If you're looking for spicy rice cakes that will leave you humbled, crying tears of satisfaction, and desperately reaching for something cold to drink without sacrificing taste, then look no further than Yup Dduk! When I first came here, I ordered the Mild Yup Dduk because of the warnings plastered all over the menu and I was worried it wouldn't be spicy enough or they were over-exaggerating. Thank god I obeyed. The mild is PLENTY spicy. Because of this, next time I came, I ordered the Extra Mild level. I regretted it. I was at least expecting a small kick, but there was no spice at all. So if you ever start off with extra mild and think mild will be easy... think again because the difference in spice between the two is substantial. After this, I decided to be bold and try the Challenge level. Holy f, this was painful. When I first took a few bites, I was like "ok this isn't bad, it's pretty satisfying." But then I waited a bit and definitely started to feel the burn. It was a slow build-up and it just kept getting worse. It's still not the spiciest thing I've eaten, but I still cried and needed to take breaks before eating more. If you're looking to maintain a facade of spice superiority, then definitely do not order this because mine got irrevocably shattered beyond repair. I also definitely recommend eating the pickled radish that accompanies the meal to help with the heat. Some other things I've tried here included the Rose Yup Dduk, which was delicious. If you don't like spice but still want good rice cakes, order this one. I also tried the Army Stew, Chicken Feet, and Grilled Pork Bulgogi. The stew and bulgogi were pretty good, but I thought the chicken feet was ok, I've had better. The space inside is pretty small and there is not much seating. You can always order to go and eat outside. It's located in this plaza so there are plenty of tables outdoor. Overall, Yup Dduk is a solid place. The portions are huge and given the serving size, I think it's a little ridiculous that the yup dduk only comes with 3 mini sausages, but you can pay for additional toppings. I like how they maintain taste and good flavor in their spicy foods, which is what makes it stand out from other places. I've already been here multiple times, I will continue returning. read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

TL;DR - super yummy, awesome korean spot! i came here with my mom and her friend! the staff was super attentive while we were eating, always checking in on us! - the tteokboki was super spicy (even at mild), but so tasty!! i had to get a strawberry nesquik to cool down LOL the inside was nice with booth seating & nice AC! i would definitely recommend if you're in the irvine area and in the mood for spicy! read more

Yupdduk - GRILLED PORK BULGOGI - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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I was very excited to try Yupdduk as I've heard there's not many around. And the food did not disappoint. My friend and I only tried their sides, but was still very tasty. The servers were also very accommodating by checking in and refilling our waters. read more

Yupdduk - Chicken spicy mayo rice, tuna mayo rice - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Food is amazing as always! The mild is HOT so be careful. It is equivalent to buldak fire noodle spicy level. It's good but makes your nose runny haha. The location is very small and quiet. It's tucked into the corner of the plaza. Because it's small, there are only 2 employees so service is a little slow, so you'll have to be patient. Instagram: @jessgoeat read more

Yupdduk - B set - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

We got sat immediately. The music was amazing (R&B/Rap). Service was excellent, everyone was friendly and attentive. Got the yupp duk with no fish cake, add fried dumplings and ramen noodle. EXTRA MILD. The heat was perfect, im a fan of spicy and this was just the right amount. It definitely builds up the more you rate it. Rice cakes were perfectly chewy, only 3 sausages come with this but you can add more. Def recommend trying this spot out!! read more

Yupdduk - Outside - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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This place is a very cozy establishment. Small in size but staff is very accommodating and kind. Also, if you have a large party think 2x before coming in because it seems like a lot of people do take out here. The young ladies were very nice to me the night I came. I was craving something warm since the weather is getting cooler. Though, the menu does not necessarily have many vegetarian options the porridge is yummy! I was pleasantly surprised at the large size for only $8-9! Great taste though I wish it had more broth and egg. The wait was around 15 minutes but in between they provide this pickled radish. Sweet and tangy, I wanted to dip it in a sauce but unfortunately they don't have sauces or spicy chilli oil. Other than this great place! At the end you get a free yakult . Thank you read more

Great place, especially on a cold day. It's very spicy!! Even an extra mild still has some kick to it. The chewy rice cakes, creamy rosé sauce, and ample toppings such as ramen noodles, mozzarella cheese, fish cakes, and cabbage made for a heavenly combination. Staff were very friendly and made sure we had water refills, we received complimentary Yakult after our meal too! I recommend if you want a comforting meal with friends. read more

Yupdduk - ROSÉ YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

i would rate this place a 4, only minus because it was pretty pricey at like 30 bucks which i felt was just a tiny bit over the top for only getting like 3 sausages, we got the rose tteokbokki and it came in extra mild which was honestly perfect for people who can't handle spicy, the rice cakes were really yummy and soft and chewy and there was two kinds of fish cakes and a good amount of cabbage. i would say there was a criminally small amount of cheese. the service was really good and our waitresses were really sweet!! read more

Food: 10/10 Service: 8/10 Ambiance: 7/10 Such Korean soul food. I go each time I crave it even though I'm not from the area. It hurts my wallet a little bit because I know the price in Korea, but whateverrrrr my cravings are satisfied. Just know that one entre of yupdduk is more like 2-4 people so please don't get one each! Love. Yup. DDUK. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Delicious food, I tried the tuna ball and the fish ball soup yuuuuuuum, the staff is amazing and very friendly

Stopped by Yup Dduk in Irvine and it was definitely a solid spot. We got the Yup Dduk Tteokbokki, Yup Dduk Chicken Stew, Tuna Mayo Rice, and a Potato Cheese Corndog. The tteokbokki and chicken stew were the real standouts -- full of flavor, good heat, and just the right kick to keep things interesting. The tuna mayo rice and corndog were solid sides that paired well without stealing the show. The spot itself is casual and unassuming, and the food definitely delivers. If you're into Korean street-style dishes with bold spice and flavors that actually hit, this place is worth carving out time for. read more

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I order a mild bowl, and my spice level tolerance is slightly above jalapeños, and I think it was still a little too spicy for me to eat. However, the flavor is delicious. I like how they give you pickled radish on the side as it can be a good palette cleanser for all the heavy food. I shared this with one person and we had a ton of leftovers. The workers are extremely nice and they packed up my left overs for me. I would go back with a bigger group as this is a shareable meal. The place is on the smaller side, but I saw a lot of people order it to go and ate it outside of the restaurants in the patio area. Great option if you don't want to wait for a seat. read more

Yupdduk - Yupo A set + ramen, fried dumplings, and cellophane noodles. - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Amazing service the food is diabolically good especially the rose flavor Tteok-bokki actually life changing. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

A bit late to the game but finally tried out Yup dduk! This location is hidden in the shopping plaza on culver, with the Albertsons, del taco and habit burger. The dining area seats about 12 total across 4-5 small tables/booths. There is a single stall restroom inside as well. The staff was super friendly, and our server did such a great job of helping us decide what spice level to get. My friend and I shared the a-set which is a combo of the rice cakes, veggie tempura, and hard boiled eggs. Topped with light mozzarella cheese. We both handle spice fairly well so we thought we'd be good with the spicy level however the waitress did explain that they are known for their spice, and most people opt for mild so that the meal is enjoyable. She said "if you can handle the buldak noodles I'd go mild". Thank goodness she warned us because we opted for the mild, it was delicious but, slowly but surely the spice started to build and by the end of our meal we were in slight pain lol In true Korean street food fashion, we accompanied our meal with a bottle of jinro soju and terra beer. Overall, very enjoyable meal, a bit on the pricey side for ddukboki in my opinion but, it was delicious and I would definitely come back from time to time! If you're a fan of spice, definitely give them a try and opt for the spicy or if you dare.... the hot level ddukboki! read more

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tl,dr: Fascinating tteokbokki shop right by UCI campus. Expensive. Way too much carbs and too little meat. Likes: + Delicious tteokbokki meal spot. I was delighted to learn about the diy rice ball concept. + I was enthralled when they brought out the huge bowl of spicy tteokbokki after I finished preparing my rice balls. So much food! I had enough leftovers for dinner that night and even breakfast the next day. + Their menu wasn't kidding when it said their mild spicy is already very spicy. I'm a strong spicy eater, and the Original level was quite enough for me. + Very nice and helpful staff. The waitress was kind enough to explain to me how to consume the rice ball (diy). And when I asked for a to-go box, she even offered to package it all up for me. Thank you! Non-likes: - CARBS! The carb:protein ratio for their main menu set meals is way too high. Rice, rice cakes, noodles... it's just carbs on carbs on carbs! Please, more more meat and seafood! - Very expensive. At +$40, I felt ripped off for the lack of meat. - Only one restroom. Every restaurant should have at least two. - There is limited interior seating. The parking lot is large but almost always so crowded. I had the $41 C set (Yup Dduk + veggie fries + boiled eggs + rice ball diy + cellophane noodles) + tax = $44.18 read more

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This satisfied my tteokbokki craving, we got the yup dduk extra mild. We also got extra cheese on top and jt was delicious. I love that it's large enough to share with 2 other people, and had some leftovers. read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

My favorite tteokbokki location. I only come here for this one item. This satisfied my cravings for tteokbokki. The sauce at yupdduk is the best since it's not too sweet. I would definitely recommend getting extra mild, which is still spicy, so you can actually enjoy the meal. read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Ordered the rose yapdduk and tuna mayo rice bowl. Service amazing, super nice servers and amazing food! Would def come back soon! read more

Yupdduk - ROSÉ YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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this place is so good! Went with my friends and Min the worker was sooo nice would 100% come back!!

I visited Yupdduk Irvine and had an amazing experience. I got the Army Stew Original, Spicy Mayo Chicken Rice Ball, Potato Cheese Corndog, and the NEW MENU ITEM, Steamed Egg! The food was all yummy and always nice to take home leftovers. The steamed egg was also really good, and I highly recommend to try it since it's a new menu item! Aside from this, the rice balls are always a delight to have. Lastly, Yupdduk's service is always great and I love going to Yupdduk whenever I'm in town. :) read more

Yupdduk - Steamed Egg - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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Yup Dduk definitely hits the spot when it comes to craving. Most definitely for this who love spicy Korean food - if you know and are accustomed to tteok you'll love it so delicious and chewy. I got a few other sides and those were good as well - I wouldn't come here often just because the portions are quite large but it's a good option for a night out. The service is quick as well and they are nice but it does get busy . As for the interior there is limited seating but it's clean and presentable. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Definitely prepare yourself when you try this! This is probably my favorite deokbokki place in town. The restaurant is a bit small so make sure you come early for dinner! My friends and I ordered the C set that included the yupdduk, veggie tempura, 2 boiled eggs, glass noodles and rice balls. We also ordered the fish cake soup and 4 banana milk as we weren't sure of the spice level. We got very mild just in case and honestly it was the best choice cuz it had a good amount of kick with the mozzarella cheese. Dipping the rice ball into the sauce was very good. The fish cake soup was good when it was piping hot but once it cooled down, you can taste the saltiness so it was a bit too much for us. Overall, it was a pleasant experience that I would come here again :) read more

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This place was so good! The service was great and they give you pickled radish to munch on while you're waiting for your order. I had the chicken stew, and it was piping hot when it came out, it was delicious and way too much for just me to finish. I like spicy food but even this was a little too spicy for me, if you only casually eat spicy then I'd suggest you get mild or mild+ instead of the original. read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK CHICKEN STEW - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Thought it was an interesting spot to try in Irvine and tteokbokki sounded yummy. It's small and so it was full even before 6pm for dinner. The service is friendly. You can order takeout and eat at the patio tables outside but not a lot of lighting so it's pretty dark out there. I didn't realize they use the Yelp waitlist so I would recommend adding your name in advance if that's an option. A good sharing portion for 2-3 people. We got the yupdduk and added egg & ramen. Like everyone says the extra mild is still pretty spicy. That's just the nature of tteokbokki so beware if you can't eat spicy. Probably why they have things like yogurt and milk drinks in their fridge. I didn't think we would get two boiled eggs so that was a plus. The ramen also came separate instead of in the bowl. While it would have fit fine and saved extra packaging, it actually helps break up the spiciness to have it cold and plain. We also got the spam mayo rice. The rice to spam ratio was off, skimping on the rice and the spam was definitely over salted. Spam is already salty so it doesn't need to be seasoned that much more in my opinion. If there was more rice, it would have helped. I kind of wanted soondae too but it was pricey and I didn't think we could finish everything. If you love tteokbokki, definitely suggest trying. If you can't eat very spicy foods then you should share with a bigger group and get other items like the fried dumpling too. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Walking into the restaurant, it kind of felt like a fast food store, only a few small tables and that's about it. I know the one in Ktown is also only a few tables and a lot of people do take-out so it wasn't hard to get seated. We got the "Yup O" which is the one style with less ricecakes and more fishcakes at their "mild." The flavor was good, exactly how I expect tteokbokki to taste (the sauce was savory, rich, thick, and a little sweet). The portion size was also HUGE (definitely easily shareable with 2 people, one order). This part is subjective, but I think I can eat a decent spiciness for most foods. I was warned by friends that "original" would be too spicy (even for my friends who love spicy food) and that I should order with caution. And it was true. At their mild, it was still REALLY spicy. About half way in, it was to a point where the spiciness overpowered my palate and the food was no longer enjoyable after a while. I actually thought their service was a bit lacking. I don't expect much from servers, but I feel like checking in on your customers once is kind of the bare minimum. There were like 4 workers hanging out around the counter area and none of them ended up checking in on us. As the food was really spicy, we were drinking the water heavily and also wiping the sweat off. We needed to ask for more napkins and water. I don't expect them to be mind-readers, but it would be nice if they would check up on the customers next time. Ending thoughts: If I want to go outside for tteokbokki, I would come back here. However, I would definitely get their "extra mild." Enjoy with caution! read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Something new, something different, and something seriously spicy! The "extra mild" option was already pretty spicy, but it was delicious. I considered going for the mild level, but after reading reviews and chatting with the staff, I decided to play it safe--and I'm glad I did. Angela recommended their signature rice cakes in the Yup Dduk. I went with Set B, which includes Yup Dduk Fries, a Boiled Egg, and a Rice Ball. The cost was $30, and for the price, you get a huge bowl, typically shared between 2-4 people. The restaurant also offers Yup O, similar to Yup Dduk but with more fish than rice cakes. Each order is boiled with rice cakes, fish cakes, three mini-sausages, cabbage, green onion, and topped with a light layer of mozzarella cheese. (Yes, cheese!) I have to admit, this was a first for me. Cheese isn't common in many Asian dishes, much like Hawaiian cuisine, where it's not a typical ingredient either. (And no, Hawaiian pizza doesn't count!) It was a unique twist. I enjoyed it, even though it was on the "halang" (spicy) side. Next time, I might try the Yup O with more fish cakes than rice and maybe even dare to go for the mild spice level. Keep in mind, this was the "extra mild" version, and it still packed a fair amount of heat. The Korean mini-sausages and onion rings paired nicely with the spicy bowl, but I wish there had been more of them--just three sausages and two onion rings in this huge bowl of broth and rice cakes. It was like seeing three overboard victims floating in an ocean of soup with only two onion rings as life preservers. For a $30 bowl, more than three mini-sausages and two onion rings would have been nice. I tried to order more onion rings because two felt like a sample rather than a serving. If this bowl is meant to be shared between 2 or 3 people, how do they decide who gets the onion ring? And what about the mini-sausages? "One for you, one for you, and one for me!" It's a bit silly. They need to balance out the bowl with more of the other ingredients, not just vegetables, rice cakes, and broth. After all, most of what you're paying for is water, with red pepper powder used to make the broth. Do they flip a coin for the single boiled egg in the order? Overall, the food was very good, and the customer service was excellent. Angela was instrumental in making my first visit to Yup Dduk a good one. She was helpful, friendly, and patient with my usual barrage of "first time here" questions. Mahalo Angela & Eunice! Great first visit; very good! Food: 4 Ambiance: 3 Service: 5 Value: 3 read more

First time getting tteokbokki and it's great! Got the mild which is super spicy. The portion is big enough for 2. read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

This place really is as good as the other reviews said. Definitely try it if you like spicy food! Here are some personal tips from me: - I had wanted to try mild, but hubs opted for extra mild at the last minute. At first I thought the spice level was fine, not too bad (but sufficient - not really trying to challenge ourselves but just wanted to enjoy spicy food) but the yup duk did get spicier as you eat because the food (particularly cabbage) got soaked within the duration of the meal. - instead of the sets we ordered toppings and sides a la carte because there's actually no discounts if you went with the sets, and we didn't care for veggie fries or boiled eggs. Instead we got the ramen (topping) and tuna mayo rice as a side for neutralizing the spice. Loved the ramen (a must!) and the taste is the tuna mayo rice (the mayo helped save our tongues!) though we were so full at the end. Portions were definitely great. - we didn't order banana milk but got Persian ice cream in the same plaza afterward which was great; will review separately. - service was excellent. The server who took our order talked us down to extra mild and we were so glad he did, and they came around often enough to fill our water. - over all this was a great, different experience we had in this area and will definitely come back. That said, it reminded us of the spicy rice cake and ramen Costco used to sell so hubs felt like the taste was similar, but I think the fact they had also the other stuff prepared still made this worth it! read more

Yupdduk - Yup duk ($25) with ramen ($3) as of Jan 2024. Great portion size for 2+ - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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My wife and I came here for dinner and had an amazing meal! We ordered the signature Yupdduk, a Korean street food with rice cakes, fish cakes, sausages, cabbage, with a side of fried dumplings in a spicy red sauce. We got extra mild which would extra spicy virtually anywhere else. If you really into spicy food you can get up to "challenge" level which is 10,500 Scoville heat units. That's hot! The food was delicious, spicy and a very large portion. We ordered one dish and took leftovers home. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful with suggestions. The restaurant has a great buzzy ambiance and is filled with UCI students. (The pickles served with the meal are great too: crunchy and flavorful.) read more

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Fun place to challenge yourself how hot you can go! It's definitely a shared experience so my husband and I had Yup Dduk, extra mild. Even with extra mild we were glad we had enough water to keep the spice tone down. The dish was pretty good but full of carbs. The sauce was red hot and sweet. Service was amiable. Will definitely come back for their bulgogi! read more

Yupdduk - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

I still think about these rice cakes to this day. We ordered the B set which comes with your choice of rice cakes or fish cakes, veggie fries, boiled egg and rice balls. We dined in and shared the delicious spicy rice cakes between two people and you'll definitely have leftovers. My sister isn't a huge fan of spicy so we got extra mild to be safe but we recommend getting mild next time. They give you a bowl with seaweed and gloves and you roll it up to make your rice balls. It's a super fun dining spot for tteokbokki and I highly recommend. We also appreciated how the workers packed up our orders for to go. You can also order online as well. They also have army stew and chicken face. Can't wait to come back again. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is incredibly small inside but has lots of tables outside. My boyfriend and I dined in and we were seated right away. The service was very good as they checked up on us and refilled our water right away (which was great because the food here is pretty spicy even at the lower levels). We ordered the yupdduk at mild spice with fried dumplings, veggie fries, and ramen added in, and I loved how nicely they arranged the toppings as it made for a great photo. Even though we got it at mild, it was pretty spicy but pairing it with the tuna mayo rice helped balance it out. I enjoyed that the base was savory and the tteobokki was nice and chewy. I also liked that the ramen noodles still had a bite to them and weren't too soft. The portion they give you is huge and there was so much food to take away. If you have leftovers, they actually take the bowl to the back and put it in to go containers for you! Overall the experience food, and service are really good and could definitely feed 3-4 people at a really affordable price. read more

Yupdduk - Tuna Mayo Rice - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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The portions here are huge. One yupdduk order could probably feed 3-4 people, in my opinion. Dining space inside is limited, but you can take your order to go and eat in the outside patios, and it comes with some pickled daikon. Also, the spice level is really intense- we were told a mild was about the same spice level as buldak ramen, for reference. The flavor is good but I think my spice tolerance is so low that all I can remember is it was really spicy so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have, but that's my own problem lol read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

My mom wanted some theokbokki but I didn't feel like making it myself because it's never as spicy as when I had it in Korea. So we did a take out order. There were 3 levels of spiciness and I figured my mom couldn't handle the extra spicy. I did not take the warning to order mild if it was my first time. We ordered the original spicy. Boy was it spicy. The color was a deep red and it made me sweat. It definitely reminded me of eating it in Korea. I do wish the rice cakes were a little bit softer I doubt the drive home hardened then that much. My mom says we can add a little bit of water to the leftovers and cook them a little longer. It was too spicy for her but she agreed the flavor was good. read more

Really good! We got the lowest spice level and it was still kinda spicy for me but the food was really good and filling. Just one order was enough to make the three of us full. We ate outside and the area is clean. read more

Yupdduk - item 1 - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Service was friendly, location was pretty small to dine in so wait time was a little longer than expected but the food was definitely worth it! read more

Yupdduk - Rose yup dduk, flat noodles, boiled eggs, rice cakes - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

I've had Yup Dduk in ktown years ago and i vividly remember the spiciest even from ordering mild lol. And as a spice fanatic i ended up going with my buds again years later to the one in irvine. Again we ordered the mild and i was again shocked by how spicy mild was. Please actually be careful because it's no joke lol. Really good however, we added cheese and ramen I believe and it does cut it down. Also the rice balls we ordered helps as well, they were surprisingly flavorful. read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Not sure if we were extra hungry but we demolished everything. They were packed on a Monday night and I suggest ordering ahead or using ubereats. The staff was very nice despite it being busy and gave extra napkins and bowls when asked. We ordered the set B spicy rice cake which comes with egg, diy rice balls and assorted fries. The rice balls are an immersive experience but it was very yummy and didn't break apart. The pumpkin fries were my favorite out of the onion rings, pumpkin and sweet potato. The rice cakes were perfectly chewy and yummy and the mild was a tolerable spicy. read more

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It did take a while to come out but it was quite tasty! Much better than what I would typically get at Hmart, lol. Also, I could not handle even the most mild. I wish they gave more rice balls, or I'm going to get takeout and make my own because SPICYYYY. Hmart tteobokki is more mild imo. This mild is about 3x the level of Hmart, for context. Recommend that you give this a try! read more

Yupdduk - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Food was good and the service was ok on the surface. I understand that working in food service is difficult and we all talk negatively about our customers, but next time do it when the customers are no longer in the establishment. My friends and I felt extremely unwelcome by the young workers in the front. It's hard to miss the disrespect when the establishment is tiny and customers can hear every single word and see every facial expression when the cash register is literally 1 foot away. Food was yummy though. read more

Yupdduk - MALA ROSÉ YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California