If you're craving soondubu that actually tastes like something--and not the watered-down versions that show up at the big-name spots--this little mom-and-pop Korean restaurant is it. The soondubu here is more flavorful than what you'll get at the bigger places nearby: deeper broth, richer spice, and that unmistakable homemade. Because it's a quieter spot, you're never waiting long, and the owners treat you like a regular from your very first visit. The banchan is fresh, refilled with a smile, and clearly made in-house. read more

My partner and I were craving soup and sundubu sounded perfect. Most places usually charge around $16-20 for tofu soup, but I happened to check out this spot in Oakland since I know there is an area filled with Korean restaurants. To my surprise, their online menu showed a lunch special for sundubu at $13.99 and it already included meat and an egg. That is such a great deal because a lot of places charge extra for the egg. Another bonus is that they offer their lunch specials even on weekends. We came on a Sunday right when they opened at 11am. A sweet older Korean lady helped us and she was so kind. I ordered the beef sundubu and my partner got the chicken sundubu. The banchan came out first and wow, these were some of the best I have had. Everything was flavorful and seasoned well, not bland like you sometimes get at other places. The mushroom banchan really stood out and became one of our favorites. I also loved the pasta with peas, corn, and vegetables. Honestly, every single dish was tasty. Then our piping hot tofu soups arrived. They gave us a raw egg on the side to crack into the soup, which I really appreciated. I ordered mine spicy, but next time I will probably go for extra spicy since I like a lot of heat. Another nice surprise was that the soup had vegetables in it. Many tofu soup restaurants only add tofu and the meat you pick, but here they also included zucchini which gave it more flavor and texture. I cannot wait to come back to try either their lunch box special or another tofu soup. It might sound cliché, but if I could give more than five stars, I definitely would. read more

Daol Tofu - Beef tofu soup - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

We had the galbi tang and spicy cold noodles with beef at Daol Tofu in Oakland. The galbi tang was rich and comforting, the broth had deep flavor, and the short ribs were tender and satisfying. The spicy cold noodles were refreshing with just the right kick, perfectly balanced with the sliced beef. Service was friendly and attentive, and the food came out quickly. The vibe felt cozy and casual, a great spot for comforting Korean food in the neighborhood. read more

Daol Tofu - Galbi tang, spicy cold noodles - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

The portions here are amazing. You can see the size of our bowls vs the utensils. We had many left overs . The sides were super tasty and everything was cooked very well. I complained that the food was not salty enough but my friend said it was perfectly salty. We went at 5pm on Saturday and were the first people in the restaurant. We were quickly greeted and sat and soon people began to trickle in. It was mostly families and locals. The food is well priced for the portions (25$ for rice dishes and 18 for pancake). It is a large indoor space but still cozy. read more

See all

Great lunch specials with ultra fresh banchan! Service is quick and friendly. Prices are great too and the bill comes with little dum dum lollipops. Meals also come with a hot, refreshing radish soup which I love to eat with the rice. read more

Daol Tofu - Ham and Cheese Dolsot - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

There is only one person at the front of the house but she is on top of it! We never felt that the service was lacking. It seems like very authentic shop and the food was delicious! My bibimbap got an amazing rice crust and the gochujang added a wonderful flavor to the whole meal! The banchan was delicious too! I would love to go back and try more! read more

Daol Tofu - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This restaurant is a neighborhood gem. We've eaten here several times and always are surprised it isn't busier, which is why I'm writing a review. If you like Korean food, or if you want to try Korean food, come here! We always order a pajeon (egg pancake) with seafood and bibimbap. Both delicious and enough for two dinners. Service is good, owners are very nice. Highly recommend! read more

Daol Tofu - Banchan (small plates - all delicious!0 and pajeon (egg, seafood pancake) - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

The food and service was good. I liked that the tofu stew and kale was a combo meal. It was reasonably price. I definitely be back. read more

See all

Daol Tofu is a Korean restaurant in Oakland's Temescal neighborhood, home to some of the top Korean spots in the SF Bay Area. 4.4 stars on Yelp. We were nearby and gave it a try. We've been to serveral of neighboring restaurants including Hancook, Pyeong Chang, and Moo Bong Ri. The menu is pretty standard with a good amount of variations. Vegetarians have several options. Food quality was very good, better than most spots in San Francisco. Service is pretty much drop and go. Safety Pluses - Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering. Food Review: Jap-Chae ($18) Stir fried potato starch noodle mixed with vegetables is a large dish and is served very warm. Nicely done. 8.5/10 Galbi ($40) Marinated short ribs is a healthy portion of tender ribs with lots of flavor. 8/10 Dakgogi Dolsot ($28) Chicken and vegetables with raw egg is a big dish on a hot stone pot. Stir it up and dig in. 8.5/10 Yachae Sundubu ($20) Vegetables soft tofu is a piping hot tofu soup dish. Perfect for vegetarians. 8/10 Overall - Very Good Food - Very Good Decor - Fair Service - Fair Value - Very Good Would we come back - Maybe read more

Daol Tofu is a hidden gem on the Telegraph avenue in Oakland. Their side dishes are so good! It's always tasty and fresh. The place is warm and clean! Meals are well made and taken care of. The portions are not so huge yet very fulfilling and delicious! Quality over quantity, i believe! Perfect portion, perfect taste! I usually get their Hot stone bibimbap and it is delicious! The other day, i got their kimchi soup and it was yummy but the downside is it came in a pretty small bowl. I just wished the portion was little bigger since it's a soup. I think their pricing is quite decent for what they bring out on the table. Service is kind and friendly. Come with your friends and family! I love this place! read more

Daol Tofu - Dakgogi Dolsot - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Prices are pretty good, and the ban chan is amazing! We got the kimchi and pork tofu soup (pork was super tender!!!) and the jigae, which was also yummy! Street parking seems like it can be a bit difficult but we had no issues on a Tuesday night read more

Daol Tofu - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

I always have a good time at Daol Tofu. No frills, homey, and pure comfort. I've gotten their combos with barbecue and a stew and love the options they provide at a good price! There are so many flavors of jigae, or stew, and they are so flavorful with fast service. My favorite part about Korean food is the spread of banchan and Daol nails it with so many options! I find they are super generous which is refreshing as it feels many restaurants tend to skimp out on this critical component of Korean food and dining, especially at more trendy or popular places. No, they're not the most flashy restaurant on Telegraph, but I feel comforted by the space and the food, thank you for fulfilling my comfort food needs! read more

See all

The food is delicious! Best tofu stew I've ever had! The jap chae was amazing!!! Definitely need to come back

Best Korean soft tofu soup in the East Bay for the price, quality and quantity (even the lunch menu includes good portions of 3 sides of banchan). The staff is always friendly and inviting. The regular staff, a young lady who took my order, was very patient in taking my order with extra care and special requests accommodated without any mistakes, which I really appreciate. My sick son asked for K soft tofu stew as a comfort meal and I instantly thought of Daol Tofu since I didn't have time to cook it myself. That's high praise as I am comparing theirs to my own home cooked recipe. They have quite a good choice of authentic Korean soups, stews and protein dishes at a reasonable price, again for the quality and quantity is excellent. Korean restaurant meal prices have risen up quite a bit in today's economy... as so has other Asian restaurants prices but I notice that especially of K restaurants bc K meals are one of our top favorite of Asian foods. The area of Telegraph Ave have become sketchy but once you walk inside this restaurant, it instantly becomes quaint and comfortable. I dropped in to order to go this time and while I was waiting, I was offered water or tea. I always get the feeling that the atmosphere of this restaurant is naturally nice. Below pic is 1/3 of the portion from my 1 lunch special order! Of course my growing teenage son devoured his tofu stew in one go at Medium hot, which is too hot for me, he was full and happily satisfied. Mild already has enough kick to it! read more

Daol Tofu - beef and kimchi soft tofu stew lunch special with steamed rice and sides included. I got 3 servings out of it for myself! - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Probably the best Tofu I've had which says alot since I feel like the tofu soup I make at home is better than most restaurants. I get the pork not spicy although my friend got the pork medium which was so flavorful. I have no idea how they get the complexity of flavor. Other comparison is Pyongyang Tofu House which is good with quality ingredients, with the mung bean pancakes at Pyongyang which are GF/DF. The panchan side dishes at Daol, kimchi, seaweed salad, marinated purple daikon radish, bean sprouts are all GF and taste clean, fresh, and delicious. The mackerel and Bo Sam are great. What elevates the steam pork is they add fresh oysters to the radish kimchi and pickle/cook the cabbage which makes it much more tasty and easy to digest. Enjoy. The owner is Sunny. Definitely brings a smile to my belly! read more

After being turned away from another local Korean restaurant, it was a pleasant surprise for Daol to accommodate a reservation for my group of 9 family meal! One thing I've seen in other reviews and in my own experience was the presentation and complementing tastes from their banchan (side dishes). Aside from generous refills and options they had, their entrees stood well on their own. They are perfectly sharable and have tons of different Korean dishes based on what mood you're in from soup and rice dishes to savory pancakes and stews. The staff was attentive to us the whole time and made sure we had every need met. And additional rice here was only $1.50 which is a fraction of what other restaurants charge for an Asian meal staple. I'll definitely be back for their lunch special and hope to try more dishes. read more

See all

My fam and I were craving that small shop / hole in the wall korean vibe and tastes. This place hit the spot. The beef bulgogi, Galbi, and seafood pancakes were all great with a nice char. Not too sweet, not too salty. The soup and tteokbokki were pretty good as well. Our server was polite and patient. Unfortunately, he forgot to give our soups or salads with the lunch specials and we only remembered after leaving. Bummer, I was hoping to try the soup! The place was not busy. I went at 12 pm Wednesday and there was only 1 customer. Always nice not having to wait. read more

See all

Was looking for a new Korean place to try out. I was only able to try their bulgogi dol sot bibimbap and their banchans. All their banchans were delicious. Perfectly flavored and seasoned. I enjoyed all of them, I can't say that about all Korean restaurant banchans. Daol has a good variety too. Dol Sot bibimbap: 3.5/5 the rice on the bottom was not crispy - that's the purpose of dol sot right? My favorite part is the crispy rice - but there was none. Other than that, similar to the banchans, all the components of the bibimbap were good. Good portion of meat. Service was good. Quiet, not too many people for a midweek lunch. read more

Daol Tofu - Good but rice was not crispy - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Heads up! The prices in the menu on Yelp are not up to date. I ordered three dishes each listed around $15, and they ended up being bulgogi bibimbap ($25), kimchi pancake ($20), and daol tieokibokki ($17). read more

Korean food is great here. Banchan to the Mulnangmein, to the Dolsot bimbimbap - I've been here about 6 times in the last six months which says a lot. . read more

See all

Located in the Koreatown section of West Oakland, Temescal, or Upper Telegraph where parking can be a challenge and also risky (don't leave valuables in your car or visible). Modern, clean establishment with nice, quick, polite service. Only shortfall is the quality of the meats that we had which were a bit chewy and/or under marinated. Started with excellent combination of Banchan composed of 8 side dishes arranged in square black dishes on a long black platter. TBH - a visually pleasant presentation while also having varying but complementary tastes and textures. Daol offers a grill and tofu soup combo in addition to bibimbops, stews, pancakes, dumplings... we opted for: - Grilled Kalbi and the Soft Tofu & Pork Soup Combo, composed of 2 slices of Kalbi (6 cut pieces) lightly marinated. The Kalbi was chewy and slightly overcooked. Marinade could have been stronger. Soft Tofu Soup was on point and went well with the bowl of white rice. - Dwaeji Dolsot, the spicy pork bibimbop with an excellent mixture of veggies and light on the crispy white rice. The pork could have stood for a longer marinade. Overall, a casual place with good service and passable dishes. read more

See all

SIX STARS IF I COULD!! This place is my new go-to korean restaurant. Yes, it's above Hancook, Pyeongchang, and any other mainstream korean restaurant. Why? 1. Their seafood pancake is out of this world - it's crispy, thin batter, and plentiful seafood. 12/10 alone for this plate alone 2. Their banchan comes in a cute little tray and has 6 different little bowls - also, it's not overly salty (something I find common in other korean places) 3. Their staff is attentive and always checking up on you. Pre-covid quality!! 4. Their bulgogi is tasty (and a great portion) 5. Their mackerel is a generous portion and not super oily 6. Other things were also yum (but not mindblowing) - this includes seafood sundubu, samgyetang (but you don't really taste the ginseng, just a hearty chicken soup) I have no doubt anything on here would be tasty. Honestly, i'm shocked this place doesn't have more visitors because it is INCREDIBLE. So incredible i gobbled most things and forgot to take pictures of most things! read more

See all

This my favorite sundubu, and they have my favorite banchan! I try to introduce all my friends and out of town guests here. Good pancakes too. read more

Foods were hot and delicious. Staff's there is friendly and attentive. The store has their own parking lot, it's about 4 parking spots. read more

See all

Tl;dr: definitely worth a visit! We arrived on a Thursday evening and were seated immediately. What we got: Ban chan 5/5: their sides were amazing! Good portions and flavors. Definitely some of the best sides I've had in the Bay. DWAEJI BULGOGI + YACHAE SUNDUBU 4/5: Definitely some of the most flavorful tofu soups in the Bay that I've had. The bulgogi was good too. These items arrived sizzling and the set was definitely a good amount of food for two people. However, the waiter did ask us what option of tofu soup we wanted so we asked for the dumpling tofu soup, but didn't realize this until we left the restaurant that they only gave us the regular tofu soup. I don't think it was an extra charge, but they did forget, which is why I removed the star. Otherwise, flavors are portions were great! BULGOGI DOLSOT BIBIMBOP 4.5/5: huge portion, and it came sizzling! The ingredients were all super fresh. Enjoyed this dish as well. Overall, this restaurant is a good pick for a satisfying and filling dinner. The inside is clean and pleasant and the waiters are very nice. The service is very fast, we waited maybe 5 minutes for our food to arrive. The prices are pretty typical for the Bay Area ($75 total including taxes and tip) but for the amount of food we got for 2 people, it was enough to last us another meal, and is cheaper than others I've tried in East Bay for the same great quality of food. We street parked on Telegraph Ave easily, though I'd imagine it would be more difficult to find street parking on the weekend. read more

See all

I'm rounding up my review, I would give it an honest 3.5. Went here on a whim, since the prices were pretty reasonable and they had a couple vegetarian options. We had the tofu dolsot and it came out hotter than Satan's butthole. It was too hot to eat for about 5 or 10 min and constantly stirring. I liked the contents of the dish. Lots of veggies and tofu, the portion was huge. The crispy rice at the bottom of the cast iron was a nice treat, too. But the flavor was lacking. We took the leftovers home and the next day I added some garlic powder and sesame oil and it completely changed the dish. It was way better with just a couple different additions. I would suggest they up the spices in this because it was just too bland. I had to add way too much gochujang sauce just to give it any flavor. Side note: the salads / sides they bring out with this were decent but I wish they told us it wasn't all vegetarian. There was fish in there and I ate some. The soup was really good though, white radish soup with green onion. read more

Daol Tofu - Tofu Dolsot - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here for lunch on a Saturday since this area is busy on Friday/weekend nights and parking is more difficult to find during those times. There were 2 other parties dining when my bf and I arrived just after 1pm. We ordered: teokkbokki, japchae (no beef), and the lunch special with grilled mackerel. Lunch special came with rice, soup, and side dishes. The soup was a Korean radish soup, I believe. It was light and had small pieces of Korean radish in it. I was actually looking forward to trying their ban chan after seeing other photos on here that they have eggplant ban chan, since I've never seen that at other Korean restaurants either. I liked the eggplant, slightly sweet. The ban chan is good, I just found the broccoli to be over seasoned. Spicy rice cakes were cooked too soft for my liking. The vegetables included cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and red bell pepper. I don't think I've seen bell pepper used in teokkbokki at other places. They give a lot of veggies! Unfortunately for me, it was too saucy for me and didn't have a balanced umami flavor and sweetness to it that I like in teokkbokki. Japchae was ok. It was seasoned with more soy sauce than I am used to. I could tell by the color since it was more dark. Again, I like the balance of sweet and savory. The grilled mackerel was good. I usually never order this at Korean places and I wanted to try it, (also bc I'm pescatarian.) Just a little bit too salted for me since I'm sensitive to over salty foods. Only other thing to say is that the place wasn't busy at all and it seemed like the server was kinda rushing us when he came over to check on us even though I was still eating. read more

See all

Came here for the first time with a decent large party (9-10 ppl). Let me start off with the positives. The food was good. We ordered multiple types of tofu soup and the flavor was great. Their spicy isn't as spicy as other great spots like Pyeongchang or Spoon but the flavor makes up for it. The galbi was good and the bibimbap was balanced. Top that off with bonchon being unlimited, that takes the cake. Now the only issues I have with this visit was the gigantic 18% service charge. While I typically leave around that amount any way and I understand the big party includes gratuity, the fact that this was not disclosed any where was a bit of a turn off. Still, 18% is a lot and left a bad impression on what was otherwise a good meal. read more

I was craving soondubu ( I am almost always craving soondubu ) so we came here for dinner. There is some street parking but not much, we were lucky to find a spot right across the restaurant. We got the seafood soondubu, spicy chicken, and the beef mandu. The dumplings and the soondubu came out pretty quickly but the spicy chicken took a little bit longer, I am guessing this is made to order. The soondubu was delicious, and a great portion size! The beef mandu were super juicy and yummy. The spicy chicken was a very large portion as well, and was sweet and spicy. Great place to come for a quick bite to eat, my favorite part of their banchan was the potato and macaroni salad. read more

Love the soft tofu here. I come here all the time. Owner is kind and polite. Food is great. It's nice, quiet and quaint. Just the type of place I enjoy read more

I've been here a few times on different days of the week, with the most recent being a Friday night around 7pm, and have had great meals every time. Service is great. Banchan are delicious, and I especially love that they have a combo meat + soup that you can order. Aside from the combo, I've ordered the spicy pork dol sot bibimbap and yukgaejang -- all of which were solid. Another plus -- I've never had to wait for a table here. read more

Best soft tofu soup in California--hands down! I LOVE this place! They're never crowded, reasonable prices, great amounts of food, tons of flavor, clean, friendly staff--the only thing missing is a parking lot. I have been searching California for a soft tofu soup to match this one but have found nothing. Everything comes up short. I had their mackerel today and that was pretty good. Their kimchi fried rice is delicious--one of the best I've ever had. But honestly, I come here for the soft tofu soup, if you can't tell by now... read more

See all

Walk a pace too fast and you might just miss one of the best Korean restaurants in the East Bay. Though outwardly humble and small in appearance, Daol Tofu is always solid and reliable when you want fast-casual Korean fare. As its name suggests, Daol Tofu specializes in their namesake soft tofu soup. But, if tofu soup isn't your speed (and if it isn't, please re-evaluate your life choices), they also have a wide assortment of other staple Korean dishes. My go-to is the beef and seafood soft tofu (level: spicy) soup which isn't unduly spicy. The heat gets pretty muted especially when paired with the silky tofu chunks and heaps of seafood inside. You also MUST GET the dolsot bibimbap, never the regular Bibimbap. The vessel you place your dish in can absolutely change the flavor profile of said dish, and Dolsot Bibimbap is a testament to that fact. The stone pot mildly scorches the rice which leads to contrasting crunchy bits dispersed throughout the whole dish. Simply. Heavenly. I came here yesterday with my boyfriend, and he suggested the kimchi jeon. This also was a crowd-pleaser. The pancake was crunchy on the outside, fluffy and spicy on the inside, and everything you'd want in a quintessential Korean pancake. While Pyeongchang's tofu soup barely beats out their competitor Daol, I'd say Daol is still a winner in their own regard. They might not have the best Korean food on earth, but for a Korean girl who misses the delight known as LA's K-town, this does just fine. read more

See all

Recently, I've had a lot of friends move to the state and country of Texas! They tell me about the many different reasons why it makes so much sense to move there ( cheaper gas?) and the bonus of getting " Real BBQ". For me, It's a No thank you for now! Still love the rainbow of people, culture, and FOOD of the Bay! Daol is a comfortable and relaxing homey Korean restaurant in Oakland. Warm tofu soup and sizzling bbq items here. The dolsot bibimbop has beautiful colors and vegetables. A great dish that represents the mix and colors of the Bay. read more

See all

Panchan were yummy. Kimchi has the garlicky and seafoodness. The broth had good depth.

Summary: Solid all-around Korean Details: * SF's casual Korean food scene has always been a bit lackluster, so Daol handily beats out every Korean spot I can remember having been to in the city * While they don't excel at everything, nothing was terrible, and almost everything was better than what I've had in the city * Banchan are a tossup: you get a selection of 8, some of which are quite tasty, while others are a bit too salty * Food highlights include the seafood pancake, tofu soups, naengmyeon, and kal yugaejang Accessibility: Can't comment on indoor dining, but they have plenty of accessible outdoor dining, though some spots can be a bit tighter than the others read more

See all

One of Oakland's local hidden gems. I love eating here, it's a small hole in the wall ambiance that reminds me of the many tofu houses I grew up eating in around the bay. Best Kimchi pancake in the east bay! The pancake is a little pricey, but it's huge and they get the texture just right. To die for! The Daol combo is an awesome way to eat for two people, it comes with your choice of Kbbq meat as well as a big bowl of tofu soup, rice, and banchan all for under $40. read more

One of my favorites is the tofu soup with ramen. It's not watery like many places; it's packed with flavor. It beats the best of what the Los Angeles Koreatown has to offer. I'm honest about this. The side dishes are excellent too. I often go alone for lunch and I still get the same amount of side dishes as if there were 4 of us. Clean and friendly. Absolutely recommend for price and quality. Went today and will go back next week and thereafter. read more

If you're looking for home made Korean food, this is the spot in Oakland/Temescal. We came here on a Wednesday evening and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. Very home styled cooking and quickly but also really good quality! After we ordered we got our banchan (sides) quickly and so fresh! Kimchi, broccoli, seaweed, macaroni, rice. We ordered bossam -- pork with pickled vegetables, seafood tofu soup (soonduboo), and tofu dolsot bibimbap. It was all really good especially the tofu soup, we got it mild and it was spicy but so many good flavors and textures, Yumm! I liked their bossam, I felt like the pork had more flavor than other places, it's usually boiled but this felt grilled but I think I preferred it. And the tofu bibibambap had the perfect crispiness. Would recommend ordering out or coming here. Just be careful parking your car and making sure you don't leave anything because there are usually car breakins in the area. Service was great and felt like home! read more

See all

There are many Korean restaurants along Telegraph, but I appreciate Daol because the wait isn't as long and the prices are mostly under $20. It's also a short walk from the Macarthur BART station and easily accessible by riding the 6 bus down Telegraph. We arrived a little after 5:30 on a Saturday and there were several tables available. The restaurant seemed to have seating both inside and outside. Service was quick and attentive. I ordered veggie pajeon for our appetizer and tofu dolsot for my main. We were offered tea or water and we opted for both. After we ordered, they brought out plenty of banchan and a cup of soup for each of us. When our dishes arrived, we were impressed by the huge portions. I would say you definitely get what you pay for! All of the food looked and smelled amazing. The veggie pancake was light and crispy. Be sure to dip the pancake in the sauce for extra saltiness and flavor. The tofu dolsot was hot and sizzling. I added a little bit of the red sauce, which I assume was gojuchang, but not too much. I like the sweetness but I can't handle a lot of spice. I'm glad I got the dolsot rather than the cold bibimbap because I loved the textural contrast that the crispy rice provided. Very satisfying meal and great service. Don't overlook Daol! read more

See all