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    Sonamu

    4.3 (116 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Sonamu Takeout or Delivery

    Sonamu Photos

    Business Info

    SONAMU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Sonamu

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    Reviews With Photos

    Phuonganh P.

    Sonamu has easily become one of my favorite spots for korean food. Good service, good food, and good vibes every time!!

    Eric K.

    Experience true Korean summer flavor with our Mul Naengmyeon--crafted with house-made noodles and a deep, savory broth. Hand-pulled. Cold-served. Authentically Korean. There are several restaurants specializing in cold noodles, but these are ranked 1st or 2nd in terms of taste. Kind smiles. Clean space. Real Korean flavor. Let our amazing female staff make your day.

    Bossam
    Charlie L.

    Came here for dinner with my fiancé because I was craving bossam and cold noodles. We were seated immediately. They took a little bit to take our order but the food was served quickly soon after that. The restaurant was spacious and wasn't too busy when we came. They have 2 jinro frogs in the front which are super cute too. They have combos so we ordered the combo with bossam and cold noodles to share. They split the cold noodles in half for us which was very nice and unexpected. Their Banchan was also really good. I'm a little picky with my cold noodles, but these ones were still good. The bossam was really yummy. Definitely give this place a try if you're craving Korean food! :)

    Max S.

    This restaurant is located on the corner of Lincoln and Beach, down the street from Knott's Berry Farm. It's in the corner of a strip mall, so there's plenty of free parking. Met family here for lunch. We ordered dish #1, which they are famous for, like a hot pot; the Korean seafood pancake that was the size of a large pizza; and jap-chae, not pictured here. The main dish came with two small bowls of purple colored rice that tasted better than it looked. Many unique side dishes, along with the traditional kimchi. Complimentary, as always. Service was good. They greeted everyone who walked through the door. Atmosphere, same as other Korean bbq restaurants. The place was clean. Bo-dee-cha and cold water at the table. Chopsticks and soup spoons in a container at the table as well. I would definitely come back again when in the area.

    Goat soup and short ribs
    Emily K.

    Delicious food and the two waitresses working last night (1/6) couldn't have been more accommodating and friendly. I can't wait to take my mom here.

    cold noodles
    Taylor T.

    Came here with a friend on a wednesday for lunch and it was pretty empty. few tables with older korean uncles and aunties and felt like we went to the right place. There was one lady who was serving running the food and cleaning and she was doing amazing. super sweet! bossam was delish! it was cooked with a marinade which helped give it more flavor. but the banchan??!! there was so many and i love their kimchi! the cold noodles were good but i'd rather save more space for the bossam next time. overall would come again!

    Grilled octopus bibimbap
    Grace N.

    My friend and I came here on a weeknight and we got the grilled octopus bibimbap rice and galbi full size. Although staff and service were very nice and friendly, I thought the food was just okay. The galbi portion was very small when it came out and I was very surprised, because it was expensive, $35! But the size was more of a combo size when you order with tofu at a tofu place... it was only two ribs cut up... I know you can def get a lot more at other places. The octopus bibimbap was flavorful and very spicy, this was okay also. Their banchan was also just okay. Overall, it was okay.

    Napa Wraps with Pork + Soybean Paste Soup/보쌈 + 된장찌개
    Vicky H.

    SO GOOD! My husband and I tried this place last night and wowed by the food. It's been awhile since we have been to Hangari but we thought this place was better!

    Bibimbap
    Edmund W.

    Came here on a Saturday night, and it wasn't too busy surprisingly. No wait for a group of 8 people. First impression of this place was that it was authentically Korean, and the Korean aunties were very nice. Service was actually better than the service I would get in LA K town to be very honest. Prices seemed on average with the other traditional Korean places out there. Got the bibimbip and beef bulgolgi combo, and both items were delicious and top quality. The food was not heavily salted/greasy, and I didn't get that heavy feeling after a Korean meal. The group I went with really liked their dishes they got as well, and they really liked the portion size for their meals. Also they were very generous with their banchan dishes, and they were of good quality as well. I really like their fish cake banchan the most. In my opinion, this is one of the best Korean restaurants to try in So Cal, and if I'm ever back in the OC area, it would be worth to try their other items as well.

    J'aime K.

    Overall 3.5. Customer service: 3.5 stars Food Taste: 4 stars Very Pricey: 2 stars This was a very expensive late dinner meal for two. We walked in just a touch past 8:30pm (their last call). They first refused us, saying they were closed. They did however allow us to be seated and wanted us to order some kind of bulgogi casserole which we didn't want. We ordered spicy squid stir fry. It came with too many noodles and boiled bean sprouts. We just ate the stir fry. $32 My friend ordered LA Galbi. Just a normal portion. $32. The taste was deep and savory. The grilled onions were nice. Rice we got served was white. It wasn't really warm. It was kind of dried out. But when we wanted a refill they brought out a really nice multi-grain rice that was fresher, tastier. The ban chans were delish. We were able to get a few refilled. They gave us the check as soon as we ordered b/c she said she had to pay her workers, their tips. Maybe if I go back during normal hours, it will be better next time. It's a good sign when you see senior Korean golfers eating somewhere that means the food is legit.

    Florence H.

    Sonamu is tucked in a small plaza and you could totally miss this gem! This is definitely your hole in the wall type of place and I would be gatekeeping if I did not tell you how amazing this place is. First of all, this place is huge so you don't really have to wait in line. The food is delicious and the portions are huge! I tried the Korean hotpot, Korean pork rib, Korean kimchi stew, and the veggie pancake! Everything was delicious including the banchan they give you. The veggie pancake was flavorful and not very oily. It had a crispy top and the veggies were fresh. The pork ribs were on the spicy side but had enough kick to keep me wanting more. The hotpot was interesting since it was fried but had a good amount of soup to balance out the flavors. Served with purple rice, this was a lovely combination of flavors. This is the place for you to have a large gathering. They were able to fit all 16 of us and it was super fun getting to know the owners. Sonamu is authentically Korean and everything was very homestyle. Coming here again when I am in the area!

    Rice cake and dumpling soup, kimchi, pig trotters

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    1 year ago

    Good banchan, seafood pancake was alright, pork bossam was tasty. Barley tea is yummy and the owner is nice.

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    1 year ago

    Solid authentic food, menu, and ambiance. no complaints, and love their combo options

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    1 year ago

    The food is always delicious and the service is great! The vibe of the restaurant is super chill and I've never left unhappy.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Sonamu

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    Han Yang

    Han Yang

    4.3
    (1.7k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    You know you're at a legitimate Korean restaurant when all the waitstaff is hardworking Korean…read moreaunties. The menu seems bit limited but it actually covers a wide variety of Korean food: boiling hot soups, cold noodles, something fried, and something with rice! Portions are huge and they give you three types of kimchi that taste house-made. My favorite here is the NakJi Dol-Sot.

    I've been coming here for many, many, many years. Am I a fan of this place? YES! Do I love the…read morefood? YES! Does the food taste great? YES Is the place clean? Yes. Is the service good? NO! Are the servers nice? NO! Is the price decent? NO! Here's my reasoning: I used to bring my grandfather here because he loved their soup. If I didn't bring him I would buy the galbi tang and take it to him. And back then the service was amazing, the ajummas were so nice and would get you extra servings of banchan and brisket sauce but sadly throughout the years they've become very stingy and just plain out rude. I understand the cost of inflation and it's very real but I used to get their galbi tang for less than $10. At this rate it's costing me $27 for a bowl of soup and no extra gimme with not even a smile. Will I still be back? Yes but not like before. With the competition out here there are other places to go but I do keep coming back. Oh what's a girl to do. Will I recommend this place? That's a hard NO.

    Photos
    Inside seating - decent amount of seats
    Inside seating - decent amount of seats
    Octopus bibimbap
    Octopus bibimbap
    Spicy sautéed small octopus bibimbap

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    Spicy sautéed small octopus bibimbap
    Misoolkwan OC

    Misoolkwan OC

    4.6
    (1.8k reviews)
    1.9 mi

    I've been here a few times but recently had dinner here with my coworkers. It hits every time and…read moreis a perfect place to drink, yap, and grub! it can get really crowded so definitely try and get here earlier if you can: There's always plenty of things to do though since it's at The Source and there's so many shops and photobooths while you wait. The restaurant is pretty huge but it gets super loud! The screens are always playing kpop groups with music playing and its always fun to watch. For food, I've tried a lot of their menu and everything is so good and shareable. The korean fried chicken is crispy, not dry, and seasoned so well! A favorite amongst the group was the beef intestine, which I've never had before and was pretty impressed by. It was super juicy and paired well with the scallions and sauce. Another favorite of the group was the corn cheese. It was like a pizza but corn cheese. My absolute tried and true is the pork belly. It is soo good, especially with the kimchi, peppers, and roasted garlic cloves. It definitely is my personal favorite on their menu! I can definitely see why this place is so popular!

    I came here on a Sunday right at 5 when it opened. It was easy to get a table for 6…read more We got the grilled pork belly, army stew, garlic fried chicken, and seafood pancake. The grilled pork belly was really good, and we even placed a second order! The rest of the food was good enough, as expected for Korean bar/drinking food. Service was okay. They had forgotten to give us the soju we ordered, so we had to ask for it. I enjoyed the casual vibes. It's a good spot to go to for casual Korean food and drinks. And you don't need to tip at this place! Although there is a 10% service fee or something like that.

    Photos
    Stir fried pork belly and kimchi
    Stir fried pork belly and kimchi
    Kkanpung Chicken
    Kkanpung Chicken
    Kkanpung Chicken

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    Kkanpung Chicken
    J’s Korean Cuisine

    J’s Korean Cuisine

    4.3
    (1.8k reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    They have changed locations and are located with Tokyo Eats but the food is still amazing and…read moredelicious! The bibimbap beef burrito is big and filled with lots of flavorful goodness! We ordered 24 wings and split it to try the soy garlic, K-sweet chili and Seoul spicy. Oh my! Generous size and served piping hot. Crunchy outside with tender chicken inside. Each one was very tasty and the spicy one hits you after a bit. So good! The K-pop street tacos were also very good and served with a spicy sauce. So glad they're still around. It's been a while since we came and we're happy and satisfied. Plenty of seating and the service is good. Attended to in good time and didn't have to wait long to get our food. Love the Japanese Cherry blossom decor mixed with K-Pop flare.

    My friend and I came here after hearing good things about the food. While the food itself did meet…read moreexpectations, the overall experience was affected by slow service, likely due to the place being understaffed. We often had to get up and look for a server, which made things a bit inconvenient. That said, the food was definitely the highlight. The soy garlic chicken wings were really good flavorful and well-executed. The fries also stood out and were surprisingly one of our favorite items. The ambience is pretty chill, with enough space for everyone to have their own conversations without it feeling too crowded or loud. Overall, the food is worth trying, but just be prepared for slower service, especially during busier times.

    Photos
    J's special menu's are here!!!
    J's special menu's are here!!!
    AYCE Menu! Only First Round can have a J's Super Fries!!! Only for J's Korean Cuisine!
    AYCE Menu! Only First Round can have a J's Super Fries!!! Only for J's Korean Cuisine!
    BIBIMBAP BURRITO 비빔밥 부리또

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    BIBIMBAP BURRITO 비빔밥 부리또
    Jinsol Gukbap Buena Park

    Jinsol Gukbap Buena Park

    4.3
    (384 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    came here with a large party and called ahead of time. they were able to accommodate us and we had…read morea great time. staff are so nice and are able to handle the rushes of people. their cold noodles were delish!!!! it is a very high contender to being one of my favorites in all of OC! so much flavor and generous portions. loved their seafood pancake and their kimchi stew was so comforting. the broth was thick and flavorful and the pork belly in the soup was meaty galbi was flavorful and seared nicely but i didnt enjoy their pork soup which they're known for, but that's completely on me since i usually don't reach for it.

    I've been to the Buena Park location twice so far, both times during breakfast hours…read more The restaurant itself is actually nice. The interior is clean, newly built, and has a modern Korean hanok-style look. The servers were also friendly both times, so I didn't have any issues with the service or atmosphere. Unfortunately, the main problem for me was the food. I've eaten at the LA location before and never really thought the food tasted bad there, but at this Buena Park location, both visits gave me the impression that the food didn't taste as fresh as it should. On my most recent visit, I ordered the soondae gukbap, and the soondae had an unpleasant off smell and didn't taste very fresh. It almost tasted like it had been sitting for a while. On my first visit, I tried the regular pork gukbap, and the pork flavor was also stronger than I personally prefer. I do tend to like cleaner-tasting gukbap, but this stood out to me because I don't remember having the same issue at the LA location. After the first visit, I thought maybe it was just an off day since the restaurant was still new. But after having a similar impression on my second visit, I'm not sure if this location is consistent yet. The space is nice and the service was good, but for a gukbap restaurant, the food has to be the main reason to come back. Based on my two visits, this location was disappointing for me.

    Photos
    Near the cash register. 6/14/2025
    Near the cash register. 6/14/2025
    Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면)
    Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면)
    Entrance. 6/14/2025

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    Entrance. 6/14/2025
    Kaju Soft Tofu Restaurant

    Kaju Soft Tofu Restaurant

    3.9
    (2.9k reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Minority-owned & operated

    Always the spot I go to for soondubu. Service is nice and quick…read more We came for lunch so we shared a lunch combo with an additional order of short ribs and it was enough for us to share between 3 people. The food comes out hot and always consistent with flavor.

    Went to BCD Tofu House knowing just enough about Korean tofu soup to be dangerous. I've been once…read morebefore, but I'm still very much in the "watch the people next to me and copy their homework" phase of the experience. The meal starts with what feels like an endless lineup of little side dishes, a fried fish, rice in a scorching hot stone bowl, and then the bubbling tofu soup (medium spice for me) arrives like it's angry at the table. I ordered the bulgogi combo (C2) and everything was flavorful, comforting, and honestly just fun to eat. OK maybe a few too many onions for me. The stone pot rice situation was an adventure on its own. They ask you if you want them to pour hot water into the bowl to loosen the crispy rice stuck to the sides. I tried it. Felt very authentic. Still not fully convinced my rookie self handled it correctly, but we survived. What I liked most was the atmosphere and adventure. You can tell this place has a loyal following and there's a reason Yelp absolutely loves it. It feels authentic without being intimidating, and the portions are no joke. I took home enough leftovers for round two the next day. If you've only done Korean BBQ before, this is a completely different experience and definitely worth trying. Bring friends, come hungry, and don't be afraid to look a little confused your first time. Apparently that's part of the experience. Easy 5 stars for me. P. S. Quick shout out to the wait staff they are super attentive, smiling, and helpful. Maybe they could sense my menu awkwardness

    Photos
    Kaju Soft Tofu Restaurant
    Kaju Soft Tofu Restaurant
    Kaju Soft Tofu Restaurant

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    Sonamu - korean - Updated July 2026

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