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    Somisomi

    4.3 (608 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Somisomi Photos

    Business Info

    SOMISOMI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Somisomi

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    Cydia N.

    Visited Somisomi today and one man was doing everything. Taking orders, making desserts and keep moving things. You could tell he had a solid system down! We ordered matcha ice cream as well as 2 Nutella fish. Both were so delicious. They make the fish fresh for you. Eating it fresh the dough almost had a mochi texture.

    Cookies n Cream soft ice cream
    Marcos V.

    You could never go wrong with somisomi after a long day after work. The service is a quick kiosk to type your order in or another line to wait for a cashier to take your order. A bit confusing but you do get the hang of it quick. The cookies n cream with Nutella filling and fruity pebbles is hands down the best flavor. (The only one I always get, hehe). But it's a good place to take someone after walking around the plaza and have a quick chat with friends or a date

    Andres T.

    New place to try. It's in a busy and great area of Little Tokyo. The ice cream is soft and sweet. Staff is fast and welcoming. They answer any questions you might have if you've never been to one of their locations.

    Amanda M.

    Went to SomiSomi last night at 8:30 and there was a line outside the shop but it went very quickly. The staff were amazing. The girl who took our order gave great suggestions and was very efficient. Everyone was a very clear communicator which I really appreciate. The interior was simple but had plenty of space for people to wait. We got the matcha soft serve & cookies n cream soft serve with Nutella taiyaki. Both were delicious! Really impressed that the quality of SomiSomi is the same across locations.

    Randy S.

    Love to come here for dessert after enjoying dinner in Little Tokyo! Delicious and creamy soft served ice cream with plenty of options!

    Jessica W.

    Somi somi, 等一下冰淇淋,他們開了很多的分店,幾年前就已經吃過了,在這跟朋友當小東西來,他堅持要吃這一家,好吧付錢的人講話比較大聲,所以我沒有來試這一家,這家的地點非常得好,日式的冰淇淋,這一家感覺起來是比較偏甜了一點,但是還是不錯吃

    Inside
    Eliko S.

    I was in town from San Diego with a group of students and we decided to stop at Somisomi on a very hot Friday afternoon. The shop is right in Japantown and is on a bustling and fun street. The folks working the counter were efficient, but not as friendly as I would have liked. I ordered a matcha soft serve with Biscoff crumbles and an Ah-boong (filled with custard) also known as a taiyaki in Japan. Standing outside on the sidewalk, I ate my taiyaki first and then by the time I started to eat my soft serve, it was a soupy mess. Oh well - 90 plus degrees will do that. The soft serve was delicious and the matcha flavor was light and sweet with no hint of bitterness. The taiyaki was fresh and crisp, although there was not much custard inside of it. There are standing tables and a few tables inside, but there was not enough seating inside for all of us... After completely covering myself in matcha ice cream, I wanted to wash my hands, but Somisomi does not have a bathroom customers can use which was disappointing. Overall, I enjoyed this sweet treat, and I'll be back to visit a Somisomi in SD or Temecula again soon.

    Lorenzo W.

    My favorite SOMISOMI in SoCal. No one can beat the incredible service and quality of Little Tokyo's SomiSomi. The amount of people that walk in here on a weekend is incredible and without fail I get my Ah boong in less than 7 mins! I tried the Cookies n' Cream w/ Dalgona during this visit and my eyes rolled. It was DELICIOUS. If you love Taiyaki (fish-shaped, waffle adjacent pastries with filling) and ice cream, this is for you! Try filling your Taiyaki with Nutella! The staff are always super polite and thoughtful. I was helped by a very professional staff member who ensured I had all of my toppings and provided a small cookie too! She was younger and calling out names. Wish I could've got her name, because she went above and beyond! SomiSomi is a classic and has become a tradition for me. It's a great place to hang out, enjoy, and view the Little Tokyo happenings.

    Strawberry soft serve
    Minji K.

    If you're in Little Tokyo and craving something sweet, SomiSomi is a must. They specialize in Japanese-style taiyaki: warm, fish-shaped cakes that can be filled with your choice of filling and paired with soft serve. You can pick from fillings like Nutella, custard, red bean, matcha mustard, black sesame, or just get the taiyaki on its own. I went for the cup with an upside-down taiyaki filled with black sesame, with creamy earl grey soft serve and a fresh strawberry. The earl grey was perfectly smooth and sweet, hitting that floral-tea note just right. The black sesame was also on the sweeter side but nutty and rich, pairing perfectly with the ice cream. I also tried their strawberry soft serve -- just as creamy, with a sweet burst of berry flavor, topped again with a fresh strawberry for texture and balance. Service: Order on a screen, and they make it fresh for you on the spot. Seating: Limited, so it's best to take it to go or enjoy it while walking around.

    Counter
    Connor Y.

    I went to Somisomi with some friends to get Taiyaki. The service was really good the line was moving fast and the food came out pretty quick. They also have great lighting and theres plenty of seating. We gotten four different types of Taiyaki Custer,Oreo Nutella, sesame. The Custer was delicious had a very different and unique flavor to it. The Oreo was delicious but it's inconsistent there are some bites with Oreo it could be more packed in. There's d Nutella Taiyaki was good, Nutella itself can be over powering a another hint it v try Sadly didn't get the chance to try the

    Juan F.

    I haven't had Somi Somi in years. They took over the frozen yogurt spot (I think it was Pinkberry before). Its pretty solid and a good choice if you are in Little Tokyo. I do prefer Bumsan Organic Milk Bar just down the street but this place is the most popular option.

    Matcha/Ube combo
    Miori I.

    One of the best soft serve ice creams available. Not overly sweet, smooth, pillowy, and in several desirable flavors. Add that to a filled Taikyaki (fish shaped pastry) and it's a perfect treat. My go to is a matcha soft serve in a custard filled Taikyaki. The matcha has good flavor and not too sweet. The ube/matcha combo is a good choice, but IMO the ube over powers the matcha flavor. My son tried a seasonal flavor: dulce de leche. He loved it paired with his nutella filled Taikyaki. Kiosks to the side of the shop make ordering fast and simple and allows for the employees behind the counter to focus on creating orders. Customer service is friendly and helpful.

    Menu
    James A.

    First time at this location, coming on a Sunday afternoon: got some delicious ice cream to share for a great value. After eating a good lunch in Little Tokyo, we started to walk toward the south end but saw this shop. I was craving ice cream, so made it an easy choice to stop. I wanted to keep it less messy, so got soft serve in a cup (without the ah-boong) ube flavor ($4.50). You can add different sprinkles at the end, and I chose oreo crumbles, graham cracker, and cocoa pebbles. I thought the amount given for the price was quite generous and the toppings added a lot of nice texture. The soft serve was super smooth, and the ube flavor was just right, not too overpowering. The amount was exactly right for the two of us.

    Soft serve

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    29 days ago

    Long wait, no one taking orders, not so tasty and the fish cone becomes soggy and tastes & smells like eggs. Cute idea tho

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    16 days ago

    I have seafood allergy, this is the only fish I can eat‍‍‍‍‍ Most flavors I've tried are pretty good.

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    Ask the Community - Somisomi

    When is the peanut taiyaki coming back?

    Hello, Aliza Thank you for your interest in our hotteok filling.… Read more

    Any vegan options?

    Hi, Alejandra  Thank you for reaching out to us and you can try out our cold brew.… Read more

    View All 3 Questions

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    Hangari Kalguksu - (LARGE) Hangari Bossam

    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4(3.2k reviews)
    3.4 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    10 years in business

    Visited Hangari on Saturday evening to try their renown Kalguksu with some friends. I've known that…read morespecific parking lot/strip mall to be a nightmare parking wise, so I bit the bullet and used the on-site valet. There is sometimes street parking but the availability is rough, it's tough to park, and even one of the meters we ended up at just didn't work. They only charge a $5 cash service charge though, which isn't bad. We were lucky to be seated right away, even in a packed restaurant. The restaurant has a surprisingly modern design, and is comfortable for as small as it is. We were quickly served their signature kimchis and barley rice. The kimchi, particularly the yeolmu (young summer radish) kimchi, has a unique flavor profile well suited to their food. We ordered 2 bowls of their plain kalgooksu, 1 bibim milmyun, and 1 tteokbokki. The food came out fairly quickly. The kalgooksu was as expected the star of the show. The anchovy broth brings a savory complexity that seems impossible for a soup made from just dried fish and a few other ingredients. It even has a rich, almost thick, quality to it that is surprising for a fish broth. Their noodles, the titular kalgooksu, have the signature irregularity and chew of knife cut noodles. I appreciate the vegetables that always come in kalgooksu, like potato, pumpkin, and zucchini, which offer an earthy heartiness to the light soup. My only complaint is that the potato is in huge irregular chunks, and is barely cooked, though I feel like I have had this issue with many of the kalgooksu bowls I've had over the years. The bibim milmyun was solid. I think that I prefer the texture and flavor of naengmyeon buckwheat noodles, but the milmyun, which are made with mostly wheat flour, still provide a satisfying chew. The sauce tasted bright and fresh, especially with a splash of added vinegar. It also came with a small side portion of spicy pork and some rice paper to wrap. The tteokbokki was the one let down of the meal. To be fair, I wasn't expecting much out of tteokbokki at all restaurant like this whose specialty is essentially the opposite. I ordered the tteokbokki as a "safe pick" for a picky eater in the group. It turned out to be a bit mediocre in our opinion, and that friend ended up enjoying their kalgooksu anyways. If you're looking to try this dish, it's definitely one of if not the best I've had in Southern California, so I'd totally recommend it. I'll also warn to steer clear of the Garden Grove restaurant of the same name and specialty. I think it's a disappointing mimicry of this place.

    Heard great things about this restaurant so I was very excited to try it while I was in town. Came…read moreon Sunday night at 7pm, and was very pleasantly surprised they had plenty of open tables to seat our party of 3 immediately. What we ordered: - Clam Kalguksu (5/5): this was sooo good! The noodle texture and broth favor was amazing. I would definitely order this again if I come back! - Large Bossam (4.5/5): I absolutely love bossam and this was exactly what I expect when I order bossam. Only reason it's not 5/5 is it's not really any different from bossam elsewhere. Overall, this place is definitely worth the hype and I will be come back when I'm in the ktown area again!

    Photos
    Hangari Kalguksu - Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Hangari Kalguksu - Bossam jowl combo

    Bossam jowl combo

    Hangari Kalguksu - (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

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    (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

    Anju House - covered patio seating

    Anju House

    4.4(694 reviews)
    4.1 miKoreatown
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    It was my first time here. The place is very nice and love the decor…read more The parking is valet or street parking. The service was very good. The chicken was a little in the dry side but overall all the food was good. We will be back!

    I'll start with the positives. The location is very nice. Designed with an elegant, but…read moreminimalistic vibe. I love that, traditional mixed modern social dining feel. I had placed a phone order, for pick up; upon arrival, I found the service was prompt. I saw my food ready to go, just past the main walk-in area. Almost immediately after that, I was taken care of by the host and on my way. I've been waiting to try this place for ages so on the drive back to work I was excited to steal a piece of meat from the bag. Initial bite flavor was good, meat was tender just a bit on the chewy side.. I wasn't bothered by it too much as I'd have to leave it in an oven warmer at work. Trying to keep food warm, in doing so, I knew there'd be only two possible outcomes, melting tender or either tough & dry. So, the dish of meat and rice sat in the warmer for almost an hour hour and a half. The downhill slope.... Set the "meat " on the veggies and began to eat. Meat after meat, I kept experiencing the same exact texture. It was the same exact rubbery chew, I initially tasted. Each and every piece was the same exact flavor. There was no peak, there was no pitfall. If you cook or grill, you know this is a red flag. Normally, consistency would be a good thing, a Master craftsman type experience, but this was NOT it. As go on, I get the sinking feeling, this can't be real meat. I lock in, the deeper I dig, each piece looks the same, broken apart the same, tastes the same, just various shapes. They can call me crazy for this one - I'll stand by it. Something is not right here. I'm not even going to throw it away. I'm going to study it for the next few days and post an updated review. I hope I'm wrong but as of right now, I'll never revisit this place. Too freaky of an experience. We

    Photos
    Anju House
    Anju House - Inside

    Inside

    Anju House

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    Danbi - Wagyu zabuton

    Danbi

    4.5(383 reviews)
    3.4 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    We went shortly after they opened and it got busier as the night went on. The Honey butter chips…read moreare dripping with the honey butter sauce & I wished I had a whole bowl of that. The Grilled jowl was thinly sliced & one of my favorite dishes of the night! The Zabuton came out still sizzling on a bed of onions- I absolutely loved this & it is definitely shareable between 2 or more people. The Scallop pancake had baby scallops cooked in to it- very fluffy & filling, another shareable dish between 2 or more people. The Mushroom bibimbap mixed with the sauce is a great vegetarian dish! Parking- $10 self park in the plaza

    Food Seaweed salad…read more Elevated and the best I've had, easily. The only issue is I can't really eat too much of it. The cherry tomatoes bursted with acidity and umami. 4.7/5 Honey butter chips. I've eaten an alarming amount of chips in my life and I will say these are solid but nothing noteworthy. The chips had no warmth to them and were slathered with decently flavorful honey butter that pooled to the bottom. 4.2/5 Mushroom bimibap - A very balanced dish with cohesive elements. Wish there were more mushrooms as they of course were the best part. The chili sauce was solid but the dish benefitted when we added another half portion of it and mixed it in. 4.4/5 Waygu - A decent flavor (definitely needed the flakey salt), portion and a nice medium rare cook, wall to wall. The steak was not as tender as I hoped it would be and some extra chewing was required. The banchan was all solid. It reminded me of Cote's but actually edible. 4.5/5 Yuzu popsicle - Definitely the best popsicle I've ever had. Refreshing and light. Balanced sweet to sour flavor. 4.7/5 Service A decent job. Good hostess. The steak took longer than expected to come out? Perhaps the kitchen messed it up and had to start over. Either that or maybe the waiters were busy. Or maybe it just takes a while to make it. Not sure. The waitress did the job competently but nothing above that. Overall, definitely not Michelin level service. 4.4/5 Ambiance A little too loud and it affected the entire vibe because I had to raise my voice to speak with the waitress. It became easier to just use nods and thumbs up. Like Cobis, a very modern and upscale restaurant that is hampered by lighting that is too dark. Pictures turned out good because I used another phone's flash. Just a little more light would be so much of an improvement without losing the romantic intent. Bathroom was average. 4.5/5 Overall, I had a solid meal that left my mood elevated. The service or food weren't as good as Cobis, Barsha, Ammatoli, or even Sonoratown - all top LA restaurants, but still worthy of a experience and I may return. 4.5/5 I would highly recommend Chois in San Diego as an extremely similar modern Korean fusion restaurant that also had better food, service, and ambiance. That place was 5/5 in every way.

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    Danbi - Inside bar

    Inside bar

    Danbi - Perilla Cild Noodle

    Perilla Cild Noodle

    Danbi - Pork cheek

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    Pork cheek

    Kobawoo House - Kimchi Jjigae

    Kobawoo House

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    3.0 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$

    What more can I say? This K-town staple consistently delivers when you're craving Korean cuisine…read more We started our meal with a generous portion of Haemool Pajeon (Seafood Pancake), which arrived sizzling on a hot plate reminiscent of a Chili's Fajita Plate. Next came the main attraction: the Bossam Plate, featuring simmered and cooled pork belly sliced to perfection. When you wrap all the other ingredients together, they create the perfect bite. Just after the Bossam Plate hits the table, a bubbling cauldron of Kimchi JJigae (Kimchi Stew) follows behind just in time to help wash down the delectable bites of bossam. Don't forget to order some rice because you'll need something to soak up the stew which turns the rice into a whole meal by itself. The service was jovial and welcoming, and like other Korean establishments, they have a handy-dandy button that jolts the attention of every server working whenever you're in need of service. The small space is very cozy, just the way I like it when I'm visiting with my loved ones. They don't have an extensive menu, just the OG staple items, but I feel the taste has improved over the years. I wish Kobawoo were closer to where I live, or I would be here this weekend, but perhaps it's a good thing we're so far apart.

    This place has been here for so long, I haven't been here in yrs! I was in the area so I decide to…read moredo a take out for lunch to take home for me and my family, such a disappointment! $76.80 for 3 dishes and what a puny portions these are, like a kid's portion. Very small kimchi maybe one or two bites. Three orders that I'm surprised that they give such a small amount of banchan. How can establishment justify this high priced meal for such small portions? God and I drove all the way from South Bay, stuck in traffic for almost 1 1/2 hrs of this. Maybe this is the type of place you should dine in only?? Do not ever do take out here! The food in general was just ok. Nothing special and Kimchi soup was very salty. Threw all 3. Wow, what a waste of money. Very disappointing... I guess I won't be coming here ever again.

    Photos
    Kobawoo House - Popular place. Had to wait 30 minutes for a table for 6 on a weekday at 6:15pm which is not bad!

    Popular place. Had to wait 30 minutes for a table for 6 on a weekday at 6:15pm which is not bad!

    Kobawoo House - Lunch Jangban Guksoo

    Lunch Jangban Guksoo

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    Jangban Guksoo Vegan

    Borit Gogae - Dwenjang

    Borit Gogae

    4.4(511 reviews)
    3.8 miKoreatown
    $$$

    Be prepared to walk away feeling very full. We got the set meal here, which came served with…read moreappetizers, barley rice, a lot of banchan (and by that I meant a LOT), soup, congee, dessert, etc. It was definitely more than enough food. We also got an additional order of LA kalbi for some protein. The meat quality was good but I felt like the meat was not marinated long enough and so the flavor was a little bit lacking. If only it just sat in the marinade for a couple more hours, I think this would have been perfect. The tofu soup was not my favorite, to be very honest. There was some flavor in there that made it smell like a stinky towel. Very different from other soondubu soup places and unfortunately not for me. Everything else we had was excellent and I would definitely come back again just for the barley rice and banchan. Service was quick and servers were nice. We also came at 3pm on Saturday so there was no wait. Recommended!

    Across the street from the new Zion market is this wonderful and unique Korean eatery. Unlike most…read moreof the run-of-the-mill Korean restaurants in Koreatown this restaurant serves unique appetizers and a multi-course set menu that gives you a taste of a variety of authentic Korean village food - like pumpkin porridge and acorn jelly salad. It's a lot of food for the price ($35 pp at this writing). While the minimum order is for 2 people, we've tried sharing the 2-people order among 3 and it worked for us, with addition of a couple of other items from the menu. The Korean BBQ beef is at par with most other nice restaurants in K town; their marinated crab was delicious! Service is okay - given how busy they are! Most servers are not very conversant in English so a little patience would help you get the right things you need. Nice and unique vibe with Korean handicraft items and art work on display (and for sale, I believe).

    Photos
    Borit Gogae - Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Borit Gogae - Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Borit Gogae - Grilled spareribs

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    Grilled spareribs

    Ham Ji Park

    Ham Ji Park

    4.2(1.8k reviews)
    3.3 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    Really sad that Ham Ji Park is closing down permanently. For years, this place has been our…read morefamily's go-to place for pork spare ribs - the best in town. In fact, we regularly brought visitors here. They raved about how good the spare ribs were and even insisted that their last meal before LA should be at Ham Ji Park.  Here's my belated review of what I consider the best spare ribs in LA. From the moment the Korean-style spare ribs arrived at the table, it was clear this was a dish worth savoring. Each rib bore a beautifully charred exterior--deeply caramelized without a hint of bitterness--offering that irresistible smoky aroma the moment it was placed before us. The glaze was nothing short of spectacular. A perfect balance of sweet and spicy, it clung to the meat with a glossy sheen that promised flavor in every bite. There was just enough heat to make your taste buds sit up and pay attention, but it never overwhelmed the deeper, richer notes of the sweet components. But what truly set these ribs apart was the texture. Beneath the charred surface lay meat so tender it practically fell off the bone with the gentlest tug of a fork. Each bite was juicy and succulent, the result of careful cooking and a respect for quality ingredients. Ham Ji Park, you will be missed. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the food.

    tl;dr the delectable pork ribs overshadow the otherwise authentic but standard lineup at this…read morenow-shuttered Korean stalwart Los Angeles Koreatown is home to restaurants that specialize in every facet of Korean cuisine. If you're searching for some of the city's best pork, then those in the know will bring up Ham Ji Park. For 2 decades, generous platters of pork ribs and pork neck stew decked every table. Now, our Korean friends lament the loss of their favorite pork joint in the city. The Koreatown proper location is located in the Royal Plaza mini-mall, just a few blocks off bustling Wilshire. Discounted parking is available in a lot across the street from the Chevron gas station. From the street, the entrance is flanked by potted plants and an enclosed street-ery. Inside, stainless steel chairs are pressed up against wooden tables, each outfitted with a metal grill. Oppressive fluorescent lighting shines down on the stone grey walls, which are left undecorated apart from a few flatscreens. Multi-lingual chatter blends with the sizzle of platters. I visited with some friends for a weeknight dinner, and about half of the tables were occupied. We shared a spread of grilled platters and sizzling soups. The meal began with a carafe of barley tea and a mostly standard spread of banchan. Across our food, the best dish was the signature Charbroiled Pork Spare Rib. The ribs were flavorful without feeling gamey, and the meat was complemented by sweet caramelized onions. The pork ribs handily outdid the good-not-great Charbroiled Beef Short Rib. Lastly, the Milt and Cod Rose with Vegetables stew was fishy and briny, appropriately flavored for the Korean palate. The service was appropriately attentive, although I would've appreciated more intentional refills of our banchan ramikens. The rib plates cost upward of $35 each, while the soup was just under $30. The portions were hearty; a single entree platter could reasonably feed 2 moderately hungry bellies. It's a shame to hear that Ham Ji Park has closed; I'm kicking myself for not trying their pork neck stew earlier.

    Photos
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park

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    Somisomi - icecream - Updated May 2026

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