Arps Tavern
45 Atlantic Ave, Floral Park, NY, 11001
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Address :
45 Atlantic Ave
Floral Park, NY, 11001 - Phone (516) 354-9870
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Jessica C.
Arrived around 8:30PM on a Sunday night and the restaurant was busier than expected. I was starving and was luckily able to snag one of the last two tables open. I ordered the Kimchi Soon Du Bu, regular spicy, which wasn't spicy enough for me. I'll definitely have to take it up a notch next time. I found plenty of tofu with kimchi and beef in my bowl so thumbs up to that. Their ban chan was also surprisingly delicious. The nurungi (scorched rice) usually comes with your meal but for the first time, I had to ask for it. Now I'm a firm believer that service can make or break your business no matter how good the product. There was this one female server who looked so miserable working and at one point even stopped in the middle of the restaurant to grill the sh** out of a family that was trying to arrange chairs around for their table. Rather than helping them, she just stared like they were idiots and an inconvenience to her. She didn't bother to smile or make anyone feel comfortable eating there. Thankfully the other two male servers were there to save face for the restaurant. They were so accommodating and happy to serve not only me but all the tables around me. I was tempted to tell the female server to clock out and go home because she was really killing the mood for everyone. Maybe Ill just order their food to-go next time.
(2)Anna C.
I love my mild spicy beef tofu stew. The spice was just right. There was only a few ban chans but they were good. Jap cahe was one of them. I usually order jap chae as a entree but I was so happy that it was a side dish. My friends and I order an extra side of jap chae. It was delicious! They have very friendly service. There was a waiter that kept asking us if we wanted water. It was very nice of him. There wasn't a lot of items on the menu which was good. I like simple menus more than the clutter ones. The bathrooms are separated into male and female. The storefront might seem small on the outside but it's very spacious on the inside.
(4)Pam K.
Four stars because this place has solid tofu bowls that haven't let me down. I always end up ordering the beef soft tofu and the seafood pancake when I go here. Korean food, especially tofu bowls, have always been a classic comfort food of mine. What I love about this place is that their appetizers change all the time - some of them are great and some of them are so so. Either way, the appetizers and the soup are all pretty good to prepare your palate. What makes me give this place four stars instead of five is that this place is constantly understaffed. In addition, I get really bad service in this place for some reason, which is upsetting because how am I supposed to brag on social media about what I'm eating? In addition, there is a $15 minimum if I'm not mistaken, which makes it hard for me to come by and just eat a tofu bowl if I don't have cash. I would recommend coming here just because tofu bowls. Would I come back here? Definitely! It's my local to go spot for tofu bowls.
(4)Anne H.
According to my Korean roommate, there is much better soondobu elsewhere. But if you're having a craving for Korean in Sunnyside, this place satisfies. Most items on the menu are around $8.95 (the soondobus). Service has always been good. I really enjoy all the little cold, pickled appetizers they bring to you before your meal. No dessert menu. There is a credit card minimum.
(4)Lucy L.
It was really cold today so my bf and I decided to stop here and get some tofu. It was my first time here and the experience was great. Not many menu choices since they mainly focus on the tofu. I got the seafood tofu and it had one mussel, one shrimp and a lot of clam meat inside. It came with 4 options from very mild, mild , spicy and very spicy and I got the mild. The food also comes with 5 banchan (side dishes) and eggs to crack into your tofu soup. Service was kinda off since we sat in the back and I had to walk up to ask for the check since the waitor mainly stayed at the front or behind the counter but I didn't mind. Interior is also nice and clean, quite spacious.
(4)John Z.
Was excited to see they DIDN'T only serve tofu dishes. However, the meal and experience was not great. After sitting down, I was asked to order immediately after about a minute. I asked for a few minutes to look over the menu and didn't see the waiter again for 15 minutes. There are two prices on the menu. 80% of the dishes are $15 and the others are $10. I went with the $10 Vietnamese noodles. Bad mistake. This noodle dish is most similar to a ramen/udon dish. You get a huge bowl which seems awesome until you notice you just paid $10 for tasteless soup broth and a small portion of noodles sitting at the bottom, a few meatballs, and some beef. The meatballs and beef were pretty good though. Throughout the meal, my empty glass of water was never filled up until I asked for a refill myself. The banchan they bring out at the beginning tasted pretty good though. Basically, if you want to have a good meal here, order one of the $15 dishes. On top of that, they have signs posted saying their credit card minimum is $15. So you'll have to bring cash or keep ordering.
(2)Michelle F.
Pros Good inexpensive food Fast service Beer and alcohol Closest place to Brooklyn Ok neighborhood Large portion Clean Cons Not enough variety No dessert Definitely my go to Korean place
(4)Debbie E.
I love Korean Food. I came from Atlanta and for whatever reason, Korean food is everywhere (and it is TO DIE FOR), so I've been a tad disappointed with my Korean food obsession in NY. I live in Sunnyside so I saw this, saw the great reviews AND I WAS EXCITTTEEEEDDDD. dun dun dun...I think my expectations were set way too high. The bulgogi was was too sweet. The jigae was alright but nothing out of this world. The seafood pancake was on another level of GREASY. Overall, it's meh-meh. I probably won't go back.
(2)Jide K.
I have been coming here for a while now. Being a "Meatatarian" I always go for the Boolkoki, the spicy seafood soft tofu for my "partner in crime" and most recently the Bibimbab. I always do take out because this is on my drive home and nothing beats the comfort of eating at home. That being said I like the environment, the staff seem pretty nice. This would be a place I would go to eat and talk, it's very low key.
(4)Diana C.
You might not see this place right away since it's somewhat hidden in between two other places. But it's worth trying to find. The vegetarian tofu soup isn't really like a soup, it feels like a stew because of the silky tofu that's added in. It's my favorite thing on that menu. The Korean Chicken might look pricey, but you get A LOT. It arrives still steaming, and the onions still sizzling-- So. Frickin. Good. The menu is very limited, which is why I took off one star. They don't have desserts, but that's okay.. I mean.. you can find another place, right? They're overall a really good authentic Korean restaurant. Staff on point. Tofu on point. Chicken on point. Rice on point. (Double points, I really liked it) And that tofu appetizer I always hope they give me is on point. Hopefully if you end up coming here you're not stuck eating next to the obnoxiously loud Korean man, talking and slurping his food... obnoxiously... obnoxiously loud. P.s. I'm tellin' ya, have the vegetarian tofu soup. No regrets. c:
(4)Cody T.
One my favorite Korean spots in queens. In, fact the only spot in queens where I can get the best Korean bbq. The L.A. Kalbi is the best of all.. Have to get it every time.
(4)Leonardo V.
I've only been here once, but I've heard good things. Never really been in a Korean style restaurant before, and I enjoyed my meal. I tried the sea food pancake which was PRETTY DAMN GOOD. The Vegaterian tofu soup was thick and had so much tofu (which is a great thing). I would definitely go back, in fact I plan on returning for the BBQ squid and chicken. No real complaints about their service...there's a wall facing the kitchen that hides the waitress if she is sitting behind the register. Hard to catch her attention. I almost died of dehydration. Minus 1 star for not showering me with water. Spicy food, hello, need water!
(4)Christy L.
Not as good as BCD. Their broth base is thicker, which some people prefer and some do not...Same price of $10. Not as much bonchon. What they offer is okay. Clean and nice seating atmosphere. Friendly staff but late night dining... They're busy cleaning Etc so would have to wave them down. Appreciate that it's open until midnight, most business are not around here! Good for groups. Ample parking late night across the street in the middle section underneath the train, or even the streets.
(3)Jin C.
I always forget that at Korean restaurants, they serve you a bunch of side dishes before your actual food. I had to pace myself in eating those dishes because they were pretty delicious and I was quite hungry. We ordered a few things: a seafood tofu stew, a spicy pork stirfry, a spicy squid stirfry, and a seafood pancake. The spicy pork stirfry was the most outstanding dish in my opinion. It had a good wok-hei flavor.
(4)Kartika K.
My first attempt at trying Korean food. The food was delicious, however service was sub par. Our visit here was Yelp-biased. 4 stars on Yelp couldn't be bad. Or so I thought. We sat down, and waited to order food. Did I tell you there was only one other person besides us in the restaurant? There weren't many vegetarian options, besides the Vegetarian Soft Tofu or Seafood Pancake if you are a fishetarian. I am not complaining, just giving an FYI. I respect the cuisine at its utmost integrity. I ordered the Vegetable Soft tofu and my friend ordered the seafood pancake, both of them were equally delicious. We finished eating, and waited for about 15-20 minutes before the server paid attention that we were done, or if we needed something to be packed to take home. Its located right across the 40th Lowery Street Station on the 7 train line. May be I am just too picky, or they were short staffed.that day. Who is to say? Like Yelp puts it. 2 stars = Meh, I've experienced better.
(2)Maria L.
Trendy and fun! I loveeeed every dish we ordered here from the bulgogi to the seafood pancake. And thanks for the Cass beer that brought me back to my stay in Korea.
(5)Hatsumi T.
I went there on Tuesday night.The waiters stayed at the same area and they don't pay much attention to customers, so I had heard time to order a glass of water water and check. They have very simple menu list and reasonably priced. I ordered combination Tofu. I have been eaten similar food at many Korean restaurants and compare to food from other Korean restaurants the food I had was okay. They serve free appetizers like other Korean restaurant, and I think that was good. You can be full just spending about $10.
(3)Amy M.
Their banchan game..... HELLA WEAK (their kimchi's reeks of mediocrity ) Their Korean BBQ.... Decent, not too bad and they give a generous portion too. Their soondubu... GOOD, not great just good. ( I got the spicy pork one with kimchi) Their service.... ABMYSAL ... Esp that one lady . IT isn't too hard to smile, at least fake it.
(3)Mary L.
Service is fast and the portions are pretty good. We ordered the very spicy combo soondubu and the spicy soondubu and both were pretty bland. The galbi was very thin. It's not the best Korean food but it's not the worst either.
(3)Trang H.
I will come back to this place again It is a nice calm place to eat Good food And good service
(4)Eunice B.
I always come here if I want a hot steaming bowl of spicy soft tofu soup. I get the seafood one. It's so delicious and the broth is so tasty. Its good to have on a cold wintery day. Sometimes I order it as take out and it's good that way too.
(4)Tiffany T.
This is the place to go if you want tasty tofu with a somewhat reasonable trek (I guess depending on where you live in the city), because soontofu in Manhattan's Koreatown just isn't that good and ridiculously overpriced. The menu is small and are mostly soontofu. The tofu stews are all under $10 a pop, and they have a few other non-tofu options, such as the seafood or kimchi pajeon (pancake), stone pot bimbimbap (rice bowl), or kalbi (grilled meat). I've had the pajeon, and they're pretty decent - crispy on the edges and wonderfully chewy in the middle. But the tofu is what you want to get here, as they are guaranteed to deliver. My favorite is the spicy kimchi beef soontofu, as it is chock full of tender, hearty, soft tofu that does not fall apart with each spoonful. The tofu they use is definitely superior in taste and quality. The consistency almost reminds me of Japanese egg tofu, which I absolutely LOVE. I appreciate that they don't rely on sodium for flavor as many other tofu restaurants do. The combination tofu is also a good option if you want a kick of seafood to the stew. The banchan (small dishes) are unfortunately quite lackluster and I've definitely had better. The only one I enjoyed was the thinly sliced turnip in a cold refreshing pickled broth. But for the excellent tofu, I will gladly overlook the side dishes.
(4)Cheryl P.
Are you serious right now? How does this place have an overall 4 star rating? The banchan is absolutely gross. None of it tasted fresh or good for that matter. We had the combination tofu stew, but the one shrimp and the clams were not fresh at all - probably all frozen. The tofu isn't really that great right?! BCD tofu house in Manhattan has silky tofu. This is just...no. We also has the spicy pork with tofu and kimchi, which the spicy pork was pretty good, but the tofu again was not good. The thing that really really bothered me was the service. We were one of two tables in the store. The other table was about to leave since they finished. Why does it take so long to get the check when we asked for it like 10 minutes ago? Service was not on point. Didn't come to check up on us - didn't get water refills. Ugh.
(2)Adam G.
Great food, open late, authentically Korean. Perfect little spot in Sunnyside.
(5)Michael L.
I have had dinner here a few times and I am happy with the place. At first, because of the facade, but actually come to feel a good friendly and inviting atmosphere inside. The staff is nice, the food is pretty darn good and the spice has got a nice bite. Bibimbap is great, along with spicy pork and the menu is fairly priced. This is the only korean bbq in the area, let's all be great full for that alone. Hope to see more korean restaurants around this part of town, that would liven it up.
(4)Daniel S.
+ Soondubu price is $8.95 - reasonable. + Large portions of tofu soup and rice. Extra rice in the hot stone bowl with water. Leaves you with food coma. + The only Korean restaurant in the neighborhood within 1 mile. - Banchan - side dishes are few (total
(3)Lily J.
My boyfriend and I came here the day after New Year's and while it was pretty empty when we entered, it very quickly filled up. Pretty unexpected. They were very clearly understaffed - the people working there were hauling ass like crazy to keep things running in a timely fashion. Because of this I would have to say the service was sub-par. Our glasses of water weren't refilled once, and it took more than 15 minutes to get the attention of someone so that we could ask for the receipt. The food was acceptable, not amazing. My boyfriend was in the mood for Korean BBQ, which we quickly realized that they don't have. We did order L.A. Galbi to compensate, but we both thought it was nothing exceptional. We also ordered the Combination soondubu and the bibimbap. Also good but not remarkable. Overall, I would have much preferred taking the trek to a Koreatown (Queens or Manhattan) for Korean food. Probably won't return.
(3)Maria E.
3.5 stars. I am very picky with tofu and usually prefer the crispy variety. I will agree that they prepare silken tofu very well - very smooth, soft texture. The flavor of the soup was great too (I ordered mild, seafood tofu soup). Also got a seafood pancake - too greasy for me. Menu is small - but that's not always a bad thing - I decided very quickly. Portions are large and they give you a giant basin of white rice as well as sides like sprouts and kimchi. My take-out meal lasted me for dinner and 2 work lunches. Service was good. Place is bigger than I expected. Open late. Cheap. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)Sharon W.
First off... We JUST walked in and the waiter asked us if we were ready to order twice within 5 minutes! (we just sat down buddy! Give us some time!) and there was maybe a total of 6 tables that were occupied. Other than that, the tofu bowls were good. However, the little appetizers were not up to par, they may need to work on that.
(3)Jackie G.
I was a visitor to my friends who are residents of Queens who recommended for me to check out Natural Tofu for good ol' Korean food. I'm telling you. I was hungry, I just returned from 4 months in Africa and hadn't had Korean food for a looong time. I had 3 refills of their small plates (they were very diligent in filling the plates for me when I finished each pickled items - delice!) I had the combination soondubu (sizzling tofu/seafood/pork/beef claypot) in mild spice, amazing! I ate every drop and left nothing. The service was quick and no frills, the price reasonable, walking distance of Queens station. A neighborhood gem.
(5)Mick R.
Queens has the best food on the East coast. Love this Korean tofu place. Much better than the stuff found in Manhattan, ie BCD. You choose the protein and spice level. I got a seafood tofu stew done very spicy. This can only be eaten very spicy or else what's the point, right?
(4)Patthara C.
This place is another one of our take out spot. My friend always get the Bulgolki and my to go item is the Seafood Soft Tofu (great for those cold winter days). Food is always good and I love the Banchan that they packed to go for us as well.
(4)Sailor M.
I remember seeing this place and always resisted coming in. The name of the place led me to believe everything was served with tofu, and tofu is not my thang. But the great thing is, they aren't really about tofu. I think only 1 or 2 dishes have tofu in it. I know some people always think of Chinese food as the only type of asian food that they eat and don't broaden their horizons and try more exotic food. I wouldn't call this exotic food, but it falls out of the scope of what people normally eat. I came in here one night at the spur of the moment out of desperation because i don't cook that often and the food in my fridge, well...my fridge was empty. I came in here and got the spicy pork fried dish and was hooked ever since. Not sure why it is called spicy pork fried because it isn't fried. The pork is grilled. Anyways, this place serves good food packed with flavor. In fact, almost every dish is spicy, but it isn't. It is NOT the kind of spicy that will make you cry. Their kind of spicy just adds flavor to the food. For those caucasians out there that are afraid, this place serves a lot of things such as grilled pork or grilled chicken with white rice so don't let the name of the place fool you. Give it a try because the food is a real treat. The thing about this place is the translation on the menu. People not opened minded might find the translation of the dishes to be off putting, but its just a poor translation of good Korean food to English. The staff is very friendly and they do take out as well. The prices are very reasonable. I came here a few times with my cousins and they love it. It is probably one of their favorite Korean restaurants ever. I miss coming here on a more frequent basis. Definitely try this place if you are in the area or have a craving for Korean food and don't want to travel all the way to Northern Blvd in Flushing to get it.
(5)Jessica L.
Their seafood pancakes is delicious with a crispy outer layer! Their sonsoboo's are good, but out of the few times I've gone, it's either hit or miss with the spices and seasoning. Overall, it's good, and they give you a lot of seafood/meat, but I feel like it could be better.
(4)Allen H.
The soondooboo here is good but nothing spectacular. BCD is still the champ, however, BCD isn't in the area. This is a great place for those who don't have any other option. I recommend sharing one soondooboo and one meat dish with one other person. The amount of food works out really well. All the meat dishes come out on a sizzling plate that keeps it warm for the duration of the meal.
(3)Elisa K.
I just don't know what I would do without this restaurant. I eat here really often and it's always consistently delicious. Their seafood pancake is one of my favorites ever! Kimchee soft tofu is also banging. Oh also, if you order something to go they give you a whole tray of banchan! Hello dinner for two nights.
(5)Kerri M.
The free starters were a nice treat, especially the pickled radish and spicy greens. I got the kimchi soft tofu bowl with beef and at first I thought it was bland but the flavor built spoonful by spoonful and it was pleasantly spicy (I ordered mild) and warm. Very flavorful broth. Very little beef in the soup, tho. Service was friendly but not very attentive.
(3)Tiffany C.
Looking from the outside, it can be easily ignored as it looks rundown and small. Once inside, the fumes of Korean cooking hits you immediately and you are happy you decided to give this place a chance. It is surprisingly spacious with lots of tables inside, albeit quite oblong. I tried my first ever Sundubu jjigae and thought it was great. I tried the kimchi soft tofu with beef which was bursting with flavor and just enough kimchi that it wasn't over the top salty. The texture of the tofu was a bit firm which I prefer over soft. The dish is quite filling and perfect to have on a cold wintry or fall day. The side dishes are complimentary with your entrees which were all great. They did a good job on the pickled chili cucumbers as well as the others. The seafood pancake which was recommended over the kimchi pancake with pork from our waiter was just alright. I think I still prefer Chinese pancakes. It's more gelatinous as opposed to bready. I also did the obnoxious thing of blotting out the oil. The table next door got the whole squid which looks delicious and is what I'll be trying on my next visit.
(4)Jessica W.
Went here for the first time a few weeks ago and loved their beef tofu stew and galbi! Very tasty and deliciously spicy. I must come here again to try their other dishes!
(4)Robinson C.
Meh this place is average came here for lunch on a hot thursday afternoon very easy to miss this place as it lacks advertisement unlike all the other stores/restaurants on this street... The tofu came in 25 minutes I was pretty outraged apparently I came during lunch time and I was watching the entire staff eat while I waited was very irritating. Wanted to head out on multiple intervals of the wait but was rest assured by the owner that my food was coming soon. Well the food came and I ordered two completely different types of tofu came in a stone pot each of them and when I tried the vegetable one versus the beef tofu I could NOT tell the difference.. I was puzzled I eventually figured its made from the same stock and the toppings/meat are added afterwards.. The technique they used really ticked me off and will not be returning..
(1)Jane L.
Great service. Best soondubu place. Other foods are good too. Side dishes are yummy and they refill them. I love it here and the other BCD locations!
(5)Kimberly B.
Service was decent and food was okay. I ordered the dolsot bibimbab (#17) it looked amazing but even with huge amounts of the provided sauce that comes on the side it was still too plain for my liking. I ended up order the Korean BBQ chicken to go along with it because I needed more flavor with my meal. They never brought out the rice that went with my chicken I had to ask for it which took awhile. Not sure if ill be back I wasn't completely satisfied with either of the two dishes and everytime I needed help It took a awhile to get a servers attention.
(2)Rowena Y.
If there's one type of food that I can't live without, it would be tofu. I don't know how my obsession with tofu came to be but let's say I like tofu in any shape, form, and size....except maybe the Chinese stinky tofu. So when I found out there's a Korean tofu place right around the corner from my apartment, I was ecstatic. Located right on Queens Blvd, is a place called Natural Tofu. I am not going to debate whether the tofu is really "natural" or not. I'm just happy that they serve my favorite Korean dish soondubu, which is basically tofu in a soup based bowl and you can have it with seafood, beef, or veggie (kim chi). For $8, you get a decent sized bowl. If you can't handle spiciness but still want a little kick to it, order in mild or very mild. I personally like mild. I am also in love with their seafood pancake. It's a must try. If I were to compare it to other Korean restaurants, I would say this place is a lot better than BCD. The soondubu at BCD are smaller and they don't give a lot of tofu. Plus, a little more expensive too. Overall, I can't wait to come back. (No excuses since I only live a few steps away....)
(4)Imani H.
One of my favorite places to eat. Everything there is amazing. If I lived in the area, I would literally eat there every day lol
(5)Helena H.
Found a Favorite spot ! I am in Love with their Tofu Stew, Price is super AFFORDABLE (Under $ 10) and you get a big pot of of tofu with the specific meat you want to mix in with. My friend ordered Bimbimbap and looked Smoking Delicious, I will try that next time. Food comes pretty quick and Let me warn you, I wouldn't recommend to wear White clothes. Expect the BBQ Smell all over you Come in Hungry!.
(4)Amy K.
I'm guessing most of the people who eat here are non-Korean because the soondubu here was just plain awful. It tastes like they used a cheap pre-made broth and tofu with red pepper flakes and some random meat tossed in. I've made better tasting soondubu at home. I can't say much for the rest of the menu since I've only been here once and only tried the soondubu, but if you have the word Tofu in your name, then you better make some good ass tofu. Who knows maybe this place has gotten better because the one and only time I came was more than a year ago. Fun fact: Their Korean name is (Book Chang Dong) which is the same name as the BCD House in Manhattan. So much for being original.
(1)Carianne H.
Authentic , inexpensive and full of flavor and spice! Great spot.
(5)Ted C.
So, I heard that Natural tofu has some of the best SoonDubu in Queens. The gf and I didn't feel like eating in so we called ahead and got take out. From the sound of it I figured it was a standard little hole-in-the-wall Korean spot. I pulled up and it turned out to be a little hole-in-the-wall spot but with Korean bbq and a whole bunch of interesting side dishes. What I got was a a pretty plain to-go bag. The tofu was really soft but by the time we got to eat it, it had disintegrated into particles by then. So, it was just kind of plain. I realized too that since it was to-go it's not like they could pack two raw eggs into our bag to crack in later. A little disappointing, but not bad, next time. Dine-in for sure.
(3)Mike F.
Enjoyed every part of the meal. Food was fresher and better tasting than the tofu place in K town. Will return
(4)Raquel P.
A little dive-ish but the food is great for the price. Love the beef tofu soup, scallion pancake and bulgogi. Fast service and no nonsense servers. Great place to get a good, fast, hearty Korean meal without burning a hole in your wallet.
(4)Jen K.
I'm addicted to Natural Tofu!!!! I've been here three times in one week! This place is delicious, and for all you get under $10, it is simply amazing. I'm so glad I moved to this neighborhood just so I can constantly fulfill my tofu craving. Although I'm not Korean, growing up in an Asian household meant a big ol' several-hour-cooked stew as comfort food, and Natural Tofu is just that to the nth degree. First off, you get so many yummy Korean side dishes as your appetizer (i.e. kimchi, bean sprouts, etc.). Then the actual boiling hot tofu dish comes in a clay bowl and the rice is served freshly hot. The wait staff are young and polite, and service is very quick. Soju is also quite affordably priced. My favorite dish is the combination tofu, which has beef, clams and a shrimp. The seafood-y broth is very good and savory - and although I'm not a big spicy food person, I've tried both non-spicy and mild spicy, and I must say that I love the mild. I am very excited to try other dishes (kalbi, bi bim bop, etc.) once I get over my soondubu obsession!
(5)Jae Sung J.
bring back the taste and service.
(1)Gordon C.
Not sure what it is about Korean food, but prices have crept up steadily over the past few years. Not so with Natural Tofu. We came on a Sunday evening or dinner: ordered a haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), bibimbap (stone pot rice with beef), bulgogi (bbq beef), and a soondubu (soft tofu stew). Everything was delicious, portions were reasonable, and prices were *affordable*.
(4)Lily T.
found this place by accident when we were driving around. According to the waiter, this is the original and oldest BCD tofu house in NY! Not sure why the BCD website didn't include this location or why the sign outside in English didn't say BCD. but the sign outside said BCD in both Chinese and Korean...bizarre.. well, the soondubu here is just as good as the ones at other BCD location. Their ban chan here is very good as well...but they don't give you the little fried fish like the other places. and the ban chan portions and choices are also smaller than other BCDs I've been Menu is very simple, different types of soondubu, you can pick, very mild, mild, spicy or very spicy. I also saw a bunch of people ordering the sizzling grilled octopus... want to try that next time.. prices are very reasonable too. One soondubu is under $9 dollars Will be back for sure :D
(4)Lauren K.
I ordered delivery from Natural Tofu, which was a bad idea. I should have known by the fact that they're not on Seamless and I had to call. What is this, 1992? I felt like Elaine Benes. Anywho, I ordered the seafood pancakes, which were really soggy and bland. The vegetarian tofu soup was tasteless except for a spice that hit the back of your throat like a karate chop! I ordered it mild too. The beef in the bibimbap was also terrible. Not a sweet bibimbap taste, and it was really chewy and dry. One of the worst take-out meals I've ever eaten. Maybe it's better in the restaurant? Also, it was $40 for those three things. :(
(1)Weikang C.
I have been to many Korean tofu places, mostly in NJ area. I can't say this place has better tofu than the others. I would rate them last compared to the other I have been. My comments are going to be solely based on comparison. I had the mild combination. The appearance was what I expected but the taste was far from it. It was very flat, and not spicy at all. It was almost as if it has no spice at all. In another word, not strong enough. You might argue it was only mild but again I am comparing the mild with other places. However, the meat in it are in larger chunks and more of them too, which is a bonus. In other places, they give eat order a rice in the cooking pot where you can have them pour tea in the pot to soften the rice crust on the bottom. I like my rice this way but this place doesn't do that. They'd give you the rice in metal bowls scooped from the cooking pot by the table. We also had the beef rib. Again I have had better. It didn't capture me like the other places. I guess it didnt have enough of those Korean bbq source. It was ok, but I do like the touch of onion on the bottom though. Overall, I would rate it higher if that was my first time to any tofu place. I can see why other ppl gave it a 4 stars. If they go to the places I usually go, they wouldn't rate it this high. But that's not to say they are not good. I think they are good enough to the local area.
(3)Amy L.
Today was so cold that we decided to go to Natural Tofu for their special hot and spicy tofu soup. This is really meant for the winter, just like frozen yogurt is meant for the summer. When you enter the restaurant, a wave of steam heats you because the kitchen is in front of the store, which is unusual since the kitchen is usually in the back of the restaurant. I really like that their metal spoon are cleaned and wrapped in sleeves like they are new. We ordered the beef soft tofu. As we were waiting, we received several small side dishes of kimchi and fermented vegetables. My favorite was this dish that looked like japchae, which is a vermicelli noodles that is stir fried with shredded vegetables. When we were finally served with the boiling soup, we quickly cracked the fresh egg into it. I stirred my egg, so it would thoroughly cook in my bowl. We were also served a bowl of rice. I love their rice because it is sweeter and thicker. What I like to do with my soup is to scoop some of the tofu into my rice bowl to make a rice tofu soup. The rice is just too dry and plain without the soup. Together, they are very yummy. It was a little bit crowded today, but a lot of family came with their children. It was a comfortable setting where they did not pressure you to leave until you announced you were ready even though you have long finished the soup. I would love to come back again.
(5)May C.
Great service. The waiter was so patient with us as we had never been here before. He made great recommendations. Food that hits the spot on a cold winter night.
(4)Calvin T.
The tofu here is good. Kalbi and bulgolki are also good. But neither are the best I've had. Of all the Korean Tofu places I have been to in the city (including Fort Lee, NJ), this place has the best price for the quantity served. They are also open till late and the service is good. I wished there was more variety in their side appetizer dishes and didn't have to charge you if you asked for an extra bowl of rice; other Korean Tofu restaurants usually provide an entire pot of rice with your meal.
(4)Jando S.
Natural Tofu is one of the few Sunnyside Korean eateries left along Queens Blvd. Many of them went the way of the dinosaur, but Natural Tofu sticks to what it does best: Tofu stews or SoonDubu Jigae. When I first started coming here, most of the stews were $6-7, a real bargain compared to KTown in Manhattan. Now the prices are about $8.95 each, which is not bad per se, but certainly no longer the deal it once was. The banchan (side dishes) options are solid, usually a myriad of kimchi, potatoes, veggies, and fish cake. Also notable are their pancakes, both kimchi and seafood, which for about $10 are a hearty choice that is about the same size for what could be had for $17 somewhere else. I'm not a huge fan of their kalbi or bbq here, not so much because they're the priciest items on the menu, but the fact it's not as tasty as a real Korean BBQ joint. On any given night this place could be packed with Korean locals and the place is deceivingly spacious but is probably limited to a group of 4 per party at best. Though it feels somewhat dingy much of the time, the place is for the most part clean. Just try not to get situated in the back where the bathrooms are. The biggest gripe I've heard from others is the fact Mexicans cook the food here, as if to suggest it's somehow less authentic. Truth is, Mexicans are likely to cook a majority of the food anywhere, it's only a matter of whether or not it's made known by the restaurant (Natural Tofu has a large window to show it's kitchen from the outside). I've had Mexican food prepared worse by Mexicans, this attempt at Korean cooking is for the most part pretty solid. My only gripe is their delivery. They'll take credit card in house, but won't take it over the phone when it comes to delivery. Seamless ( seamless.com ), I have a new client for you.
(4)Jessica Y.
Perfect meal for this cold weather. I got the combination tofu dish and man was it good. The beef was so tender and so flavorful. I think next time I'm going to get the beef only tofu dish since I like it that much. I am even bold enough to say that I like this place may be better than BCD tofu house in K town. Crazy statement? maybe....but I like it that much that I'm willing to throw it out there.
(4)Rachel A.
Natural Tofu Restaurant has always gotten good reviews, yet I've never felt the yearning to try it. Finally after three years I threw it into the mix of choices for dinner with friends. Lara G made the perfect choice! Although warm outside, Korean food always hits the spot and a hot boiling bowl of soon dubu is food for the soul. I left warm and satisfied with a happy belly. The interior of Natural Tofu Restaurant is classic Korean. The restaurant is fairly large and for a Wednesday night, they were quite busy. I hear the place is packed Friday nights. If you didn't know, you'd think you were in K-Town or Murray Hill. Yay for Sunnyside for having a really good Korean spot, with soon dubu nonetheless. The menu is very simple with a few tofu stews, beef, pork, squid, and pancakes to choose from. There is a Vietnamese rice noodle dish on the menu as well. I thought that was rather misplaced? It doesn't sound like Jap Chae because Jap Chae is sweet potato noodles. We ordered family style with the seafood stew, LA Galbi, and seafood pancake. This was the perfect amount of food and balance of dishes for three people. The tofu stew came with mussels and shrimps. We got it "medium" although we could have handled a little (okay, a lot) more heat. Natural Tofu Restaurant uses Mexican jalapenos so they warned us it would be spicy. I was scared of the spice so I requested it to be a little tamer. The stew was great as was the beef ribs and seafood pancake. The beef was marinated sweet and we enjoyed making stacks of bone Jenga. The seafood pancake was thin and crispy, exactly how I like it. I really enjoyed my dinner at Natural Tofu Restaurant. It's a very relaxed and casual atmosphere, with good food being the focus. Service is excellent with very friendly waiters who will recommend to you their favorite Korean beers. My only qualm with the restaurant is that they won't serve you banchan unless you order food. To order drinks is not enough. Really guys? Three hungry Yelp girls walk in and you don't think we are going to eat?
(4)Christine L.
The tofu, stone Bibimpap, BBQ squid and the LA spare rib is always good here. I have also ordered many take outs from here, and it is always well packed.
(4)Camille M.
Best soondubu I've had to date. Both the kimchi and beef versions were spectacular. We asked for spicy, and they obliged. But, the best part was that I think this is one of the few versions I would have enjoyed even if it were served to me mild. Very flavorful. Banchan seemed to be in short supply by comparison to other Korean restaurants I've visited. But, we thoroughly enjoyed and finished everything the provided us. Service is quick and unobtrusive. I'm hooked. I'll be a fixture here all winter.
(5)P A.
If you're going to eat anything other than the tofu soups you are going to b disappointed. Just finished eating with my husband and son. Ordered the seafood soft tofu which was very bland but still ok. We also ordered the galbi, seafood pancake and the Korean bbq chicken. The galbi was burnt to a crisp. My 6 year old called it beef jerky which was basically how it tasted. The Korean bbq chicken, which we ordered mild, was actually bitter and bland. My son couldn't even have a piece and my husband poured soy sauce all over so it could be eaten. The seafood pancake had absolutely no taste and again we had to ask for soy sauce. First time there and we will never be back.
(2)Tim G.
I ordered tofu bowl which was ordinary. It was not that good as others claimed. The little appetizers were not up to par and tasteless. Seafood pancake was tasteless and burned. The sauce for seafood pancake was too salty.
(3)Lilian Y.
Service could definitely improve. I'm a New Yorker born and bred so I understand that if you walk into an ethnic restaurant and you aren't familiar with the cuisine or don't speak the language--- you'll notice a difference in service. OK! that's fine. but don't be so short with me buddy! I had to ask what they offered in regards to drinks and the dude replied with "only sprite and coke" so I passed... then I noticed someone drinking a beer and I called him back to ask for one which he then got for me but it definitely played on my fear of missing out. Every time I walk into an ethnic restaurant where I'm not familiar with the cuisine I always feel like I'm missing out on some amazing food or specialty-- the kind you would only get if you brought a friend who was of that ethnicity and can sneak you into this secret circle. The food was delicious! I am definitely a fan so I'm certainly glad I finally tried this joint.
(4)Janet C.
I am so disappointed with this establishment. About 2 years ago, I stopped by with my friends late night when I first moved in to Sunnyside. Was so excited to try the soondubu on the menu. When I got the first taste of it, I was rather perplexed by the lack of taste although the presentation was very authentic. It seems like they just added natural tofu to hot water and add some chilli to enhance the redness of it and totally forgot to salt the broth. I left the place with a most unsatisfied feeling. Flashback to yesterday. My friends picked up some seafood soondubu for dinner and I was sure that it wouldn't be the same as the first time. Well, what can I say? Same bland tasting broth, no salt, no taste. Not even spicy at all. Soft tofu, yes, good broth? NO way. It's no where near BCD tofu house or Seoul Garden in K-town in comparison but they lost me in their watered down bland tasting soup. We all ordered 3 of the same takeout orders and they all tasted the same. Sorry Natural Tofu Restaurant... can't say I'll ever go back again.
(1)Kev O.
So good. and so cheap. and so close to where I live (and not so salty). I just discovered this place recently - and I'll definitely keep coming back.
(5)Nora F.
I've been coming to the restaurant to enjoy my soon-dubu. I usually get the very spicy one! *:) I love tofu in general, so no matter how they prepare the tofu, I seem to like it! I've tried some barbecue dishes here too, not bad. Try it yourself!
(4)Linda H.
Food was okay, service wasn't great.
(4)Harin G.
This is a place where dreams are made of. I got the Beef Soondubu very spicy and I was on cloud nine. It was the blend of sultry spice mixed with deep delicate flavors of the beef, pepper, and happiness as the soft tofu floated from my spoon to my tongue and down to my happy tummy. My husband had the dolsot bibimbap (which is the one in the stone bowl) and his crazy self had four eggs in it. He's weird, but he luckily he was in the same element as he was wide eyed with pleasure as he shoveled each spoonful down. My friend had the bulgogi which we thought was also out of this world. The banchan (side dishes) were fabulous with a good array. The service wasn't as good because I don't speak as good as I can eavesdrop (listen). All the Koreans in New York assume that I am not Korean, sometimes that's good and sometimes it's not. In this case, they weren't as polite to me and my American friends. I don't care. Their food is so good that they could slap me in the face and I would still eat there. Remember, I'm from Minnesota, the land of nice. I believe I am nice, I don't like it when people are rude. But if you bring me food from this place, you're off the hook for negligible behavior.
(5)Charlie Z.
It is the middle of the summer and my friends and I didn't know what to do due to the heat. Then one of them suggested that we go to Natural Tofu Restaurant. I objected because I thought it was a terrible idea to go restaurant known for the soup dishes. Secondly I am semi-allergic to soy products. Well we went anyway. Walking in, we were in the only customers in the whole store. I thought "yep this was a bad idea." After looking at the menu, I thought screw it, I'll try the beef soft tofu. It was also one of the cheaper items on the menu coming in at 8.95 and it is what place is good at. It is true that the current menu on Yelp is off by a dollar. I ordered the soondubu very spicy. For those of you who can handle heat, this level was perfect. It was enough that you can taste it with a little kick but not so much that you are dying from the acidity. For those you of you can't handle spicy, get it a little spicy because the spiciness give it a lot of favor. When the dish first arrive, I was so amaze at the dish was still boiling, that I almost forgot to put in the raw egg. This was my first time having it. I fell head over heels over this dish. I will keep eating this tofu no matter how itchy my throat gets. Also in the men's room, which is meant for one person at a time, has a urinal and a toilet. I found this very unusual The credit and debt minimum is 15 dollars.
(5)Tracy M.
I love me some soft tofu! Came here again and this time ordered my combo soondubu spicy. It's definitely the way to go! otherwise it's a little too bland for my liking. Lesson learned from the first time. Also got to try the scallion seafood pancake as well as the BBQ chicken. Both were tasty however I took more of a liking to the pancake like my other reviewers. Can't wait to tear this place up in the winter!
(4)Angelina E.
The seafood tofu was ok to good. But the bimbimbop was very bland. The sides they provide were ok but I wish they gave more variety. Bulgolki was ok. Our son enjoyed it. But not a place that is high on our list, and not a place we'd most likely return. The service was almost nil, and they gave us funny look when we asked for an extra bowl of rice.
(3)Zaman K.
I stopped by here for a quick meal before a Yelp Elite event at Off The Blvd. The menu is fairly simple and straight forward. You can choose the spice level at very spicy, spicy, mild or very mild. I got the spicy Beef Soft Tofu . (MENU: yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) The banchans were pretty good and included a boiled small brown egg. I only had half of it since they gave me a raw egg as well to use with the tofu soup. The soup came out piping hot. I was so busy admiring it that I almost forgot to put my raw egg in. Thankfully, I remembered before it cooled down. yelp.com/user_local_phot… The dish wasn't bad but I expected a bit more flavor and kick from a Korean dish. It wasn't spicy at all. My spice tolerance is pretty high so in hindsight I probably should've gotten it very spicy. I'm glad they didn't try to cover it up by putting in excessive salt though - it was seasoned just right. The restaurant is typical of any neighborhood joint in Queens - small, not aesthetically striking but not dirty either. I think if I lived in Sunnyside, it would be a good option for tofu soup but I don't think I would travel to come here. I like bold flavors and lots of heat! I did appreciate the super-efficient service though. I was in and out in 20 minutes, ready to begin the festivities.
(3)Christina L.
Love this place for it's tofu dishes done right, straight up service, and no frills dining. I definitely recommend.
(4)Alyssa C.
As a vegetarian, my options are typically limited at Korean restaurants, which tend to emphasize bbq. I thought with a name like Natural Tofu, I'd have boundless options here. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and I thought that the tofu dish I did have was only mediocre. Also, the place seems somewhat dirty--Our food was being attacked by rubbish flies. The ambiance was also pretty underwhelming. The only saving grace during my meal was the ridiculously cute baby sitting next to us. For its ability to attract families with ridiculously cute babies, I bumped up my rating from 2 to 3 stars. If I've just lost all credibility as a reviewer, so be it :).
(3)Laura L.
Great soondubu. They don't mess around with spicy -- if you ask for heat, you're gonna get it! The menu listed here on Yelp needs to be updated; everything's about $1 more expensive now. $15 credit card minimum. Good thing I had just enough cash on me!
(4)Patrick H.
Amazing KimChi Tofu!!!! Absolutely enjoyed everything including the Spicy Fried Pork. Excellent fast and friendly service. The best place to beat the cold with any dish that they will make as spicy as you want.
(5)Yvonne L.
Delicious bulgogi and spicy bbq chicken. The seafood pancake was a little bit too oily for my taste and somewhat bland. Service is lacking as sometimes the server is in the kitchen rather in the dining area.
(3)Gene K.
still killing it. Go here and eat for $9 and be so goddamn satisfied that you'll shake your fist in the air.
(5)Jocy C.
Yay! I am a fan. Soondubu Rating: 4.5 Bf and I wanted to come here after walking past this place to try another food joint in Sunnyside. We normally don't go out to explore Sunnyside... but after this experience, I will be! We ordered the following: 1) Seafood Soft Tofu - really good 2) Oyster Soft Tofu - really good; strong oyster flavor if you like oysters Both the Soft Tofu dishes (Soondubu) were really good. Korean food tends to be too salty for us in general... but surprisingly, this one wasn't too salty (by Korean standards). We both enjoyed it. The Soondubu came with raw eggs on the side, and once served, you crack the eggs into the Soondubu yourself. yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… There is also fresh rice served. They then put warm water into the bowl, and you scrape the bowl afterwards to get a "slightly burned" rice. It's pretty good. yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… 3) Kimchi Pancake with Pork - Bf and I both didn't like this too much. My favorite Korean pancake (pajeon) used to be at another Korean place in Manhattan, but the chef has since changed. This pajeon here at Natural Tofu Restaurant was a bit too greasy. My favorite one was made with a mochi type consistency. I'm still on that hunt for that type of pajeon. yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… Photos of the Korean side dishes (Banchan): Banchan - yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… (Raw Eggs on the left are used to put in the Soondubu) Kimchi - yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… White Radish in Cold Broth - yelp.com/biz_photos/GpV5… The restaurant is right off the 7 train. If you end up driving, you can park right under the 7 train and pay the MUNI meter (25 cents for 20 minutes). This place is definitely worth a visit for the Soondubu if you're in the Queens area. Oh and expect your hair and clothes to come out smelling like BBQ.
(4)M K.
Really wonderful spicy soft tofu stews - and vegetarian friendly. Quick, friendly service as well. Definitely a neighborhood highlight
(5)Le T.
The place is so good, it's steaming...literally. You walk in and a cloud of Korean BBQ greets you. Don't let the name fool you, they serve meat...I recommend the BBQ Chicken (get the extra spicy). Also, the Bi Bim Bop is really good. Service is fast and friendly, each meal comes with several kinds of pickles and other Korean fixins. Definitely worth a try! Recommend if... A) You've got vegetarian friends...tofu dishes there are really flavorful. B) You're super hungry...a mountain of food will run you about $10. Enough to take home. C) You're looking for authenticity. 4 out of 5 tables eating there had an Asian at it...what more proof do you need?
(4)Michael P.
These reviews are on point with the value. For $10 you are eating a lot and well. Get a hot pot with some rice. Let that rice stick to the bottom and get crunch. Mix that with a runny egg and enjoy. You will be full, happy and return.
(4)Eve W.
Four stars for the tofu and the chicken. Soooo good Skip the pho and the pancake though. Pancake is doughy and greasy. Good ban chan too.
(4)Irene H.
TOFU-EEY. I absolutely love soondubu. In fact, I think about visiting K town on a weekly basis just to get my fill of it or bimbimbop. So, when an acquaintance mentioned that this tofu house was better than my favorite and beloved BCD, I was game. And, please note that his wife is Korean, so yes, that some legit statement! Ok, so for Thanksgiving this year, instead of the typical Turkey and stuffing meal, we decided to hit up Natural Tofu. A few warning signs from the get go: - a bit dirty, just an observation, but that doesn't mean that the food will be bad. In fact, it at times adds to the flavor of the meal. But whateves, because they got an A and we know that at least demonstrated a level of cleaniness and food safety at least on 1 day. - they were microwaving a pancake. just an observation. no judgement. ok, I'm lying. TOTAL judgement. If I'm eating out, I want a fresh pancake, not a nuked one. I could easily microwave a Stouffers lagsana at home and be just as content. - one waiter was extremely rude to us. Now, I understand this is a national holiday and most would rather be gorging on food at home with loved ones rather than serving those that are craving Korean food instead of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Then don't work on Thanksgiving! Geez, it's quite simple. So, we sat down for about 10 minutes and still no water, no acknowledgement whatsoever. At this point, I could have done with a simple nod of our existence. This would have mostly resolved itself if the food was up to the standards set to begin with. We ordered the standard kalbi and boolgolgui. Feeling a bit adventerous, we also went for the spicy pork and each ordered a soon dubu. The kalbi was quite standard; a bit dry and overcooked. The image of the microwave popped in my mind and then my longing of a home cooked Stouffers. The boolgolgui was downright horrid. The meat tasted like it was frozen and rancid. It was either one or both. So, I pride myself on having a strong stomache. It has much to do with my despise of throwing up and I hardly do. Yes, this is in direct relation to how strong my stomache is. I didn't bring up my pride and joy for no reason at all. The soon dubu I ordered must have gone bad. I was not feeling well after the meal and true to word, wound up doing worse in the morning. Not sure how that A was received. Run, don't walk away from this place. I miss you BCD. I miss your cleaniness and unspoiled food! Customer service comes standard also. Until next Thanksgiving, I know where we won't be spending our time. As my daughter would say, "yucky". Yes, Natural Tofu, she's talking about you.
(1)Lianne W.
Excellent soft tofu at a very reasonable price! Came here with 5 friends and we were seated very quickly. After we all ordered the appetizers came quickly too. I ordered the Kimchi Soft Tofu with Beef and it came with an side bowl of rice. It was kind of hot eating there especially in the winter with the heat on and adding kimchi in my tofu didn't help but it was still good. Overall, I was very satisfied with my meal.
(4)Jenny V.
This place is DELICIOUS! I came here with my sister-in law on Saturday night. They sat us down very quickly and they were attentive. Please note that Korean people by custom aren't that attentive. Don't take it the wrong way... It's their culture. Been in korea twice... The food delicious. Menu is limited no deserts but food is far above average. Highly recommend!
(5)natalie m.
Frequent here btw. God forbid they get your order wrong, they will insist you are wrong till you start feeling paranoid. We had just eaten here a day before yesterday and the same dish (i didn't tell them that), i was amazed at how adamant they were that i was wrong. i feel for non koreans who may have been through similar situations just beginning to enjoy korean food, i cook korean at home so i knew better also i know friends who work in the restaurant business so when The waiter bought back the "fixed" order which was basically the same wrong dish, i knew what they'd done and i proved it by showing him the Menu where an ingredient listed in the wrong dish is still there in my "fixed" dish. the waiter insisted i was wrong, i pointed him to the menu still he insisted i was wrong. Again, the same dinner partner and i ate the same dish here like the day before yesterday so we knew that ingredient not listed in the menu would never be in it. I guess once you lie, you just tell more lies to cover up your lie. Also, I only go here coz 34th st is a little too far some nights, rest assured won't be back here ever. I only wish they get your order right or that you don't notice it if that happens.
(1)A S.
Cheap, delicious Korean food! This is my neighborhood go-to spot. It's spacious and opens late. The staff is efficient and courteous. The menu is small but it has all the essential Korean stuff like soft tofu soup, BBQ (comes on a sizzling platter), and bibimbop. My boyfriend and I usually get the (very spicy vegetable) tofu soup and (chicken) BBQ. These come with side dishes and rice. That's about $25 of deliciousness for two people (tips included). They do not skimp on takeout food either. And the best part? They play kpop! It had me shazam-ing the songs when I should really be eating. And then I ate. Good stuff.
(4)Steve M.
Pros: - Food is excellent. Wife is from Korea and she likes this place lots. I'm from NY however, and like it too so it's all good. - Food. - Prices are good for the food you get Cons: - Service isn't really in line with the prices. I come outta here being like "aww ... I ate too much. That was good." rather than "man, I'm stuffed... that was great." Summary: - Good Korean food; makes it hard to warrant going all the way to flushing sometimes
(4)Lara G.
After a rainy day of an all morning hearing at Brooklyn Criminal Court, I found myself along Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside. The friends who drove with me from Brooklyn thought it would be the best place to have lunch. When we stepped inside, the place was still empty and the staff were having a meal. We ordered tea and I chose the kalbi for my entree. My friend insisted in trying the tofu seafood soup. I relented and it was really fantastic! It came with a raw egg on the side which you crack open and mix on the boiling cauldron of soup. It was great! And thanks to Yelpers Elle P. and Jocy C. I now know that the tofu soup is called soon dobu. And I would love to be back to try the spicy octopus that Jen L. loved. Natural Tofu restaurant is a fantastic place to go especially during cold, rainy days and note that they are open until 2:00 in the morning.
(4)Elle P.
On a cold cold cold winter's day, only one thing can warm me up -- soon dubu, Korean tofu stew! A bubbling fiery red hot soup, gurgling with silken tofu served to you in a cast iron cauldron. It arrives boiling hot, hot enough to cook the raw egg that you crack open, drop in, and mix into the churning stew of tofu and tasty morsels of seafood. Tips for SOON DUBU 1) It MUST have soon tofu as a part of its name. As my mother says, "Koreans are very practical people," and the name of the restaurant tells you what they specialize in and are good at. A proper soon dubu can only be made at a soon dubu restaurant. Period. No exceptions. Never order soon dubu anywhere else or you'll be sorely disappointed. What about this restaurant's name? It's Natural Tofu. There's no soon dubu in its name. Rest, gentle reader, because that's just the English name. The proper Korean name does have soon dubu in its name. See? Follow my rules. 2) NEVER order soon dubu to go. It's no good. Soon dubu must be eaten at the restaurant in its proper container. It just doesn't finish cooking right if they serve it to you in styrofoam. Plus, by the time you get home, it's cooled off too much to be any good. Soon dubu must be eaten in a cast iron bowl, much the same way French onion soup must be eaten out of an earthenware bowl, or paella in a paella pan, or moules frites, where the mussels are in a tin bucket. 3) Crack and drop in your raw egg right away when they give you the soon dubu. Otherwise, the egg won't cook if the soup is too cool. The raw egg cools down the boiling hot soup and it helps thicken up the broth. At Natural Tofu, you can order the soon dubu at four different levels of spiciness. They're very English friendly as the menu has both Korean and the translated English on the other side. In Korean In English What Koreans really mean Very spicy Extremely spicy For Koreans who like spicy food. White people DO NOT order. You will be on fire. Regular Very spicy For Koreans who want it normal. For White people who love very very very spicy food. Mild A little spicy For little Korean children and White people who like spicy food. White Mild We don't know anyone but White people who would order anything so tasteless and bland, so we named it after them. I always order a regular seafood soon dubu. The ban chan (side dishes) aren't anything exciting or particularly numerous, but they're always fresh and well-made. I always eat a couple rounds of them. A bowl of soon dubu costs $8.95 and they have different varieties (beef, seafood, combination of beef and seafood, oyster, vegetables, miso soybean, etc), as well as other Korean dishes, such as kalbi and stone bowl bibimbap. Oh, the weather may be frightful, but soon dubu makes everything delightful!
(4)Gena F.
I really enjoyed this place when I went with my parents and God mother, she can't take any heat at all - which is a bummer when everyone else is slurping loudly on some delicious soft tofu, but Natural tofu has different levels of spice on their menu, awesome! I always get the spicy as I usually enjoy a little kick in my mouth, their tofu soup is very flavorful and goes well with the perfectly cooked white rice on the side. The "Very Spicy" option had me sniffling like it's allergy season, so I would not recommend it for anyone not used to eating spicy foods. Their seafood pancake is not bad either, not too greasy or floppy. Will be coming back!
(4)Colin M.
I've only ordered take-out but the food is exceptional. And such large portions! I recommend the beef noodle soup and the spicy bibimbap. Their fish pancakes are also quite good. As others have mentioned, the flavoring can be a little bit bland in other dishes if you don't order "very spicy." They have a two order minimum for delivery, so make sure you have someone who's willing to join you for dinner before you make that late-night call. (I've also noticed that they're sometimes reluctant to pick up the phone within 30 minutes of their designated closing time--but that's pretty consistent with the neighborhood.)
(4)Joseph Y.
I have been frequenting Natural Tofu for years and years and it has remained consistent through the years. I have eaten there and also do their take out (never delivery cause I don't live nearby). They used to have an open glass window kitchen that you could see into every time you walk into the place--they have sadly covered it up in the past couple years. What you would've seen are a few ginormous vats cooking down the magical broth for their infamous soondooboo-jigae (soft tofu stew). I still peak through to see if they're doing it the same way, and yes, you just don't mess with a good thing. Their jigae lunch special is among the best deals around for like $9. You get all the panchan side dishes, your jigae, bowl of rice and then they give you an earthenware bowl that they make the rice in, scoop out most of the rice, add hot water and you have this wonderful flavored rice with crusty brown bits at the bottom. Yumm! I love their spicy mixed soondooboo, and also their spicy kimchee version. I also enjoy their tak kalbi (chicken flavored kalbi style) dish, their squid dish (which comes out on a sizzling cast iron platter), and their pork hock (served cold in a traditional Korean style). Unfortunately, their kalbi isn't very good and not only do I refuse to order it, I don't let anyone I go with get it either after numerous failures. I would suggest you do the same. I mean, don't go to a burger joint to get their fried chicken. Also, take note about the panchan. They give you a raw egg to drop into your jigae. Don't make the mistake of thinking it is a hard boiled egg like some eager friends of mine have done (of course, I tried to tell them not to crack it). My grandparents live nearby this place and my grandmother loves it when I visit her for lunch and bring her this jigae. It is not only good on my standards, but also my 91 year old grandmother's. Yes, it's that good. The ambiance is wood paneled, well lit, clean. Nothing special. On a final note, this isn't fancy food, but it's damn good. I think of it as Korean comfort food. Please enjoy!
(4)Reo T.
Went here twice with my co-worker and gotta say, happy to find a nice soon-tofu restaurant in queens. I always get the combination soon-tofu VERY SPICY and at times, the kalbi bbq beef. Side dishes can be better but definitely worth the price. They are very fast and service is good. Definitely recommend this place if your in a hurry and needs to be fulfilled!
(4)Saskia S.
Unassuming little place, with very very delicious food. Seafood soondubu for me, and beef for the husband. Pretty glad that I read some reviews before going--because those eggs they put on the table, they are raw! And they add a great richness to an already delicious broth when you break them directly into the bubbling clay bowl in front of you. I think that the server assumed that we couldn't take the spice and pushed us towards medium for me and mild for the husband. But they very nicely brought more of the spicy pepper paste so we could amp it up, and all was forgiven. Husband isn't even a big tofu person, but the broth and the spice and the rice all together make for a really great bite. Bit of a trek for us, but we'll be back!!
(5)Beau W.
I'm tempted to give this place 3 stars but it's better than "ok". As other Yelp reviews have alluded to, the service here is in need of serious improvement. Don't expect any help at all with the menu. That's exactly why I'm writing this review. If you're not a big eater - one order of soondubu (soft tofu) will probably be too much. My girlfriend and I almost always split meals but felt like splitting a $9 dish was being too stingy. Now I'd say: have no shame and share a soondubu. With the side of white rice and complimentary banchan (small dishes served with meal) - one order is plenty for two people. Also, be warned that you're best off ordering your soondubu in the spicy zone. They'll give you an option from mild to very spicy. Doctor's orders require me to stay away from spicy food at the moment and the mild soondubu was so bland I was barely able to stomach it. Judging from the flavorful banchan and other yelpers feedback, the spicy or mild-spicy soondubu is much better. It seems crazy, but the staff at this place gives customers no instruction on how to eat their food. As other reviews have mentioned, careful with the eggs that come with the banchan: they're raw and meant to be cracked into the boiling hot soondubu. Things to remember before visiting Natural Tofu: -be prepared for crappy service. -share dishes (the soondubu are massive). -never order the mild option (always spicy) unless you want an extremely bland meal. -the eggs served with the banchan are RAW.
(4)Astami B.
I've been coming to this place since it opened and they have yet to disappoint. I always say I'll get something new but I just can't get enough of their seafood soft tofu. I must say, if you don't like spicy, this isn't a dish to be had on the mild side (without the spice, it tastes rather bland), but fear not... they make an amazing galbi (short ribs) dish that is not spicy and wonderfully flavorful. The servers always start each meal with roughly 4-6 little dishes of appetizers and it's always a nice way to wait for your main course. Super friendly and fast service. Be warned... you will leave smelling of a distinct i-just-ate-korean-food scent. Ball gowns should stay home.
(5)Eric L.
Food is always great. Octopus. Tofu. Seafood or just regular pancake. Service not a strong point. Luckily the food tastes great.
(4)Mana K.
I ordered seafood soup and vegetable soup. I ordered a pick up and it was pretty fast. As of quality, the seafood smelled weird in a sense that it was frozen or not fresh. It was pretty oily for my taste and kind of tasted like there was some msg in both of the soups. I don't understand why people say they are really good...
(3)Sen-Pei H.
I've been a patron of this place for a very long time and never had any complaints except for the delivery, which takes a while for some reason- and seeing that I live almost ten blocks away from this joint, it usually takes much longer. But who cares about delivery anyway, right? I think it's always best to eat at Korean restaurants- the clay pots, the ban chan, rolling trays of rice and crackling bibimbop is enough make one come just for the show. I've ordered every single thing on the menu and have had every type of ban chan that they have to offer. What I tend to order the most is the spicy combination tofu stew or the intestine stew (you have to ask for it). I would never order the bulkoki here, however, their kalbi is good. The general rule of thumb is that you should never order Korean BBQ at a place that doesn't have the grill or ventilation system on the table. Also, Sochu? Yes. Nigori sake? Yes. Both served here.
(4)XtiAn A.
I'm not into Tofu and I find that those dishes are a bit bland--However. their BBQ short ribs are DELISH!
(4)Nelson W.
Before I lived In Sunnyside, I dined here several few times when I came out to visit friends in the neighborhood. I was immediately impressed by this nice, clean, no-frills spot that offers you what the restaurant name boasts. Five deliciously soondobu options ($7.95 each) along with a few special dishes, highlighted by an impressive seafood pancake ($10) and tasty Galbi ($13). Just make sure you order at least spicy to avoid the soup from nearly being bland. Good portions at reasonable prices (compared to similar type spots in Manhattan). Excellent for dining, takeout, or delivery. There is everything to love about this spot. Now that I am living in the hood, Natural Tofu is definitely a candidate for weekly visits. 3.5 Stars.
(3)PD K.
Best soft tofu jjigae place in Queens. I would give 4 stars if the location was in better area. But the taste is very good!
(3)Ann C.
I just really liked this place for no particular reason. Okay there were reasons, but they're not good ones: - I like that they give you a raw egg to crack into your sizzling tofu bowl. I'm sure other places do the same, but that's not the point. - I like how there are so many appetizers. I realize all Korean places do this and in fact, some places I've gone to have given even more. But again, that's not the point. - The soybean/mushroom/beef tofu was soft and savory and warm. It was like getting hugged from the inside. - The rice it came with was glistening and pillowy. - I was hungry. The one bad thing was that they never gave us the green tea we ordered.
(4)Cicero B.
had the pork tofu and it was a cold weather and it was boiling and we ordered it extra spicy need i say more with the right amount of bakance. flavor it was just perfect and the ambience ??????? lets just say i felf like im in a korean novela scene
(4)Vidhi B.
Natural Tofu was highly recommended by a dear friend who is an asian food aficionado.The storefront looks very unimpressive and one could easily overlook their rundown signage.Two steps inside and you'll know you were totally wrong.They have a see through kitchen on your left when you walk in and before you even get a table your stomach will stir up a hurricane watching them cook.We were really pressed for time so decided to do a take out. We ordered the vegetable tofu soup and the khimchi vegetable soup.We watched our soup being prepared on high flames and it took them less than 5 minutes to pour them in the 32 oz take out containers.It came with an assortment of greens, khimchi and pototoes.The soup was divine.Next time we will get one level up in the heat because their medium spicy was not as spicy. The restaurant was packed with Asians on a Monday night.Definitely coming back again for dinner sometime soon.
(4)Vienna C.
Seafood tofu soup is a must for those who like seafood!! We were there because of the pan fried squids. It was really good and spicy. Price is reasonable and environment is good for family and couple. It's not smoky like traditional korean restaurant.
(4)Julie A.
I came very close to cracking a raw egg on the table here. Thinking it was hard-boiled (why else would eggs be included in the spread of delightful Korean appetizers), I was mid-downswing when my friend grabbed my arm and hissed WHAT ARE YOU DOING? That was embarrassing, but probably less so than smashing an egg all over myself. You live, you learn, I suppose. Anyways, the egg was much better submerged in bubbly pork soon dubu. I ordered mine spicy and it was perfect. I was definitely feeling the heat, and the tofu was silky and plentiful. I was able to beat the heat by alternating with a sweetish, cold broth with pickled vegetables that came among the appetizers. My friend got his seafood soon dubu "very spicy" - I couldn't quite take it, but he was happy. Service was great, music was amusing (very enthusiastic K-pop), and incredibly convenient to the train.
(4)Kim D.
I live across the street from this place but haven't tried until today because it just looks so plain from the outside. But thanks to yelp, I read good reviews and decided to fulfill my Korean food craving and had myself an early dinner. Came around 5pm was the only customer in. It soon got busier after me though. Ordered myself a Kimchi Tofu Soup (my staple dish when trying a new Korean restaurant, reviews also imply that tofu soups are their specialty). I was pleasantly surprised. It was indeed a very delicious dish. Tofu soups to me are usually mediocre to decent but Natural Tofu's soup was very flavorful. It stood out for me and moved pass the "just another tofu soup" list. Their appetizers were also quite good though I usually like more pickled vegetables or potatoes but hey, it's free, can't really complain. The prices were also quite reasonable. This is definitely a place I'd go back to. Luckily I live right by it. Also, it's directly next to the 7 Train 40th Street stop.
(4)Kelly S.
Delicious food! The bibimbop can be made vegan, as i'm sure most all the menu items can be, and it was so good. Huge portions and abundant gochugang, the best condiment in the world. Only reason for the missing star is that I wish they had some menu items you could order 'as is' instead of being like "no meat, no egg, no fish..." Because it seems like i'm still paying for it. But whatever, I will def be back again!
(4)Kayo N.
I just got back from lunch here today. It was surprisingly empty, for a nice saturday afternoon. Compared to the dishes at the Manhattan location, the seafood soon dubu was not as sharp and flavorful. The seafood (oyster, mussels, shrimp) was a little tough and overcooked. The request for "Spicy" didn't give enough heat, but it was plenty to satisfy my craving for capsicum. Service was just a little sluggish but fine. Overall, not a terrible option for Sunnyside and a reasonable Korean lunch option since for$ 7.95, you also get a full assortment of banchan.
(3)Vlad G.
Too bad for this place that it lacks good staffing. My wife and myself life in the neighborhood and we eat at least once a month here. Today the waitress that we had was very impolite, she took my wife's order and then walked away. Two times. She never let me finish my order, she walked away quick. Finally I walked to the front and asked her to stay so I can place my order. She gave us faces that's when I decided to cancel my part of the order. I will never forget this girl. I will always keep eating here just not by her hand.
(1)Ian C.
I'm not a big fan of tofu. But my friend was able to convince me to go by asking "hey, want to go to Natural Tofu Restaurant?" I'm so easily persuaded. I figured that there would be other things on the menu besides tofu. There are-- i ordered their spicy pork dish. But I really wanted the banchan. That's my favorite part of Korean food. The menu, though, is pretty limited with 15 items (or something like that). Actually, at first I thought there was a lot to choose from. One side was in Korean and the other side was in English. Menu-reading fail. There are a lot of tofu options, hence the name of the establishment. Should I have gotten a tofu dish? Yeah probably. Not saying the spicy pork was bad. It was great. But I think I may have cheated myself out of a good tofu, even if I don't like it. I'll be back eventually. Love the banchan, so at least there's that.
(3)Sooah L.
I love this place. Reasonable price and great food. Only drawvack is uneventful amount of the dish and the cashier. I visited the location three times in a row (I love tofu!) And each time amount of food I received was different. Also, I think they should hire a new cashier. The female cashier who I encountered during my each visit was extremely rude and ignorant. One time, she was answering the phone when I walked in and didn't even bother to look at the customer who just walked in. Rather, she kept me waiting until her conversation was over and said, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?". She was absolutely lack of customer service and obviously didn't care at all. The only explanation I could find was that she was the daughter of the owner.
(3)Canny F.
I ordered the veggie soft tofu for 7.95. It has mushrooms, miso soybean, broccoli, and carrot. As for the side dishes, each person had kimchi soup, and their kimchi was spicy! Yum! I tried new side dishes here and they played Korean music! The water service was good but I felt they could have been friendlier. The pancake was oily, which is expected because it was fried, but besides that, there was nothing special to the pancake. FYI: this is not where you bbq meat, they cook it for you.
(4)Sasha C.
i wish their menu was just a taddd much bigger. they have all the soon dobu that you'd want to create, and varying levels of spicyness. my bf loves coming here but too bad i don't really. the galbi and appetizers are all very yummy. the seafood pancake as well but i think these are pretty standard things for korean restaurants. i wish they had bulgogi over rice, but they lack a lot of the rice dishes. the banchan is only ok but my fave was the fishcake strips.. which i think they dont always serve anymore, and they serve this cold soup at the end of the meal but i have no idea what it is because its sour.
(3)Mary F.
The Bad - L.A. Galbi (no taste whatsoever...my friend makes better ones and she isn't even korean) - Seafood pancake (oily--people who claim this is good probably didn't ever try it before) - Customer service (took forever for refill on water) - Bibimbop (wasn't that horrible but wasn't that great either--I had better) The Good - Spicy Pork Fried (yum--nice type of spicy) - Any tofu soups - Cool spoon covers The Bottomline- Worth checking out just for their tofu soups and spicy pork fried. Other than that, don't bother coming. Their bibimbop has soggy rice and their side dishes doesn't even come with much of a variety. Just go on over to Flushing for something more yummy.
(2)Sally C.
The only reason I come to this restaurant is because it's one of the few decent places to eat in the Sunnyside area. The menu selection is sparse - they don't even offer some of my favorite dishes like Jap Chae. The seafood soon dubu is tasty...that's usually my defacto choice when I come here. I like my soon dubu hot all the way through my meal so I wish they would keep it heated while being eaten so that the last drop is just as piping hot as the first spoonful. Some other Korean restos I've been to provide a fuel food warmer under the pot while it's served at your table. I also order the Bi Bim Bop often and that's pretty good. Though they've gotten cheap recently and give only one egg whereas they used to give 2. The kalbi is do-able but there are too many bones and tendons and not enough meat. It is also not quite "juicy" enough. The pho is not great...I would not order that again.
(3)Collin B.
This place is just awesome. When you sit down you are presented with a huge spread of Korean pallet cleansers/appetizers. The iconic dish of this place is the soondooboo which is a boiling cauldron of tofu, broth, veggies and either meat or seafood. The coolest part is that it comes to your table boiling hot and they give you a whole egg to crack into it. Its pretty fun. Next to the awesomeness of the food the price is a big selling point. It's very affordable! The soondooboo runs around $9 and combined with the free appetizers this is enough to fill up most people. The kimchi/scallion/pork pancakes are also freakin' awesome and the portion is huge for the price. Check out the good video review on this site to see it in action: chow.com/videos/show/ny-…
(5)Di X.
Absolutely love this place! My hubby and I love korean food. They have the best L.A Galba must try! I always get seafood tofu soup! Soooo good. Such a comforting food! Definitely Recommend this place!
(5)Francis T.
After being recommended by some of my friends to this place, I came here on 3 other occasions with my friends and they all loved this place. Not only can you get a small stone pot of tofu w/ a bowl of rice and a very good amount of kimchi for less than $10, but this place makes great tofu in combination of some of the ingredients and toppings they put in that pot of tofu. In addition, if you're with a group of friends, go order their hae mol pa jeon aka seafood pancake.
(4)Dani Y.
My favorite restaurant in Sunnyside. Get your sundabu fix! Kimchi and pork and soybean are my favorites.
(4)Bobby D.
Domo arigato Mr. Roboto... This place is better than soju dripping off a strippers neck. Word, Konichiwa to all the employees there. The soft tofu soup - get it spicy - yummy to the tummy. The pancake (either kimchi or seafood), and no, they are not served with Aunt Jemima, are just perfect openers to this great entree menu. One of sunnyside's gems.
(4)Rosebud B.
Gone a few times now, and ordered a few different soondubu- the kimchi, intestine and combo. Hits the spot every time, and the staff and kitchen are friendly and helpful. If you really want SPICY, you have to ask for it.
(5)Lance C.
Great spot. Everything I tried was solid.
(4)Vincent W.
I'm currently eating here as I write this review. Guess who's eating across from me... The cooks, eating their bland tofu that they serve in this sad establishment. Quick bullet points: -been here before, only came hoping the place would change but they didn't - tofu is bland, not spicy as I ordered, and like one person said, supermarket mix is correct - last time I went to bcd on northern blvd, even they were mediocre. Better than this, but just a heads up. -waiter seated me and I have yet to see him. 15% tip? - leaving now, meal is half eaten. - never again. Don't come here for real bcd. Come here because its close or because you just have to. Otherwise, run far far away.
(1)Käären S.
The Vegetarian Soft Tofu is steady staple take out for us. We call our order in before we cross the Queensboro/Ed Koch Bridge & pick it up 10 to 12 minutes later. Love the kimchee varieties. We've eaten in too & love the bimimbop. Good prices.
(4)Andy C.
First thing I'll say is that this place is much better than BCD Tofu House. The prices are great and the food taste a lot better as well. I had the seafood soondubu the first time I came and there was maybe 1 mussel and 2 clams which was very disappointing. After my friend told me to get the combination soondubu, I finally had a decent serving of meats. L.A. Galbi is a must and the seafood pancakes as well. The little appetizers that they set up are awesome, the fish cake and kimchee are the bomb.
(4)Mimi M.
Best Soon Dubu place in Queens! Pretty reasonable, quick service and their free Korean appetizers are always fresh and tasty! My favorite dishes are soybean soon dubu, kimchi pajun and BBQ pork but everything is so delicious here.
(4)Yippy S.
Being that I am korean, I was really surprised at how bland the soup was. The soup was def. diluted and I knew they used the soup mix from the supermarket. For a quick fix I guess it's okay... The best tofu soup I think is still on 74th St & Roosevelt Ave @ the 24 hour place... The waiter never came back after we ordered so that was a big FAIL This place is def. more Americanized..
(2)Nuch P.
3.5 overall. although, the spicy seafood soup is 4. i thought the bimkabob (?) was kinda blah. loved the kimchi. nicely seasoned. the service was nice. i will return for the spicy seafood soup. my friends order the mild/medium.... boring. if u like spicy, ask for the very spicy. loved it. i like their tofu. crack the egg in the soup i tell u.
(4)Heidi B.
Fish breath.
(2)Jared C.
In an Irish world exists a small Korean oasis serving above-average dishes away from the Koreatowns of either midtown Manhattan or Flushing. Natural Tofu provides a simple menu which focuses on core dishes and leaves nothing up to chance. Naturally, I had come to compare their specialty signature dish to my current favorite bowl of boiling amazingness from Seoul Garden. The first impression was good: $2 cheaper, priced at $7.95. The dish itself was far above average, but still not quite on the level, and will not take the title. Apparently the vegetable version was hit or miss, as one of my companions received a very bland bowl. All of the banchan were up to par as well, brought out as usual before the meal. Sometimes I feel like the busy restaurants on 32nd Street do not provide a good variety of these tastes, but that was not a problem here. At our table there was also a lot of satisfaction with the meat dishes as well. The boolkoki ($12, you do not BBQ it yourself) and L.A. Golbi ($13) were both hits and completely devoured. The latter was slightly sweet, an unusual? twist on what I have sampled before. No one was that impressed by the pancakes ($10 each), but they also disappeared by the end of the meal. I would recommend this place to come with friends to share, and surround yourself with all the banchan and meat dishes you can. It works out very economically, and quite delicious of course.
(4)Jules L.
Quickly, crack the egg in! No grill on the table here, you're in a soondubu spot. Boiling tofu stew is served in an iron bowl with a side of rice and a few banchan. Although they have different levels of spiciness to choose from, they are somewhat inconsistent with it. So if you like spicy, tell them, "as spicy as possible," they should get the message. Banchan is about half of what they would serve in a Korean BBQ joint but still satisfying. Oh and make no mistake, even though it is -10 degrees outside, you will be getting a bowl cold soup! But come for the tofu and spray your clothes with Febreze when you get home.
(4)Chris B.
This place is pretty convenient for me so I'm stoked to have found a cool Korean spot in the area that I like. Still looking to try more so I'll update when I get around to that. We ordered the seafood pancake ($11.95) and a bowl of the kimchi soft tofu with pork ($9.95). I'd say the seafood pancake was a bit bland but with the soy sauce mixture they give you with the free bon chon appetizers and some sriracha we asked for on the side, it was actually really good. But by itself it was a bit plain tasting. The bowl of kimchi soft tofu was really really hot so we had to wait awhile to eat it. You get a raw egg to crack into it and let it cook which is fun. But it definitely takes some time so munch on some of the other things in the meantime. The pork was a bit dry but the broth was amazing, we ordered it medium and the spice was perfect for my taste. The soft tofu itself really didn't do anything for me but the rest was great. Lots of flavor but still a kick of spice. My nose was running just slightly. I'd definitely try to seafood or beef next time though as the pork was a bit dry. All in all, this place is really cool and I'd definitely give it another try. I'd maybe try some of the BBQ dishes next time.
(4)Solomon C.
As from previous reviews, the menu was limited but I enjoyed that. It's soft tofu soup house, and they should leave the menu limited, which was fine. Restaurant was clean. Waiter looked like he just woke up from his bed and took our order. Unfortunately, it took them about 15minutes to bring our food out. Place like this for tofu soup, it should take less than 10 minutes to cook our food especially since they only had 1 other customer in the restaurant. Food was mediocre. We also ordered the Spicy Pork, Jeyuek Bokkum, presentation was sloppy. I know the meat is oily but I've seen better presentations of one of my favorite food. Would I go there again? Probably not with all the other restaurants I've yet to explore in the neighborhood.
(2)Christine Y.
Pros : There wasn't a lot of people on a Sunday. I got the combination tofu and the gabi. It was all great. The tofu is better than bcd tofu 's tofu. I didn't notice any consistency difference and the mild is less spicy which i didn't mind. Order a level of spicy up if you want spicy. The combination had a lot more clams and beef than the one at bcd tofu. The $17 galbi here was juicier and had more quantity than the $25 (normal price) galbi at bcd tofu. That's a deal!!! They even cut it for you here. Cons: I came here based on the good reviews. I read that the service wasn't good here. I can see why. They forgot to give us four bowls of rice instead of three. However, The Spanish guy who works there made up it by coming by often to refill our water. The other servers did come When we needed them even if they weren't in the actual vicinity. The five side dishes were definitely lacking. The kimchi tasted sour and the only thing i liked was the bean sprouts. They refilled our side dishes when we asked though. For two tofu bowls and galbi, total was ~$47. Better than normal prices at bcd tofu. I would come again for the tofu and meat! And I'd try Korean bbq chicken! One star off for the service and side dishes.
(4)T Z.
Food is good but the service is very poor and disappointing. Makes you not enjoy the food, instead of placing the food in front of you, then kind of throw it and does not pass anything around. Especially the short waiter, gives attitude to customers makes the experience so bad. Created yelp account just to speak for this restaurant, will never eat there again. Until they train there employees and make it a enjoyable environment for families and everyone else.
(1)Amy C.
*Must Try: Seafood Pancake! *Barbeque Boolkoki is really tasty. *Combination Soft Tofu Bowl has everything you need. (Beef, Shrimp, Clams, Mushrooms.) *ALL tofu bowls are ~$8.
(4)Tammy W.
Pretty good! Came here because I wanted to try something not BCD. I came around 1:30pm Saturday. There weren't many people there so we got a table quickly. The menu is small and on the paper placement. I ordered the kimchi soondubu with beef for $9.95 in mild. After they took the order, the waiter brought us the appetizers. Not as many as BCD but enough. The good came pretty quickly and we asked for more appetizers. mine was really was really good. not too spicy but there it was definitely spicy. Overall food was really good. I'm not sure if they charged us for the refilled appetizers. Credit/debit card is minimum $15 No parking lot but there is street parking or meter parking.
(4)Thu D.
The food selection is limited but the place is clean and the service was good. I would recommend the Seafood Jigae. It is good. Every dish comes with a variety of side dishes. They also have the Beef Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) which is not very good. I wouldn't recommend this dish. The pan cake is doughy. As I don't eat a lot of bread, to have a heavier more flour full pan cake is not my preference. I wish they would deliver.
(3)Anna L.
I don't know why but I think the food here IMPROVED significantly. I am a regular here now and love everything on the menu besides the LA Galbi. The seasoning is fine, but as time has passed, the cut has gotten thinner and thinner but the price has stayed the same. This is a horrible deal and they should be ashamed of themselves. I still am annoyed that they don't serve hot soup with their bibimbap, but I've found a way to get over the saltiness of the kimchi pancake with pork. I ask them to take out the pork and it's perfect! It's now one of my favorite items!
(4)M S.
We go here or order for pick up at least once a week. The tofu soups are so good!! Sometimes when we have the time we sit in and enjoy the dolsat bibimbap and the crunchy rice at the bottom of the pot. Yum. This is a sunnyside staple for sure.
(5)May P.
This place is a spicy delicious bargain. I get my kimchee chi gae and apps for about $10. It's so good that there are a lot of people who come and get dinner by themselves. It's well decorated and clean inside and the service is quick and friendly.
(4)Natty B.
Remember Williamsburg back in '97, when Thai food was the bellweather nonpareil of gentrification? Well, mark my words, kids -- the hipsters are now following the Koreans. Repeat, Korean is the new Thai. You heard it here first.
(3)Jenna H.
After passing by this place every day coming home from the subway, I finally stopped in on an unpleasantly rainy August day. I walked away happy, warm, full, and incapable of describing what I had just eaten. I can the combination tofu, which--according to the menu--involved beef, clams, shrimp, and other things I don't quite remember. It was an incredibly flavorful stew that took on completely new flavors depending on which little side dish you ate after your mouthful of soup (my favorite was the shredded boiled potatoes). Just...just go. Try it. It's great. Wow.
(4)Bryce A.
Boolkoki
(4)Risa C.
This is by far my favorite soondubu (sp?) place I've been to, and soondubu would by my last meal if I was sentenced to death row, so I've had it at quite a few places. The spicy stews are served in a steaming hot casserole bowl and the broth has a rich spicy and meaty flavor to it. The grilled squid here is equally as amazing with a perfect carmelization between the spicy bbq sauce and onions. Plus they grill the squid whole and then cut it tableside and serve it on a sizzling plate which is a nice touch. I've also had the pork with kimchee and tofu (no idea of the dish's name) but that's also perfect with the sauteed kimchee having a perfect level of fermentation and cookededed-ness without getting mushy or being too raw. The service is about what you would expect from an Asian restaurant ("what would you like," "here's your food," "here's your check") but if you need anything they're pretty helpful and very quick and efficient although you do usually have to flag down a waiter for a tea or water refill. On the other hand they've also actually asked me if I wanted some more of the banchan they bring out in the beginning when they saw we demolished the bean sprouts - so, it balances out. Ambiance...I've heard everything from pop to k-pop to classical to wu-tang coming from the speakers...and the tables are wood with banquettes or chairs...nothing crazy. Long story short people are coming here for the food. And on a side note, despite being on the Blvd of death it's really easy to get parking since there's a municipal lot across the street...and it's like 5 feet from the train.
(5)Todd S.
good stuff. I got the beef tofu and it was really tasty. My choices were mild or spicy. I usually can't handle k-town 'spicy' these days so i chose mild. Next time i'm choosing spicy. I have a feeling they are extra care w/ the spice due to the fact they are no-longer in K-town anymore 'toto'. I'll def be back!
(4)Veronica B.
I visited again about 2 weeks later during lunch time & had a slightly more enjoyable experience. I had a different waiter & luckily he was competent enough to get me & my companion's order correctly. I always order "very spicy" soondubu & what I realized about Natural Tofu is that they don't do it "very spicy" in flavor at all. Instead it tastes more like mild to me I can easily be fooled because the temperature of the food is ridiculously hot; almost constantly nonstop boiling. However, apparently all the workers including waiters/manager/kitchen/busboys have lunch at the same time so there were definitely no refills on water without us flagging one of them down. Food is okay but service kinda kills it, I'd really rather go to BCDs even if it is dirtier.
(2)Tiff O.
This place is yummyy! No, i'm not korean and even after reading some annoyed reviews, I still stand firm with my five stars- their jaeyook is excellent!! But be sure to order the one with tofu. All of their soondubu is great. I'm a regular.
(5)Ravi J.
Sundubu Jigae heaven! This small restaurant at the base of the 40th-Street 7 stop in Sunnyside serves up fragrant velvety versions of Korean silken tofu stew: sundubu jigae. My wife and I both ordered the haemul seafood version, and we were more than pleased with the bubbling caulderon of tofu heaven, steaming with pieces of clam and whole shrimps. The tofu was super fresh, and the red pepper flakes were full of flavor, not just heat. Banchan (side dishes) were also amazingly sharp, with perfectly sweet-sour kimchi, radish, sprouts, and other goodies. My favorite part of the menu was its simplicity. Only 19 items on the entire menu, and each one executed to perfection. This is definitely a good find.
(4)Jim K.
Proper Tofu Soups. YUM YUM YUM. But most other dishes I've ordered were just mediocre. If they had ONLY served Tofu soups and nothing else! or perhaps made everything else on the menu taste just as good as the tofu soups then I would've given this place a full score. This restaurant is on the verge of getting 5 stars. Hopefully they'll work on their other dishes. If so, this place has the potential to gravitate some major follwing. p.s. look outside the shop window and you'll get to see the kitchen inside and all them pillars of fire they burn up to heat those tofu soups. (5 star tofu soups) - (rest of the menu) = 4 stars.
(4)Ndub C.
The food is absolutely incredible. Ox-tail Soondubu and Noo-Rung-Ji has become a staple for me here! It's a hole in the wall type of place; keep in mind it's on a busy street so park is going to be difficult. However the food is well worth. The waitstaff and owner speak little to no English; so be patient. Don't expect a 5 star restaurant service, but do expect 5 star food because it is just that! It comes with of course the traditional Korean "side dishes" kimchi, korean pickles, bean sprouts, potatoes and sometimes anchovies. Yum! This is more of a tofu place than anything, if you're looking for the Korean BBQ place, I would suggest Dae Dong in Bayside. Here they will bring out the cool Bul-Go-Gi for you. There's no grill station at your table so the interactive part is lost. The atmosphere is simplistic; great winter meal to warm your tummy. A must return whenever I'm back in NY!
(4)Ana A.
I used to like this place alot until i tried better Korean food. if you eat here try the soudubu (tofu stews), I always have a mild seafood one or beef, but ive had way better soundubu in K-Town. The BBQ chicken is good, but inconsistent in portion size. The rice noodle soup is also very tasty, i tried the seafood pancake once but didnt enjoy it much. Service is kind but sometimes waiters go missing when i need something from them.
(3)Magdalena R.
Went here for lunch today (a Monday) after reading about it in an old issue of Time Out NY. First off, Korean is probably my favourite cuisine, and I love-love-love tofu, so I was excited to try this eatery. The inside was nicer than expected, with dark-stained wooden chairs and a partition that created a semi-alcove out of the back half. Upon arriving, the waiter indicated a table to me, but when he saw me hesitate he asked where I would like to sit, and it was fine with him. Barley (?) tea is served instead of water (very nice), and the menu is the placemat. The waiter soon came back to take my order, and was able to clearly answer my questions. (I ordered the seafood tofu pot.) Soon were arranged on the table the 6 banchan; I enjoyed the different paths the flavours took, along with the textures of the items. And then came the soondubu, and it was truly bubbling when it arrived at table! While the pot looks little, it holds a good amount of food - and there was more seafood in it than I would have expected. I had ordered it mild after reading different reviews on this site, and found that spicy enough (this comes from someone who enjoys spicy food). Service was unobtrusive, though present enough, and kind. One thing I really appreciated: the music was at a low volume = able to savour this delicious meal peacefully.
(4)Michael C.
If you are by yourself and cannot order more than $15 worth of food don't come here. I went there and order a Seafood Tofu ($9) for myself and received no service at all except when I initially placed my order. I wanted more water and KimChi in 2 occasions and they just completely blew me off like they didn't hear it and walked away. Not the best Korean food, but exceptionally bad service!!!!!!!!
(1)Natasha A.
This was absolutely delicious. The bonchon (little side dishes) are great, especially the fish cakes and the seaweed. The tofu soup is large, and comes with a cold appetizer food and rice in addition to the bonchon (sorry if I spell this wrong). For about $10 bucks this was a great meal and one of the best Korean tofu soups I have ever had.
(5)Irene F.
Man oh man this is a great great spot! Came here with Natasha and Kevin, and then again with Sheryl and co, and I'll be back many more times. The bin chon is a heavenly array and they will keep refilling it until you beg for mercy! Choose your spice level, and get ready for some fun! I've had the bibimbap and the tofu soup, both were excellent, the portions are beyond enormous! The soup lasted me for lunch the next day! I will be back and back and back again, but I don't think I am going to do delivery because then you miss out on the bon chon, and that's just not right.
(5)Foodie C.
My Korean friend brought me here a while back and I have been going there ever since. I'm not sure what they put into the food that makes me crave it so much but it is always a great meal :) The little side dishes (4-6) of kimchi and other (usually) healthy seeming sides makes the place such a great deal. One of the other reviews said that they were small, and they are, but my girlfriend said you can tell them you want more and they re-fill it free of charge! While I'm sure there is a limit to that courtesy, it is a nice bonus. I highly recommend this place if you are in the area. The soups are great but my fav is the gob dol bibim bap, but be sure to mix it well or the rice gets hard and chewy! I usually take some out after mixing (dont' forget to add spicy sauce) to cool faster so I can eat it... but keep mixing the rest periodically. It is a good, healthy & filling meal that you may just get hooked on ;)
(4)Joe S.
Korean food and I have had a turbulent relationship over the past few years. I first tried it somewhere near the old Knitting Factory before playing a show there. What I received was some weird mixture of food that was lukewarm, lacking in flavor and edible only in the sense that one could chew and swallow it. Since then I've tried various places with their kimchi and udon soups, but I felt like nothing I'd eaten had been exceptional or even really noteworthy. I'd yet to taste something and go, "ah, yes, so this is what Korean food means." Flash forward to tonight: the girlfriend and I are in the mood for something different but not exceptionally heavy on the stomach. Looking through my bookmarks on my Yelp! iPhone app (man, i feel dirty typing something like that), she says "how about this 'Natural Tofu' place?" The "menu" (essentially your place mat IS the menu) does not have dozens of options, but what is there all appears to be delicious. We each ordered a soup (mine vegetarian and hers a dish consisting primarily of beef and tofu). As the name of this restaurant suggests, tofu plays a large role in the majority of the dishes (though barbecued meats and squid are also available). And though it plays a large role, it doesn't mean that everything is vegetarian. Even though the tofu may appear to take center stage, it's content to act as a textural agent. Immediately after ordering, we were given several dishes of small portions of food. Fairly certain that these were probably meant to go into the soup, I said "let's wait a second" before diving in. The raw eggs in a bowl seemed to confirm that we were, indeed, about to cook our own ingredients. (It turns out I was 80% right as there's also a "cold soup" you're supposed to eat by itself) Several minutes later, out come two iron crocks filled with intensely boiling, bubbling, delicious-smelling soups. We add what we like and dig in. Thus far it should be fairly obvious that I'm pretty unfamiliar with most Korean food, but after our experience here, I plan to do plenty of catching up on a cuisine I've neglected for so long. The soups were flavorful, piping hot and wonderfully spicy (the spice can be altered to taste, though). A perfect type of meal on the cold, rainy, horrible excuse for a week this September has given us. As the winter arrives, I'm sure I'll be here often, finding creative ways to warm myself up from the snow. The fact that it's open until midnight further solidifies my inevitable addiction to this place. As far as first impressions go, Natural Tofu has immediately made me a die-hard fan who plans to pester all of his friends until they are convinced to hop on the train to Sunnyside.
(5)Gino M.
The Ban Chan was GOOD. My Korean Girlfriend said it was "average" but I have to say it was better than average because the Kim Chi was very spicy (which I like) and they had Marinated Dried Squid (Which I love) and also a great Pickled Root dish. The Seafood Soon Tofu was GOOD. We agreed that Beverly Soon Tofu in Los Angeles had better Soon Tofu. Somewhat better, but more importantly MUCH MORE POTENT. The Natural Tofu recipe was much more mild in flavor...much more of a chicken stock flavor dominating what is typically a bevy of flavors. The Bibimbap was OK. Like the Soon Tofu, it was underwhelming for a dish that is typically a complex explosion of flavor. The Namul (dried & marinated vegetable...we weren't sure which leafy green) was the highlight of texture and flavor within the Bibimbap and there wasn't enough of it. The overall flavor was flat and "off". The Spicy BBQ Squid was POOR. The Spicy BBQ Sauce was not good at all and the Squid wasn't as fresh as I need when eating BBQ Squid. We will be spreading out from this Queens destination...searching for flavor and authenticity always.
(3)Alex C.
One of the best Korean food restaurants. Their highlights are Tofu dishes. (Tofu is made with soy if anyone really wondered) These are served with rice and your choice of beef, vegetable or plain. It also ranges from very mild to very spicy. I usually get the spicy and it's good. If you're not a fan of Tofu their sizzling platters are tasty as well. They have chicken which is a little spicy, beef and if you like, squid which is also a little spicy. Then they have seafood pancakes and common Korean dishes Bibimbap rice and meat with veggies in a stone bowl. I'm not sure if I left some dishes out. But It's definitely worth a visit. The interior is small but cozy.
(4)Will F.
Natural Tofu is one of my fav Korean tofu places in the 5 boros. I love their tofu stews and occasionally have cravings for it so I'll drive all the way from one end of Brooklyn to get it! The tofu stews are just the right amount of flavors without being too salty. The tofu is smooth and light. Service isn't bad but the food is a must try. The final reason you should try is their prices - very reasonable. Overall I give Natural Tofu a grade of 4 rice buckets!
(4)Mikolaj F.
Pretty good Korean place, with a lot more than just tofu. The "soup" dishes are good, but the bbq dishes not as much. See more info here: sunnysidefood.com
(3)Mirai S.
The best sundubu (Korean tofu soup) in NYC hands down! I love sundubu. It's tasty, healthy, and spicy! Before knowing about this place, my favorite place to go was BCD in Manhattan. Well, no more need for me to commute from Queens anymore WOO!! I came here with my Korean friend and it was Korean approved as well. He said that, "Sundubu in Korea tastes good everywhere, so it's acutally hard to find a sundubu that stands out. This place however stands out, and will probably be famous even if it was in Korea. Kinda tastes similar to the No.1 rated sundubu joint in Seoul." Also, the price you pay here is cheaper than any Korean restaurants in Manhattan. I am definetely coming back!
(5)Sokin W.
Let me begin by saying that Korean food is not for the faint of heart. Not because the ingredients are too exotic or distasteful for the western palate, but mostly due to the flavor profile. Dishes are such that they tend to pack a punch either in spice or intensity of particular flavors. Not really first date food unless both of you have had Korean food before; I feel like going out for Korean would be reserved after the all important third date, and bodily fluids have been exchanged. This restaurant specializes in Soon Tubu, a silken tofu hotpot served bubbling hot in an earthenware casserole. It's served with a raw egg that you crack open and drop in while the contents are still bubbling, to create a kind of hot and spicy eggdrop soup, but it would be wrong to say that it's anything like the aforementioned foodstuff. This is Korean comfort food at some of it's best, a great value, I always get the Kimchi Soon Tubu and it's never failed to satisfy. If I'm with a group I also get the Chicken Galbi. Full disclosure, I'm of Korean descent, so I order pretty much everything in Korean and only look at the menu to see if any changes have been made. The chicken is served piping hot and sizzling on a metal platter with korean chili paste slathered on. It's also got a slight sweetness to counteract it's spice. Further disclosure, I LOVE spicy food, so sometimes it's hard for me to tell if things are too spicy for others. I really like the way that they cook it with the right amount of char on the bits of meat. Beyond the Soon Tubu and bbq chicken they have a pretty solid offering of ban chan, basically little appetizers or side dishes that are standard at a Korean meal. Other items that I've sampled are the octopus and kimchi pancakes. The octopus was tasty but a little too chewy for me, but I've never had octopus that wasn't ever not chewy, I just think that's how octopus is; perhaps one day I'll be proven wrong. Kimchi pancakes were tasty and not too greasy or doughy. If ever you're in Sunnyside and curious about this little place I'd definitely recommend you to stop in. For those that are unadventurous and can tolerate spicy food I'd go with the BBQ Chicken. But really the heart and soul of this spot is its Soon Tubu.
(5)Matthew A.
It's a little daunting giving what might easily be the only review of less than three stars for this place, but hopefully my dissenting opinion won't offend anyone. I guess my biggest issue may not even be a legitimate one. I just don't enjoy soft tofu whatsoever, an important factor at a restaurant that seemingly highlights this ingredient. If you happen to enjoy soft tofu, then you can probably just stop reading and disregard anything I have said so far, but for those who have never tried it, I don't think it's far fetched to say that it is not for everyone. It certainly wasn't for me. It's basically a tofu taste, just "slimy" or "velvety smooth" depending on how you look at it. Imagine a texture where you're not quite sure whether to chew, or just swallow and hopefully not choke. For the record, I really enjoy regular (hard?) tofu and I'm hesitant to say it's just shock value...I don't think I'll ever like soft tofu. Beyond that, I also wasn't impressed by the soup itself. I'm not even sure if it was a broth because it just struck me as spicy water without any other flavors involved. I mean, it wasn't terrible by a long shot, but I much rather have a Thai Tom Yum or Chinese Hot n' Spicy. I'm sure when I go back and try out the sizzling platters or pancakes I'll rescind the low-ish rating, but for now it stays at two stars.
(2)Asmika D.
My friend took me here because he loves tofu. I, however, have never had a good experience with tofu. But I love him so I figured I'd give it another shot, why not? Their menu is very small. They feature six different soups but they're HUGE though. For $7.95, you could get filled up on one of those, the rice and the side dishes they provide alone. But we also had the spicy pork fried dish. It wasn't too spicy nor was it too mild, just the right amount. Not too many vegetables, mostly pork. Really good stuff. They feature ten main dishes but this place is mostly about the soups. It's all the rice you'd like to eat so that was awesome. The restaurant itself is very small and you can see the cooks cooking in the kitchen from the sidewalk. You can look at what they're cooking and then the seating is further in which gives it a very intimate feeling. The staff was very helpful, even on a Saturday night (7pm-ish). They leave you alone unless you raise your hand and motion someone over. I lived a block away from this restaurant for 8 years and about 15 minutes walking distance for another 3 and I can't believe I never found this gem.
(5)Herbet P.
A friend told me that this place was good and inexpensive - so on my lunch break i decided to stroll over there.... The staff was really friendly - and were open to explaining the plates.. I ordered the Combination Soft Tofu - which is as they have it written - Tofu boiled with beef, shrimp, clam, mushroom and green onion. Once you order they bring you hot tea, a variety of banchan and a raw egg for the soup. I ordered the mild (the second least spicy) because I was concerned with it being too spicy - but the mild is still really bland - I wound up dumping the kimchi into the soup. The meal was super filling and really good - and only $9 (which for lunch is pricey but for dinner would cheap!)
(4)Wendy L.
After living in Sunnyside for 20 years, I have finally found my neighborhood go-to restaurant. I will be living the American Dream here - too-lazy-to-cook because i'm too-busy-having-fun, i can finally let my kitchen piping rust and rot, use my oven for sweater storage, donate my dishes to the salvation army, stock my fridge with nothing but a bar of chocolate and bottles of wine, because most nights, i will be here, at the natural tofu restaurant, a comfortable hole in the wall, only steps away, my new home away from home. I'll never go hungry again, this place is super affordable and filling. I had the combination soft tofu and I can't wait to go back and try everything else.
(5)David P.
solid soon dubu place. nice and soft tofu in a pretty well seasoned broth. okay amount of seafood. kalbi was decent; rating is only for the soon dubu.
(4)Lucas S.
i have been coming here for tha past 3 years and the food is allways consistent. Love the LA Galbi=grilled short ribbs! keep the good work up guys!!!
(5)Lindsay G.
I nearly cried after tasting the tofu, pork and kimchee soup. It was that good. I still dream about it.
(5)sarah i.
I never wrote any reviews before but I thought I should share what I experienced in this restaurant. It was quiet monday lunch hour. Although there were only a couple tables, a Korean waitress was extremely rude - she made an angry face the whole time and almost threw those side dish plates to the table and kept chatting loud with cooks nearby the cashier counter. It was extremely uncomfortable and the food was horrible. I ordered beef tofu soup and I almost puked and left most of it. I don't know what kind of meat they use - I even doubt if they use "lawful" meat. I've been here a few times but thing are just getting worse and worse. Even side dishes tasted funny and seemed like they used "leftover" side dish from previous tables. Nasty. And of course after 10 minutes, the waitress threw the check to the table without saying anything. Writing reviews is cumbersome but this restaurant should not continue their business. WORST RESTAURANT EVER.
(1)Emily W.
The place is very simple but is at least clean and the service tries hard :) My first bowl of bim bim bap came with a hair in it. Ew. They immediately gave me another bowl sans hair. Of course being a tofu place they specialize in the boiling hot tofu dishes and theirs is quite good. We had the combination bowl which comes with beef and seafood. The side dishes are pretty standard if not a little sparse but the yumminess of the tofu and the bim bim bap made up for it (somewhat). I wouldn't come all the way out to Queens for this food again, but if you happen to be at the 40th st. stop, you might as well since it's right there!
(3)Lauren B.
I eat here regularly. The hotpot is delicious, the service is fast and they have vegetarian options. Also, the staff is more welcoming/friendly than many of the other Korean restaurants I have been to.
(4)Albert P.
Great Korean food at good prices.
(4)Syd L.
When I'm in the mood for a spicy, hearty soup, this place really hits the spot. I like spicy, but I get my soup "mild" because it still makes my nose run. I don't think I'd be able to handle the "spicy" version. It comes out boiling in a little cauldron and is chunky and delicious. Just a warning: the shrimp is not shelled and has eyes. It might be a shock for someone not expecting it.
(4)Shannon M.
Natural Tofu offers deliciously spicy tofu soup in a laid back atmosphere. No pretense, this is straight up comfort food. The service could be better but I do not come here for the stellar service. No the tofu soup is what keeps me coming back. I personally like the Soybean Soft Tofu soup and the Dolsot Bimbimbap that warms my bones on them cold cold days. But the oyster and seafood soup are awesome options as well. The seafood pancake and BBQ are also worthy mentions. The only downside... sometimes they deliver and sometimes they don't. I have been severely disappointed on a number of occasions. I am sure others can sympathize but when you want Korean tofu soup or k-food in general.. it's hard to switch gears and eat something else!
(4)Julie K.
05/08/08 because it's Parents Day in Korea... and I miss my parents a lot.. dedicated to my respectable parents.. If my mom was here, Natural Tofu would be her regular place.. one afternoon.. lazy-hungover THREE craved for spiciness.. heard Natural Tofu had really good SunDuboo Jjigae from my source before, and Joolie T. agreed with me.. and Maria M., she's a quarter Korean now, needed more training on spicy hot dishes.. for early dinner, we landed in family friendly Korean Duboo world! I do not exactly remember what we got. however, according to TWO other halves, we got lots of BanChan (side dishes), Bulgogi, Pa Jeon and two other reddest SunDuBoo, which I asked to reduce spiciness. oh, hell ya! it was SPICY! while we were digging our dishes, we got served with BoReeCha (Barely Tea) and NooRoongJi (slight burnt rice from Hot Stone Bowl) + more and more BanChan.. I really credit their consistent and kind service.. if you are nearby, I think you should check this place out.. hmmm.. I use the word, 'SHOULD'..!!
(4)Dano W.
We made the trip from Manhattan on one friend's whim, of course complaining the whole trip on the 7. To be perfectly honest, though, it's located just across the street from the 40th St. stop, probably more convenient than a lot of places on the island, depending on where you get on the subway. The place doesn't look like much -- the signs don't do much for non-Korean speakers, and the place wasn't crowded at all when we showed up during prime dinner hours, albeit a weeknight. Nothing special, but nice enough. We ended up with a good variety of dishes -- seafood pancakes, a mix of tofu stews, and some spicy pork. The sundubu is a bit of an acquired taste for a new diner, but by the end of my bowl I was definitely enjoying it. The other dishes were tasty too, but less of a specialty worth the little trip... The tofu dishes come very spicy, spicy, mild, or very mild (although I'm not sure how you can have two levels of mild). Based on my dish, I'd say the spicy is the way to go for a little kick. Other than that, a heads up about the portions. Our group was divided -- two of us finished our entrees and still had room for more, but luckily the other two had food to spare. I don't know if you'll find me there again, but as I sit back and write this, I'm still quite content. So not a bad little trip at all!
(3)Vivian H.
The food here was excellent! My family had 3 stone rice bowls, 2 tofu soups and one order of short ribs. Very delicious. They give us quite a bit of food and there was enough for lunch the second day. Affordable korean food and very yummy.
(4)Mary J.
The food was great! But the service wasn't nice, bitchy waitress, of course! Why you girls hating? I can't have a black cute sexy hubby? (PS, I am Asian, Taiwanese =) Anyway, follow what you guys said, I order BBQ chicken, seafood pancake, Beef tofu bowl, and another kind of beef thing, the BBQ chicken and "another beef thing" is alright, average, I will say, but the tofu is CRAZY! Although it scared my hubby when he saw that, he doesn't eat spicy at all, the whole red pot look pretty hot, but when you actual taste it, the soup is delicious and the tofu was fresh and smooth. Seafood pancake is also good, not too oily but crispy outside and soft inside. Will go back for sure for the fresh tofu!!
(4)Alex T.
Pow! This place has super tasty k-food. I tried their oyster jjigae and I almost licked the bottom of the bowl. Their tofu is the perfect consistency. So soft an velvety. Classics like k-style seafood pancakes are not overlooked here. Mucho seafood in every bite. Panchan was ok here but kimchi was very tasty. One thing that they do very k-style here is they bring out a big stone pot of rice, divvy it up, and keep the slightly burnt rice that sticks to the side fo the pot. They then add water so in a couple of minutes the burnt rice kind of melts into the water and creates this rice porridge that you eat with the jjigae. Overall, a very surprisingly good spot of Korean food in Sunnyside that made me a fan. The service was ok, not worth mentioning but the food really stands out.
(4)Mike L.
Consistent food at a good price. My favortite soon dubu in the city. They offer a similar menu to that joint in Fort Lee - natural tofu, kalbi (grilled short ribs) or ojinguh (grilled squid) on sizzling plate, and pajun (scallion pancakes). Additionally, they have Vietnamese pho for a change of pace. The chiges (casseroles) come in mild, spicy and very spicy. Anyway you order it, they all come with plenty of flavor and chock full of stuff. Nice and friendly staff and, although many Koreans eat here, a very diverse customer base indeed. Regular customer.
(4)Lil C.
Good value for price. Solid portion of food with banchan. Not crowded at night so you can even catch up with friends.
(4)KL C.
Best soondubu in NYC. Real tofu and not all broken pieces of tofu being called soondubu. Everything else on the menu is nothing to rave about but the tofu soup is the real star of the show here. I've had soondubu all over the city and Queens but always come back to this place. Also extremely close to the subway station - pretty convenient for those in Queens.
(5)amy g.
Quite simply - the worst Korean food I have ever eaten. Agree with the reviewer that said soup is diluted or made with mix from the supermarket. I really wanted to like this restaurant, as I live in LIC and don't feel like trekking to Manhattan k-town or Flushing every time I want Korean food. However, the food quality at this restaurant was unacceptable and I couldn't even finish my food. No taste, no spice, nothing. I never take the time to post bad reviews, but this place was so bad I had to make an exception. For those of you that don't know Korean food, please know that this restaurant is a gross misrepresentation, do yourself a favor and try Korean food at a better restaurant. 2 stars because at least the service was good.
(2)Harvey T.
I went earlier today, greeted very well by the staff, excellent service. I got the #4, which I think was Soondooboo if I recall correctly (or maybe it was Kim Chi Chigae).. anyway, I got Very Spicy. Like above poster mentioned... fuck... It was extremely spicy. Still manageable at the time, but I felt full from all that heat and 8 hours later, my ass is on fire. I dunno what the other users are saying about it being bland.. I mean really? You gotta be kidding, come back and edit your review after eating the very spicy.
(5)Alice C.
Was easily seated around 7pm on the weeknight that my friend and I arrived. Let me just let it be known that I loooove soondubu jjigae--my friend lives around the area and loves this place, so this seemed like a "natural" choice (harhar). Our banchan and rice were served soon after we ordered. They provide a good amount of banchan, especially for how low the prices are in comparison with places in KTown. We each ordered the beef tofu stew ($9), which was tasty but not especially so. I think the great thing about this place is how the prices are a bit lower, but I didn't find the food to be amazing. I love soondubu jjigae pretty much everywhere, so I wouldn't label this a destination spot at all. Still good though if you're in the area. Or if you're not, the commute out there from the city was surprisingly short, so it wouldn't hurt to give it a try!
(3)Steve O.
I also reviewed Sik Gaek which is 12 blocks away on Queens Boulevard. While I gave Sik Gaek a higher score I eat here more often. Soon doo boo is awesome and as hot as you can take it. Bul go gi solid, but this isn't a barbecue restaurant. Dolsot Bi Bim Bap is awesome and very liberal with the eggs. Beer and soju only. Natural Tofu has a somewhat limited menu and is essentially a family korean restaurant. Comfort food. Loses marks with me for lack of water refills (necessary with the way I like spicy food) and so so banchan. Doesn't do enough to wow me. Just enough to make me eat here at least once a week.
(4)Angelina K.
My boss and I stopped here for lunch after a meeting thinking it was going to be quick. Boy, were we wrong. We had to get out of our seat in order to flag down our waiter to take our order. We ordered seafood pancake and the seafood soft tofu soup. The seafood pancake was chewy-- and it had the consistency of bindae-dduk and not pa-jeon. (bindae dduk is made from mung beans and sticky rice rather than flour like most pa-jeon is). They forgot to bring out the soy dipping sauce... The tofu soup was OK, but I asked for spicy and I did not get anything remotely spicy. If we weren't in a hurry I would have asked them to re-cook it or something. Overall the food was unforgettable, mostly because it wasn't good. Service was friendly enough, but they have no structure to the serving system which makes it pretty unreliable.
(2)Laura Y.
I love BCD! Ever since their Ktown location closed, I couldn't think of a closer alternative than the ones in Flushing. But this restaurant lived up to my expectations of other soon dubu restaurants and I love it! Service was prompt, food was plenty and I loved how they served the rice that stuck to the pot. I also love how much closer Sunnyside is to my house compared to Flushing so I will probably be coming more often!
(5)Saori I.
The best seafood soft tofu!!! I got the mild one and it was still spicy. But, when you drop the raw egg on the top of the soup, it made everything mild which was great!! I will come here next time and try the oyster soft tofu!
(5)T K.
best, cheap, fast, a lot,
(5)Jordan C.
This place has better tofu than Japan! The kimchi tofu soup tastes just as good as it does in Asia. The Vietnamese noodles are also delicious! And its fairly cheap. I love this place for takeout.
(5)Vita B.
Really good Korean food for a good price (main dish $8-13). You can choose how spicy your food will be from very mild to hot. BBQ chicken, beef, squid, seafood pancake are all delicious. The service is nice, fast, and restaurant is clean. And they give you tons of little appetizers and soup.
(5)Wai F.
Without a doubt my favorite restaurant in Sunnyside. I've had tofu at other Korean restaurants around the city and they just can not compare. There's just something about their combination of tofu and soup that I will walk 9 very long block through driving rain/snow for. The squid dish is quite tasty as well, but leave your nice sweater/jacket/coat at home if you're going to order this because the aroma will cling to it like flies on... you know what I'm trying to say. I have friends that will not come to Queens for tofu and to them I say, "Your loss! More for me!"
(5)P W.
Excellent food at a cheap price. I always leave full. I really like to come here with a group, because otherwise I can't get the three things I must have by myself. First is a seafood pancake, second is a sizzling platter of chicken on a bed of (raw but soon to be caramelized) onions, and a bubbling stone bowl of spicy tofu stew.
(5)Noel R.
Pretty solid little place for tofu soups. I'm no expert on tofu but the silkiness of the tofu was lovely. Would come again for the tofu soups and perhaps the grilled squid which comes sizzling to tableside...
(3)Joe C.
Spicy pork dish is pretty good
(2)Wai H.
Great beef tofu!! good portions. Price and Quality of food is very good compared to ktown. The seafood tofu is not as good as the Beef Tofu. Had the fried squid but did not like it much.
(4)Amy L.
Good food, affordable prices, what more do you want. I got the vegetarian tofu here and it's delicious. The place is pretty cute and I have no complaints about the service.
(5)Steve S.
This is a reason to continue living in this neighborhood
(5)Yoonhwan C.
i like food from here. but very dirty look and also very dirty. i don't eat there. take out ONLY!
(3)Christian R.
very reasonably-priced assortment of different dishes at this inconspicuous little place right off the 7 train. If you're in a jam and undecided, this spot will do the trick. Of note: Pork pancakes and squid were delicious- balanced sweet and spicy. Unlimited supply of appetizers as well- which I can't pronounce or remember- also very spicy and sweet. Place is a little dirty and could use a renovation or new chairs. Our waiter was very intense but expedient.
(4)J J.
this is absolutely my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. Food is truly amazing- not only it's so healthy but it tastes so so good! and it's really inexpensive. I have taken all my friends and family- everyone loves it and they keep coming back! I go there once a week now for their seafood soft tofu and seafood pancake.
(5)Oskar S.
Love the food, prices but not the decor. Overall, really good korean food: try the kimchi pancakes and definitely the soup!!!!! Perfect fall and winter place.
(4)Theresa X.
yes i know this is a korean restaurant but i really love their pho. the meatballs are so yummy and the broth actually has flavor, where as most places i feel like theirs is so bland. you can get a nice big container for $8. perfect for a cold day. its now my new fav place to get pho. their korean bbq is good too but the marinade may be a little on the sweeter side than i like but still very good.
(4)Raffi K.
The food here is extremely tasty and sold at a reasonable price. The atmosphere is very casual; the BBQ kitchen is the first thing you see as you walk through the door. I highly recommend the BBQ chicken. It was excellent and you can even specify how spicy you would like the dish to be.
(5)Chih-Yu S.
It's an okay place to eat if you are craving for Korean and live around few blocks from the restaurant. The price is reasonable ($ 8-13/entree) for the quantity of the food but nothing is good enough
(2)Aaron N.
Very happy to have this in Sunnyside. Nothing truly remedies a cold winter day like a big bowl of jigae. I don't think I would make a special trip to eat here however, it's nice to have around the corner from me.
(3)S G.
This is it, folks, if you want soon doo boo don't go anywhere else. Every Korean that is any Korean in the tri-state area knows it, and now so do you. Also, the wait staff and cooks have been there forever, 9 years and counting from my memory. Low turnover rates tell me positive things about a place, since the opposite tells me enough about the offices I've worked in. ;)
(5)Ben D.
i travel to queens to eat here. do you understand me? queens. i didn't go out there for jam master jay's funeral, and there i am, taking the 7 train out to 43rd street just to dine on their bubbling pots of tofu. as soon as it's set in front of you, crack an egg in that bitch, stir it to the bottom, and let it cook while you daintily spoon at the incredibly hot tofu sludge. you can totter out of there completely full off of just one tofu dish and the assortment of sides (kimchi, cucumbers, etc), but splitting an order of the barbecued pork or beef should be mandatory. they stay open until 11:30. jmj rest in peace.
(5)Cesar B.
I mostly do take-out from this place but when I have sat in, my experience only got better. This is Korean food, by Koreans, for Koreans. Simple, healthy and authentic. They answer the phone in Korean and usually do not have any non-Korean diners when I've been there. I get the kimche tofu soup with pork which comes with white rice and three other sides, including kimche, bean sprouts and one other mystery side of dried fish or pickled root veg or something else. Reasonably priced and ample portions.
(5)Huan z.
Very very Yummy. Tofu soup are hot and bit spicy. The Squid BBQ is delicious. Sticky rice just cooked right. What a meal! Highly recommend!
(4)Grace H.
If you love Tofu, and love Korean food then this place would be heaven. The fresh tofu soup is out of the world. I love the experience of having a bubbling warm bowl of spicy tofu soup brought to the table with freshly steamed rice. Filling and cheap. Great place to eat on a cold winter's day. I have to come back another time to try their sizzling platter.
(5)Cherry V.
Generous portions of consistently delicious healthy food. 4/5 stars because the service is sometimes less than fully attentive. We've gotten up to get the water pitcher from the server station to refill our glasses on more than one occasion. Still one of our favorite places, though! Because the food is just that good.
(4)Parka P.
I love this place. Granted, the service at times can be sub par, especially when they're super busy, but i love the food. It's a no frills kind of place. But the soup or jigae as we natives call them are delicious. I also love their grilled spicy squid. The scallion/seafood pancake can be a hit or miss. It's hard to tell. But I love this place. When i lived in Sunnyside, I ordered it about once every two weeks. Delicious! I'm going on Friday and I can't wait. I'm already drooling! Yummy yummy. There is one in the city which is even better. THe one in flusing, on NOrthern BLvd is consistently bad. I wouldn't bother going there.
(4)Tina M.
if you're a soondubu fan and live in the area, then get yourself here quick! i'm not even a soondubu fan (i'm more of a jjigae kind of girl), but the big pieces of fresh tofu made a believer out of me. simple tofu house, limited menu and wooden decor. while we had to remind them to refill our waters, the place is small enough where it's not that big of a deal. my friend indulged me and we split an order of gopchang soondubu, which was really good (until the end when it gets a bit grainy; really that was my fault). if i lived closer to this place i would be eating here once or twice a week. at $8.95 an order, i could definitely afford to.
(4)Ro D.
Everyone writes about the amazing tofu here and that's all fine and dandy, but I'm here to write about the spicy pork! I come here at least once a month to order the stuff. It's like spicy pork crack for your mouth. It's that damn good.
(4)Lulu D.
The best Korean food everrrrrrrrrr the tofu is super fresh anything that i ordered was tasty , fabulous service !!!lol I love the little car passing by with more rice yummy the best part is the price yayyyyyyyy also the rice tea is really good too !!!! " I'm caming back "
(5)Debbie d.
Yum, yum, yum Dear natural tofu, I hope you never increase your price just because you're getting good rating from yelp. You've already increased your tofu soup prices one dollar, please stop there. Seafood tofu can benefit from a little more seafood, but tofu is great. Silky and not mushy. Spicy pork fried - very spicy. LA galbi - thinly sliced, can do more beef slices for the $13 Whole squid - good
(4)Sunny D.
I think this place is a standard tofu place. Pricing is right on for the soon tofu, but a bit pricey for the seafood pancake (which was underwhelming) and the bibimbap. Stick to the tofu, and don't get it mild! I would return again if in the area. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice.
(3)Dennis Y.
Prices are still great. Very affordable for a Korean restaurant. I still go there regularly for my soon dobu, extra spicy. Most of the time the only thing that stops me from going is knowing that my clothes will stink afterwards. But sometimes, I want my extra spicy soon dobu so much that I had to give in.
(3)Jason S.
Had a bowl of Sundobu here -- it was great. Fast, hot, delicious, and cheap. Actually this whole neighborhood (along the 7 train) was pretty neat -- looked like a bunch of good places around, and certainly good variety. While I can echo that the variety on the menu wasn't broad, the food I ate (and saw) was excellent, and delivered extremely quickly. Just genuine, good, and helped this homesick traveller have a bite of home. I'll definitely do this again if I'm in the neighborhood.
(5)Maria M.
Not the best menu I've seen at Korean places, but the best bulgogi I've had. It's my favorite dish, and if you ever want to come out with me to this place, you can watch me down a huge plate in about 10 minutes. The dishes can be made at varying degrees of spice. When you come in here, don't be thinking you've got it like that and order your Soon Duboo very spicy. Just ask Julieholic. Lots of vegetarian options, hence the name, so there's something for everyone. They also bring a lot of ban chan, which is great. O-deng, ju se yo! I love the barley tea they bring out, too. It's heaven. The service here is great, and the delivery is very quick. Plus, it's right off the 7 train, within walking distance of my house, and open until 12 am, so I can get my fix whenever I want.
(4)Joolie T.
dol-sott (stone bowl freshly cooked rice) bap: check great varieties of soon duboo (soft tofu stew): check vegetarian options: check delicious aroma: check great service: check VERY affordable menu: check subway/bus convenient: check great neighborhood: check LOTS of ban-chan (side dishes): check spicy: OH HAIL YES!!!!!!! right off the 7 train... Queens Boulevard. i've been wanting to check out this neighborhood... much the boulevard because i'm a huge Entourage fan (on the show they made a movie called QB) and i've heard good things about Natural Tofu from food critics and such. they give you double the ban-chan, tons of locals (especially Korean/Japanese) frequent there, and overall... it's absolutely affordable and delicious. i love that you can watch the cooks make the silken tofu from the outside window. the service is great and they definitely know how to accommodate. i enjoyed my Combo Seafood Tofu Stew very much. the Pa-Jun was nice a crispy, the Bulgogi was nicely prepared and cooked... tender! the coolest thing is that they cook their rice in stone bowls fresh... so what you get at your table is freshly cooked and not OLD and funky that usual restaurants give you from a rice cooker or something. they scoop the rice into metal bowls... (see photos) then serve it to you on the table for you and your guests to scoop up the yummy Noo-Rung-Ji (slight burnt rice) added with some Bo-Ree-Cha (Barely Tea). mmm! it's so good! i love this neighborhood... especially because Maria M. is a resident, along with the great choices such as this place.
(4)michael i.
I've given this place several tries, and it just never seems to cut it. I want to like it time after time, and with the great flames in the window, they keep enticing me. But the food is a little sloppy, and the service is acceptable. I don't know of another tofu place in the area, so i guess this one will have to do, but it leaves me wanting a bit... Order the staples, some of the more adventurous "spicy" elements are a bit off, or at least not to my liking.
(2)s f.
Mmm, Natural Tofu is yet another reason why Queens is such a delicious borough! This place serves tasty soon dubu at pretty good prices - my favorite is the kimchi and beef kind. Even with the addition of soju, our bill is usually pretty damn reasonable. I've only dined in, but supposedly they deliver too (minimum = 2 orders).
(4)Linda W.
I've been here two nights in a row with my husband. We can't get enough of the spiciness factor! Since my husband is part Korean, he knows most of the local and good spots to check out. This is a great place to go on a cold night. We had the LA Galbi, meaning "rib" (uncooked beef ribs) in Korean which refers to variety of gui or grilled dishes. Extremely tasty, marinated and seasoned perfectly to the core of the meat. The beef ribs arrives in a sizzling hot platter and gets cut into pieces by the waitstaff. They also prepare and scoop the rice into bowls. I love the texture as well as the smell of spices from the bubbling tofu soup that arrives in a small earthen cauldron. We ordered the beef tofu as well as the seafood tofu. It was a lot of food since our order came with banchan, side dishes. It included- Baechu kimchi, spicy pickled cabbage, Sigumchi Namul, seasoned spinach, kimchi, fermented spicy vegetable dish, Oi sobagi, cucumbers stuffed with chili and spring onions, and Kongnamul, cold boiled bean sprouts with sesame oil. My husband had to get the BBQ chicken just to try it. It was very intense and spicy, I had to drink several cups of tea to clear my nose. This dish must be ordered with extra caution. It is not for the faint hearted especially when it comes to tolerance of spicy-hot foods.
(4)Irena C.
I ordered the combination tofu soup and it was basic and perfectly satisfying on a cold early spring afternoon. The place was huge and largely empty except for a few early diners. Not one of the best Korean joints in the city, but it worked.
(4)David G.
Primarily soon do bu here, but they do have other stuff, like galbi, bulgogi and squid. The galbi was good, but very bone-chippy. The meat was also a bit on the thin side. The bulgogi was really really good, but the pieces were all minced into tiny bits of meat. Wish they hadn't chopped it so fine. The squid was ok -- kind of bland but that was probably our fault for ordering it "very mild."
(3)woody w.
Been here for the last 5 years, everything pretty much the same food options, services, prices. It's like my kitchen. I can eat everyday and never hurt my wallet. Keep it this way and I will be back with more friends.
(4)Geoff O.
I've been coming to this place for years. Mostly because of the mixed seafood soup. Coming piping hot in a stone pot bowl that I then crack a raw egg into myself, the soup is perfect. Hot, tasty, bubbling, and fun. The menu here is small and while most dishes have tofu in them, its' not that easy to avoid red meat here. There's also no desert. However, everyone I've taken here has loved their food, their barley tea, the quick service, and the joy of soup that comes to you right out of the pot. As with most Korean places, the appetizers are part of the fun, with many little dishes of accoutrements that come before your dish, and often linger long afterwards. Its tempting to gobble them all down first. With the quick service, very cheap prices, and great location right off the 7 train, this is one of Sunnyside's great treats.
(4)Lauren M.
When I visit friends in Manhattan, I always trek out to Sunnyside for some Kimchi Soondubu (on the English menu, I think they call it something like Kimchi Soft Tofu with Pork). It's delicious, and unlike anything you've ever had if you've never tried soondubu before. It's more food than I can eat for about $8, and it comes with a selection of side dishes to start the meal. It's super easy to get there and doesn't take long from manhattan-- just take the 7 train toward Queens/Flushing, get off at 40th Street/Lowery Street, and exit toward the SE corner. Natural Torfu is right across the street (40-06 Queens Blvd.) If you're a first timer, here's what to expect: you'll walk past the kitchen where cooks are frying up kalbi and bulgolgi and things with lots of tentacles (I skip those...not a seafood fan), as well as bubbling bowls of soup. I say soup, but it's really more of a stew--thick and hearty with lots of silken tofu and kimchi. If you order soondubu, it'll come in a stone bowl, bubbling hot, with a raw egg on the side. If you want, crack the egg in immediately and stir well (sometimes I do just the egg white and leave the yolk behind). The egg will cook in the bubbling hot soup, and it will give it a creamier texture, leaving it a little less spicy. The waiter will serve you rice in a small bowl. Take a spoonful of rice and scoop up some soondubu. Delicious.
(5)fayza a.
I just went there today for the first time and I will definitely be back soon. After taking my order for my BBQ beef my waitress brought over these bowls of condiments in about 2 minutes. Kimchee, sesame noodles, pickled cucumbers and three things that I didn't recognize but ate. When she bought the sizzling beef and rice I was in heaven. I am going back to try all the items because everything is affordable and looks delicious.
(5)Josh N.
mmmmmmmmm...... it was a dark and stormy night. really, it was! we bagged the Mets game, deciding the rain would do us in. so we went to the Taco Truck on 46th and Queens Blvd, but it was running late, and not around. we grabbed a taco at the truck a block away, and it was surprisingly tasty, and then we saw the regular Taco Truck, and waited for it. and then the skies opened up, and we ended up no longer feeling like waiting, and lo and behold, for some reason, Tofu became the place to go. hadn't been in a couple of years, but man, as good as i remembered. had the seafood hot pot, and it really hit the spot on this rainy night....mmmm...need to remember to eat here more often...
(4)zoey m.
This is my goto place for Soondubu Jigae. Soft tofu swimming in hot, salty, spicy goodness. Seafood is my fav. I tend to keep it simple and eat it with rice and some side dishes. Their kitchen grilled galbi and octopus are delish also.
(4)Kate M.
My husband and I both think this is the best soon doo boo place in New York City. It's the only place that has soon doo boo spicy enough to satisfy my husband. Delicious seafood pancakes too. And the prices are dirt cheap. Less than $20 for two and you'll probably leave stuffed after all the banchan and rice and burnt rice "dessert" on top of your soon doo boo. Don't forget to crack an egg in it!
(4)