So Gong Dong Tofu House Restaurant

I went here with my buddy. I took my 3 year old with me and I was worried about what she would be able to eat. I worried over something I didn’t have to.
Service here was great & they were so flexible with my little one’s food! I think she ate more than I’ve ever seen her eat at a restaurant lol
This place most definitely have Asian atmosphere & friendly service. Whenever I miss food I had in Seoul, I head to this place.

This is a hidden gem for outstandingly delicious Korean food. It’s definitely off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. It’s places like this that help make Nashville great.
I find myself always getting one thing here: the Kimchi Soup. I’m not a huge kimchi fan, in general, but this soup is absolutely amazing, and I would highly recommend it to anyone trying this place out. It’s full of ingredients (and I’m sorry that I can’t say what most of them are) that add flavor and texture. It comes boiling hot in a cauldron-​like bowl, and you receive an egg that you can crack right into the mixture and let it cook. It also comes with a side of white rice that’s very good for dipping into the soup. Highly addicting.
Of course, like any self-​respecting Korean restaurant, you get all the little side dishes with your meal, and they are delicious as well. I particularly enjoy their renditions of the «potato thing,» the «cucumber thing,» and the «fishcake thing,» (again, apologies for my ignorance of the proper names!).
By all means try the other stuff as well (bibimbap, bulgogi, etc.), but do yourself a favor and try the Kimchi Soup (provided you’re not averse to something new).
I do have to end by saying that the service is variable, and it can sometimes be hard to get things like more water or napkins. Also the interior is not «trendy,» and there are usually a couple of TVs with Korean broadcasts on. That said, my servers have always been absolutely pleasant to me, and a little patience goes a long way. If you care more about interior design or getting a personalized walk through of the menu, than actually eating wonderful food, then this place might not be for you. I personally couldn’t care less as long as the food stays this good!

So happy that I found legit, authentic Korean food in Nashville! Having moved from the LA/​OC area in California, I know what Korean should taste like. No fusion, Americanized shit here. This is the real deal.

Rumor has it that if you’re a bad tipper, you get chased out the door. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to witness the wait staff eject any low-​tipping, fedora-​wearing hipsters from the dining room. Maybe next time!
Tofu House is great! We got some Bibimbap and a fantastic, spicy pork dish. The bibimbap came with a bowl of delicious mushroom soup that was unexpected. I will never complain about free soup.
There was a bit of a wait for our food, but it wasn’t anything to freak about because we knew our food was being made right then. And boy was it fresh when it arrived. Steaming stone pot of bibimbap and steaming plate of spicy pork. Nothing but Korean love on the table! (That sounds kind of dirty but you know what I mean). We were stuffed and happy by the end, and we knew we’d return soon.

My bro and I went to So Gong Dong Tofu House during lunch one day, venturing once again into the Antioch area where it seems most of the Korean restaurants and groceries are located.
As usual, it was located in a nondescript strip mall with a humble storefront. What we found inside, however, was purely delicious! I think it’s one of the few places you can get soondobu, Korean spicy tofu soup, which is what MM had. And yes, they put the egg in! I, of course, rocked some K-​BBQ kalbi ribs. The banchan were plentiful, the service was good, food served sizzling hot and fresh, and I have zero complaints. This was probably one of my favorites in Nashville, right up there with Korea House but closer for me to access via Franklin.

They have limited vegetarian options but the ones they do have are fantastic. We got the kimchi pancake, the kimchi mushroom tofu soup, and the mushroom tofu soup. All delicious. The flavor, the texture, yum. A new favorite.

I agree with many of the prior reviewers — this is THE best Korean food in Nashville. Yes, it’s a little out of the way, but it’s well worth the drive. I ordered the bibimbap because I’m not a particularly adventurous foodie and it didn’t taste anything like the bibimbap I’ve had at other places in town. It was AMAZING. The spices were incredible; it was full of zucchini, shiitake mushrooms and other veggies; and the rice at the base was crispy and delicious. My husband thinks I’m boring for ordering bibimbap at Korean places, and he ended up finishing mine because it was so good. He got the beef bulgogi and kimchi tofu soup combo based on all the great reviews and it was definitely a good choice. Lots of food, tasty and SPICY (he ordered the «spicy» version but not «extra spicy» and thought it was perfect, but he really likes spicy food so be forewarned…).
The banchan were good — typical stuff, but the spicy squash and kimchi were a little spicier than at some other places in town. I loved the potatoes in a sweet sauce and the bean sprouts, since I’m more of a sweet person than spicy.
We spent $ 40 with the tip and definitely got our money’s worth. Service was friendly, lots of parking, food came out fast. It’s not fancy, but if you just want a tasty dinner or something different, definitely give it a try. FYI, we didn’t see So Gong Dong on the sign over the door; it just said Tofu House & BBQ.

How do you know when your eating the best Korean in Nashville?!!
When all the people eating around you are Korean !!

Not an expert on Korean food, but the Bibimbap was the best I’ve had, and the soup that came with it as well. I got it in the hot skillet.

My wife and I went to So Gong Dong Tofu House today. It was a fabulous experience! The tofu soup was great. We also had the fried dumplings which were delicious. My wife had the stone bowl bibimbab and it was very good. The table condiments we very tasty and complimented the meal perfectly. The service was very friendly. If you’re looking for good Korean food this is the place I’d recommend. We’ll definitely be going back.

we went here only b/​c my favorite korean restaurant (hai woon dai) is closed on mondays. the food at so gong dong was actually ok, but the service was horrible! they sat us at a dirty table, and no one even came over to clear it for at least 20 min. no one brought us menus. eventually, i went over to the desk to grab some myself. and then it took another 20min for someone to come take our order. we were there around 8pm on a week day, so it’s not like it was even peak dining out hours. next time i’m craving korean food on a monday, i’ll just hold out until tuesday and go to hai woon dai.

Tofu soups are their specialties. First time trying kimchee soup and it was surprisingly flavorful. Especially enjoyed the one with the oysters. Seafood pancakes were full of chunky seafood! Spicy chicken and pork were overly sweet. Bulgogi and galbi were delicious but didn’t get the lettuce to wrap them in. Service was extremely slow. Late comers to our party were not asked for drinks until we called for them. No refills on our water. Asked to refill our hot teas and they only refilled half of the table. Again had to waved them over. We did not get the banchas until our food arrived and they were never refilled. When the waitress left the other table in front of us, she puts her head down and rushes off. I guess poor service is typical of family owned Asian restaurants.

4 stars just because I’m so happy that they exist in Nashville. This is where you go when you’re looking for the classics with no frills.
(Medium spice is actually mild.)

If you are looking for a «hole in the wall» gem, here it is. This place has great everything. Great portions, flavors, service, atmosphere. Nothing extravagant but everything you want.
I’ve had the dumplings which were not the normal frozen in a bag from krogers. They were crispy and delicious. I’ve had the spicy beef bulgogi which was pretty good. The presentation of it was lacking a bit but tasted extremely good.
I’ve also had the spicy tofu kim chi soup which was one of the best soups I’ve had in a while. Excellent flavor and textures. They give you a raw egg to boil in the soup right there. Very tastey.
Don’t think about it, just try it!

We ordered the tofu soup and bulgogi combo as well as seafood pancake. Will be back again.

This tofu house is pretty good. I have had better in Atlanta at almost 30% less the price. For it to be the only tofu house in Nashville, I can’t complain too much.
As in any family-​owned Asian restaurant, the service will be inconsistent.

I’m in the «this place is the best» group.
Whether it’s the good service, the fresh food, the good sized portions, or the convenience of being right off Harding Place. this place is top notch.
*And they serve sake — both hot and cold. Win. Win.
Party of seven adults. We ordered the seafood pancake for all of us. They cut it pizza style so everyone can have a piece.
One order of ribs, 3 orders of kimchi soup or seafood soup,
2 orders of spicy beef bulgogi.
No one replenished our little side bowls, I suppose we could have asked.
We did have to ask for our water glasses to be filled, repeatedly. They don’t refill unless asked.
You have to ask for more napkins or utensils.
Food: freshly prepared, per order. portions are large such that each dish could really be shared. Seafood Pancake can feed 3 easily.
The place is clean, the bathrooms are clean, waitstaff is attentive, flavors are good, authenticity is prominent.
I looked around at the other diners and noticed most everyone was having a soup. They must be very popular for their soups.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone jonesing for Korean.

This place rivals some of the Korean places in NYC ktown. I am serious when I say that their food is consistently very very good.
I can’t find any other Korean place in Nashville that serves anything remotely delicious. Definitely order the combos or actually anything else on the menu. Soon doo boo +ribs is my fav. They also have squid and other options as well. This place doesn’t disappoint.
The only thing is the location is pretty inconvenient for a lot of people but when in Nashville, you have to make do.

The search for a legit korean restaurant is finally over! After moving from the Bay Area, i’ve been craving some good soondobu and I have finally found it!!! HALLELUJAH! Its different from other korean restaurants around Nashville, in that they give you a large portion of food and everything is really fresh and delicious! You can also have the option of getting both soondobu and kalbi for $ 25, which isn’t bad at all. The kalbi is really tender and flavorful.
The best part about tofu house is the constant refill of side dishes!

I am always looking for good, authentic places in Nashville. A lot of trendy places downtown but what about those «mom and pops» places? I grew up eating Kimchi and it’s hard to find the real deal until I looked on Unilocal and found one near my neighborhood.
The area, I wouldn’t have noticed it driving around. You’d have to look for the signs. It’s hidden from its shades due to the sun beating down on it during the day but its very clean inside even though from the outside you can’t tell.
When you first look at the menu all of it looks good. Don’t let the prices scare you. You get a lot of food for what you order. I ordered combo plate Shrimp, scallops with Kimchi soup with rice. It came along with complimentary side dishes like kimchi, sprouts, tofu, cucumber, etc. (don’t know the rest of the names) but you get six side items along with the main meal. (also free refills of the sides if you like more)
I was very pleased and all the food was fresh. With the soup you drop a raw egg in the soup. Soup is so hot it cooks the egg. So remember to drop it in and dunk the egg so it cooks. Use the rice bowl to dish out the soup so you can eat it without burning your mouth.
For the entire meal with 2 cokes plus tip I paid $ 30. Def. a meal you can split with someone! Otherwise a growing boy like me, I ate it all! And felt good cause it was healthy and not greasy!

The tofu soup here is excellent! I like that it is boiling hot when it comes out and that you can crack an egg (that’s supplied) in it if you want to. You can also choose your level of spiciness for the broth. My husband and I really enjoyed it along with their delicious side dishes. We also had the seafood pancake there which I liked. I can see and taste the different kind of seafood in it. I gave them 4 stars instead of 5 because their bulgogi is not wow to us. We have had better. The service at first was rushed and not friendly but later on our waitress did check on us and bring us extra rice and side dishes.

Authentic Korean, not-​so-​good service.
We came here for dinner on a Sunday night and it was pretty busy. There is no hostess when you walk in, and no sign telling you to either sit down or wait. The two servers were running around to attend to their tables, even looked at us, but still we waited for at least a couple of minutes to even be seated. Unacceptable. I finally made eye contact with one of them and gestured my hand as if to say «What the hell?» and we were seated.
We again waited at an empty table — no place settings, no menu, no nothin. I understand busy — I’ve waited tables too — but at least give me a menu to look at. Took a while but we finally ordered.
First you get the small plates, or banchan, which included traditional Korean sides. Unless you are extra sensitive to spicy, don’t let the redness fool you — it’s not that bad. Our entrees arrived shortly after. I ordered the Seafood Tofu Soup and added mushrooms which cost an extra dollar. He ordered the full entrée of Spicy Short Ribs, or Galbi. Both were served with a small bowl of white jasmine rice. The food was good although my soup was a bit bland and barely had any seafood. I think I ate one oyster and one prawn. Good thing I added the mushrooms. Crack the egg they give you into your boiling soup — makes such a difference. Galbi was good and savory.
Don’t expect 5-​star service here. They’re all business. Rarely checked on tables. The older lady serving seemed to be the nicer of the two. The younger one did not look like she enjoyed life. Overall the food was pretty good but there are other Korean places we can try with I’m sure better service.
Location: Fair.
Parking: Good.
Service: poor/​Fair.
Food: Good.
Pricing: Fair.

SGD is consistently decent. While it deserves 5 stars in comparison to other Korean places in Nashville, I’d give it 3 in comparison to other Korean places elsewhere in the country. So it seems fair to split the difference and give it 4.
Like I said, it’s very consistent. I eat here about once every week since it’s just down the road from my office. The service is always good and the lunch specials are reasonably priced. The banchan are tasty and quite useful for pulling people a bit out of their comfort zone if they’ve never tried such things. It’s actually a pretty good place to bring people who have never tried much in the way of Korean food, as nothing there is overly intimidating.
Where this place really seems to shine is with its soups. They have soft tofu soups of every description, served to you fresh and boiling hot. The bibimbap is also quite good, and much like the soup, is served searing hot in a bowl designed to keep it that way for a while. If you aren’t the sort of person who loves their food at a high temperature (or aren’t familiar with how these sorts of foods are commonly served), this might not be the best place for a quick meal as you’ll have to wait quite a while for it to cool off.
While this isn’t the greatest I’ve ever had, it’s still pretty darn tasty, it’s the best I’ve had in this area, and is a cuisine that is sadly underrepresented in Nashville. That’s why I keep coming here to get my fix.