Tofu Ya

The food was fine, but not great. Actually, it was pretty flavorless for Korean food. The side dishes were also bland probably because they weren’t fresh (some came out frozen). The woman who waited on us took about 10 minutes to notice that we were there, even though there was only one other couple in the restaurant. When she did wander over, she got my order wrong (I used the number on the menu to be sure), but Korean food is hard to send back so I just stuck with it… A case of listening problems and Koreans being impatient and not double checking orders. Anyway, I ended up paying $ 4 more than I expected…
This is a quick fix if you want bibimbap or other simple fare. But if you want seriously satisfying food, go the extra mile (s) to Korea Town. The prices are the same (if not cheaper) and the food is fresher and of a higher quality.

This is one of my long time favorite spots to get some good Korean food. Have a tendency to only get the spicy pork bulgogi combo with seafood soup but I have tried several other dishes which were all good. For the price you get a fair amount of food and I feel the spice is always perfect. I love the side dishes and usually order several rounds of each one, especially love the cucumber which is unusual as I had cucumber solo. My only complaint is that sometimes the cut of meat is a little too fatty for my taste. I really prefer the meat to be exquisite rather than a perfectly seasoned dish with lots of fat. When they have a good cut of meat I’d argue they might be the best bulgogi I’ve had in L.A. I would definitely recommend it to friends and usually take friends who visit L.A. to this restaurant as one of their first meals.

A good go-​to place if you’re craving some korean soft tofu stew (soondubu), but not the best and the service can be slow (hence the help wanted sign outside). They have a variety of tofu options such as beef, beef kimchi, seafood, mushroom, pork, etc. for $ 9.99, and your meals comes with several side dishes such as the potato salad, cold noodles, kimchi, and cucumbers. They’re not the best at refilling your sides, but it seems like they would if you asked. We also ordered galbi with soondubu, which didn’t seem worth it since our galbi dish was majority all bones and much more meat (for double the price). Next time I would probably stick to just getting the tofu on a cold day.

Not super impressed with Tofu Ya. It’s a solid Korean food establishment, no doubt about it, but compared to my favorite soondubu restaurant (Kaju Tofu in Garden Grove) it’s sorely lacking. Service was ok, maybe a bit slow and sometimes hard to flag down. Ban chan was also passable. Jap chae and fish cake were flavorless but the kimchi and pickled cucumbers were really good! My party ordered Spicy Pork Bulgogi and I had Medium Spicy Dumpling Soup. The pork was amazing! Definitely comparable to Kaju Tofu. Dumplings, however, were a little gross. I liked the soup and all… but should have chose something else besides dumpling.
Overall:
Service: ³⁄₅
Ban Chan: ³⁄₅
Soup: 3.5÷5
Meat: ⁵⁄₅

Service is great. I think they give you a slight discount if you pay with cash.
It’s super small and I come here when Seoul Tofu House is full and I don’t want to wait.
The pricing is similar to Seoul Tofu House. The only thing is their tofu soups are a different consistency than Seoul Tofu House… and by this I mean the tofu seems more mixed up. At the other place, you get whole pieces of tofu and that’s how I like it.
Also tried the dolsot bibimbap and that was solid. Banchan was ample and delicious.
I’d come here more often if they had AC because in the summertime it really drives me into a sweat… which is not great for lunch.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I’m craving Korean food
Let’s eat soondubu!
The place has been remodeled to look more modern and clean, which suits the young vibe of this section of Sawtelle. The bottomless little dishes are yummy. Bulgogi is on the sweet side, which I don’t mind. Dolsot bibimbop is like a DIY fried rice in a stone pot. Adjust your own spiciness level. The crusted bottom is the best part. The tofu soup is (temperature) hot! So good on a winter night!
This is one of my go-​to Korean restaurants!

Hello my Unilocalies :)
First time here at this place. Came here for a meeting and decided to just stop by since we were next door. Parking here is extremely hectic, there’s some street parking but if you’re unlucky like me then you definitely have to walk a few blocks to be able to find parking, so that is definitely the downside of this location. Also there was so much traffic and a lot of students since it is close to UCLA, so if you want to try this place I’ll suggest to park a little futhur and just walk since they do have many stores around the area.
This place has the cutest decoration, I love how it is smaller than a lot of Korean Tofu House, but you definitely feel very homey and comfortable when you sit down. Unfortunately, their bathroom is outside to the left of the restaurant but that isn’t an issue for me. They also have a lunch special menu for around $ 10.99-$ 12.99, it is like a bento box which is very convenient for people who wants to try a variety of food.
I order the Kimchi tofu soup since it is a cold winter day I definitely want some hot soup. The soup was a little bit disappointing, I got the extra spicy and it wasn’t spicy at all, also the tofu was very little and way too much kimchi. I kind of wish that they either let the tofu soak in the soup longer so it has more taste or definitely season it more for the soup base. But I do like how they have a choice of brown or white rice, I personally try to cut out heavy carbs just for a few months so having that brown rice was definitely the cherry on top of an awesome sundae. But if you do want brown rice you definitely need to let them know, because they don’t ask you if you want either brown or white.
As for my friend he got the Bibimbab, It looked absolutely delicious. I kind of wish I ordered that instead. He said that everything was perfect, perfect amount of rice, vegetables and meat, he also had a choice of brown or white rice which I thought was freaking fantastic. I’ve never had a Bibimbab with brown rice before I definitely want to try it if this place wasn’t so far from where I live.
I love their side dishes, they had so many varieties of dishes. All of them are extremely well seasoned and goes so well with your meal. I was very glad that the sides were super delicious or else my soup would have been too blend for me to eat. Their service was pretty decent, nothing to complain about since everyone were very friendly and took our orders right away even though it was pretty much 80% full.
Overall, 5 stars for service, 3 stars for food, 4 stars for environment and decoration, 4 stars for atmosphere and 3 stars for convenience. I probably won’t come back again since it is over 20 miles from where I live, but if I’m every around the area I’ll definitely come back and try their Bibimbab.

Small place with good quality Korean food and plenty of it. The soup + meal combo is reasonably priced and their soups are delicioius. I had the stone pot bibimbop and it was HUGE. The combo soup is a little smaller than the regular size soups, but still enough for one. They stay quite busy but service is fast. Very nice owners. They even moved a couple down a few tables to accommodate my party of 8.

This place was just meh for me… The first time I came here it was good. So I decided to try again… I had their chicken breast soup and the chicken was completely over cooked and hard to eat ;(No rice came with the soup… The side dishes were pretty good though and service was really slow… Seoul Tofu down the street is much better and they have parking too.

The food was good and they gave unlimited sides including jap chae which was a plus. However, the service could have been much better. I agree with some of the previous reviews that the waitresses were just talking most of the time and didn’t really check up on you… The service was my only complaint but other than that it was delicious

Small Korean spot with pretty terrible service, but decent Korean food.
I’ve been here multiple times and each time the service is terrible even when there aren’t a lot of people eating in! I have seen waitresses just talk to each other rather than doing their job. Other times, I’ve just seen waitresses being spread too thin. I see them rushing from table to table, so I don’t hold it up against them in those incidents.
The food here is not that great and a bit overpriced for the quality of the food. I’ve gotten their soon tofu and sampled their banchan, which is underwhelming but edible.
I don’t like their kimchi, super acidic. Their soon tofu is never as hot as it is at other restaurants. It’s never hot enough to cook the egg! I’ve tried their bulgogi and its half fat, half meat. Definitely not worth the price!
Overall, this gets the job done but don’t expect to get your mind blown.

I ALWAYS want soup and I love it when somebody else asks me if I wanna go cause, obvi, my answer is gonna by YES YES YES! Mmmmm. It’s great to get what you want without having to ask for it ;P
No wait during Sun lunch but it seems we arrived right before the rush cause it was pretty full when we left ard 1-​ish.
Hot weekend but we opted for some variety and ordered a cold noodle soup and a kimchi soondubu, served w an order of white rice but they also offer brown rice for an additional 1.5 on req — make sure to get it spicy cause even the spicy wasn’t that spicy. spicy spicy spicy!
This place is solid, especially considering the limited K options around sawtelle. However, this is also one of those areas that make me cringe when I think about having to look for parking cause it’s all metered and incredibly limited. Both service and food were quick, easy casual dining so that may even out the time you used to search for a spot

Tofu Ya USED to be 4 stars in my book – I’ve been there I think four times now – but the most recent visit left a real (proverbial) sour taste in my mouth.
I’ve always really liked tofu hot pots since living in Los Angeles, and Tofu Ya certainly has some solid offering at decent prices. The sides are good, the pots themselves are flavorful enough, and the atmosphere is pleasant yet not extravagant in any way.
However, my friend and I came into Tofu Ya the other night about ten minutes from closing, and we were met with some just plain rude service. Firstly, we didn’t feel welcome at all; they clearly were not happy we came in at the time. I’ve always thought about this, and having worked in the service industry, I know that employees have to stay for cleaning after hours anyways. Having customers there does limit you a bit, but to make that frustration visible is plain unprofessional.
Just a few minutes after receiving our food, they plopped the check down. That was fine, I guess, but then they came over a few minutes after that and told us bluntly to pay. I understand that the register has to be closed in everything, but it just seemed… unnecessary to me. Not only that, but a few minutes after THAT, we got the check back and then they came by to urge us to put the tip amount in. In my opinion, this is way, way worse because it almost pressures us to tip highly lest we incur the wrath of even poorer service. Didn’t like that at all.
Our meal felt rushed to begin with, but then they literally shut off a set of lights towards the end of our meal. We knew at that point we didn’t belong there anymore. Or ever, really, if I had the choice.

This place is blowing up now because of it’s position on the booming Sawtelle Asian Restaurant Express Train.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that solely based on the quality of the soondubu that this place is a 4 because a certain tofu place in Ktown rocks the 5 like no other. (Will not be named because I have already contributed to the growing hipsterish long lines at that place.)
The tofu soup is quality, has a decent richness and flavor to it. The sides are strong though and that means a lot to me. Other than that, service is pretty bad, lines are pretty long now, and it’s about the same price as other places. This is right at a 3.5 but we’ll be nice :).

I have been coming here about once a week lately. After a long day in clinic, there is nothing better than filling up on a big meal of delicious, extra spicy tofu soup!
I love getting the combo with galbi and the assorted seafood/​meat combo soup! I love spicy food, and though their spice level isn’t always super consistent, I can always handle the extra-​spicy. You can ask for extra chili paste on the side if needed!
Their sides are a little bland, but I always ask for gochujang to add some extra flavor. One time they had this bomb potato salad, and I’ve been asking for it again ever since, but they never seem to have it anymore! :(
Parking can be a real pain since the meters are usually full around this busy part of Sawtelle, but if you’re willing to walk a few blocks, you should be able to find parking in the residential area.

I was surprised at the 3 star review on Unilocal for this place given I had been here several times in the past and had great food and decent service.
Things seem to have changed since the last time I visited here though. The décor is slightly nicer, and luckily the food quality seems to have remained the same.
The price for what you get is decent, but perhaps the quantity may have decreased slightly. Also they were extremely slow on refilling the Banchan, or slow coming to assist for anything for that matter.
Overall, decent bang for the buck and good food, however they could definitely work on their level of service. Also note, they do not serve beer or liquor.
Please don’t review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you’re connected in any way to the owner or employees.

This place is just okay for me. I’m a pretty big soondubu fan, and I always find myself going back to BCD. Although honestly, that may just be because I get tofu cravings at really odd hours when no other places are open. When I finally decided to give this place a shot, I was a little disappointed. I found the tofu to be quite bland, and I feel like their spice levels are way off. I have horrible spice tolerance, but even the spiciest level was a little too tame for me. It needed some extra kick.
Their bulgogi is pretty good, though, and I usually order the combo with the soondubu. Side dishes are great – especially the seafood pancake thing. Service here is on and off. The waiters here aren’t all that attentive, and you may find yourself repeatedly asking for the same thing before they remember.
Overall, this place was just alright. Seoul House of Tofu down the street on Sawtelle is better, in my opinion.

5 stars is for the food and quality but the service is not always great.
This I my favorite spot for Korean food on the Westside. been here about 10 times now. The stews are delicious and they make them nice and spicy if ordered that way. The side dishes are healthy (love the broccoli) and kimchi is awesome too.
The Dolsot Bibimbap is the best thing on the menu in my humble opinion. You can order it with a stew or just by itself. My husband likes to get the stew and the Bulgogi beef platter. YUM.
The prices are pretty good, about $ 9 – 15 a meal but some of these meals come with two whole dishes and we always have leftovers which I take to lunch the next day. The ambiance is very quaint. Just a room full of tables and chairs, so if you’re looking for a quiet place, this is not the one. But if you’re looking for great food, this is definitely it!
The service is not great in terms of friendliness and attentiveness as they seem understaffed and frazzled always.
The kitchen here is fast, as we never have to wait long for our meals. But I did notice that they don’t always send out the side dishes first. Often they don’t arrive until the actual meal, which takes the fun out of enjoying them.

Sadly there aren’t many Korean restaurants in the west LA area so my husband and I were super excited about coming here because we desperately wanted to eat something spicy and neither of us wanted to sit through traffic and go to Ktown.
The banchan is good overall. I wasn’t a big fan of the kimchi and pickled cucumbers though. Soon dooboo is good. The soondoobu combo with the spicy pork for $ 15~ is a good value because it comes with generous portions of meat. This restaurant was packed but service was still good, the waiters worked fast and hard. This place had the most diverse customers I have ever seen at a Korean restaurant. I like to do this weird thing whenever I eat soondoobu. I can’t eat hot things well so I always pour my ice water into the soup to cool it down. Because I typically don’t eat rice with the soup, the flavoring becomes perfect-​not too salty or spicy. I ordered the mushroom SDB and I was a little disappointed they didn’t use the big white stringy mushrooms, they just used regular sliced mushrooms. The meat in the soup was a little tough and dry. But the soup gets the job done.
It’s always awkward for me going to a Korean restaurant because I am clearly Korean but the workers speak to me in their broken English so I don’t know whether to respond in Korean to make them feel comfortable or just pretend like I don’t know how to speak Korean at all. Anyways, I wish there were more Korean restaurants in the area. Obviously Korean food in Ktown is better but it’s such a hassle going there and I gotta support my local businesses!

It is a little hard for me to find good Korean food in West LA. I’ve been here a few times with coworkers for lunch break. So far, the service and food have been average at best. This place is definitely popular — it gets packed for lunch and dinner.
Bibimbap: My favorite item here. Stone is really hot so the rice is crispy in the end. Veggies are super crisp and fresh. Definitely recommend this.
Galbi, Bulgogi, Spicy Chicken, Spicy Pork: Meh. Just your regular meats. For meats, I rather go to AYCE places. You pretty much spend the same amount of money for limited quantities.
Soondubu: Actually not bad. They give you lots of tofu and meat. The tofu is actually really good and silky. Recommend.
Overall, pretty average. But I guess its okay for being in the westside.