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Where do I begin? Firstly, the owner's daughter (I didn't catch her name) was the most accommodating and kind . Upon ordering, she recommended the Jjampong, which I was a bit hesitant about since it's very easy to get wrong unless you specialize in Chinese/Korean food. But boy, was I wrong! One of the best I've had. Now, starting with the Soon Dae, this might be the first location, besides Garden Grove, that specializes in Soondae and actually gets it right. Yoo's Place got it perfect! The spicy cold noodles were chewy and had the perfect amount of spice. I loved the sweetness that balanced everything out perfectly. The finale was the Galbi Jjim. The meat was the most tender, and the sauce was absolutely perfection. I added cheese, which melted perfectly, but it was a bit much for me in terms of the volume of cheese. Still, it was top-tier. This place should be sitting at 5 stars. It was one of the most pleasant surprises, and so far, the best I've had in Irvine.
Our go to when we are craving korean food in Irvine and don't want to drive out to Buena Park. Wait typically isn't too long and although it seems like they tend to be understaffed, you can tell the workers are working hard to accommodate all the customers. They start off by giving us cups with a jug of water and thermos that has broth from gomtang inside. The menu is pretty extensive a good variety of cold and hot soups and entrees. After you order, they give you a variety of sides to complement the meal which is great to snack on while waiting for the meal. If you have a bigger group, the kalbijjim is perfect to share as it is huge and comes with a lot of braised short rib, veggies, and noodles that have soaked up the sauce. The short rib is so tender and is very rich in flavor. The naengmyeon is cool and refreshing especially on a hot day. The seolleongtang is warm and soothing with salt to adjust to your liking and the purple rice to soak up the depth of the soup broth.
Yoo's Places is packed on a Sunday afternoon after church! They have a wide variety of dishes, from multiple cold noodle dishes to soondubu to bibimbap. They have mandu and mung bean pancake and bossam. We received seven different panchan along with hot broth in a thermos on the table. The panchan were pretty good, but their kimchi could use a little more fermenting as there wasn't that much depth to it. Dolpan Bibimbap - This was a generous serving of rice, veggies, ground beef and fried egg served in a hot, stone pot bowl. It had a perfect balance of each ingredient and the dish had a ton of flavor once I added in the gochujang/red bean paste. I would get this again. The gave our table complimentary spicy buckwheat cold noodles and they were really good. A mix of red sauce to go with cucumber slices, radish and chewy noodles. Super refreshing on a hot summer day! The food came out in normal time and our panchans were constantly getting refilled, they are really on the ball with that. If you or your group is craving Korean food, Yoo's has a little of everything to pick from!
Great variety of foods if you want to try something other than Tofu Soup. We ordered the seafood pancake, deep fried squid, mackeral, and tofu soup w/ galbi combo. They gave us a bowl of complimentary cold noodles as well, which was my favorite thing out of everything we ate! It paired well with the mackeral. Their service was quick, and the ladies were very nice. I'll be back soon to try more items on the menu!
It wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing. It was a very solid Korean restaurant but I couldn't justify the price point. My bowl of jjamppong was around 26-27 dollars. The flavor of the broth was spot on. It was slightly thick and had that slight smoky flavor. My only complaint is I wish the noodles were a bit chewier. Service is great, they gave me a small complimentary portion of black bean noodles which I appreciate. And they fill up your side dishes whenever they are you are low. I wouldn't say I'm a stickler for not paying for good quality food but I think the price for the quality/complexity of the dishes served is slightly unreasonable and is preventing me from wanting to come back.
Stopped by around 7 PM on a Wednesday. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated after a short wait. Parking in the main lot can fill up quickly, but there's an underground garage with plenty of space. The dining room is bright with high ceilings, giving it a very open feel. There wasn't any music playing during our visit, but the atmosphere was still nice because no one was trying to talk over the noise. Service was excellent throughout the meal. The staff was attentive, and we were pleasantly surprised when they brought out a complimentary bowl of jjajangmyeon. The black bean sauce was smooth and flavorful, and the noodles had a great chewy texture. The banchan were all solid. I especially enjoyed the crunchy cucumbers and the daikon radish, which tasted very fresh. The acorn jelly was another standout with its soft texture. The fish cake was the only side that didn't quite impress me, as it was a little on the dry side. We also ordered the mandu, which had a crispy exterior and a juicy filling. It's an easy appetizer to recommend. For our main dishes, the naengmyeon was light, refreshing, and slightly sweet with just a mild kick of spice. It was a great contrast to the richer dishes on the table. The bossam was another winner. The pork was incredibly tender, and the kimchi and ssamjang served alongside it added just the right amount of heat and acidity to balance the richness of the meat. Overall, this was a really enjoyable meal with attentive service, well-prepared food, and several standout dishes. I'd definitely come back, especially for the bossam and naengmyeon.
Came here on a whim cause it was the closest Korean spot to me and I regret not trying this place sooner!! We came on a Saturday for lunch and it was packed but at least there's ample parking lol we shared the Kalbi ribs and spicy cold noodle combo and both were bomb! Definitely tastes traditional and I love all the banchans too. I'm so glad we gave this place a try. I already can't wait to be back!
This authentic casual Korean spot has grown more popular online since my last visit, and I'm happy to find out that the quality has not changed at all! Their broths are some of the most flavorful and comforting that I've had in OC. This time I tried the sundae guk, which came with a rich pork broth and plenty of sundae. The banchan was also generous and they came by to refill it frequently. And of course, the standout of this spot is the complimentary bone broth they give you at the start of the meal. You can tell that this is an authentic family business, and it's still one of my favorite restaurants in OC!
I visited Yoo's Place on a weekday around 6 pm and was seated right away. Service was also pretty quick throughout the meal. We ordered the Jajangmyeon and LA Galbi. The LA Galbi was good, but the Jajangmyeon didn't really stand out to me compared to others I've had. I do feel like I missed out by not trying one of their cold noodle dishes, since that seems to be one of the highlights of their menu. Overall, Yoo's Place is a decent option for Korean food, especially if you're already in the area, but there are other spots I personally prefer.
BROOOOOOOOO!!! BEST KOREAN PLACE IN OC!!!! WORTH THE WAIT!!!! THEY GAVE US A WHOLE FRICKING BOWL OF COLD NOODLES! I got the bibimbap and it is literally the biggest portion size in the whole world. I can eat a lot and i was full by the end of it. Its also tastes so goodddddd. Amazing flavour, and the chicken soup is so gooooood. Like literally the perfect restaurant. The service is soooo fast and quick and they really do take care of you!
Hype is real. Have passed by this place every so often and have seen some IG reels on this place. Decided to stop by on a weekday dor lunch and was definitely not disappointed. I love dining solo and this was a very solo friendly dining experience. I arrived around 1:30pm, and was seated right away. Right as I was seated, I got steaming bone broth in a little thermos placed on the table along with cold ice water. Two of my favorite things to start off with. Came here during a heat wave and boy was it a great choice. Bone broth is steaming piping hot with notes of garlic and was nice and milky letting me know that the bone both was well steeped and packed with collagen. Love that this was a part of the meal and no added cost. The set up of the menu is straight forward. Ordered the cold noodle combo with the sliced pork hock and green chive kimchi $32, for this combo. Well worth the price. Portion was generous. Ban Chan arrived tk the table first. Standard ban chan but the stand outs were definitely the kambocha squash with creamy garlic mayo & the acorn jelly. Kimchi were nice and fermented but still fresh, a bit more noted on the sweeter side. Cold noodle arrived in a glorious giant metal bowl. Noodles were so fresh and had a perfect chew. So refreshing and perfect for the hot heat. The Jokbol (pork hock) was also delicious. Missing a bit of the fresh garlic and the bean paste but the chive kimchi was a good accruement. Ate half and saved half for home. Definitely recommend to eat the cold noods in one sitting cause left overs mean soggy soft noods. Service was your average experience at a ma and pop Asian restaurant. I can tell that the waitress got scolded cause she gave me ban chan dishes that looked like is only for 2 or more, versus the TINY little small strip of ban chan on a small silver platter. I noticed the small silver platter for the other diners dining solo didn't include all the banchan. I ate everything and if not brought everything that I didn't finish back with me, but seemed kinda unfair that not all the banchan was given to the other solo diners, so be sure to ask if you see something missing. No one seems to check in on you but again am I surprised, no. Service was straight forward and nothing memorable but also not necessarily bad. Restaurant is very clean, has good AC, and most of all excellent food. Would come again to try other dishes.
Has a variety of options - kind of like a Denny's but for Korean food. Overall quality is better than Denny's but they don't do one particular thing amazing. However, everything was good and enjoyable. Love the complimentary beef broth. Not many Korean places do that anymore. My friends really liked the nengmyun (cold noodle) Jjajjangmyun I wish the noodles were a tad thicker. Jkamppoong had a very good smoky flavor but wish there was more crab flavor. Bossam had good sides. Wish the tangsuyuk were crispier. Didn't try tofu soup. Seafood pancake was loaded with seafood and very crispy. Really enjoyed it Great service, small inside. Def a good place to visit with a big group so everyone can try what they want. Big portions too.
rarely do i crave korean food but i saw this spot on instagram and it really made my mouth water so i had to make the drive to try! they weren't too busy on a friday before 5pm, but the restaurant fills up quickly afterwards. it's a casual spot with lots of friendly aunties working there. -dolpan kimchi jaeyuk (kimchi and spicy pork hot stone pot rice): 10/10 the auntie came to the table with the sizzling pot to mix it for us and it can definitely feed a family of 4. it wasn't too spicy in my opinion but the flavors of everything was great especially when you eat it with their radish kimchi to cut back on some of the heartiness of the dish -bossam: 9/10 also another dish that could feed 2-4 people but it came with all the accompaniments for the perfect bite and the fattier pork belly pieces were my favorite that had the most flavor. auntie was also nice enough to refill the sauces for us to enjoy with more bossam -banchans: 10/10 i know these come with just any order but they were all very tasty and were constantly being refilled. they also offered the bone broth in a thermos which was so yummy! i'd definitely come back with a larger group so that we could order different items and share everything (for just two people this visit, we had a lot of leftovers).
I discovered this spot through a yelp elite event and had to make it a point to return with my husband. If you love Korean cold noodle, this is definitely the spot to check it out. They have vinegar and mustard at the table to customize your broth to your exact preferences. My husband ordered the kalbi which was also a hit with him and we loved that the food comes out so quick especially since we were so hungry. My only comment would be that we tried the steamed dumplings this time but definitely think their fried ones are the better of the two! We love the quick service for lunch and will be back with our son so he can try the kalbijiim. read more
The food was so good and was a big portion for me. This was my first time having cold noodles so I wasn't sure what to expect. I just enjoyed how light it was but was still able to make me feel full. The combination of the cucumber, radish, and noodles was just amazing and complimented so well. I was expecting more pieces of beef so if you prefer to have more meat then I recommend you order a side of beef to add later. Service was good. The staff were nice. They brought out our food fairly quickly. It was nice in there. Very bright inside. It's also very clean. read more
After a long walk with a friend in Irvine, we felt like icy cold Korean noodle soup and found Yoo's Place on Yelp. Located in a somewhat hidden strip mall, YP is a mid-sized restaurant serving up Korean classics like kalbi jjim (braised beef shirtribs), soondubu jiggae (hot and spicy tofu stew), the cold naengmyun that we were craving along with popular Korean snacks such as dukkbokki (spicy rice cakes), and mandu (dumplings). We were happy to find them open on the 4th of July and although busy, we were able to get a table right away. The large Korean clientele and delicious smells radiated legitimate K-food. After perusing the menu we decided on one naengmyun, an order of kalbi, and mandu twigeum (deep fried dumplings). Silverware, cups/bowls, napkins, and plates along with vinegar, soy, and hot mustard and water are already on the table. There was also an insulated pitcher of hot broth on the table which was nice and it was delicious. We were given a nice variety of banchan - cabbage/radish/cucumber kimchis, stir fried fishcakes, steamed squash, and acorn jelly. All were fresh and tasty. The naengmyun came out first and had a lovely icy broth that was well seasoned. It is served with pickled slices of radish a couple slices of beef, cucumber, and a half boiled egg. Be sure to mix well as the spicy sauce sits on the bottom. The table hot mustard and vinegar are there for you to add to the soup for a bright spicy kick. Very delicious! The kalbi comes on a sizzling metal plate - solid. The fried mandu came out freshly fried and plump with meaty filling - these are yummy dipped in chocolate ganjang, a dipping sauce made of soy and vinegar. Overall we really enjoyed YP. Service was quick and friendly. Pricing is on the higher side, but for the taste and quality, I am on board. Will definitely be coming back to try other dishes. read more
24 days ago
Yoo's Place is always packed for good reason! Walking in initially, we thought we would've waited 10 minutes to be seated but waited about 30 seconds... I've never seen anyone buss a table so quickly before! Our food was amazing, we got the seafood tofu stew and it was packed with flavor, galbi was also very good. I haven't found a better Korean spot in Irvine yet! read more
1 month ago
3 months ago
Service is quick and to the point!! and BOY DO THEY HAVE GOOD FOOD! Prices are fair and portions are very good! They do get packed! So call ahead for reservation. read more
7 months ago
They turned on AC at 5PM on this historically hot week! Great service and the food came out so fast. The cold noodle came out with icy broth, which is super nice. It's not overly sweet but has good depth in the broth flavor. read more
7 months ago
Amazing fast friendly service Korean food kfood Korean street food Highly recommended ! Variety good side dishes always ! read more
9 months ago
Solid place for traditional korean food. I really liked the airiness of the restaurant, how big the table was, and how they had all the plates, utensils, water/tea available at the table. Banchan was great. We got the stone bibimbap and it was warm and delciious. The meat had a great flavor to it and everything blended well together. Maybe there was too much rice but it worked out fine. And lots of veggies came with it too! Felt like a healthy dish :) read more
4 months ago
Service was fast and friendly. Good food and promptness of food delivery. All servers anticipated our needs and very kind. read more
7 days ago
My friend and I wanted some korean comfort food and decided to drop by Yoo's! I got the dolpan bibimbap (52) which had lots of seasoned veggies, although I would say it was a 3/5 for me because the gochujang sauce was good but nothing extraordinary. However, I've probably been spoiled by my grandma's korean cooking. The crispy rice at the bottom is my favorite part. The service was also fantastic, although the banchan tasted like it's been sitting out for a bit. I am curious to try their other dishes though! read more
10 months ago
This place is such a hidden gem! Got the yukgaejang which was yummy but I could probably pass so I can try other things next time. Also got kalbi jjim with cheese which was so good. Very kindly they cut the meat off the bones for us. Naengmyun was free!! Inside was clean and nice. Can't wait to go back! OO they also give you a hot bone broth in a thermos to drink which I loveddddddd read more
3 months ago
tried this spot for the first time and we enjoyed it so much! They give you bone broth in a tumbler to keep it nice and hot- boy that was so so so good. Service was good too! the ladies kept checking in on us and seeing what we needed, though we are pretty easy going. This restaurant is very casual as well, but to be honest we were here for the food HAHA. The cold noodles were so so good. we also got the black bean noodles and i will be coming back for more. The kimchi dumplings were huge!! However, I wasn't a HUGE fan, but again i'm not a huge dumpling person so it could be delicious to anyone who loves dumplings!! we will be back to try more dishes! read more
We ordered food for take out for a Thursday night and the restaurant does take phone orders. The parking is very limited in the plaza they are located but luckily we had our temporary handicap placard. I got the jajangmyung and my husband got the jjamppong. When we opened our take out bag back at the hotel, everything was packaged so well. We each got our own banchan and kimchi. The noodles were separated from the jajang sauce and meat so I could mix it on my own. The temperature of the food held up very well too since we had to feed and put the baby to sleep first. Definitely would come back again for their authentic Korean food :) read more
Came here for my brother's birthday lunch and was absolutely blown away. The food was incredible - full of bold, rich flavors and dishes I've never tried before. Every bite was a new experience, and I'm still thinking about it hours later! The service was just as amazing - warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. You can tell they care about the food and the people. This was easily the highlight of my day. I'd come back in a heartbeat and bring more people with me next time. read more
3 months ago
11 months ago
Came for lunch on a rainy day and our soup cravings were happily satisfied. We ordered the Yukgaejang Mandu and tteokbokki. The mandu was huge and flavorful. There was lots of vegetables in the soup and it was a mild spice. The tteokbokki was also delicious! We were really surprised how large the rice cakes were. They were cut tableside. I was afraid it would be too hard to chew, but it was the perfect texture. We loved the additional free bone broth provided in a thermos. Service was great as well. They made sure our banchans were filled. The restaurant is clean and bright. Parking was easy too read more
Overall 3.5 experience. The fish I ordered did not come out hot. Felt like it was cooked/grilled in advance. It was at room temp. Kind of too blackened for my preferences. Also too salty. But hungry as I was I just kept eating it. Not a good value for the price, it didn't have enough meat on it to eat - it was mostly bones or too many bones. There were about 7 diff banchan offerings. Most were OK. - Kimchi - Radish Kimchi - Fishcake - Pink pickled radishes - Braised dried and rehydrated squash - Braised acorn jello (not quite sure what it was) - Kobacha Squash in a light oniony apple like mayo - THE BEST! They kindly serve hot barley tea in a cannister for you to pour. Love the organized set up of utensils, napkins, plates and bowls on the table. The place is very clean, and brighly lit. Parking is a big congested, tight parking. Service was ok. read more
Yoos place was very welcoming and their service was fantastic. We thoroughly enjoyed all of our dishes, but my favorite has to be the spicy seafood jjameyon? Not sure how its spelled, but that was so good. Their jokbal was also delicious. read more
We got here around 6:30 pm on a Friday night and there were plenty of seats but they quickly filled soon after. I got the spicy pork hot stone plate and it was huge! It was pretty oily so it was hard to eat too much of it. I really liked that they had both broth and water available to drink at the tables. The sides were also really good. I probably would return but try another dish rather than the hot stone pots. My friend got a cold noodle and I really enjoyed the taste of that broth. Parking is also plentiful as well in the garage. read more
4 months ago
This was a culinary walk on the wild side! But absolutely delicious! We will definitely be back ! Awesome service! Clean... food came out quick. read more
2 months ago
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2 years ago
I'm so happy to have found this place. I avoid so many good asian places because parking is terrible, but this plaza has tons of parking in the garage downstairs so parking is a cinch. There's plenty of tables inside and I didn't have to wait to get seated. They also play Korean shows inside which is always nice while waiting for food. The menu is pretty vast, but full on yummy looking dishes. I ordered the Soon Tofu Combo with Beef soon tofu and Bulgogi. This is some of the best Korean food I've had in this area. The banchan is also super delicious and had a couple dishes I haven't tried before. I'm so glad they had free refills. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more
6 months ago
This restaurant gets so much social media hype which at this point I never trust, but I was craving cold noodles + galbi, the otp goat, and I know yoo's offers their homemade beef stock for every table, which is necessary for this meal, so I bit the bullet and am so glad I finally tried this place because the hype is so real and this was so good and now i need to keep going back to try the rest of their menu, which is extensive. The walls also have signs for extra menu items like frozen dumplings available for takeout. There was a huge tv playing "chef & my fridge", which is so awesome lol. The price is on the higher end for a casual lunch or dinner, but imo korean food is not simple and some of the menu items like galbi jjim etc warrant the higher price tag, especially when they're offering this high quality level. They are also large shareable portion sizes! Their banchan is also not what you typically see at other korean restaurants. Everything tastes fresh and healthy. That it's all delicious and excellently prepared is what makes me see why so many people talk about this place. read more
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night and it was super packed! Parking is limited so park in the free parking garage below... plenty of space. Maybe people don't know about the parking garage and keep circling, crowding the plaza to find parking. Anywhos, I ordered the Naengmyeon spicy cold noodle, and it was super delicious! Food was amazing along with the side dishes they give you, missing my favorite potato one but it's okay... customer service was excellent, the lady was so sweet to check up on me a couple of times since I was dining solo. Clean and cozy, and wait isn't too long even though it's always packed here. They have this marker board outside so that's where you sign you name on the waitlist. read more
2 years ago
I've eaten here many times because the food and service are so good Every time I'm here I get the beef kalbi, a tofu top and something new. The cold noodle with spicy sauce is also delicious even though it's not one of my personal staples. One of my favorite parts about this place is they have a thermos with hot broth which you can drink throughout your meal. This broth is just it's so flavorful and not too salty. The service is also relatively fast, which is nice during rush hours (tho you still have to wait awhile), and it is first come first serve but I know I won't have to bug them because they are very attentive. read more
Yoo's Place is in a medium sized plaza with an underground parking garage with plenty of spaces. *parking tip* Go down the garage, turn left twice, drive down and park near the stairs. Those stairs will take you directly in front of the restaurant. Came for Friday Lunch ~12:30PM and the place was 75% full. The table comes with hot broth that soothes the soul. I wish every restaurant provided this. Food - Chic Bibim Naengmyun. I've only tried Naengmyun a handful of times, but this was the best I've had so far. I appreciate how they give you a small side of iced broth to add yourself so the noodles don't get soggy or too cold before it arrives. The flavor was perfect. And the noodles were cut by the waitress to the perfect length, not too long or short. Service - Service was quick and kind. Once we sat down the ajumma asked if we were ready to order which shows how many people come in for a quick lunch fix. After ordering the banchan was plated quickly and the main dishes came soon after. We were asked if we wanted any banchan refills halfway through our meal which was nice. It seems like the service was still on top even though they were facing the usual lunch rush read more
I came with my partner around 3pm on a Tuesday, and was welcomed to an almost completely empty restaurant- ample seating! The start you off with some complimentary soup, which we didn't know what it was at first, because it wasn't explained, and just came in a black water bottle. It was a nice introduction to the cuisine, I believe it was beef broth. We ordered Tuna Kimchi Fried Rice, Tang Soo Yuk, and Jjajangmyun. Portion sizes were perfect and filling! We each finished our own entrees and shared the tang soo yuk, which we took home. The Tang Soo Yuk was my winner and my absolute favorite. It was crunchy, yet easy to bite into. The SAUCE?! PERFECT!!! I would drive far miles to come back if I were craving Tang Soo Yuk. The staff was nice and attentive. They refilled sides and mixed our bibimbap. The entire time, I felt like I was welcomed into someone's home, and made dinner to enjoy after a long day. I was so comforted, and the food was well worth the hour+ that I drove to try this place. read more
5 STARS for the banchan side dishes, especially the kimchee (and I am not a big kimchee fan.) Good service too, empty dishes are quickly refilled. 5 STARS for the stone pot rice. We ordered beef and mushroom and it really hit the spot. 3 stars for jjamppong seafood noodle soup (good flavor, not too spicy, not too much seafood either, lots of chopped cabbage which is disappointing.) My favorite version of jjamppong seafood noodle soup is "Little China" in Gardena, absolutely worth the drive if you are craving this. 3 stars for ambience. bright, functional, cafeteria-style dining room Instead of hot tea, they give you hot bone broth which is OK, too much white pepper IMO. The portions of mains and appetizers here are GINORMOUS. 2 people can easily share 1 dish plus all the banchans you can eat. Will definitely return for more stone pot rice. Yum! read more
If I could give this place 6 stars I would! The customer service was amazing. The owner I think gave us complimentary dumplings to try and complimentary cold noodle soup after we ordered the kalbijiim stew with cheese because she made a recommendation and said this will be really refreshing and cool you down after eating the stew: and she was right. Everything we ordered was so good! I'm glad I found this hidden gem spot. This is a great spot for lunch too. They give a crazy amount of sides if you love sides, read more
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