Yummy spot near keeaumoku Sam's Club for Korean tofu soup and other dishes! They have banchan, and their beef and pork tofu soup is my go to. Their meat jun is good, but seafood pancake is very very breaded. A good adorable spot for Korean food. Friendly staff, and nice for a quick meal. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Beef/pork soondubu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If I could give this place zero stars, I absolutely would. The customer service was horrible from the moment we arrived. We were told the waiter was the owner, must be under a new owner and if that's true, his behavior was extremely disappointing. I would not recommend eating somewhere where you're made to feel like an inconvenience. My soon do bu tofu soup was literally thrown onto the table, causing some of it to spilt over on the side. We were not given enough chopsticks, and when we asked for straws because the ones we had broke, his attitude became even worse. He started slamming things around, and when we tried to get his attention, he clearly heard us, laughed, said something under his breath and walked away. Thankfully, the other person working with him came over and helped us. At that point, I couldn't even enjoy my food because of how uncomfortable and unwelcome we felt. I ended up asking for my food to be packed to go. The overall atmosphere felt extremely toxic, rude, and unwelcoming. What made it even more disappointing was that we were there during a time when it wasn't even busy. I will not be returning, and based on this experience, I cannot recommend this place. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food: The food was good. I had no complaints. I ended up getting Meat Jun and Seafood Pancake (sharing the pancake). In total it was about $39. Taste wise the meat jun with the sauce was not sweet. But I enjoyed it regardless. The quantity was great! Along with the unlimited banchan I was a happy camper that got to take extras home. Service: Great! I called 2 hours beforehand on a Friday for a reservation for a party of 8 + a baby stroller and they accommodated us wonderfully. They also allowed us to split the check at the register by items. They gave e water as needed as well. Atmosphere/Ambiance: Casual. Where you feel you can go into after a long day and have a good meal. Would I go back again? Yes. :) My only regret was that I ate my food and enjoyed the company I was with, forgetting about taking photos for this review. read more

Been a while since I've been. We did take out for our office. Only one mistake...gave us a Bibimbap instead of Soondubu/Meat Jun Combo. It's fine since I just took the mistake since I love banchan and we shared some things. Meat Jun some parts bland, some parts tasty. I usually can eat without sauce, but needed sauce. Kim Chee good, mushrooms tasty, but the choy sum and bean sprouts super bland. So pretty hit or miss with the foods... read more

So Who is So Gong Dong? hehe. So Gong Dong Restaurant has been my favorite lately for my SoonDuBu fix, ever since having lunch here with a Yelp friend, I've been back with the hubby, momma, sister and other friends. I really enjoy the Korean comfort foods! 4 stars for the food, soups, and ban chan, 5 stars if the service was great. Typical service you will get at a Korean spot but no complaints. Just gotta be patient for ban chan refills or if you need anything else, I don't expect much just happy that I get to have my Korean food. During this recent Saturday visit, I decided to go here for our late lunch, after hiking Koko Head Trail & Makapuu. It was about 4:30 pm, we were the only ones there, but it filled up pretty quick an and they do have many take out and Uber/Door Dash orders. My favorites here are the combo set, choice of soondubu (combination, kim chee, spam, beef, sausage, clam,) & either meat jun, fried mandoo, bulgogi, yellow corvina, seafood jun, or BBQ chicken. The combo use to be $20.55 my first time but now went up to $23.55, hence the increase, it is still a great deal, this meal comes with rice and 5 different ban chan. This combo was more than enough for the both of us. My favorite is the spam soondubu ( yes. who picks Spam right?! hehe) & the seafood Jun. Although it so hard to decide since all the choices are good, I will have to visit again for the other selection. The other half and I cannot eat an entire combo set by ourselves. I love the ban chan, especially the daikon & kim chee, so fresh and crispy! When I first dined here, I was surprise to see they give you a fresh egg to crack in your soondubu soup, I am use to the egg already in there. We always have leftover soondu soup which I take home and add to my Korean ramen the next day, so good! Support this local mom & pop restaurant, So Gong Dong has been around for the longest time just only recently I've discovered it. I will be back for the next Korean soondubu, ban chan fix! read more

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We try this Korean restaurant for the first time tonight. The restaurant is not that big, there are about 7 tables. The staffs seem friendly. My wife love beef intestine soup, so she ordered that, her review for this soup is only 5 out of 10 compare to other Korean restaurants. I went for the combo, Soondubu with seafood pancake. For $24, I think it is a good value meal, I don't know what is Soondubu, the waitress told me it is tofu, pork and beef stew, the bowl packed with a lot of tofu. Each dish also comes with a bowl of white rice and they also served 5 Korean small dishes. The small dishes quality is just average. Over all, I think this place offer good value for the food, not super pricy. I will go back to try other dishes. read more

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My in-laws have talked up SoGongDong for some time, and I'm happy to report that it lived up to the hype. Located on Keeamoku Street adjacent to the old site of Like Like Drive Inn, So Gong Dong is a small Korean restaurant that specializes in soondubu or soft tofu spot. There are several things that distinguish So Gong Dong's soondubu from other Korean restaurants: - First, the price is still reasonable at $15.25 for a standard-sized bowl of soondubu. Competitors charges range from $17-20 for a similar portion size. Additionally, combinations are also a good value at $23.55, as there was no noticeable difference in portion size between my individual order of soondubu and my partner's combination order of soondubu and meat jun. - Second, So Gong Dong's broth is rich and flavorful, featuring a thicker consistency than some other Korean restaurants in Honolulu and LA. My biggest complaint with many versions of soondubu is watery broth, and that was not a problem here. And, for better or for worse, So Gong Dong's original soondubu features ground pork and beef rather than thin slices or chunks. This makes for a soup with a noticeably stronger meat flavor. My only critique would be the run-of-the-mill banchan, which we found fairly unremarkable (read: average) compared to other Korean restaurants. Parking is free in the private lot attached to the shopping center, but there are a number of other popular businesses (e.g. YogurStory), which makes finding parking difficult. Metered street parking is also available on Rycroft or Kanunu. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Original Soondubu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Quick service, good authentic Korean food at a good price. This place has really tasty soon dobu at the best price compared to other Korean restaurants. For $14.55 you get a lot! I ordered the original soondobu MILD and it still tastes spicy. I recommend getting mild, their medium is too spicy for the average person. Side dishes were just OK. The soup comes out crazy BOILING hot, a little too hot to eat at first. They have a few tables inside and it gets busy around 7pm even on weekdays. I will come back when I crave Korean due to the good taste at a reasonable price. read more

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If you're craving comfort in a bowl, this place serves the best soondubu (tofu soup) I keep coming back for. It's definitely my go to whenever I need something warm and satisfying. On top of that, the staff are always friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Great food and great service hard to beat! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Found this place on DoorDash and was craving sundubu jjigae. I got the original soft tofu soup and it was really good! It has brown mushrooms, minced beef and pork, and soft tofu. The broth was super flavorful and addicting. I am not a mushroom fan, so next time I would opt for no mushrooms. It came with a side of rice and banchan. The banchan was ok, nothing amazing but still good although it could have used a little extra seasoning. Next time I will dine in! Their food is so good and I think it would taste even better in the stone pot! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Takeout Original Soft Tofu Soup - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Reliable Korean Comfort Food in the Heart of "Koreamoku" So Gong Dong is conveniently located near Park on Keeaumoku, Walmart, and the Pagoda Hotel -- right in the heart of what many affectionately call "Koreamoku." It's a central, easy spot if you're craving Korean food in town. Pricing isn't "cheap," but compared to how much many restaurants have raised their prices lately, it feels reasonable and not overly expensive for what you get. The tofu stews were flavorful and comforting -- definitely one of the stronger dishes. The mandoo was nicely meaty and satisfying. The seafood pancake did not disappoint. The kalbi was okay -- sliced a bit thin and not quite as juicy or sweet as some of my other favorite Korean restaurants, but still enjoyable. The chicken and ginseng soup wasn't what I expected. The broth was mild and lacked the depth of herbal flavor I usually associate with this dish. It didn't include glutinous sweet rice stuffing, dates, ginkgo nuts, or chestnuts, and the chicken was a bit tough. Because the broth was lighter, the texture of the chicken stood out more. Service was quick and efficient, though not especially warm compared to some other restaurants. The ambiance is average -- bright lighting and fairly tight table spacing -- more casual and functional than cozy. Overall, So Gong Dong is a solid option in the area, especially for tofu stew and mandoo, with fair pricing for today's market. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Kalbi - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food was pretty underwhelming, but what really ruined the experience was the service. Everything felt mediocre and there was no real sense of hospitality. The worst part was toward the end of the meal when the old grandma lady came over while bussing our table and essentially suggested that we should leave a higher tip. That is extremely uncomfortable and unprofessional. A tip is supposed to be based on the customer's experience, not something a customer should be pressured into giving. Unfortunately, the food and service just weren't good enough to justify that kind of attitude. Overall reading previous reviews too just stay away from this place unless you enjoy dining in a toxic environment. Will not be returning. read more

Best Soon Du Bu on isle? Probably....sides were fine- Kalbi was tasty but there were a few total fat pieces that was not edible- but thats just my opinion cause some diners love to eat the fat ... read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I ordered two cold noodles My wife asked extra soup the waiter said it will be charged extra That noodles was package noodle anyone can buy from any Asian store Than this waiter said " asshwole" because I order extra soup? This waiter have serious problem read more

Food mediocre and service is terrible especially during lunch when a young male works. Rude dude. I ordered takeout and after he packed the food he slid the food to me about 2 feet, I felt disrespected and decided at that point I will never go there again. read more

The ambiance is pleasant, pretty quaint restaurant. Service was VERY quick, which at first was very impressive. But the food temp wasn't hot, maybe pre prepared?? Then they rush you to eat, we weren't even done eating and the check was presented at the table. As we're trying to finish our meal, they came to the table with the credit card machine to pay . Being as the food was only "meh" don't think we'll return. There are so many other Korean restaurant to choose from. Additionally, the area is a little Sketch at night, since Yogur Story is closed, there aren't many people in the area. The people hanging around the area, weren't the types you'd want to walk past to get to your car. read more

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I go at least once a week because the food is amazing and fast and the staff is amazing. Like mom and pop kind of place that deserves hugs for feeding me all the best foods. They're generous with the banchans ash vs portions are amazing. Always have enough for 2 meals! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Bibim Bab - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Very friendly attend services. Casual and comfy food spot for me. I like their tofu soup and seafood pancake. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Tofu soup & Seafood Pancake - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is one of my go to Korean places. Whether I dine in or do takeout, the food is always good. This review is on my most recent visit. My husband and I went out for date night and I was craving Korean food. When we got there, there was a couple of people sitting inside and a lot of take out orders. We decided to order the soondubu and meat jun combo, seafood pancake and douk-bokki. We knew it was going to be a lot but we could always take the rest home. Everything came out quick and hot. The seafood pancake was my favorite. The douk-bokki was surprisingly not too spicy. I thought I remembered it being more spicy before but the soondubu was a lot more spicy than I remember. Staff is friendly and service is always good. Will definitely be back again. read more

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Overall: *****Recommended***** Food: **** Value: **** Menu: *** Ambiance: *** Service: **** Parking: ***** free on other side of bldg When I asked a friend, who eats out often, "Where are your favorite Korean restaurants?" One of them that she recommended was So Gong Dong Restaurant. I've since been there several times and I've never been disappointed. Many of my friends and family go there for their soondubu and soft tofu soup with seafood, which are one of the best. The other half of the combinations (kalbi, BBQ chicken, bulgogi, meat jun) are good-to-ok, but you can find better tasting ones at other Korean restaurants. However, when we factor in the price, the ban chan and ample free parking, we find ourselves eating their often. RATINGS & RECOMMENDED ORDER: Seafood Tofu Soup = A Mandoo =A Soondubu = A Seafood Pancake = B Kalbi = C Meat Jun = C Bulgogi = C BBQ Chicken = C Covina = C Website: https://www.sogongdong.com/ Yelp: https://yelp.to/H5eTcMBtE5 YELP: Sorry! They allow only one 12 second video & the remaining to 3 seconds, with maximum of 10 pictures/videos. The full video can be found elsewhere: MiltonIn808 RATINGS KEY: A = Really Good - one of the best B = Good - would order again C = ok - similar, nothing special D = Not very good - wouldn't order F = Terrible - avoid read more

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As much as I wanted to love and frequent this restaurant, Unfortunately i was so excited to try this place. I ordered the soon tofu soup which was ok, tasty but only a little bit of minced beef. It was tasty but I wish there was more meat. I also ordered Galbi and It was tasty but was not tender, some parts I couldn't even chew because the meat was tough. Plus size, the banchan was unlimited and very very good! Service was a little slow, I had to raise my hand twice because they hardly tended to me. Ambiance is cute, small, and ok. I wish the meat was more on the tender side and the amount of beef in the tofu soup was more generous and I wish the service was more tended too. Sadly, I have not returned to this place. I'd love to give it another try, maybe I just came on an off day. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The Restaurant is on Rycroft Street even though the address is 745 Keeaumoku. It's part of the old Likelike drive inn building! You can park there but its very crowded! We went with friends who have been there so told us what to order. They recommended to get the Soondubu Combo: which includes the Tofu soup and you get a raw egg to crack open in your hot boiling soup! Then you can choose between Seafood Pancake; BBQ Chicken or a sizzling hot plate of Kale Bi. My husband had the Beef Short Ribs Soup (Gaibitang) which is a clear soup made with beef Short ribs. Supposed to be a hearty, nourishing soup with a delicate flavor. I had the Bibimbab mixed rice with assorted vegetables (bean sprouts, sliced carrots, mushrooms,cucumber) on a Sunnyside egg. It was good and filling. It was a bit pricey! read more

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I often order from So Gong Dong for delivery and recently had the chance to eat there in person for a work meeting. They are quick, the food is always fire, and whenever they deliver they take a lot of care with packaging things really well so it arrives perfectly each time. Great local spot and love their food! read more

My friends and I have been frequenting this shop for years. It is a go to spot for soondubu and we often go for a quick, casual dinner. Our usual order is the original soondubu, sometimes with a combo of mandoo or seafood pancake. The meal is filling and most times I take home leftovers for the next day! Soondubu comes out quick and is served with rice and banchan. It's a comfort meal that hits the spot all the time! I would give five stars, however they have recently stopped serving eggs with soondubu which is a huge bummer. The egg makes the dish and without it, it's just not the same! They now charge $2 for an egg which I feel is a bit ridiculous considering the price of a whole carton of eggs is maybe $8-12. While I will still go to support this business, I hope they bring back eggs with soondubu. read more

First time eating at their new location since they moved but food is still great! This is my go-to for soon du bu and meat jun. Complimentary banchan provided. Service is prompt and waters are consistently filled. Highly recommend!! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Soon dubu and meat jun combo - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had dinner here and the food was delicious. It's a small restaurant, so there was a 15 minute wait. We ordered the seafood tofu soup $13.55, marinated short rib $24.55 and a bbq combo $21.55. You can pick two from chicken, meat jun and bulgogi. We went with the meat jun and bulgogi. It also came with five different sides of banchan and two bowls of rice. My fave banchan was the shoyu potatoes. Everything came out relatively fast except the tofu soup. That came out last and took a while. It came out boiling hot and I cracked my egg into it. it was perfect and so good. Everything was good, but I highly recommend the short ribs and tofu soup. The short rib arrived on a sizzling platter with onions on the bottom. The caramelized onions went great with the white rice and short ribs. read more

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Take out experience was very good! Great stir fry pork and seafood pajeon. They include banchan and rice even if you don't ask for it. Please include more seafood in your pajeon next time though. If you can order online and have someone wait in the car for you, that's best. It is almost impossible to find parking. There is parking somewhere in the back but it's iffy. I ordered online at around 10 am. Order was ready by 11:15. The location is off of Keeaumoku St, right across from the entrance to The Park condominium and the Pagoda. Please try this great restaurant!There is seating inside but it's limited so go early. They open at 10:30. read more

When I went in, my husband and I were going to sit at a 2 person table, but since they weren't busy, the lady offered us a 4 person one. That was so kind of her. Our water was never empty and she offered me more gamja jo rim! So happy with the service. The kalbi was delicious. It even came out sizzling. They even provided tongs and scissors so I could cut it into smaller pieces. The onions under the kalbi tasted so good from all the sauce and heat. Parking is free in the parking lot. The music was 90s music, which was nostalgic for me. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One star. Did a take out order. Something missing. When I went back. Young male owner stated "Don't put in any future orders " Note the mistake was the business. He also kept hanging up the phone on me when I tried to call. He said he would log the phone numbers I tried calling from and he would not fill any orders in the future. Avoid this arrogant cocky guy owner. read more

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This is one of my go-to Korean joints. They are consistently good. I love their meat jun and choice of tofu soup combo. I am not in love with their banchan and the radish kimchi but I don't eat it anyway because the tofu soup is so satisfying! read more

Probably the best soondubu I've had on the island and the service is excellent they are so fast!

Soondubu is comfort food for me. I have fond memories of having it with my mom whenever I'd visit home from school. The piping hot tofu in spicy broth was always oh so good! The soondubu at So Gong Dong is excellent in flavor and has actually become my gold standard that all others have to live up to! The restaurant is small but bright and clean. Its storefront is easily found with lots of street parking nearby. The staff is always friendly and welcoming with quick service. There's no skimping with plenty of tofu in the soup and you can choose from a variety of different types of ingredients. I love the mushroom soondubu but the kimchi one is excellent too. Really can't go wrong. The seafood and kimchi pancakes are really thick and full of flavor. Our kids rave about the bbq chicken, it's one of their favorites in town. The banchan is always plentiful and fresh. I could eat here any day! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Mushroom and sausage soondubus, seafood pancake and banchan. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My boyfriend's dad works at the construction site across the street and has been eyeing out this place for a couple months haha! We went on a whim on a Wednesday night an hour before closing and the place was still pretty booming, especially with takeout orders. We parked on the street but you can also park in the shared lot (where Yogurstory is). We waited a few minutes to be seated. My boyfriend and I weren't that hungry so we decided to share the Soondubu (Kimchi and Pork option) and MeatJun combo. For the table we ordered the kimchi pancake and the kalbi. The Soondubu was absolutely delightful and so flavorful. The Meatjun was alright but honestly we ended up saving it for tomorrow's lunch because we were so full from everything else! The service is also great, our server was very attentive and was so happy see that we were full and satisfied. This place is definitely a solid Korean option and I can't wait to come back and try out their other dishes! read more

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My cousin was craving soondubu and at first we were going to go to Sorabol but when I was looking up Korean restaurants, So Gong Dong came up and my cousin said this looked like the best place for that so we went there. And boy am I so glad we did! I give this place a 4.5/5 stars. The only downside of this place is the parking. There is street parking and the old Like Like parking lot but it's not a whole lot of stalls so it's not the easiest to find parking if it's busy. Anyways, as soon as we walked in we got seated and was brought water. It's a small place with only about 6-7 tables. The menu is small, but really all you need to enjoy some good Korean food. We both got the "original" tofu soup with beef. They have all different kinds of tofu soup to choose from. After our order was taken, they brought our rice and banchan. They also bring you a raw egg to crack into your soup. It comes in the hot stone bowl, nice & bubbly. It looks small but it sure is filling. Especially with the rice and banchan that come with it. You can also choose the spice level. This was definitely one of the best soondubu's that I've tried! Can't wait to come back for more. Perfect for these cold wintery days we've been having! If you haven't already, go give them a try. You won't regret it. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One of my favorite cheap eats places. I always come here when I'm craving Soondubu and yummy banchan. For $13.50 you get your choice of Soondubu, rice, egg, and banchan. I feel like that's a steal for tasty homemade Korean food. I usually always have a little leftovers to take home so they definitely don't scrimp on size. Service is your typical Asian service, quick and to the point. They do get busy so you may need to flag them down if you need something. Perfect place to stop by if you're looking for a quick lunch. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Combination Soondubu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Went to this restaurant with my family. The lady threw the menus at us as soon as we sat down. We were a group of seven and needed more time to order, but she kept rushing us. After taking our order, they became extremely rude, giving us the attitude as if we weren't paying for our meal. We are small eaters and ordered a set with soft tofu soup, marinated crab, seafood pancake, marinated short ribs, grilled fish & extra fried rice. It was more than enough for us! A male server threw all the hot plates onto the table. He seemed to think that acting busy would justify his behavior, but we are not stupid. It felt intentional, especially since they were very friendly when serving other customers at the same time. Usually, we don't mind tipping more, but with this kind of attitude, they deserve zero tip for creating such a bad experience for us. It's such a shame to see a restaurant run this way. The staff were impatient, disrespectful, and unprofessional. We have never received this kind of treatment at any other restaurant before. This will be our first and last visit. Supporting this business means tolerating this kind of attitude. Make better choices, this is a good place to start. read more

Love this place for lunch when we crave Korean food. Service is always prompt and food is consistently delicious. Food does take a while to come today since they have a full house and are busy. Our favorite there is the kalbi and the original Soondubu. read more

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I love So Gong Dong! The broth is savory and the perfect amount of spice. My go-to is the beef intestine soft tofu soup. The food always comes out fast and my water stays filled. Their dine-in and takeout experience are equally as good, too. If you're looking for the best soft tofu soup (soondubu) in Hawaii, I would definitely recommend here! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Soft tofu soup and banchan - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I finally got the chance to come here yesterday, after discovering my love for Soondubu. We ordered the Soondubu and seafood pancake combo and the bulgogi and bbq chicken combo. They very quickly brought out the banchan and rice. The banchan consisted of 5 different sides, including kimchi, sprouts, choy sum, shoyu potato, and I think radish kimchi. All were very good and a perfect accompaniment to the meal. Next came my seafood pancake, which was a good size and had good sized pieces of seafood inside. The pancake and dipping sauce were yummy. The bulgogi was good - my son really enjoyed it. The bbq chicken had a nice smoky flavor to it. The portions were a good size too. Finally, the star of my meal, the Soondubu (original) arrived. It was literally boiling hot and I mixed in the egg. It was really tasty, with lots of soft tofu and nice chunks of meat. It was spicy, but not too much. Really good, I'll definitely be back for this. Looking forward to my next visit!! read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Original Soondubu Jigae - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Wow. I am so happy I found a soondubu spot! Came across this place while looking for restaurant that served soft tofu soup that wasn't a BBQ grill place- I just wanted soup, and this place had just that and more. Their combo meal which is a choice of soft tofu soup + entree is deals. I was worried it wasn't going to be enough for just me and boyfriend so I forced him to order his own entree but the combo meal was literally a full entree and like a never endless soup! The bowl looked smaller than a regular order of soup but I felt like it was never ending after every scoop. There was sooo much tofu! And the spice level was perfect! My entree was the seafood pancake and it was cooked perfectly, not gummy or undercooked. It was so much food, I was able to make a second meal out of the leftovers. I will most definitely be back! They serve all the other Korean dishes but I'd honestly come her specifically for their soondubu. Service was quick and to the point. There was parking in the lot once Yogurstory closed so I would try come after that. read more

So Gong Dong Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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