a CLASSIC LA ktown experience that I recommend for everyone at least once. located in a very popular part of ktown, be aware of the lack of parking and the slight difficulty to get even valet parking in this plaza on busy days. if you are someone who cannot handle a lot of spicy foods (e.g. if you find buldak spice tolerable, but maybe not enjoyable, or if you find buldak spice just really spicy), i recommend going with extra mild. they have the rose version which i personally have not tried, but can see it as a good option for those who like less spice. if you are good with spice, i recommend original spice. if you are EXTRA good with spice, maybe even higher is better! there are two types, yup-duk (regular) and yup-o (more fish cakes). definitely something to choose based on preference! i would say the rice cakes aren't as good as leftovers, so plan accordingly (they get almost mushy). overall, great place! read more

Yupdduk LA - long wait - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Man, located in the heart of K-Town got me sweating in the good way. Parking kinda suck in that tiny strip mall, and the restaurant only got like four little tables squeezed together... I grabbed mine to go. Got the best set combo with everything in it. I picked extra mild thinking I was safe... nah, I was still burning up lol. Next time I'm asking for super mild. But yo... the 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) hit the spot..Little on the sweet side tho, but end of the day it gets the job done. Addictive, messy, spicy happiness. read more

Yupdduk LA - Best set - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

our experience here was amazing! we got the recommendation from a friend and the food & service did not disappoint. the space is small and in direct sunlight most of the day but they have blackout curtains that help! it is a little warm in there but nothing unbearable. the workers are quick to help, answer questions and give recommendations! our server was amazing & it really added to our experience. the food came out hot , delicious and we left with leftovers for sure! the spam fried rice was my favorite , i'm still thinking about it to this day. for two people our meal was great and super filling. i can't wait until im back in LA because i'll definitely be returning!! read more

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After months of talk, finally made the drive out to Yupdduk. And it was well worth the drive! Gotta say, I was a little nervous because I'd heard it's delicious, but (while the rest of the group loves spicy food) I am not the best with spice. So we ended up sharing the "Signature Very Spicy" with a mild spice level. And while it was definitely spicy, I was so pleasantly surprised that it still tasted delicious! So many times I order something spicy and the spice outweighs the flavor, but here the spice was more like a compliment to the flavor. Plus the rice cakes are great - I liked them so much, I would honestly buy an extra side of them next time. Also got their tuna mayo rice. Surprisingly large, it was plenty to share between three people. Small little dining area, first come first serve. We were lucky enough to get a table, but I'd imagine they get a wait. So just be patient, but the food is worth it! Parking lot is small. We ended up finding street parking, but I heard there might be valet? Highly recommend! read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A popular chain restaurant with this particular review servicing the LA location, I have nothing but positive things to say about this restaurant! The service was quick and extremely pleasant. The spicy Korean rice cakes were perfectly chewy and al dente, and the spice levels were completely tolerable and honestly relatively tame compared to other more extreme dishes. Meat quality was excellent and complimented the dish well. Would highly recommend a visit when able! read more

Nothing beats toppoki than this famous Yup Dduk Koreatown toppoki!!!!! I havent had it in a while and it's SO GOOD! This is the rose toppoki with non spicy. I can't handle spicy and this still has the kick We waited 15-20 mins for our ttopoki not sure why because there wasn't many tables when we came but it's worth it read more

Yupdduk LA - ROSÉ YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Rose yupdduk is great. Rice ball is very under seasoned. Wait is long even late night, but service was good after being seated. Very limited seating inside. read more

Yupdduk LA - ROSÉ YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Definitely come here if you have freinds with you!!! The portion is huge, especially when you are dining in. Even though we got mild, it was still very spicy, so just be cautious of that. The food itself is still good though. Don't forget to add sides. My personal favorites are the chewy thick glass noodles, and the fried seaweed rolls. Adding cheese is a MUST! The service was okay. You order at the counter, and the server will bring your food. The restaurant is very small though, so tables are very limited. read more

Yupdduk LA - YUP DDUK RICE BALL (DIY) CHEESE FRIED SEAWEED ROLL CELLOPHANE NOODLE BANANA MILK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

As a Korean American, this is honestly one of my major cravings--and YUP DDUK nails it. I grew up eating dishes like this, and finding a spot in LA that does it so well is such a win. The duck is perfectly crispy, flavorful, and just hits all the right nostalgic notes. I'm so glad more people are getting into it and showing love for this kind of food. It makes me really happy to see a place like this getting the recognition it deserves. Every time I come here, it satisfies that craving 100%. Definitely one of my favorite spots in the city right now. read more

Yupdduk LA - Menu - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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We love yup dduk on nights when we just want something hot and spicy! Our go to order: yup O (more fish cake) mild spice, add on ramen, veggie fries, spam rice. I always think about adding more sausages bc the ones they have are so snappy and tasty. The mild is def spicy, but a tasty kind, and I think the heat makes it feel spicier. With the order above we always have leftovers, I think it can easily feed 3-4 people. It does take awhile for the order to come out (esp since they are always getting takeout/delivery orders) but getting it fresh is the best! The shop is very small and can seat in total 8 parties of 2 at a time, so the wait can get long once the shop is full. We got there around 5:30 Friday night and got a seat immediately, but by 6:15/6:30 wait was 30 min - 1 hr depending on party size. There's a small lot in front of the store that is $3 (whether you valet the car or park it yourself). read more

Yupdduk LA - YUP O with VEGGIE FRIES and RAMEN NOODLE; SPAM MAYO RICE on the left bottom side - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We can on a friday around 8:30 pm. There was 1 party ahead and we waited like 15-30min to be seated. Valet is $3 for dinner and $2 lunch. Valet man was nice enough to let us check the waitlist before deciding to park here. There's a yelp kiosk waitlist inside. I believe last call for dine in is 9:30pm but can end earlier depending on how many people are on the waitlist. The restaurant is pretty small with only 6 tables but there is a restroom. So wait time can take long depending on the people dining. We ordered: - Rosé Yup Dduk: only comes in very mild, has mozzarella cheese, fish cake, rice cake, 3 sausages and a side of pickled radish. - fried seaweed rolls - mini sausages - chinese flat noodles I love getting the rosé bc its creamy and not spicy. My favorite was the rice cake and chinese flat noodles. Omg the flat noodles are so good. I got the ramen before but I think I'll only get the flat noodles from now on. Its chewy. read more

Yupdduk LA - rosé yup dduk - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Spicy, rich, and flavorful! First tried it out in 2020 and been hooked ever since! The service was quick and inside they offer limited seating. It's really clean and they run every thing very efficient. It's sometimes hard to get a table so we'll order to go but it still has the same great flavor as when you're eating in! read more

I got the extra mild yup Dduk and boy oh boy, it is definitely spicy. I like a good spice but I guess I don't eat spicy enough because wow. Flavors were good. Rice cake was the perfect size with the right amount of bounce and texture. Parking lot is tiny and they do $2 valet at lunch. I did a pick up order and that took about 20 minutes so if you're going to order for take out, perhaps call in first. Definitely a large portion for $23 and some change. I ordered for 1 person but it's definitely big enough for 2-3 hungry people. read more

I came here on a Monday night with a group of 3. This place is so delicious that it's alwayssss busy no matter what day of the week - luckily they have a waitlist ipad up at the front that you can add your name to as soon as you arrive! We probably waited a bit over 10 minutes and there's seating outside to wait as well. We ordered the classic Yup Dduk and added the following toppings: fried seaweed rolls, extra sausage, ramen noodles, extra boiled eggs, and fried dumplings. We got the mild spice level. I cannot stress enough that this dish is unlike anything I have EVER had in my entire life. SO flavorful, SOOOO much food, and SOOO SPICY!! Even the mild is spicy so if you have any sort of sensitive to spice, consider this your warning Luckily, my group does NOT have that sensitive so we chowed down! Even though the bowl is clearly MASSIVE, they are extremely fast in getting your food to the table - I mean like lightning fast! Everyone in there is so nice, extremely thoughtful - this is seriously a great place to have a *shared* meal with friends. You CANNOT order a bowl of this per person at your table - this is a very communal eating experience with your table and I love that! Every time I have a visitor in town, this is the spot I absolutely HAVE to take them to every single time. Incredible food for an outstanding price and great atmosphere - doesn't get much better than that For a bowl of Yup Dduk with all those added toppings + 3 drinks + 1 tuna mayo rice side (not pictured), it was a bit over $90 once we added the tip and that price was split between 3 people! AND we had leftovers. So seriously, an outstanding bang for your buck. There's also $3 valet in the lot or street parking! Yup Dduk, you WILL be seeing me again! read more

Yupdduk LA - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A lot of food! lol The servings here are big so you can definitely come with friends. I came here with my co-worker and we still had left overs. We went with the regular yup dukk extra mild and let me tell you... the extra mild still has a kick to it! I love spicy food and it gets my nose runny lol but it's so good! The flavor is there, it's spicy but not too spicy that you lose your tastebuds. We added sausages and dumplings into ours. We also got the spam mayo rice. It comes in a bowl and they give you gloves to mix it all in and you can make it into little rice balls. I definitely recommend coming here to give it a try, but come during low busy times like lunch time on the weekdays or early on weekends as it does get very busy!! The space inside is small not too much available seating and parking is also a hassle at times. But it's a nice place and the staff was nice as well. Not so loud but also not too quiet. read more

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Tried Yup Dduk set with ramen topping. We ordered extra mild but it was still plenty spicy and my kids needed banana milk to soothe the fire intermittently. Good flavor overall, a tad bit on the sweet side for me but my kids liked it. Also a bit pricy in my opinion for a street food. Service was attentive. read more

This place will forever be my definition of hurts so bad but taste so good so can't stop eating lol Food: we got the set menu A with Yup O and mild. It was delicious with the perfect amount of spicy with a hint of sweet and it was a great afternoon snack/lunch. Beware, the mild is pretty spicy and not your typical mild lol. They also have a secret mala version that I'll be back to try Service: amazing service, super nice and checked up multiple times Ambience: it's a bit smaller and doesn't have that many tables. We waited around 15 mins on a Sunday afternoon but it didn't seem too busy after we were seated read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food was so good! We couldn't stop eating it ! The place is a little small but the food definitely makes up for it read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Good price and nice selection of add-on sides! We got the mild Yup Dduk. Highly recommend to go light on the spice if you don't have high spice tolerance. The mild is even too spicy for me! I think I might have to try the extra mild next time. This is such a nice place to gather with friends after a night out. read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This place is so good! If you like fish cake (rectangle strips) more than rice cake (tubes), order the Yup-O. I added ramen and extra cheese too. 10/10. I ordered the tempura and the bulgogi bowl as well, both were good. For spice levels I ordered mild, which I would recommend. It's spicy, but not nearly as spicy as buldak. If you're more sensitive to spice, the extra mild might be better for you. This place is worth a try, I highly recommend. read more

Absolutely love Yup Dduk!! The food was extremely filling, affordable, and delicious!! We were a party of three and got seated pretty quickly because we agreed to sit at a two person table. This is a smaller restaurant, so maybe not ideal for groups larger than 6! The service was great. The staff were very attentive and helpful. They answered our questions thoroughly and gave us guidance on the menu. The "very mild" heat level we got was still spicy, so beware if you're sensitive to heat! Overall, I highly recommend Yup Dduk :)) read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

For dinner, we ordered the C Set which is Yup Dduk with veggie fries, boiled eggs, rice balls, and cellophane noodles and then we added extra mini sausage and mozzarella cheese. We were abt to get mild spice but the guy reminded us how spicy their levels are so we got it easy spice instead aand I would order the same exact thing every time. It was so good and I think the cheese is needed to cut the spice. It filled the three of us plus we had leftovers. I always love coming here but definitely not a meal for one person unless you plan on having leftovers for days. Also $3 valet is definitely so nice bc parking in the area is not that great. read more

Yupdduk LA - C SET (FRIES EGG RICEBALL DIY CELLOPHANE NOODLE) - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I ordered Set B with Yup O at a mild spicy level. The difference between Yup O and Yup Dduk is that O has more fish cakes, whereas Dduk has more rice cakes. I do not recommend this place to anyone who cannot handle spicy food. The rice and veggie fries helped a little with the spiciness. Although the food tasted pretty good, I'm not sure if it's worth having heartburn and going to the restroom 6 times or more. Service could be better. Long wait time. Waited for over 30 minutes (I had to check in periodically). I was disappointed that I didn't receive a text message when my food was ready, even though I left them my phone number as requested. Ambiance is limited due to small seating capacity. I had no choice but to order to go. Valet parking available. read more

Yupdduk LA - Set B Yupp O mild spicy level - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

On a Wednesday evening for dinner, there was no wait! The servers let our party of 2 be seated immediately and took our order quickly. We got the Regular Yup Dduck on mild. We didn't get a combo set since it was just the two of us. The yellow radish was helpful for keeping the heat down. Even tho the restaurant wasn't full, the food still took a bit of time to come out since there's so many add-ins. And it's worth the wait! The food came out hot both in temperature and in flavor. We ate quickly and more customers came in the meantime. The restaurant is small, it fits 10ish tables so it's nice for an intimate sit down dinner that isn't pretentious. read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The best tteokbokki I've ever had--hands down! I don't live locally, but every time I'm in SoCal, stopping here is a must. I've been here about three times now, and it's always consistently delicious! What sets this place apart are the perfectly soft rice cakes and the incredibly flavorful sauce. Be warned: the spice level is no joke! I usually handle mild to medium spice without a problem, but even their extra mild has me sweating. If you're not into spicy food, approach with caution. I also love how customizable the menu is. We always add ramen and fried seaweed rolls, which are fantastic. This time, we also tried the DIY rice balls, which you roll yourself (they provide gloves). While it's a fun concept, my husband and I both agreed it wasn't for us and probably wouldn't order it again. The restaurant itself is tiny, with room for about 14-16 people, so expect a wait unless you arrive early. We came at 4 PM on a Sunday and still waited 30-45 minutes. The portions are huge--more than enough for two big eaters like us. We were thrilled to take some leftovers on the plane and enjoy them at home later! read more

Yupdduk LA - Extra mild with seaweed rolls and ramen - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Food is super good, service is really good and the staff is really kind. Serving portion is really good as well and I had leftovers after coming with two other people!!! 100000% reccomend. read more

Yupdduk is a tiny place but packs a huge punch. I cannot imagine how a group could not go home with left overs. The servings are meant to be shared and you'll need all the mouths you can get. The rose tteokbokki is amazing with the perfect level of spice. And great add ons, you can tailor your bowl to what you want. We've also gotten the pork bulgogi and it's pretty good for it not being their specialty. The staff is always super sweet and attentive to water refills and stuff but the food is all made to order so you will need to wait a bit to get everything, it's worth it! read more

This place is definitely on the list for where to go for the spiciest food. Their spice ranking is very mild, mild, original, and challenge. I came here for challenge because I LOVE spicy food and was craving for spicy food. It was good spicy for me but my tolerance is definitely higher than most people and I wouldn't recommend anyone to start with Challenge. If you want to reduce the spice you can add mozzarella. Other than the spice, I like the tteokbokki here, the taste/flavor is better than a lot of other places, has a strong fishy broth + spicy taste. This is my go to place when I'm craving for spicy tteokbokki. read more

Looovceeedddd this place!! Finally tried it after seeing all the reviews on social media. The staff here are super sweet and the food even beettteeerrrrr!! Definitely will be back down this way just for this place!! read more

Yupdduk LA - Yup Dduk - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Love this place when I want to challenge my spicy senses lol. We always get the mild and it is spicy, just enough to get me sweating but not too much to overpower the flavor. B set is our favorite because of the veggie fries and rice balls. Everything is perfect when dipped in the sauce. Come try! read more

Yupdduk LA - Original YUP O B SET (FRIES EGG RICEBALL DIY) mild - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Yup Dduk is a class spot for tteokbokki! Spicy savory sauce, chewy rice cakes, and sweet fish cakes. Pros are it's yummy, cons are it's such a huge portion so it's great if you can share it with people but if you cannot it's a lot of food and leftovers (and after so many days you can get tired of it lol). The last time I went I feel like the cheese was a bit too light, though of course you can add more for an up charge. If your spicy tolerance is okay/low-ish like mine then definitely recommend the very mild because even the mild is spicy. Solid place overall. read more

Yupdduk LA - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The spice levels are no joke. I can handle a lot of heat but this was too much at a medium level. Should have ordered a mild. But that's my own fault. The food was good overall but the fried veggies were verrryyy heavy. I did not care for the batter. I loved the egg and sausage, which the sausages were more or even just bigger. Service was good, they did not check on us much but I think they were expecting us to summon them. Nice small lot location, got packed as we finished around 8 pm. I would come back, maybe to bigger sit down location. Oh, the complimentary yakult was nice and refreshing on my burning insides. lol read more

Yupdduk LA - RICE BALL (DIY) YUP DDUK added FRIED DUMPLINGS (A SET (FRIES EGG)) - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I think about this place in my dreams. It was one of the best tteokbokki I have ever had in my life. First of all the portion was huge and I had leftover for days. I do wish I got one option spicier because I was scared of the Korean spice levels. But it was overall delicious The service was also amazing, the worker was so nice trying to get us seated as soon as possible and he even said we could get the bigger table if no big party showed up which they did but he felt bad and gave us our drinks for free. The servers here are amazing and super friendly. When I visit la I'm definitely coming back read more

Yupdduk LA - A SET (FRIES EGG) - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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If you can't handle spicy foods, I would not recommend this spot. Many people have complained that the mild is even too hot and spicy. But if you love spicy food, this spot is for you! Or if you can handle some heat, then I suggest ordering some banana milks or the yo cools with your order. Def not soda coz that just makes it burn more. Lol. I like a variety so I usually end up ordering the B set with the Yup Dduk. If you like more fish cake than the rice cakes, you can get the Yup O. I love their tuna mayo rice ball. It compliments the ddukboki so well IMO! Forgot to talk about the parking. Like many places in Ktown, its valet parking. And the parking lot is smalllllll. It's better to drop someone off and pick up the order circle the block and come back around. Coz the wait times here get crazy! I waited almost 1.5 hours to eat here. Smh. But the restaurant is small too with I think about 8 or 10 tables max. This location is in a small strip mall. read more

Yupdduk LA - Set B (not pictured is the rice ball that comes with the set) and the tuna mayo ball. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Little upset how we got there at 8:30p.m and denied us due to "a lot of orders" when it specifically says they close at 10 pm. read more

Yupdduk LA - Business hours - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I visited Yupdduk on a Sunday evening and experienced a 30-minute wait to get seated. Thankfully, they offer valet parking as well as street parking options, which made it convenient. The restaurant itself is quite small--I expected it to be bigger--but the cozy atmosphere didn't detract from the experience. The staff was very friendly and checked on us regularly. We ordered the yupdduk with added ramen, mozzarella cheese, veggie fries, and fried dumplings. We opted for extra mild, which turned out to be the perfect level of spice for us. However, I'm curious to see how spicy the other levels are! I enjoyed my food so much that I couldn't stop eating, even though I was really full. The pickled radish was a great addition to balance the spiciness. I can't wait to go back and try their bulgogi next time! read more

Yupdduk LA - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I want to rate this place higher, but even the most mild spice was too spicy for me to enjoy and I honestly think it's a bit overpriced. They start by giving you something to coat your stomach before eating. Then you select your food. Everything was delicious and we were happy with all of our add-ons. I just wish there was an even more mild spice option available (just for reference I do eat a lot of spicy foods!) The restaurant was very small, but had enough spacing in between seats. We were there mid-week so it wasn't busy, but I imagine on the weekends there might be a line. The servers were very attentive and kind. They cleaned up after us immediately when we finished a plate or left a rapper. read more

Yupdduk LA - YUP DDUK - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Reviewing based on my most recent visit. We came here awhile ago and I don't remember what we ordered (pictured provided) but I knew I wanted to come back. They weren't lying when they say they' are the spiciest restaurant in ktown- be ware lol. We got the Yuo Duck- which includes fish cake and rice cake; you can choose more rice cake than fish cake. You must choose your Spice level, we ordered mild but their mild is a lot more MILD? My bf and I were sweating, the waiters saw his much pain we were in lol and gave us these mini yogurt drinks to help alleviate the kick . Everything was delicious, it's a very small restaurant. Definitely need to return soon read more

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I love this place. I believe the LA location is better (more consistent) than the Irvine location. I haven't been here in about a year and noticed few changes, just their menu expanding. We were a party of 5, but they squeezed us at a table of 4. We asked for an extra chair (there were plenty) and they told us they couldn't give us one. The food was good. We got the rose yup dduk along w the original yup dduk and rice balls. read more

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Food was delicious, I would go again but order Togo unless you go the perfect time I got set c and it was more than enough for 2 .. possible that set is for 4 Original was the perfect spice .... I eat Thai chilli on the regular and the original was perfect .... I was tearing and nose was dripping in a good way! Price was $41 We went when the first batch of people enter so we waited maybe 20-30 mins We got in and others walked in perfect timing, cause they got sat in 5 mins, since the first batch were done around the same time Service was fast and kind Eat again just maybe Togo Place was small and worth it read more