I've been here a few times. Dinner was a little busy this time around. I never noticed before the sound of the table bells until today. It's a little loud. My soup and rice was served in stone pots. Food stayed hot throughout the entire meal. Definitely burned my tongue. My partner and I ate absolutely everything. I am so stuffed and happy. My least favorite things is the tea. I don't know what type it is but to me it had an odd flavor. read more

Came the 2nd time within five months. The same Bibimbap now has barely any beef in it. It used to have slices of beef; now it looks like minced beef--even with mince beef, there's barely any. I understand inflation, but this is not acceptable (I'd rather they raise the price and do it properly). read more

See all

We love this restaurant. Very authentic and delicious Korean food. Our favorite dish is Soondubu Jjigae. Plenty of onsite parking. Quick service. read more

See all

When it's this hot, all I want is mul naengmyeon. So based on reviews, I chose to bring my parents here since we're trying out all the local Korean restaurants. The exterior looks a little rough but the interior is clean and traditionally decorated. Our server was kind and friendly. And the food was good. I enjoyed my mul naengmyeon. Refreshing and flavored really well. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Mul Naeng Myeon - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My first time trying this restaurant. For the most part, the food was pretty good, the service was decent, and the restaurant is nicely decorated. Overall Ratings Atmosphere - 4/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 4/5 Parking - Private Parking Lot Atmosphere - The restaurant gives off a vibe of a place that used to be a go to spot but has since been outpaced by other Korean restaurants in the area. While it is very nicely decorated, when we first walked in it felt a bit quiet and not as lively or vibrant as some of the other Korean spots nearby. Service - The staff is friendly and the service is sufficient. What We Ordered - Mung Bean Pancake - which was pretty good Galbi BBQ Beef Ribs - which were not as good as some competitors in the area, for example the beef ribs from Dubu have much better flavor Seafood Tofu Stew - which was very good Final Thoughts - In terms of food, my favorite dish by far was the tofu stew, which I was told is what they are known for. Everything else ranged from okay to good. I would come back to try other items, but personally I feel there are stronger options in the same area. read more

See all

Its been a while since I've been here and I feel like the menu changed a bit. However most of the items are still as good as I remember. The only complaint I had was the seafood soondobu was saltier than normal and the rice wasnt helping offset it. The bibimbap bowl was the best item overall for me followed by the galbi. We went on a Saturday late morning/early afternoon. It was pretty quiet. Service was as expected. Place still has the same decor. Overall a good spot to stop in for lunch. read more

See all

The chicken w rice doesn't have a lot of chicken, mostly veggie. The soup tofu is meh. The pancake is probably the best; it's vert crispy, but each piece is a bit too big. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Chicken deopbab Beef soon du bu Bindae tteok - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Traditional Korean decor matched with the soft tofu comfort food that I have to assume is also traditional-- it's a great place with quiet music and quick service. Prices are good, too. The food tastes great always. They remember me and my wife and know what we order. read more

Such a classic Korean food restaurant in Philly! This place is very authentically Korean, with cool older Korean style decorations and seating booths. Our server was also Korean, and there was a tiny language barrier. Regardless, we were a huge group of 14, and they were still able to get food out so quickly. The food was all yummy, especially the spicy pork bulgogi, which absolutely stole the show. The banchan were all refreshing, and the kalbi were grilled and marinated to perfection. read more

See all

Recent visit to Jong Ka Jib. Great food at an affordable price. Service is always good, they never make you feel rushed. read more

See all

Surprised after the high ratings and the "best soon dubu in Philly" claims. The soon dubu, the thing I was most excited to eat, tasted like water, chili flakes, and Tofu. Bland and watery. No flavor. It was a huge disappointment and I don't even want to come back to see if it was a fluke. We enjoyed the japchae and grilled mackerel, those are simple and hard to mess up though. The galbi was also fine, but a little too sweet for my preference. The banchan were great. Truly a great start to the meal, only to go downhill all of a sudden. Disappointing experience. read more

I'm catching up on places I probably should have reviewed by now. My family has been coming here over ten years, and I only know that because we used to eat here before kids and now my eldest is 10. It is currently the ONLY restaurant or take out all my kids will agree on so we are here often. We usually get soon dubu and beef rib galbi, sometimes the dumplings and sometimes the stone pot bibimbap. There may not be a lot of offerings for every kid, but they offer a "no spice" option which my daughter gets (and her brother loves "little spicy", even as his dad gets "medium spicy") If you bring little kids, make sure you warn them about the stone pots, but the employees make sure you know when they place them at your table. All the banchan is good, I like their cabbage kimchi and the spicy cucumber, my 4 year old will eat an entire bowl of kongnamul herself. They will happily bring you another bowl of anything you really like. The family who run this restaurant are so lovely, they've essentially watched my kids grow up and it means a lot to be regulars somewhere like this. Ordering the food is no issue with language, but even when the chatting is hard for us to understand each other, there's such warmth and friendliness that we really feel at home here. read more

food was very fresh and well made. i wish it was a little bit more spicy but other than that everything was great ! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Dwae Ji Go Gi Soon Du Bu - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tasty and tofu heavy soon dubu. I got the mixed soon dubu bowl with spice level 4, and it was plenty spicy. Other items were less well done, like the scallion pancake which could have been more crispy and less doughy. Grilled pork and chicken, as well as banchan, were well seasoned and plentiful (and you can always ask for more banchan). The dining atmosphere is dim but comfortable. Service is expedient. read more

Food: This restaurant has been a staple in Philadelphia for soft tofu soup for years now! They always serve rice in a stone pot which is pretty unique in this area! The side dishes are delicious. Soup is super flavorful, hot, and spicy. It's packed with food. A perfect meal for a cold day! A great alternative to Dubu. Service: Always quick& friendly. They check in on you frequently. Ambiance: Wonderfully decorated like those traditional Korean homes. Very spacious and clean. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Very enjoyable visit! The food was delicious, and the presentation was lovely. The staff were friendly and attentive. A couple of small hiccups, but overall a really great experience. read more

It's so good, best soon dubu in Philly imo. These days with tax/tip it will cost you about $20 per person for just the soon du bu - but don't forget that includes all of the banchan that's included with authentic Korean food! I enjoyed all of their banchan too - bean sprouts, marinated burdock root, kimchi, pickled cucumbers. I chose to go for level 4/5 spicy - and it was so good, but definitely Korean spicy, so only get this if you can tolerate spice. I'm so happy they have two veggie options, either mushroom or veggie which includes cabbage and other vegetables. The broth is so good, and so much better than my soon dubu I often make at home - and worth the treat! The tofu is so soft, silky and delicious as it soaks up the flavors of the broth. FYI - I'm not sure if the broth is vegan as they may use fish sauce, and traditionally it's also served with a raw egg that you put in the piping hot stone bowl as soon as it comes out As soon as I left, I left craving wanting to come back. Service was attentive and friendly, although they speak little English. There's a nice service call button like most Korean restaurants, so you can easily request service. If you've never tried soon dubu - I highly recommend it, especially on a cold winter night. But I'll eat it in the dead of summer. read more

Honestly, I am not a tofu fan. As such, the idea of going to a tofu soup place was not a high priority. After my visit, I'm glad I fit it in and would happily go back again! First, they have expanded their menu beyond Tofu. Beyond an order of tofu soup, we split a BBQ squid appetizer and also got a stone pot dish. Food was amazing. I even ripped into each banchan they provided! Portions were excellent - 2 entrees and an appetizer was plenty for the two of us and we even had a bit for a light snack/lunch the next day. Pro tips: The banchan is unlimited, so order replacements for any you finish. Press the bell for service (and make sure you hear it ring). Come hungry and do not be afraid to order something you might not normally consider. Finally, consider the spicy level and order accordingly (they do have non-spicy dishes). read more

Jong Ka Jib - the entrance to the restaurant - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

I am been looking for a go to Korea restaurant since the old seorabol location closed and this place may be my new go to. While the menu isn't as extensive as places like seorabol it does what it does super well. Some of the dishes we tried were their beef soondubu (9.8/10), grilled ribs (7.9/10), and their tteokbokki (7.3/10). My favorite was their soondubu which was super savory flavorful with silky soft tofu which may be the best soondubu i've had in philly. The ribs were tasty but not as fall off the bone as I would have preferred which was similar to the tteokbokki which was delicious but lacked the extraordinary factor. But the banchans were unlimited and were super fresh and fragrant and paired wonderfully with all the dishes. Their atmosphere was also fantastic giving very traditional korean aesthetics and was super clean (and yes they do have the call button for the water). Definitely a places that appeals to old fashion korean palates and potential newcomers to korean food. read more

Korean authentic traditional food restaurant Decor is just like old traditional atmosphere , very calming and soothing (?). Food were all great, We ordered soon dubu which is soft tofu soup Depending on what you prefer, you can pick what ingredients to go in your soup We ordered 2; seafood and mushroom Extra extra spicy We loved it my friend was regular and i had Been there long time ago It was very good read more

Jong Ka Jib - Rice in a pot - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My favorite place to eat Soon Du-Bu. If you come & visit this place, the foods that you must try are Soon Du-Bu & Jap Chae. Those 2 foods are my favorite. read more

See all

Jong Ka Jib has the best soondubu (tofu stew) ever! The pork soondubu is my favorite -- and you can customize based on your spice level (I asked for zero spice lol). The silken tofu melts in your mouth with an incredibly flavorful, sizzling broth and comes with a generous portion of perfectly cooked rice. The broth is so, so flavorful -- even if you pick no spice options or mild. As a traditional Korean restaurant, all orders also come with bonchon for the table, ranging from bean sprouts to kimchi to pickled radishes and other veggies. My favorite was the pickled ?cucumber (or zucchini - not sure what I was eating but it was yummy)? -- it was delicious and tangy! We also got the veggie pajeon (maybe the weakest item), bulgogi, and bibimbap. Their specialty is tofu though -- would highly highly recommend ordering a soondubu while here. The ambiance is really cool - the restaurant is decorated like an old Korean house, with old calligraphy paper as wallpaper. They also have buttons on the ends of their tables that you can press to call over a waiter if needed. read more

See all

Food was hot and delicious. Restaurant was full of details and very immersive. The staff was attentive and the price was great! My friend and I split tteokbokki and each got tofu stew and a soda. Only $25 a person that's great deal in my opinion for the amount of food. read more

Finally made it to Jong Ka Jib and I'm so happy I did! Beautiful restaurant space (with parking lot!) and wonderful service. Note, it is a BYOB! After pressing the table-side bell for service and placing (a very large) order, our foursome started with the terrific banchan: pickled cucumbers (my favorite!), kimchi, soybean sprouts, soy sauce-y burdock root, black beans. Appreciated that we could get refills on the banchan we finished! Each of us received a stone bowl full of rice (bottom/sides got nice and crispy!) and then our order arrived: - Kimchi Soon Du Bu (kimchi, beef, soft tofu, egg), which I ordered in between level 4 (spicy) and level 5 (very spicy) and it was the perfect level of spice! It also had the silkiest tofu I've had in a soon du bu; - Gul Soon Du Bu (oyster, soft tofu, egg), ordered level 3 (medium spicy); - Pork Man Doo served with a dipping sauce; - Spicy Chicken Wings, which was extra crispy and sweetly spicy; - Beef Bulgogi; - Vege-Jap Chae (assorted vegetables, clear noodles); and - B.B.Q. ribs, which were noted to be the best in a long while. Took away a few containers of leftovers and left full'n'happy. Highly recommend a visit! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Pork Man Doo, Beef Bulgogi, Vege-Jap Chae, Spicy Chicken Wings, Kimchi Soon Du Bu, B.B.Q. ribs - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

I spend over $60-$80 dollar of food. It was so delicious. I loved how traditional the food and place are. Service was fast and love the quietness of it. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Kimchi Soon Du Bu - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Best soft tofu in Philadelphia, hands down. The rest of the menu is good, too, but the bubbling bowls of soup delivered straight from the oven is unbeatable. read more

We were craving good Korean food but there really isn't any good Korean Restaurants in the city. So, we decided to make the trek to Elkins Park. This was the first time we ordered takeout from Jong Ka Jib, and this place looks legit. We will have to come back and eat here one day. We picked up our food and drove back home. Once at home, we opened the takeout bag and saw three 8oz containers of banchan, which is more generous compared to banchan from Korean restaurants in the city, on takeout orders at least. The tofu soup portions were bigger too. The soup was addictingly good -- full of seafood flavors and huge pieces of tofu. You can also choose your spice level. As you can see, mine was a lot less spicy compared to my husband's. you could easily make two meals out of one order of tofu soup. Everything tasted very authentic, except for the order of wings. These wings were not like Pelicana's or Bonchon's. They were overly saucy and unfortunately kind of tasted like General Tso's chicken, which I like, but I was hoping to eat Korean fried chicken that day. Aside from the wings, our cravings for good and authentic Korean food were more than satisfied. I wish Jong Ka Jib was closer to us! Definitely looking forward to dining in at Jong Ka Jib soon and getting more takeout. read more

See all

This is probably the best soft tofu place around Philly. It is super flavorful, tofu is soft and silky, and the soup is delicious. The spicy level is just right. The pancake and short rib is also a must have! read more

4.5/5 Really delicious tofu soup. I'd agree with the other reviews and say it seems very authentic. As you can see from the image, they provide the food in stone bowls which come very hot, so be careful when moving them around. This method really crisps up the rice which is an additional dimension to a simple dish. A comfort food for cold days for sure! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Spicy Beef Kimchi Soon Du Bu - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food is truly authentic KoreanCuisine, its very excellent tasting, authentic not overwhelming, hot food and stone bowls come out very hot, the way it does in Korea! The Kimchi is soo tasteful and all the food I have tried has been very flavorful and fresh, the service is excellent, the facility is very clean and welcoming , it has a nice comfortable atmosphere as you are sitting waiting for someone to take your order. Your food comes out promptly. If you really love authentic Korean food, give this place a try I promise you will not be disappointed . The entrance is on the side in the parking lot! read more

My husband and I are never disappointed with their food nor services. Our last visit we dine in for our lunch, surprisingly it was empty around 1pm. I thought I forgot to update myself on their business hours. The waiter remembered us and quickly assisted us to a table. Food came out quick and delicious. We ordered their pancake, oyster soft tofu soup, and a bulgogi rice. No complaints. Definitely will return again, especially this is where my husband and I ate dinner on our first date. read more

See all

The food was an absolute 10/10, everything was fresh, hearty and delicious. The servers got our orders quickly; there was barely any wait time. I liked that it wasn't packed during lunch time, so it was a quiet, peaceful place to eat and catch up with family and friends. I can't wait to go again! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Scallion pancake Kimchi Soon Du Bu Kimchi Cucumber Kimchi Pickled Radish White Rice Boneless Fried Chicken and Rice Bowl - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Such a great find in the suburbs of Philly! I came in on a Saturday afternoon was was seated promptly. We got the tea which was refreshing and just the right amount of caffeine, but unfortunately I don't catch the name of it. There were 5 banchan sides and we finished them so quickly that they kindly gave us seconds on them! The soondubu was incredibly flavorful with just enough spice, and in some ways, it tasted like a home cooked meal. Ambiance was relaxing and chill especially with the light instrumental music in the background. Prices were also very affordable, less than $50 for two main dishes and one appetizer. Overall great experience and will be coming back! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Tteok-Bokki Ya Chae Soon Du Bu - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

My go to Korean soft tofu place for last 25+ years. Visited with the family of four for some tasty soft tofu in a while. Sunday noon and place was not busy so got seated right away. Typical side dishes as usual. Our order came out but thwre was no taste. Just plain. Called server who took our order back to kitchen. Tasted better but chewed something and noticed it was a small piece of powder soup like you would find one in ramen... So disappointed as anyone can go and get a soft tofu kit with a soup...Not aure if we will ever return again knowing this. I am sure other restaurants have their own cheat kits...Not what I had expected to find coming here for years...Left feeling cheated! read more

Got a recommendation online for this place as my child loves Korean food and language, so we went out of our way to find it. First, it had parking which is rare and wonderful. The dining area was large and the sunny hostess sat us right away. (Ordered lots of dishes to try - our waitress kindly didn't tease us for over ordering, we really wanted to bring a lot home, so it was on purpose.) Everything came super fresh, piping hot in a stone pot, w lots of control over the spice level which we really appreciated. The kimchee was tasty, my bibimbap was excellent and my daughter got great advice about what soup to choose and how to eat it traditionally from a beautiful mother at the next table. She said this place makes the best Kimchee Soon Du Bu and my daughter totally agreed. The pickled radish w jalapeño was also amazing and she told us about how easy it was to make at home, which my daughter loves to do- try to cook things at home. (This generous woman stopped at H mart down the street while we were finishing our lunch and brought her back some radish to try and prepare at home! Unforgettable.) The whole lunch experience was the perfect rainy afternoon and we were so blessed to have shared in the culture of people so proud of their delicious food who took such care of us! read more

To be honest, I don't think I would come back. Even though the service was friendly when was initially seated, the waiter didn't check to see how I was doing at all or see if I needed anything (like refills), even though I was eating got an hour. Also, it was hard to get his attention for the check and to go container. When it came to the food, I ordered the Korean pancake and Sam Gye Tang (chicken ginseng soup). Out of all the banchan, the beansprouts and seaweed tasted the best. The Korean pancake was mostly flour and scallions and it didn't have much squid. The chicken ginseng soup had a mild flavor. Other than the chicken legs, the chicken meat was rather dry. Eating it with the kimchi and pickled cucumbers helped and adding some salt made the soup taste better since there wasn't much flavor in the soup alone. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Sam Gye Tang - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

I can't tell you how much I loved the food here and I also can't tell you the names of the deliciousness of what I ate. My friend who is learning to speak Korean ordered everything for us and I didn't want the evening to end because that would mean that my meal was over. The tofu soup was bubbly hot, delicious and is served with an egg that you crack in the soup right at the table. The dumplings, the fried rice, the kimchi... wow. We had to make a trip to the northeast to get here... but it was so worth it read more

See all

We came in for an early dinner. Only a couple of other groups where there. Just really odd. Others have had really good reviews but this place was just odd. It wasn't bad service but people seemed not very interested in us. Food was ok. Had a Korean pancake. Average. Had a Soon Du Bu - made the mistake of saying low spice - literally it was not at all red (no red pepper flakes). I know, its my mistake but is it really Soon Du Bu or even Korean without it? Made it really bland and... just Tofu really. Had the Chicken Gal Bi - basically chicken on a hot sizzle plate. Eh,. Ok. Very tasty and well seasoned, but this is NOT at all to be confused with Korean BBQ. Kinda like the difference between grilling and pan frying something. Added in a Sam Bab - nice greens with a soy bean paste and rice. Was refreshing. Walked out of the place just... meh... Just not my thing / place... read more

Jong Ka Jib is one of the few authentic Korean restaurants in Philly. I like this place a lot because it is usually on the emptier side so you never have to wait for seating! The service is also great - very kind, attentive, and respectful. The banchan (side dishes) always satisfy my Korean homey food cravings. I love the mul naengmyun (cold noodles) here, especially on a hot summer day. The pajeon is pretty good too and a great addition to any of the main dishes here. I think the soon dubu is comparable to Dubu in terms of taste. read more

Jong Ka Jib - mul naengmyeon - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place has been a korean restaurant that has been around Philly for many years. I remember I was a child and coming here with my parents. There is much nostalgia associated with this place. After a leaving for college and coming back to eat here, I was happy to know not much had changed. The workers great you warmly and the food is served perfectly hot. I ordered eel and it was delicious. The sauce and everything. It came with hot rice still in the stone pot which made me feel at home. I would recommend this spot if you want somewhere homey and warm. read more

See all