Sizzler go but was thrilled to see a Korean BBQ Tofu Restaurant open up in its place. I fell in love with Oo-Kook right away. The restaurant is very spacious and has a very nice interior. The employees were friendly. The seats were also comfortable too. I ordered a combination meal with the Corvina fish and the assorted tofu pot. A combo meal here is more than enough to fill you up. I loved their kimchee. Oo-Kook is one of the few restaurants that actually serves spicy squid as one of their small appetizer dishes. This type of dish has to be made fresh daily. For some strange reason, I'm in love with that dish probably because I love seafood and kimchee. I enjoy adding those dishes to my rice. My other favorite small dishes were the flavored dry vermicelli, flavored egg, bean sprouts, spinach, etc. They served so many different appetizers, and they also include free refills on all of them. They also serve dry seaweed which I haven't seen at other restaurants. It's really strong and is probably best eaten with rice. Other than BCD tofu house, Oo-Kook is one of the few restaurants that also serves one small fried fish dish to each person who dines there. I felt bad that I wasn't able to eat my free fish that time because my Corvina fish filled me up. My Corvina fish was crunchy and delicious. By the time I was done eating my fish, appetizers, and rice, I almost had no room left for my assorted tofu pot. I went ahead and stuffed myself anyways because the assorted tofu pot included many different types of seafood. It included clams, shrimp, baby octopus, beef, egg, etc. All of their meat dishes are cooked inside the kitchen so you don't have to worry about inhaling fumes. I'm just so happy that Oo-Kook opened up. I will definitely be returning here more often.
(5)Art C.
I have to say this is the worst Korean BBQ & Tofu we have ever been to. It should have been a red flag when the place was almost empty in the busy Shopping Mall on a Thursday night. The service was way below average but that's understandable considering they just barely open for business. I ordered ribs/seafood tofu (spicy) $18.99, and wife ordered spicy pork/ham tofu with the request of ZERO spicy for the soup. It was for my son. My food came out in a hurry with 5-5 pieces of ribs and the taste was pretty bland...my wife and son's tofu soup came out in RED spicy ham tofu and we reiterate when ordering that NO SPICY as the soup for my 5 years old son - After all the dust settled a nice waitress came by she knew something was wrong and offered to get another one. The next one came back in REDDISH Tofu Soup again!! WOW, I had it but they were so nice so I refrain myself for taking this to another level. Finally, the third time was the charm and they got it right after the unnecessary confusions... The most disappointing thing was the tofu wasn't even boiling hot when it got to the table. I was afraid to put in the fresh egg and didn't want to get sick the next day. The portions are small considering the $18.99 price point and that's $$$$$ considering you are located in the San Gabriel Valley area where you can find GEN BBQ for $19.99 AYCE, Young Dong $16.99, etc. The Spicy Pork was full of fattening cheap meats and if you want to test out your heart this is a nice place to try. Overall we won't be back and maybe...and that's an iffy MAYBE we might give them a try a year from now...make it a two after rethinking of the ordeal.
(1)Andy L.
Friendly customer service, and the free fish is delicious!!! Plus the promo for free drinks is awesome!!! :):):):):):):):)
(5)Linda R.
I was pretty excited to try this place. So I brought my mother. Wellllll.......I was less than thrilled. First off, their appetizers stated like they came out of a jar, freezer, or prepared days ago. They just didn't taste authentic Korean. Then we both had the tofu. My mom had the mild assorted tofu soup (beef pork seafood) and I had the spicy seafood tofu soup (shrimp clam oyster baby octopus). My mom said their beef tasted like it came out of freezer (iow not fresh). The shrimp were smallllll and not fresh. Then I noticed the soup. Mine was very watery. It's almost like their soup mix didn't distribution evenly (think miso soup after it has settled for a while). And the flavor was not savory. It just tasted like water with chili. I tasted my mother's soup and hers had much more flavor. So get the mild if you want flavor. Price for tofu is OK. About ten bucks. I didn't try the meat. It looked ok I guess. Well, I've tried it once and I can say I've tried it. I don't believe I will repeat. I've had better.
(2)Irving D.
Went to run errands with mom over at Costco and she suggested we try this place. As others have stated this use to be one of the few remaining Sizzler restaurants. Although I hardly ever went there it was comforting to know one was there. Cheese bread and Malibu Chicken is always a winner. Anyhow...on with my review. We had a booth for the 2 of us. First thing is the place is very nicely decorated. Clean and very bright. The big thing for me...NO SMOKE or TYPICAL SMELL. Anyone that eats KBBQ or even Tofu Houses know you and your clothes get a good dousing and you walk out of there smelly. But this place had pretty good ventilation. It was not all smoky, that was the first super positive sign for me. The restaurant is nice and clean and yes the Banchan aka side dishes came out super quick and a decent selection. Cannot hate on the side dishes. My mom got just the tofu soup an "assorted" I got their most popular combo, the Galbi one. I got the dumpling tofu for my soup. My mom and I both ordered it mild...I should of got medium or even spicy. The tofu soup again was decent. Middle of the road. I have had worst and I have had waaay better. So it was just OK. My Galbi though...lacked some flavor. It was not bad, and not good. Just meh. I kind of expect my Galbi to come with some nice hearty flavoring but these were just there. The quality was also so so. Not the most tender mouth water pieces and not the worst either. The staff was good and attentive. Refilled the waters a few times and our empty side dishes too with a smile. No drama and the waiter asked us if we wanted more. Always a plus. This place is a solid 3 stars. I think it is a good "first tofu" for someone. If you have a friend or a date that has never had tofu soup before this place is a perfect spot to go. Not intimidating at all and easy to see how it is. I will probably go back, it is the closest tofu house to me (I live in So Pas) and I do like the atmosphere, clean and roomy and bright so yeah I would go back and try the other meats, chicken and pork next for sure.
(3)Wendy C.
This place is comparable to BCD. It is never too crowded, so it has a leg up on Koreatown establishments. The food is nothing to write home about, but it does the job when you have a craving for soon tofu. They are generous with the side dishes, and pricing is normal. My only complaint is the service. The servers have all been really nice, but in terms of coming around to check if everything is okay (e.g. refilling water and/or side dishes) or providing the check, you REALLY have to flag them down. It's a training issue, not the servers themselves. This hasn't changed my perception of the place (though it should), but funny story: One time, a server told us, "Crack the egg in the pot; I would do it but my hands are dirty" ... which was obviously concerning because she just served us our food. Ha. Ha.
(3)Walt L.
Great food next to great stores, Costco & Target. Tackle the weekly grocery runs and satisfy the craving for authentic Korean tofu n BBQ all in the same day, same place. What's not to love?! On top of that, the combinations are good portions and the side dishes are definitely as good n plenty as everyone else claimed. Service was quite considerate, kids were served with closed lid kiddie cups, definitely don't see that often in this type of restaurants. Last but not least, both tofu and BBQ were quite above average. Highly recommend super spicy for the soups, more kick and flavor, but not overbearing at the same time.
(4)Carmen W.
Me and my friend were excited that there was a Korean BBQ tofu place near our house! We didn't realize that it was ONLY a tofu house. So people who thought they would be getting kbbq, they would have been disappointed. Customer service was a little haphazard. I appreciated the attentiveness, but when 4 different waiters ask if I ordered yet, that's a tad too much. They should have a system established. Also, I don't think many of the waiters are actually Korean. The woman spoke directly to me in mandarin. So it made me and my friend think this place as not very authentic. They quickly bring out the side dishes, but it did not taste that great. The salad dressing was way too citrusy. The fish cake strips were stale. The kimchi was tasteless. The tofu soup was standard, as well as the galbi we ordered. All in all, there are better tofu places around but I wouldn't mind coming here if I was desperate for some tofu soup.
(3)lynn n.
We saw that a new restaurant was going in at the old Sizzlers... Saw people in there so we went for dinner. They were doing a soft opening tonight. They said they will be officially opening in a few day. We ordered the combination. I had the Galbi beef and the Dumpling soup.. YUM. They had a nice assortment of kimichis.. mild to slightly spicy.. all really good. The Galbi was so good, I finished the whole thing. They were working out the kinks, but service was still good We will definitely be going back
(4)Irene D.
It's great to see something out of the ordinary in Alhambra and a tofu house is the right fit! Me and my partner made it just in time for lunch prices. I got the beef tofu soup and spicy Korean BBQ combo for $13.99. The price might sound pricy, but for everything you get, it's not. As soon as your seated, you're given a salad and small fish as an appetizer, as well as a bunch of little ramekins with toppings for your tofu soup. I got mine spicy and it was just the right level of spicy. By the time I got my Korean BBQ, I was already full from my tofu soup but I still to some bites in and it was DELICIOUS. I found myself continuously picking at it even though I was full just because it was in front of me. The staff was super friendly, it wasn't just one person checking up on you. The only thing is you have to ask for the bill because they won't bring it to you until you ask, which is fine because they don't rush you. The bill came out to be about $32 for two people which was nothing for everything it came with, as well as plenty of leftovers!
(5)Judy L.
Changed owners. Used to love this place. Prices went up and quality went down. Meals used to come with around 8 side dishes. Now have around 5. The kalbi combo was $20! Bulgogi was over marinated or old because it was mushy and tasted weird. I was afraid to eat it fearing food poisoning. I always came here when I craved Korean bbq bc I don't wanna cook my own food like at other Korean bbq joints. But, I guess I have to just bite the bullet and go to Gen.
(2)Wendy M.
My family were here last night. We didn't have a hard time looking for parking. The minute we walked in the server asked us for the number and took us to a table. We got the table right away. The place is amazing. It is clean, big, and everyone there was friendly. It is very nice. We ordered seafood soup, BBQ beef, and noodle. We all ordered multigrain rice except for my husband. He wanted white sticky rice in a hot stone bowl, but they didn't have it. That wasn't too good. He still ordered it. it was served in a regular bowl. My daughter ended up ordered ice cream when she finished her food. They don't have any other dessert except for ice cream. At the end, they gave us free slush drink served in a small cup. it. It was very good. Overall, my experience here was very good. I like the food and the services.
(5)Andrei S.
Very good tofu soup and nice place!! I like the appetizer dishes. The very best one in town so far.
(5)Kevin H.
This place is awesome !! Love the food so yummy !! The side dishes are always so fresh especially the kimchi and spicy cucumber let's not forget the bomb potato salad, the water is special here too it's a hybrid mix with tea makes it so refreshing !
(5)Loobers G.
Delicious food, excellent service, clean, very kind to children, fair prices. Great place to come after going to costco. Will come again.
(4)Junhao S.
This was a fantastic meal! Very good!!! I would recommend you guys coming here and try the delicious tofu soup in Alhambra area only!
(5)Anna N.
2.5 Bland. Very bland. Lunch and dinner is about $1-2 difference. I had the spicy pork bulgogi....or I should say it came out like pork bulgogi. Not spicy at all...not even a little. And the pork was very fatty. I combo'ed it up with seafood tofu soup...blah tasted like nothing. Service is alright. Instead of giving us a bit of time to chit-chat once we barely sat down...the older Korean woman came over trying to take our order 3x in 5min.
(2)Nancy J.
Just tried this place for lunch. I have to say that upon entering, we were pretty disappointed. The restaurant is really nice, but we noticed that there were no grilles on the tables. No salad bar. We live on Commonwealth so when we saw construction going on at the former Sizzler, we were excited about the prospect of a new restaurant. When we saw the Korean bbq sign, we were thrilled. I have never been to an Oo-Kook before, but when I discovered that this was going to be their 3rd location, I did a little bit of research. I was so jazzed to learn that Oo-Kook was an all you can eat bbq/tofu place. And to have one so close was going to be a huge treat. I even invited my parents to go with us, selling it as all you can eat bbq. We have been eagerly anticipating the opening for a few weeks now. Boo. It's JUST a tofu house. And the banchan is not that exciting. My favorite banchan dishes are cucumber, potato salad, soybeans, and Korean pancake. They only had cucumber. Their salad was not very well dressed and the dressing itself was really watery. The tofu was actually spicy, but this place doesn't stand out as far as tofu houses go. I have to say that I think Oo-Kook dropped the ball on this one. Should have kept it an all you can eat restaurant. They would have taken a lot of business away from Souplantation. The Asians that shop at Costco would have loved it. And everyone from the neighboring gyms would have frequented this spot. The staff was really nice, although, the hostess was pretty damn insistent about seating us at a table. Considering there were only 3 parties here, we sat ourselves at a booth.
(3)Jessica L.
Delicious. Just plain delicious. I got the dumpling tofu soup and loved what I had. The only thing missing was that there wasn't enough soup. There was way more tofu than soup. I loved the side dishes and the service was excellent as me and my friends kept on asking for more of the macaroni salad, seaweed, and broccoli side dishes.
(4)Alison W.
So excited about new Korean places popping up all over the SVG. However this one, unlike the place in Rosemead with the same name, has the tofu soup as their star rather than AYCE Kbbq. Good thing I read some of the reviews beforehand. One friend assumed it was similar to the Rosemead location and almost starved herself to prepare for AYCE. Don't do this! Though if you get one of the combos, it is a lot of food. It turns out we made a reservation. Kudos to them for taking reservations - don't know a lot of Korean places that do that. But we were late so they gave it away and we had to wait about 20 minutes more. Not bad considering it was packed. Finally seated. Cool décor and lots of wood and very Korean looking. Doesn't even look like the sizzler that much anymore. Haha. As for the menu, typical tofu soups and combos. Though they did have a ham and sausage and cheese one, which is new. Someone from our table actually ordered this and they didn't spit it out so it must've not been too odd. I believe they said there was only a hint of cheese - that was the main part that sounded weird to me. Maybe I'll try it one day. I was drawn immediately to the bibimbap since I've been to a few other tofu places and they don't usually offer this as a combo. So yeah I got the bibimbap and a seafood tofu combo. First though were the side dishes and the fried fish. Good amount of "appetizers" and you know you can always ask for more. Nothing too special - my favorite were the potato salad and the tofu skin (I think) but I'm not into the spicy things like kimchee. The bibimbap came out and I was excited. It came on the hot stone with rice that cooked to slightly crispy. Spritzed some of that red sauce on it and mixed it up with the veggies and meat. So good. I meant to save half of it for later since there was so much food but just ended up gobbling it all down. My tofu soup came awhile later. The food came out at pretty staggered times. Some got their tofu soups first with the BBQ meat coming out way later or vice versa. I was so excited about my tofu soup when it finally arrived that I took a sip right away without even dropping the egg in there. And proceeded to practically choke/cough - due to the spiciness. The everyone including me noticed how red and "angry" it looked. I had asked for "regular" spiciness which is mild and only one level higher than plain. And it looked way redder than people who ordered than spicy (which is two levels above plain). No one else had seafood at our table so it's not like they mixed it up there. If I could've taken that level of spiciness, I would've just eaten it. But I ended sending it back. I don't like to since it's an inconvenience and who knows what they're do to your food. But had to. They might've just added water to it to dilute it but when it came back, it was a lot less red in color and had good flavor without permanently numbing my mouth, tongue, and throat. For the seafood portion, not too impressed - a couple small shrimps, one clam and an oyster. Could've a little something more. May have to get the pork or beef next time.
(3)Jenn H.
3.5 stars. My mom was so excited about Oo Kook. She thought it was going to be a KBBQ place (even though we've never even been to the other locations), but it's just a tofu place. She still wanted to try it, so I brought her and my dad here for dinner. -- Food: They start you off with a salad, which is pretty standard. We ordered the galbi combo and bibimbap combo, both with oyster tofu soup. The galbi and oyster tofu soup were on par with other SGV Korean restaurants, taste-wise. The portion of galbi was kind of small though. I was worried about bland tasting soup after I read some reviews, but my soup was plenty flavorful. Last but not the least, my bibimbap was only average. As for side dishes (ban chan), there was kimchi, mash potatoes, fishcake, spinach, spicy cucumber, bean sprouts, and fried fish. The portions were a little smaller compared to other places. I'm sure you could ask for refills, but we did not. In terms of taste, it was just alright. I love me some fishcake, but I barely touched this one. Oh, something extra--literally. If you've had tofu soup before, the server usually asks if you want the egg cracked into your soup before they put it in front of you. Here, they automatically gave us three raw eggs before we even ordered. I guess you just crack it yourself, which is fine... but we had an extra egg because we only ordered two tofu soups. I was like... uhhh, what do I do with this extra egg?? Customer service: The servers were very, very friendly. They constantly checking up on us. They might have been a little too attentive for my liking, but I guess it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to customer experience. I accidentally knocked down my full cup of ice water and caused a scene. Two or three workers were cleaning up the spilled water. :( I apologized profusely, but they were very nice about it. Environment/ambiance: This place's decor is kind of interesting. I'm guessing that you're supposed to feel like you're eating outside of a traditional Korean house? We sat in the booth area. It was a little weird because the tables were longer than the seats... It's just not aesthetically pleasing. There's a little too much space, which made eating feel a little awkward, since I'm not used to everything being so spread out. Value: It seemed to me that most of the things on the menu were $1-3 more than other Korean restaurants in SGV. I'm not sure that it's well justified because there wasn't a great selection of ban chan; the portions weren't bigger; and, the food wasn't better. :( !! TLDR; I didn't think the food was anything to rave about. In its defense, I guess it is a new restaurant... Maybe things will be better with time.
(3)Kevin T.
I've been to quite a few tofu houses and I was hoping that this one would exceed my expectations, but there isn't much difference in taste/quality than your standard place. The restaurant itself is nice and clean seeing as it's brand new, but parking can get a little difficult at times since it's right next Costco and Soup Plantation. The prices are also slightly higher than some places but the portions are basically the same. The spicy chicken wasn't really spicy and, to me but not the others I was with, the tofu soup tasted a little strange. The sides were pretty standard but they did give fried fish for every person which I've only received from BCD but I would've rather had the pancake. Overall it's nice to have a tofu place closer to where I live but I can easily choose Tofu House or the tofu place on Valley as an alternative to here because it's basically the same quality and quantity give or take some small things and a slightly higher price.
(3)Adriana Q.
I was so happy I finally had a tofu house nearby! But alas the food was just okay. The seafood tofu soup I had wasn't spectacular and neither was the bibimbap. You basically have to add flavor to the bibimbap on your own by adding sesame oil, and chilisauce and if you want bibimbap sauce you have to ask the server for some. However, once all those ingridients were added, it was pretty good. Maybe this is how it's usually served and I just didn't know but at the same time, it wasn't explained to me. The service and environment is great. It's very beautiful inside and when I was there, they had korean girl band music videos playing on their televisions on mute with american pop music in the background. Not sure if I'll ever be back again but if I am, it'll be for the bibimbap only because I don't know of another place that sells it nearby.
(3)Han W.
I come here basically every day after working out. the beef short rib stew is a great meal after the gym, and Sherri and the staff are always friendly and quick.
(5)J W.
Too expensive. $75 for lunch for 4 people (4 meals). Way cheaper at a Young Dong. Food is ok. I think the dishes are actually smaller than Young Dong. Dining area is very spacious. Service (at least our waitress) sucks. Never refilled our water cups, basically ignored us after taking our orders. Each person gets a fried fish (croacker?) mashed potato, bean sprouts, bean curd, cucumber, kimchi, some vegetable tips.
(2)Craig T.
This was my first time at Oo-Kook and I'll have to say it wasn't bad. The condiments were endless on the table, which even included the rarely seen fish! I ordered the hot stone bibimbap with mild dumpling tofu soup. The soup came out first, which was the right temperature and the right spiciness for my liking. The bibimbap came out sizzling, which was music to my ears. When the bibimbap came out the waiter asked if I ever had bibimbap at Oo-Kook before. Since I had never, he took the sauces and mixed them in my bowl, and began to stir away. I understand this is how you're supposed to eat bibimbap, however I didn't prefer for someone else to mix up my food for me. At the end of the meal, they served a nice vanilla sorbet-ish dessert for free! It was a nice palette-cleanser to end the tasty meal. The food was excellent and I would come back again.
(4)roxanne s.
Brought my friends from norcal here for lunch & we were seated promptly. Service was amazing everyone was so friendly and always checking if we needed anything. I'm usually very picky about the banchan but every dish I tried here I enjoyed they were so fresh! Tofu soup was also very fulfilling and flavorful. Best bulgolgi I had in a tofu house! Definitely worth the trip here and a great place to take friends out for lunch to catch up. Will be back soon!
(5)Irene W.
I've eyed this place every time I've been to the Souplantation next to it. It's alright. I don't usually have a high expectation for korean tofu soup and their banchan. This place however seemed to keep falling below my expectations. Tofu soup: I got the beef and seafood (T4 I believe) and it was good at first. But then all the clams inside wouldn't open up, which is a sign that they were either not cooked long enough (which i doubt since the pot was hot 10min into the meal) or they just turned bad. This also happened to anyone else in my table who ordered anything seafood. Shame... Banchan (side dishes/small appetizers): It was good. Not much to complain about. Their mac salad was a tad too sweet. The only problem we had was that they were stingy with the portions. Yes, I know that these dishes are not the main, only served on the side blah blah blah. I know that. But when we asked for refills, they said yes but came back with smaller and smaller portions each time. The one thing I really enjoyed was the fried fish that came with my soup. It was perfectly crispy. The bones didn't bother me. And when I put it over my rice and poured soup on it, it stayed crispy for a while longer. Might come back with a friend. Or not.
(3)Julie K.
I had dduk bok ki, seafood tofu and galbi combo. Dduk bok ki was spicy but very good. Tofu had good amount of seafood. I love the side dishes. Not like other places they give you more choices. Servers were nice too. They gave us extra side dishes.
(5)Edwin G.
This is the second tofu house I've been to and so far is the best! The ambiance and service is really good! The soup has a lot of flavor and is filling on it's own! But for those days where you have a little extra room the combo plates are the best! As a spicy food eater Mild is just right for any soup and spicy is for those days I want an extra kick! They recently changed their menu and the mineral rice with the hot stone plate is so good!
(5)Esther A.
Love this place!! Love their tofu soup, teriyaki, short rib, and spicy pork!! everything!! The servers are also all nice!! You should definately come and try this place!!
(5)Eunju C.
Excellent and kind servers and the tofu soup was very tasty ! If you like spicy and pork, must try spicy pork !! Wonderful place to try
(5)C P.
Food was great. All very tasty. Would recommend to my friends that like tofu and Korean dishes
(4)Dana C.
Not bad. The decor looked really nice and the overall restaurant felt very spacious. The side dishes were okay (really liked the mashed pumpkin one, but the kimchi cucumbers were bitter for some reason). Ordered the galbi with kimchi tofu soup combination. Galbi was pretty good, and the kimchi soup was also decent, but I kind of got sick of it towards the end. The soup also didn't come with scallions (which was great for me 'cause I hate them, but scallion lovers might be a bit disappointed). My mom got the chicken soup summer special and it was a huge portion but kind of bland.
(4)Jane F.
Was very excited to see a Tofu Korean restaurant in Alhambra. Drove by today and it was open. So this may not be a true reflection of what the restaurant will eventually become after they fix the kinks. The decor was really nice. I had been there as a Sizzler and they totally remodeled the inside. Everything was new and clean. The hostess was pleasant and welcoming. My waiter wasn't very attentive. Took ordered and after dropping off some plates and water, I didn't see him again. We had to ask the hostess for the bill because he was off on break somewhere I guess. Not a good impression. We ordered the seafood tofu. I love tofu soup, but this one had no flavor to it. Very disappointed. It was $9.95 and included rice in a hot pot. Instead of ordering the combination meat/tofu, we thought we would get more meat if we ordered each separate, but I was surprised at how small the bulgogi order was. For $16.99, it was a tiny portion or the size I would expected if I ordered the combination. Although the flavor of the meat was pretty good, didn't think portion was worth the money compared to other tofu/bbq places. Wonder what size of the combination would be. It's a nice place and has potential, but there are other Korean Tofu restaurants I would rather go to. Maybe wait awhile and check it out again... or not.
(2)Jose P.
I work close to this location. Being more familiar with their all-you-can-eat (AYCE) BBQ locations, I thought this was another AYCE place and skipped it over for the longest, since I'm usually not THAT hungry for AYCE Korean BBQ for lunch (nor do I have the time for it). Fortunately, this is NOT an AYCE restaurant. You can still get Korean BBQ, but as an individual dish. The portion is still plentiful, but not AYCE-size. Additionally, you don't need to cook it, saving you precious lunch break time and protecting your clothing and body from smelling like a steak back in the office. Another plus is the amount and variety of banchan (Korean appetizers) you get, and they're all pretty tasty. I read a complaint on this yelp page about getting a fried fish that wasn't scaled. I'm thinking that was a one-off fluke, as I've been here several times and got fish that was properly scaled and battered. Anyway, you get one of those as an appetizer, along with kimchi, pickled cucumbers, macaroni salad, mashed squash, and a whole lot of other things. They occasionally mix things up, as well, so that some days, you might get spiced hardboiled eggs instead of egg omelet (think tamago sushi), or spiced brine shrimp (really good with white rice) instead of fried breaded mushrooms. And unlike other restaurants that only serve banchan to people who dine in, Oo-Kook provides all their banchan offerings of the day to take-out orders. It's summer right now, and they have two really good seasonal specials: (1) a short rib and noodle soup; and (2) a ginseng chicken stew. Both are very good, especially if you're a fan of light broth soups with fresh flavors. If there's anything that I'm not a big fan of, it's the dolsot (stone pot) bibimbap (a stir-it-up-to-your-liking casserole dish that's like a saucy fried rice). It's served on a wider stone pot than i'm used to with a mound of steam rice in the center that's girded with the usual dolsot bibimbap ingredients (veggies, beef and egg). Anyway, I'm a big fan of dolsot bibimbap with a nice crust of crispy near-burnt rice on the bottom, and the stone pot and method of preparation described above doesn't really help to that end - even if you add sesame oil and give it a few minutes to "fry" up. All that aside, this restaurant is still very good and worth trying.
(5)Johnmirrors Y.
The food was great. I was also well taking care of by my waitress Sherri she was awesome.
(5)Harry C.
I got the beef ribs and seafood tofu soup. Coworker got the chicken and seafood tofu soup. The ribs tasted good, the chicken was ok. We both agreed the seafood tofu soup was too salty. They give you 8 side dishes and all of them tasted good. Total bill after tax and tip, $40. A little overpriced for ok food.
(3)Priscilla G.
Impression : Like everyone else I was seriously stoked that there was finally a tofu house opening in Alhambra. It was more convenient to get my tofu soup fix here instead of driving all the way to San Gabriel's Tofu Houses (which is totally worth). Experience: Once you're seated you are immediately given ur appetizers. They even provide a covina for each person. However if I were to compare the Galbi (beef short ribs) here to the other places I go to in SG. I'd much prefer the ones in SG. For one thing, part of my meat was still raw, (which explains why it wasn't sizzling when it came out), and second in my pref I like the meat to be deeply flavored and by having that I think it needs to be cooked well. Good thing is the Dumplings taste great! Very Juicy and just the right mix of crunchiness and flavoring. I don't know about the tofu soup though lol. I feel like they have the potential to make it better but it just wasn't working for me. My brother's order of galbi just by itself came out 20 min later after all of our combos came out. Last thoughts: In all honesty I think I'd only come back as a last option and choice, but utnil then Yong Dong Tofu house here I come hue
(3)A C.
Great restaruant to go for lunch or dinner. They serve organic tofus and lots of side dishes. The retaurant is spacious, clean, and new. I go there often for lunch and have great experience each time. Keep up the good work!
(4)Booby G.
we rolled in at 9pm...maybe that was the reason? side dishes - wack. looked fancy, but were room temp and not fresh. did not taste very good. fish cakes were too chewy..didn't have my favorite seaweed! spicy chicken - did not like the sauce on the spicy chicken, different from your regular gochujiang tofu soup - it was coo. solid. had plenty of seafood. lacked a little flavor rice - undercooked. yes, it came in a hot stone pot and it was still undercooked not that good. i hope they do better....spot looks nice though! very cool decor
(2)Lola Y.
Came here yesterday for the 1st time and I must say I am not disappointed! We had the short rib/kimchi tofu soup combo, a dumpling tofu soup and a bibimbap and it was delicious!!! I loved all the little side dishes that came except I could've done without the soy sauce eggs(they're like hard boiled eggs except the outer layer of the white is brown). I was also bummed that they gave us macaroni salad instead of potato salad but other than that, the service was great, everyone was super friendly and the food was yum! Our waitress was very attentive(constantly checking to see that we were okay) and the place was nice and super clean. I will definitely come back here again!!!
(4)Jen K.
Today we had the beef rib soup, bibimbap and the seafood soondubu spicy. Ordered a side of the hot stone rice and was flatly told it's not served any more. It irritates me when items not available are still on the menu, and takes away from the way the dish is traditionally served. We tasted the soondubu: it was so spicy that it was not edible and weirdly bland at the same time. The color was a light salmon color, not vibrant red like it should be. We eat here because it beats driving to Ktown. Everything else tastes great but clearly the star dish is a bomb. I flag our waiter to let him know, and this is where it gets bizarre and disappointing; he looks at it, told me that the chili they use are jalapeños, they are spicy and tells me that jalapeños are very very spicy and I should have ordered it medium. As he continues his monologue about jalapeños I looked at his face, and for some reason, I didn't think he was being sarcastic but there is a clear communication problem where for some reason, he doesn't get that I presented him with a dilemma regarding the quality of the food. I asked him about the flavor and he said he would see about having more broth put in. When it came back, it was very clear that it was watered down, still much took spicy and now everything had seized up and rubbery. By this time he was doing his best to avoid us, and his non verbal actions made it clear they were not going to correct this. I asked for an extra fish to eat with the rice and then he came back and said they were charging an extra dollar, which I told him I am aware. Even though I know I had the right to demand better food and service, I just wanted out. This server actually was making me feel crummy and was ruining the experience. He was completely oblivious. I checked out his name on the receipt: Jun Hao and realized he is Korean. I handed him the payment and explained to him in Korean that he didn't check back on the soondubu which was still inedible and incredibly spicy. He responded back in Korean he is sorry and Again, explained the history of jalapeño peppers. I handed him a 10%tip, as I told him "You really shouldn't put the burden on the customers on how to correct the flavor and taste of the food". He was awkward, and apologized but again didn't offer solutions. I will not eat out at oo look restaurant again, and I feel bad that this place will still serve subpar quality and evasive service to customers expecting authentic taste. So to the reviewers who think English might be an issue, nope, service is bad in Korean too.
(1)Frank C.
The food is fairly typical of Korean tofu and BBQ places. It's not bad, but nothing extraordinary either. The extra star is for the ambiance and the friendly staff. Parking is easy for dinner.
(4)Cary T.
Walked in and no one greeted or acknowledged me for about 5 minutes although the workers did see me. Should've just left. DO NOT ORDER THE SPICY RICE CAKES. Rice cakes were not soft and the awful thick sauce. Tofu soup was really salty and the kalbi was bland. Would not return.
(1)Tammy L.
Parking is already hard as it is, knowing that Costco and Souplantation are in the same plaza. Now this....oh boy. I say if you want to come here with easy parking, coming after 7pm. Costco is closing...and you can just share the lot with Souplantaion. which isnt so bad. Decor: This place is pretty nice. Very spacious and a lot of seatings. They have giant tvs mounted on the walls and they both play K-pop music videos. However, the volume is down because they play random radio station...sometimes you hear current kiis fm music, other times korean music that doesnt go with the music video. Staff: You can tell that a lot of them are new at serving or working at a restaurant in general. Seems like there's no organized system going on. My first time there, I think I had 4 different servers. The first one sat my boyfriend and I down and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Then she left to get our water..in the meantime...another lady came and asked if we wanted something to drink...we told her that we already been helped. We got our water like 5 minutes later. At that time, we already knew what we wanted. But the girl just dropped off our drinks and left. We kept trying to wave down the waitress to take our order...A few minutes passed and a new person finally came and took our order. After our order was taken, someone came to place all the banchans down, which looked bomb! While we were waiting for our food, someone came to try to take our order again... really? sorry for the rant..i just couldnt finish one story without being interrupted so many times lol Food: we got the japchae noodle and the dumpling tofu and bulgogi combo. The japchae was so hard. The noodles were not cooked all the way and it was bland. The dumpling tofu was really delicious. Super hot and full of tofu and meat and super flavorful. The bulgogi was good. The meat was cooked nicely and really well-marinated. Note to self, just stick to the main entree. The banchan that were given out had the fried fish, kimchi, cucumbers, potato salad?, seaweed, egg, and bean sprouts. I thinkthey change this up all the time. Theyre all pretty good an basic. Except the potato salad? I think its from Costco or something...I know cuz i just bought the same thing the week before lol Service is slow, but when its time to get your check, its like everyone just got their super powers or something. They become FLASH...you see them running around to get the checks and everything. But even before we finished eating, they already dropped off complimentary ice cream on our table. Rude... but good thing that ice cream was goooooood.
(3)Gregory L.
Food is good, service is suspect. Servers don't know who ordered what so they come to the table and yell out dishes. Then of course the tofu soups get mixed up. They forgot some rice dishes and the server had to slowly count each rice dish, as if we were lying or hiding one... Also one final dish was very delayed, maybe forgotten, and when asked about the server proceeded to go into a lengthy description on how long it takes to cook Kalbi. Of course, it came right away after the gentle inquiry. One good thing is the crazy K-pop videos! Kinda pricey for the small portions.
(2)Sally L.
NOTE: -NOT a AYCE kbbq joint. It's by entree so don't come here and be disappointed because there is a sign that says TOFU&BBQ (since people just see the logo and automatically assume) -Free soft serve at the end....FREE. Enough said. Came here for the first time with two friends. Talking from my own experience, I love the little side dishes they bring you the second you sit down! Many choices + they are refillable! Ordered a galbi combination with dumpling soup and it was delicious*_* The meat was cooked just right and the tofu soup tasted spicy and flavorful! I don't know where all this charter is about it being too watery or too much msg....I guess it just depends on your preference of what you like? Nonetheless, I personally thought it was the best I've had so far (sorry Young Dong!) Service: 5 stars Food:5 stars definitely coming back again! =)
(5)Tuyet H.
This place is amazing. Came in for lunch and was surprisingly impressed with the place. I ordered C2 which was a combination of a tofu soup and bulgolgi. For the sides, they had fish, macaroni salad, seaweed, beansprout, delicious kimchi, and cucumbers. I was pretty stuffed and for price that I paid, I cant complain. For my tofu soup, I ordered the assorted tofu, which contained baby octopus(thats pretty rare... in love already), shrimp, clam, oyster, and beef. They were not stingy with their tofu whatsoever, in comparison to other tofu house where they would barely have anything inside their tofu soups. The bulgolgi was really yummy. What amazed me was the quick and attentive service there. Ask for Lam! He constantly refilled our side dishes, always checked up us, and even thoroughly explained to us some of the dishes we were unfamiliar with. For a korean tofu house, it's pretty rare for a restaurant to have servers provide amazing service. 4 stars for price, 5 stars for food, and 5 stars for service. Ill be back for some more!
(5)Ying Y.
Excellent food and service--loved their chicken soup, the bibimbap, and the galbi all superior. The fish cake they serve as a side dish is unique and amazing--the texture is similar to a pickled tofu. Their preparation is definitely a cut above others in the area outside of Koreatown.
(5)R L.
I was here for lunch. Very tasty and clean. However, I couldn't help but notice the unpleasant manners of several of their employees when I returned for second visit. While I was waiting for my takeout orders, the receptionists-yes, there were multiple hanging out together- lack serious professionalism. They would make faces and gossip about customers, flirt with each other, and lack courtesy in general. I wonder if the owner/manager realize how it could impact their business negatively in time. I'd give zero on their customer service but decided to give thee stars hoping they would improve on staff straining issues in a near future.
(3)Christina B.
I so love this place. . . And all servers are very nice and friendly . Also the foods are delicious.
(5)Cindy H.
Came here for the first time on a Friday night and got seated quickly with side dishes and beverages quickly served. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was tasty. Love the atmosphere!!
(5)Kevin L.
Came here finally with my parents this weekend and was very pleased. This place a tofu house instead of the other Oo-kooks that serve ayce kbbq. For the three of us we ordered 2 combos: the galbi combo and the bulgogi combo. In addition to our food, they provided a slew of banchan which was a very pleasant surprise. They had more items than other places. I guess instead of the pancake and salad that other places give, they give a lot of banchan and a fried fish instead. The fish (croaker I presume) was fish-y but it was nonetheless fried well. My dad was a bit off-put that they didn't "clean" the fish like how it would be prepared at other restaurants and that it was literally a whole fish with the guts still left in. The banchan ranged from the average kimchi and pickled cucumbers to fishcakes and fried dried shrimp. The food was really quick to come. The tofu was very hot and spicy, just the way we we like it. The galbi was a bit smaller than expected. My parents said the meat was a bit tough but I thought it was ok. I mean, its ribs.... The bulgogi was better in my opinion. The marinade penetrated the meat more and the meat was more tender. The meal ended with a dollop of some kind of soft serve. It was not ice cream nor was it sorbet but this strange in-between dessert. It was tasteless other than the sense of sweetness and even though it wasn't particularly good, at least they were giving these out at the end of the meal. I enjoyed the design of the area and the service was comparable. I would probably come back to try other items such as the bibimbap or the dokkbokki. Till next time!
(4)Juliana Y.
the sides are good.. it comes with the little fish.. but the tofu soup itself and the meat was def not up to par.. the beer is $3 but it's the smallest bottle i've ever seen! the place is nice n clean and spacious.. in the beginning they had fast service.. taking your order and delivering the food but after that it's like you dont even exist.. will def not come back here
(1)Jenny C.
this place is very convenient but that's pretty much it. i'm not impressed and not entirely disappointed. recently they came out with a lot more variety on their side dishes which is very good, and i also appreciate them for serving fish. however, the only thing i would eat here is probably their bibimbap. their dukbokki is not good at all. for the same price, i can pretty much go to any similar korean restaurant and eat the same things... probably tastes better. their service is pretty good, so even though it's not the best korean food around, i think if you're not looking for something to above and beyond, this is a convenient place to go if you live around the area.
(2)S C.
It was like a normal decent Korean restaurant. Since its my first time trying, I would say that it's good. Nothing really wowed me. The sides were great. The fish was fresh and crispy. One of the best I've tried at a Korean cuisine place. My mom and I decided to share a combination of spicy chicken and kimchi tofu soup. Chicken was ok. Nothing really special. The kimchi tofu soup was spicy is pretty good in my opinion. There was a lot of tofu and beef compared to other places.
(3)YoungEun N.
Foods are okay, but I had better foods out of this place. Bibimbab is the worst. Do not eat this. I felt banchans are a lot fewer than other places
(3)Joyce Y.
as many others have already written - this is not AYCE bbq like you're probably expecting from an Oo-kook, however, i won't let that affect my review. this 2 star review is based on their prices and wait staff efficiency. we arrived around 630 on a friday night & was told the wait would be 30 minutes. i thought this was an acceptable time for a friday night during prime dining hours. however, when i walked in to look at the restaurant - half the tables were empty! many people asked about this and walked out after. turns out their kitchen was "backed up" (i'll explain my quotes later) and therefore they couldn't seat more customers. obviously poor management here, huge crowd waiting outside with empty tables inside, tsk tsk - minus 1 star. we were finally seated & our orders were taken. the food came out FAST, ergo my questioning of their "backed up" kitchen. however, the food came out WRONG. so much confusion as to what tofu dishes were coming out and who it belonged to. why did the person with a combo get a bigger tofu pot than the person who ordered it alone? had to send some back to be remade to their proper size - minus 1 star. my favorite korean dish is jap chae and to my delight they had this as an appetizer. unfortunately, the beef was partially burnt, and the overall dish was too oily and too sweet! - minus 1 star. also, we make sure to have a clean space in front of my 1 year old nephew as he likes to grab everything in sight. the waiters kept placing food right in front of him, including the hot tofu pots!! he even got a handful of the jap chae. oh and to top it all off - overpriced!! could get better quality at a better price at other korean tofu restaurants in the 626. in reality, this sounds like a 0-1 star review, but as others have noted, the decor is very nice - i love the lanterns, and its very clean.
(2)Louis H.
Really enjoyed this restaurant. Their summer beef stew is really tender and delicious so was the spicy chicken. The side dishes are the usual fair. We keep coming back!
(4)J P.
Beautiful place !!!. Authentic imported korean decor . Service was great, polite and food was delicious.!! Will be back soon for sure...
(5)JL S.
Yeah great Korean BBQ without having to go to K-Town or Monterey Park! The service was fabulous and attentive; good selection of bonchon and good flavor on the tofu soup and meats; and the decor is cool looking.
(5)bill m.
Ok, my wife and I had a craving for Sizzler only to find that the Pasadena location and the Alhambra location had both closed. We noticed that Oo-Kook had replaced the Sizzler and seeing so many people inside we assumed it must be pretty good. Pros- Not much. They gave us a small free ice cream for desert. Cons: Service poor. I noticed the appetizers for the Tofu Soup came out rather quickly and seemed old and stale. The cucumber was discolored and the seaweed had the texture of dry cardboard. When I pointed out to the server that the appetizers didn't seem fresh she just ignored me with no response. Quality- Poor. As mentioned above the appetizers were disgusting and the mushroom vegetable tofu soup was very watery with small amounts of mushrooms and vegetables. Price- Above average. The typical price for Korean Tofu Soup is pretty standard at around $7.00 to $8.00. Here it was $9.95. This place, in my opinion. has 3 strikes against it with regard to service, quality and prices. It's basically a fast food place trying to present itself as a quality restaurant. The low quality and high price is something I might expect from an older more established place but this is a brand new business. I assume it's just a matter of time before the novelty of it being new wears off and people get hip to their practices.
(2)Sunny C.
I would definitely come back again everyone is so kind,friendly,and the service is really quick when we needed help
(5)Yaerin P.
I'm happy with all the Oo-kook locations in 626 (tofu and kbbq). I always love their food and mostly their service. I have no complaint at all. The food is always high quality and clean at a good reasonable price.I can totally tell that they're not cheap with there banchan's (side dishes) at all.. comparing to other Korean restaurants I've been too. I am really picky when it comes down to my home food.. because I'm so use to my mommy's cooking.. ^^
(5)Lucy H.
This place is so amazing. although the beef tofu i got wasn't as tasty, perhaps because i got the mild version, the beef ribs were great. The sides that came with the food were amazing and never ending. Some servers didn't really understand English well, but there were so many servers that it didn't matter because we just flagged down another one and got what we needed within minutes. We ended dinner with complimentary ice creams. GREAT SERVICE!!!!
(5)Jude T.
Very friendly service, but food is not very memorable. I ordered the combo lunch, seafood tofu soup and spicy chicken. Tofu soup is lacking in taste and spicy chicken is alright. Price is about $14.99. Save your money and go to k town for real Korean food.
(3)Angela L.
This is an overall ok place. Food is still no match for K-town -- hit stone bim bim bop was too oily so rice did not crisp up, bulgogi was quite tough. There is no bbq grill on the tables; they brought the meat out to you already grilled. Nice aspect is the decor is good -- very roomy, comfortable tables and seats.
(3)J G.
Came here on Labor Day weekend at noon thinking I would get a quick lunch from the menu, but it was not the case. Turns out that on holidays, the lunch price is the same as the dinner, and worse, you get the lunch sized portions for the dinner price. The side dishes were very small, mini-ice cream scoop portions. The Bulgogi was boiled, not grilled, and the Galbi tasted fried. Some of the clams in the tofu soup never opened and the pictures depicted large shrimp but what we got were bay shrimp. Our waitperson was nowhere to be found once we got our entrees. Our water was never refilled, by the time we left, all of the glasses were empty. Yong Dong on Huntington Dr. tastes better because you actually grill it and you get better service.
(1)Kimberly H.
Came in for dinner on a chilly night. All the tofu soups are delish. Can't wait to go back and try some if the other dishes.
(4)Colton L.
I have had better. The cold dish doesn't have too much variations. The ribs have like no taste, not marinated long enough I guess. The other restaurant of theirs that does kbbq is a lot better, but they failed at doing a tofu house, need better cook
(2)Kim Y.
Was craving something new to try and decided to come here. I just became a fan. I was greeted upon entering by two hostess who took us to our tables with no waiting. They took out drink order and our waitress came by with our drinks and asked if we had any questions. Placed our orders , got our side dishes served and then about 10- 15 minutes later our food came out sizzling !! I mean awesomeness sizzling, tofu soup is boiling like a mad scientist. Short Ribs are smelling yummy. It was great. The waitress asked us if we were familiar with what to do with the raw eggs as well as topped off our side dishes and drinks. Now that is service. She came by every other pass to see if everything was good. Overall I'd recommend this place. The food portions are in par with other Korean BBQ & Tofu House, not sure why some people are complaining. I guess they're fat and need the extra helpings. As for taste, it's flavorful and not too salty. Once again some people complain it's bland, but I didn't have that problem. I'd tell them to lay off the salt and enjoy the food. The only problem might be parking, that plaza tends to be busy. I'd definitely recommend this place at least to try.
(4)Yoshi L.
this place is pretty good !!! very very nice service and attitude... the food was pretty good too and alot of side dishs... but the only part I didnt like was my tofu wasnt hot enough so when I threw my egg into the tofu it never cook the egg it was still raw, but everything eles was prefect !!!
(4)Rachel O.
This place is solid. It's not as tasty as the food you would get in Ktown, but it's pretty good for Alhambra. We ordered the spicy pork/ soon dubu combo and tonkatsu. The portions were large, and all the food we ordered was fresh and authentic. My only complaint is that some of the banchan looked a little tired. The kimchi was flavorful, but the odeng was a little bit dry and tough. It seemed like it had been sitting around for a while. Extra star for the free ice soft-serve at the end of the meal.
(4)Daniel S.
If I was going strictly by the star definitions, I'd give 2-3, but people seem to regard 2-3 star places as bad and our experience wasn't bad at all. Ban chan (free mini appetizer plates) options are plentiful. I think there were at least 6-7: kimchi, potato salad, egg/pasta salad, cucumber, bean sprouts, fish cake and maybe one more. They were all good except for the fish cake, which was noticeably dry/chewy. We got the soon tofu (which is pronounced doo-boo in Korean) and dolsot bibimbap combo, which together with the ban chan is more than enough for two people (also ordered an extra rice bowl). The soon tofu was typical, nothing amazing, but not bland, while I personally thought the bibimbap was not that great. It's not bad by any means, but some places (like Beverly Soon Tofu in K-town) have better. The only real issue was trying to get more kim chi. We were one of maybe three or four other parties at 2:30pm. So it wasn't busy. We kept waiting for a server to come by, but it just didn't happen. We ended up being pretty full anyways, so no big deal, but it would have been nice. Also, when we first got there, a server took our drink orders (we just got water) and a different server brought it out to us, then the first server came with water as well. So they still have some communication issues to work out. Two people tried to bring us water, while no one tried to bring more ban chan. Gives you an idea of what to expect.
(4)Emily F.
I ordered seafood tofu, but it came with tiny shrimps and no baby octopus, not like what it said on the menu! The picture menu shows big shrimp and also baby octopus, but it didn't come out that way!
(3)Charles L.
Excellent. As soon as we were seated six appetisers were served. - all delicious. We ordered the Galbi Combo and the Spicy Chicken Combo - both delicious. I will definitely be back for more!
(5)C C.
I would vote this for best Korean restaurant in the area. All portions are huge. THEY HAVE MY FAVORITE SAM GAE TANG(whole chicken soup), and KALBI TANG(spare rib soup). ALL BEEF ARE ORGANIC TOO!!! come all!
(5)Chandler C.
I usually receive good service here but last week, I came with a group of friends around 2 pm. The service was terrible, I don't know if it's just our waitress, she seem to disappeared. Once we got our food, she did not come around to check. We wanted more side dishes & one of my friend did not get her order. When we did see her, she seemed grumpy maybe she woke up from her nap. Was she the only one who can serve us ? We saw a group of staff eating at corner table hmmm..
(3)Max S.
A good place to grab korean tofu with some kalbi or bulgogi in the SGV. Standard set up with combos and the like. The restaurant doesn't serve seafood pancakes that you can usually find at most korean tofu houses. The environment is very nice as they spent money to totally renovate a Sizzler's restaurant. Now it has super high ceiling with korean decor all around. Very convenient location right next to a Costco. Plenty of parking spaces.
(5)Bohyun C.
Tofu soup? Yeah i already knew what n how it tastes like, and i used to go to other one(BCD or youngdong). But one of my friends recommended to me to go this one, so last night, i tried. I ordered spicy beef tofu soup with bbq galbi n another soup for my GF. First of all, the place was actually huge, pretty and clean n staff was also nice. so far i was like Okay, and thought about something special. a few minutes later, they made me such a king(?). What im saying is they bought out 10 different kind of side dishes and added one big fried fish. I didnt say anything when staff served but i was like 'Wow.. Is that $9.99 soup's side dishes? man.. another few minutes later, i got tofu soup and galbi. The soup n galbi was even delicious n satisfy to me.. so far it was actually great. so, I decided to give them 5stars, but they asked me 0.5 more star if it's possible. the happen was when they gave us check, we got two sweet ICECREAM bowls... thanks to my friend n this place, i n my gf enjoyed lovely dinner. Also thank you for helping me to decide to go eat for tofu soup. Bye guys. See u soon. ;)
(5)A W.
I've been here three times now. The first time I was impressed because it's been nicely remodeled from when it was a Sizzler, but the service was a little off. The second time, I felt that I did not like the place. This last time I went, everything seemed to gel. They have way more banchon than when it first opened. Plus the banchon were good. The servers were more than happy to refill them. The service was good. The tofu soup was also good. The only negative is that they stopped serving the rice in the stone pots. However, the tofu soup was very good and flavorful. Best part of all, I did not come away dying of thirst because everything was too salty.
(4)Kaji K.
Not all you can eat. Fail
(1)Jenny U.
This place is definitely a disappointment! Me and my bf came here thinking it was an all you can eat krn bbq but when we walked in there were no built in grills on the table so we were disappointed but was down to try whatever they had. First, 90% of the waiters dont speak good english so it was hard to ask them questions without getting an awkward confused look. The price isnt worth it either. It was $19 for a combo which includes meat and tofu soup. An all you can eat place is average $25 which is a much better deal. I asked for any dipping sauce for the meat and it was an awkward few minute ordeal trying to communicate with them. But they didnt have any sauce. I asked one guy for black pepper and he said they dont have any. I asked another guy and he brings it. Sigh. I asked the waitress if i can have more soup like just add more hot water in my soup and she just said no and walked away. Alright then. The galbi was so overcooked and tough. My bf had the spicy chicken and it was just ok. The only really good thing that got one star was the rice but even a monkey can make good rice. Wont be back.
(1)astrid s.
What? The name says Tofu and BBQ. I don't get ppl who don't know right off the bat it's a tofu and BBQ combo restaurant; there are tons of these places in KTown, Covina, Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, etc. Anyway, there's not much in SGV to compare to- can only think of Seoul Town which is not good. This place is good but pricey. The combo is $16.99. Tofu soup is good w/ big chunks of tofu in there. I got mine extra spicy but it's not that spicy. The bibimbap comes in a big stonepot. I wish the rice would burn on the sides and make it crunchy, but it never did. Hubs liked it. Hubs got pork bulgogi and I loved it actually. It's not wet like some places. Portion was decent. 2 ppl $37. This was lunch on Sunday. The menu clearly differentiates two prices: regular and lunch. They charged us regular. We asked why and they said there are no lunch prices on the weekends. We examined the menu and nowhere does it say lunch excludes weekends. I told my husband this and said the other Oo-kook in SG does say that Sat and Sun are no lunch prices but this one doesn't say it anywhere. Hubs didn't wanna argue and said to me "you are right. But I don't wanna argue w/ them." Well, I would go more but it's unpleasant to feel tricked.
(3)Mike N.
One of the biggest problem with this place is the parking. The Costco here makes looking for a spot a pain in the butt during lunch hours, dinner is not so bad as Costco nears closing hours. Why three stars? because you can only eat here if you get lucky and find parking, and for that kind of frustration, this place is not worth it! The service is good as they are very attentive. Initially I thought this place was a Korean BBQ place, but it's not, they just SERVE grilled meats that they prepare in the kitchen. This place is your usual Korean tofu place. The flavor is on par with all other ones I've visited, their fish (starter dish?) was cold and soggy, not warm and crispy like other places. I ordered a combo with the ribs, there was just WAY TOO MUCH oil on the skillet to the point where it overflowed. I think it could have had a better presentation it they drained it first. All in all, I'm glad there's a Tofu place in the area. I'm sad to say that I'm guilty of not visiting the Sizzler that was there previously, I actually loved that place when I was a kid, practically ate there once a week.
(3)Reggie B.
I was brought here by a friend of mine n his wife. Nice clean place in which we were seated right away. Immediately received water, iced teas, and a small side salad upon sitting down. I ordered the spicy chicken accompanied by purple rice and beef tofu soup. The food was good enough in which I would come back for if I was around the area. The service was to me actually better than the food as we had 4 different people look after us and check on how we were doing. All n all I would recommend this place to family n friends. The beef tofu was actually better then my main medium spicy chicken dish. I actually ended up finishing the beef tofu and taking the spicy chicken dish home.
(4)Jennifer S.
I came at 6:30pm on a Wednesday. I came here very hopeful, considering a friend said this place has good sides. As for food, my friend and I ate the Bolgogi and kimchi beef soup combo. It came with 8 side dishes and fish. I was expecting more side dishes like other yelpers had posted, but I was told they have changed it to 8 side dishes and a fish. Sometimes they switch up the side dishes. The taste of the food was not as flavorful compared to other Korean places (such as Young Dong) and in my opinion it is because they don't use as much sugar in all their dishes except for the macaroni salad. As for customer service, 5 stars! They must have changed it since the past yelpers have been. The customer service was amazing!!! First of all, we were greeted by several workers and one older women was so sweet checking on us and greeted us in Korean. Our waiter, Jun Hao, refilled our side-dishes without us needing to ask him! He also often checked up on all his customers and was so gentlemen-like. The water man was also extremely attentive! When I needed extra chopsticks, another waiter noticed and helped us right away without any hesitation! I also really enjoyed that they had Korean music on and on the TVs were the music videos that went along with it. The ambience was great and the place is brand new and clean. Even though food was not my top favorite, their customer service is the best I have ever received in as asian restaurant in San Gabriel Valley!
(3)Christy A.
I drove from Diamond Bar and yelped for a place to eat. Saw some good reviews and decidedbto eat here. We had the cold noodle and the beef noodle soup. Both were SO good. It was, honestly, one of the best I've ever had. I will be back to try other stuff at the this restaurant.
(5)Scott B.
Excellent, great tasting Korean food at a great price. Staff is courteous and attentive. The interior is spacious and clean. Much better than cramped koreatown eateries. I would write more but I'm busy eating right now.
(5)Danny F.
This place took over what use to be a Sizzlers in the corner of the plaza with the Costco in Alhambra. There aren't many Korean restaurants in the Alhambra area. In fact, I think this is the only one in Alhambra with the next restaurant in Monterey Park. So that makes this place a little extra special. Since they share the parking lot with Souplanation and horrific Costco, it can get a little challenging to find a spot. Since the place is new, it is clean. The decor is modern, contemporary. Probably won't be like this in 2 years. We ordered the bibimbap and two soon tofu. I didn't try the bibimbap but I didn't hear any complaints nor oohs and aaahss. Soon tofu was alright. It wasn't worst than other places nor did it stand out. The side orders are sized to the number of people in your party. And they are not stingy about giving you seconds of everything. The staff is almost entirely high school or college kids but yet professional. Which is great, especially in Alhambra where it is mostly Chinese. Unlike the older staffs in other Korean restaurants in K-town that hate everyone that isn't Korean. Overall, I gave them one extra star because of the side orders and the pleasant staff.
(4)Judy W.
This place has changed owners! It's now own by the same owners of young dong in San Gabriel. The food tastes so much better since the kitchen staff has changed/ has been trained. One star docked off for the wait staff. Dropped off food, disappeared, and no where to be found until time to give us a check.
(4)Peter C.
The remodel that Oo-kook did on this former Sizzler location is beautiful. It's very colorful with a nice mix of booths & tables, and it's very bright. The service is also pretty prompt & they have a team approach to your table. We must have had at least 4 different people take our order, drop off stuff or check on us. However, the food doesn't quite measure up so I'm giving 3 stars. One bonus of this place is that a fried fish was served with the side dishes about 1 minute after we sat down. And it wasn't cold & sitting under a lamp, either. The kitchen seems like a well-oiled machine. However, the bibimbap and the Korean ribs just weren't as good as nearby A Ri Rang, and the side dishes are defiinitely not as good. It's still a satisfactory meal, just not my first choice for Korean since A Ri Rang is so much better.
(3)Jeremy L.
Oo-kook is at first glance, a pretty nice restaurant. It's large, well lit and decorated, is located by Costco with ample parking, and has friendly and efficient staff. The side dishes are varied, tasty, and quickly refilled on request. But the main dishes are mediocre and inconsistent. The tofu soup on our most recent visit was far too salty across the table, and the short ribs over-cooked. The bibimbap was fine but messing that up would be pretty difficult. Portion sizes also were not as large as one would hope. Overall, the food isn't terrible and the large space makes it good for big groups and families, but there are simply better options in the neighborhood such that Oo-kook isn't really worth the time or money.
(2)Tony L.
One of the newest korean tofu spots in town. The parking is shared with Costco and Souplantation so it is a major PITA!! The restaurant just opened a couple months ago but the never got a chance to stop by until recently. Like many other customers I was under the impression this place was a AYCE Korean BBQ restauarant like all the other Oo Kook's but this is strictly a Tofu establishment with combos of meat as side orders. First of all the decor in the restaurant is awesome. I really like how clean and modern everything looks and how they incorporated an old fashion wall of a Korean building and roof for one of the walls inside the restaurant. The restaurant is well lit and has plenty of space for you to relax and eat in peace without people bumping into your seats. The tofu beef was delicious and had really good flavor. I opted to order the combo which came with a small order of kalbi which was actually a decent size for two people. The kalbi was nice and beefy without too much fay and was not overly cooked. The highlight of the meal was the quantity and quality of the banchans. I counted 9 including the fried fish which was cooked to perfection. I think we were lucky because they ran out of the fish and they had to refry a new batch for us which came out piping hot and moist with a perfectly crispy skin on the outside. The service was also excellent and the servers seamed genuine in making our experience a good one. If you are in the mood for good tofu and a great atmosphere with good service Oo kook is where you need to be.
(4)Ross W.
Food isn't bad, but I've had better, and the portion here is on the small side. Lead waiter didn't do much. Busser, on the other hand, was more attentive. The restaurant itself is spacious, clean and bright. I wouldn't make an effort to eat here, but if you're in the area (for Costco?) and feel like Korean, this is an option.
(3)Liangliang W.
Third time here , very nice place and good food! Highly recommend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Tom T.
Where Sizzler used to be, a Korean restaurant took over the spot. Mother wanted to try it out, even though she mentioned on several occasions that she can't tolerate spicy foods anymore. We went on a Saturday evening, prime time for dinner, except that the restaurant wasn't as packed as what the parking lot made it seemed to be. We were seated right away and received our banchan while looking over the menu. The one problem I would have to say about this place is that even though there are some signs with Chinese on it, the menu was strictly Korean or English. I had to order for Mother, which wasn't a big deal, just that it would have been nice to have Chinese on the menu. Banchan was pretty plentiful, and wasn't aware that we could have gotten more if we wanted to. Some standards, and some new ones. My favorite would have been the mashed kobocha and the tiny sweet/salt fishes. We ordered the bulgogi combo (with a combination soup) and a bowl of bibimbap. The service was nice enough to ask me whether or not if I knew how to eat it, and I said I did, threw my rice in the bowl, slather the sucker with a lot of red chili paste and a drizzle of sesame oil. I would have to say, the bibimbap is just any one you can get anywhere; there wasn't anything different about it. Bulgogi was pretty good, and did like that the dish didn't come out on a dish that was entirely from stone, because moving those around with your bare hands isn't a fun thing to do. Service was great, and very inattentive about refilling my cup of water at least four times. Food didn't take too long and was pretty decent. There were a good mix of people eating here, which is always a nice sight to see, people getting out of their comfort zone of food and trying new things. The thing was, would this be a good place to take someone who has never tried Korean food? My verdict would be yes.
(4)Michelle V.
If food was good I would have tolerated the terrible service. But it wasn't. I can't believe I wasted my one cheat meal of the week to eat at this place. Seriously, never again.
(1)Zhi Hong Q.
I really enjoyed the food here. It didn't take too long to came and the staff was really nice. The side dishes came 5 minuets after I was seated. I tried the topokki, seafood soup, dumpling soup, and short ribs. They were all good, especially the topokki.
(5)Catalina L.
Yummy tofu soup. Great service, nice atmosphere and environment. I got the spicy beef and seafood tofu soup, and it tasted like Korean heaven. Took me all the way back to Seoul, Korea, where I was born. The smell of kimchi was the first breath I took in when I was born. Their server Samuel is super kind, he's the amigo!!! Anyways, at the end of the meal, they give you complimentary iced drinks. They're super good and the ice is really soft as if Santa took a dump of snowflakes into our cups.
(5)Ron L.
Very enjoyable place with plenty of seating. Love the decors at the entrance. They have huge tables and seats are very comfortable but it was just me at a table that probably seats 10 people. I felt so tiny. I was quite surprised to see a dozen complimentary entrees / appetizers appear before my face. I hadn't ordered that, but kept asking if they were free. Of course they are..the waitress said. The little free sampler fish on the plate kept staring at me. I had to cover his head with a napkin. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… I love the astounding interior design. Really a nice touch of Korea with running fountains and decorative lamps hanging above the tables My tofu beef soup was delicious and just the right amount of spice. I added rice to this, which made it just perfect. Whatever style bowls that they use, kept this soup very hot throughout my whole meal. The spicy chicken was cooked to perfection and very enjoyable. It was great to have leftovers to take home and have for breakfast the next day. yelp.com/biz_photos/oo-k… They did get busy a little and forgot my complimentary ice cream... Service 5 stars Food 4 stars Price 4 stars Ambience 4 stars Definitly a place worth returning to
(4)Jerry C.
Lots of selections and ready to eat bulgogi hot stone bibimbap, eating out with my girlfriend
(5)Scott H.
One of the only tofu houses I've been to. However, the service from our waiter was impeccable (Lam). We got the hot stone bulgogi and the waiter prepared it for us because we did not know what to do. We also got the bulgogi and octopus tofu. It was good. A side of fried dumplings topped off our enormous meal and I can say I am thoroughly satisfied, especially with the service. Look for Lam.
(5)Lauren D.
I feel kind of bad giving 2 stars, but I can't justify 3 stars.... The good parts- Service: Very prompt, kind, smiley. Offered to refill banchan. Banchan: pretty good. 3 stars. The fishy was nice and salty. The bad: the broth in the tofu tasted like nothing. Zilch. Nada. Water. Red water. With flavorless tofu floating in it. We left underwhelmed and still hungry. Sorry but we're not coming back.
(2)Janey Y.
I wished I could have tried Oo-Kook in the past! Soondubu is around ~$10 for lunch / dinner (same price). Rice doesn't come in a stone clay pot like other tofu places, but the banchan did include fried fish, which is reminiscent of my good ol' college days grubbing at BCD. Would definitely want to try the KBBQ options next time!
(3)Linda U.
This was my second time here. I love Korean food for the flavor and the Ban Chan they serve. However, I was not so impressed with their "Whole Grain Rice"!!! Sorry, but I prefer my white rice with asian food! I would have been fine with it, if they offered a choice, however they did not. Their "purple" rice may have been healthier, but did not do it for me. Please, please bring back the white rice, if you still have it then give us the option to order it.
(3)Scott T.
It's probably the best Korean restaurant in the immediate area, but it's not nearly as good as some others further southeast in the SGV, like A Ri Rang. First of all, it's freezing in here. Second of all, the service is a little lacking. Most of the staff are kids who are probably here for like a year or two until they graduate. The big exception - and the star of the show service-wise - is a woman with the name tag "Kim." Kim will come by your table and ask how everything is going in the same tone of voice she would probably use on her nieces and nephews and refill your banchan. Kim is awesome. Speaking of banchan, that's another disappointment here. The beef short rib soup (a "summer special") was hearty but kind of bland. The hot stone bibimbap was decent, but again, not as big or well-done as the one at A Ri Rang. Lastly, the location is somewhat horrible, as it's off one of the worst intersections on Fremont, sharing a parking lot with Costco. Having said that, if you live anywhere within several miles of here, this is your best bet for Korean food.
(3)Jane H.
I seriously love Korean people, they have the most wonderful restaurants with the most wonderful side dishes. Pretty sure I've stated in many reviews how much of a sucker I am for side dishes. Can I please have some meat to go with my kimchi? But this location seriously deserves better ratings. They had decent service same like any other Asian establishments. Though they were missing the trademark bells I was looking for. Though maybe that was on purpose? Who knows and who cares, they're easy enough to wave down. And they give SOOO many side dishes as far as the eyes can see. Okay exaggerating, but they give ALOT and they're all so yummy. I need to go back just for the side dishes. Nom Nom.
(4)Sonia H.
3.5 stars overall so I'll round up! Not acye kbbq like the oo-kook on rosemead but has the option of getting bbq. This place is more of a tofu bowl place with lots of delicious side dishes. My favorite side dish anywhere is the thin slices of fish cake and hurray they have it here! Lots of space because the area is huge. No strong smells of bbq lingering when you leave the restaurant which is a HUGE plus. I hate it when my hair smells like it's been soaking in the kbbq fumes at most tofu/kbbq joints and luckily, this oo-kook is spacious enough so the air is spread out. Also, since it's newer, everything is still very clean and neat. Service was friendly, the tofu soup is mediocre but does the job. Plenty of parking available as it's located in the lot with Costco, Souplantation, etc. Also, food arrives quickly although it was pretty lively on a Saturday afternoon. Not sure how it'll be during the summer though when the weather is hotter.. japchae (glass noodle salad) is also good here though! Some complimentary ice cream to finish your meal. I will be back!
(4)Roger Y.
The food ain't bad, good location. Service is pretty good.would come back again, large portions
(5)Xavier P.
Quality of galbi is practically 33% chunks of fat. I say chunks, because it's not marbled. This was my experience 2 out of 3 times. Just come eat here if you have no where else to go for Korean bbq and don't want to wait. This is NOT the AYCE OO-Kook on Rosemead in Temple City.
(3)Gina M.
Very clean establishment the food was fresh and the service was very good I'm very happy I went
(4)Miss J.
Not a bad place for Tofu and Korean BBQ but I'd definitely had better. Their food is a little on the sweet side. One thing is that I really like their presentation and service. They really know a thing or two about Customer satisfaction. Food quality can improve though. Not a total fail, as they did do some things good. I may come back. Let me add, their All you can eat sister joint in Temple City is delicious. I hope one day they can turn this into a AYCE, with better food quality.
(3)Nicole W.
Since I am sick of Chinese food everyday, I was craving for Korean food. I have tried Okook BBQ and i like it so I was excited to try their Tofu house this time. The restaurant is huge and they played Kpop music videos on big monitor which makes the restaurant look super Korean. They have alot of banchan and i love their kimchi. The fried fish banchan was outstanding, it was crispy outside and fresh inside, i could not help eating it! We ask for refill and they gave us alot more which makes me super happy! Chicken Ginzeng Soup-Meh..this soup was okay. I had better one in other Korean restaurant. The chicken itself was hard and it takes time for me to swallow it. The broth was good but didnot surprise me. They also put alot of Chinese healthy stuff in the soup so i got super warm after eating the soup which is awesome. Soondubu-This was okay, just like every other tofu house so i wasnot really impressed. Since this is the several Korean place close to Monterey Park, i would not say its super bad since i was tired of eating Chinese food but i do hope there is better Korean place opened up.
(3)Fernando N.
Second time in this location. Food was good but extremely oily. I ordered a hot pot bulgolgi and the portion was big but it was soaking in oil. I had to remove the oil and got about half a bowl! Service was horrible. Ban Chan was never refilled spite asking them several times. Same for the to go box. Last time coming in here.
(2)