4. Restaurants

Pyeongchang Tofu House

4701 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA, 94609
  • (510) 658-9040
  • Store is closed

Pyeongchang Tofu House Menu

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  • Austin W.

    I'm not really a fan of Korean food for many reasons. The first being that I think it is generally overpriced (vegetable bibimbap should not cost over $10, a platter of beef should not cost over $20), and the second is that many of the dishes taste very bland. While this was absolutely true of my tofu soup, the service here is spectacular, and for that alone I can see why people keep coming back to this place. If you don't request any level of spiciness with your tofu soup because you can't stand the heat, your soup will taste very bland. If you do however, all the tofu soups here end up tasting the same. All you taste is the spice. I've ordered the beef tofu soup, the kimchi tofu soup, as well as the combination tofu soup, and each of them are identical, save for the tiny bits of meat that are in the soup. The seafood soup was particularly disappointing because of the low grade of seafood that they use. I can't say for sure, but my gut instinct tells me that the seafood comes out of a bag labeled mixed seafood that you can find at the frozen section of your local grocery store. Wasn't very tasty. Would I come back again? Grudgingly. And only if my friends want to go. For about $15 tax and tip, I would go elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Monica H.

    I will have to come back, went on a saturday night. The service was oddly amazing- perhaps they thought I was a food critic? The banchan I wasn't really stoked about and I'm still stuck wondering why they tried to make cheese and left HUGE pieces of parsley/stems in it. Really bizarre. The tofu soup was also very good, but I ordered mild and it was still a little too spicy for me. I will come back and try more things because that seafood pancake was the BEST pancake I've ever had. The texture was so light and crispy but moist and just yummmmm and the sauce was so perfectly acidic and the flavor was just perfect. They also have that bek seju alcohol if you like that stuff ;) I do. Whole bottle by meself tehee.

    (4)

  • Hoyan L.

    Really good korean spicy tofu soup here. It reminded me of this one korean tofu house I went to in Korea. Came here tonight after craving hot soup, my family and I ordered their combination tofu, squid tofu soup, and samgyetang and they were all very delicious. Their tofu is so soft and silky. The samgyetang is great with a good amount of ginseng in the chicken. My family also loved their side dishes and the kripsy rice from the hot stone rice bowl! Their customer service is great and we were all surprised when they served the rice to us. We will be back for sure and try their fried flat fish too!

    (5)

  • Addy S.

    Banchan: Great small dishes and are refillable by staff. Loved the kimchi and bean sprouts. Tofu: Ordered the medium spicy original and mild spicy seafood. DELICIOUS and hearty. Both really hit the spot. Told that the tofu was made on-site and not purchased from the market. Meat: The bulgogi was sweeter than usual, but nicely cooked with on-par caramelization. The BBQ short ribs were juicy. NOTE: The customer service here is SPECTACULAR. We were given a free soybean soup and vegetarian tofu soup. Waitstaff are friendly and very conversational. Overall: Finally found my go-to Korean tofu house in the East Bay!

    (5)

  • Grace C.

    The beat Korean restaurant I had ever! The tofu is SUPER soft. And the bean cake tastes very good too! The soup favor and the side dishes are excellent !

    (5)

  • Eddy P.

    Can't believe I hadn't reviewed Pyeongchang yet. Best soondooboo in the Bay Area. Just don't expect a Cho Dang, Lee's, Beverly, etc. If you're familiar with Sawtelle, think more along the lines of Tofu-Ya ("oh it's really good for West LA!")

    (4)

  • Irene W.

    The seafood pancakes were awesome; some of the soups were a little too salty for my taste though. However, this place knows how to season and flavor their foods authentically. Will go back again...

    (4)

  • Ethan C.

    My favorite korean tofu place in bay area. I've tried a lot of tofu houses in bay area and in southern cali and this one is the one I keep coming back to. There banchan selection isn't great but 5 that you get are really good. They pride themselves on the tofu quality and it really shows, it is very silky and smooth is texture. Soups are perfectly balanced. I would also recommend their bim bim baps, they have a lot of variety. The one thing I would not recommend is the bbq meats seems more expensive than most places and doesn't seem to be their thing. Also location is in a sketchy neighborhood so watch out for your personal belongings. Stick with the tofu soups, bi bim baps and pa jeons and you should be good.

    (4)

  • Stephanie C.

    Father-in-law loves the ban chan here- what he calls, "very traditional". Mother-in-law notes that we never finish the spread here cuz it's not necessarily in line with today's modern taste-buds (read: more vinegar and softer textures, vs. more sweet and crisp textures). I do like the tofu soup here, it may not be the best I've had (I like the more modern flavors of lots of garlic and seasonings), but definitely not the worst. The menu is pretty standard fare and everyone in the family will find something they like. The cutest thing is the wood furniture, it enhances the feel of very traditional Korean restaurants =)

    (4)

  • S L.

    My first time here and I was very impressed with the food. I ordered the kalbi, kimchee pancakes, and rib with cabbage soup. The banchans were good. We got to try to tofu soup for free since it was on the house and it was delicious. Service was great - they were nice and very fast. Parking around this area has gotten difficult with all the new restaurants opening up. Had to circle the block about 5 times before finding a spot.

    (4)

  • Allen C.

    Their tofu stew is average compared to other places in Oakland, which is surprising for a place which supposedly specializes in it. Aside from variations of tofu stew, they offer a bunch of other dishes and stews you'll find at other Korean places. They only serve one appetizer here though - the bean pancake. Service wasn't bad though, and unlike other Korean places, I didn't feel this place was overly Korean-biased. Parking in this area sucks, but you may find some spots in the residential blocks off Telegraph which aren't metered.

    (3)

  • John Z.

    Average!

    (3)

  • sonja o.

    Brought my 9 month old baby and they were super accommodating. I had the stone pot bibimbap- mmmm so good (lots of vegies). The free tofu soup on side was awesome! My husband had ribs and sad they were great. My father in-law got a chicken soup to go and said it was good when he ate it tonight. The side items were great too! Neighborhood seemed safe- didn't worry about our car.

    (4)

  • Terry K.

    Yes, I'm giving this place five stars. Their food was so authentic, really a "korean's Korean" place. First off they serve biji and cold sesame noodles which are not well known dishes. Their biji was done really well, very hearty but not oily as I've sometimes seen it. I looooooved their bean dae dduk, a pancake made of mung beans and they cooked it perfectly with the right amount of crispness. Their soon dubu and dol sot bibimbap was excellent. Even their banchan was perfect, they were not your typical Kimchee and odeng, for example they had eggplant muchim and spinach with mashed tofu, yum!! The owner should be very proud, well done!!

    (5)

  • Samantha C.

    One of my go-to Korean restaurants when I lived in East Bay! The service is always great, the prices are overall reasonable, and the side dishes are yummmmmay and generous. Good for large groups because there are long benches along with smaller tables. Regardless of what you order, get the BARLEY RICE! It's a mix of brown rice, white rice, and some other grains.. it's reaaaallly good. I also recommend any of the tofu soups and the HAE CHO DOL SOT BIMBIMPBAP. I've never had bibimbap with roe eggs and seaweed.. but it is AMAAZEBALLS. AHH-MAZEBALLS. Almost like a fusion of Korean & Japanese in one sizzling pot of deliciousness.

    (5)

  • Dee F.

    Talk about amazing! Hands down - the best kim chi tofu soup I've ever had. Service is great. The cool benches add a nice touch. The bonchon was fresh and yummy, too. This is probably the best Korean restaurant in this area.

    (5)

  • annie l.

    Came here with some friends. The service here was lacking. The waiter hardly checked on us. We had to flag them down multiple times just to get our water refilled. The tofu soup here lacks flavor.We ordered spicy and although the soup came out looking spicy, it didn't taste spicy at all. Also they don't give eggs here for the tofu soup. Not worth $10. The bossam had some flavor but was extremely dry. For $25, not worth it at all. The stone pot bibimbop was good. I liked the crunchy rice at the bottom. Portion is small for $15 The Bigulgi was fine. A little too sweet for my taste. Also not a lot of meat for $20. The bancans was mediocre. Not as good as others in the area. Didn't even finish any of them. Probably won't come back here again when there are many other Korean places in town.

    (3)

  • Suji C.

    IMPRESSED. Good Korean food CAN be found in the East Bay. Ordered the dumpling soondooboo and enjoyed it much! Spicy was totally do-able and apparently the extra spicy won't kill you. The side dishes are excellent, too. Each order is $10.99, which ain't cheap, but I had no regrets eating here. Will come back to satiate my future Korean food cravings.

    (4)

  • Brian K.

    First meal here in Oakland and couldn't be happier. Feels like eating Korean food back at home in LA. Should be everyone's go to place to grubbb.

    (5)

  • J. W.

    I was very pleasantly surprised by this place! It's definitely one of the better Korean restaurants I've tried in the East and South Bay Area. When I arrived, they were pumping out "Red" by Hyuna which is my favorite jam. So things got off to a good start. I ordered the soondoobu (spicy) and the nok doo jun. The tofu was very soft and delectable and the broth was well balanced in terms of flavor and hotness. The nok doo jun was soft and and flavorful. The panchan was really fresh and well done as well. Even the rice was perfectly cooked which was surprising. I would definitely come back in the future. Pyeonchang Tofu House, HWAITING!!

    (4)

  • Patrick H.

    One of my favorite places in Oakland. Delicious spicy tofu bowls, great banchan appetizers, yummy kimchi pancake, perfect short ribs soup. Also, very friendly service.

    (5)

  • Jackie H.

    This is a solid Korean restaurant. I've been going regularly for several years. Recently my husband and I went there on a Tuesday night. We got there at 6, which was lucky because they were full to capacity around 6:30. Wow! I guess the cold night air was driving everyone in for a hot and hearty Korean meal. I had a craving for Bossam. Pyeongchang's version was good. The pork belly certainly satisfied my craving but it lacked a few items that other restaurants include: pickled radish, blanched napa cabbage or rice skin wraps, and oysters. I asked the server if it came with any type of wraps and he abashedly said it came with nothing (not even plain old lettuce) unlike other restaurants. This item was a few $$ lower than other restaurants and now I understand why. I don't think the price justifies the missing items. I would definitely go back for the various soup dishes but will save my Bossam craving for someplace else.

    (4)

  • Wendy L.

    One of my favorite Korean restaurants. We first discovered it because they are one of the few Korean places in the bay area that serves naeng myun. In our hunt for naeng myun, we discovered that they have amazing soon dubu. Pros: - Great soon dubu and banchan. One of the few places that serves that sweet potato thing I like. - I've ordered an assortment of other items from the chap chae to the onion pancake to BBQ, and they're all solid. But you come here for soon dubu. Cons: - Only a limited number (8-10) large-ish tables so it can get crowded quickly. - They run pretty lean so sometimes it can take a bit of time to get the bill and things like that, but they hustle to get to everybody. - Not a fancy place - just good food with not super comfortable seats.

    (5)

  • Hazel F.

    I came from land of soon dobu (aka L.A.) and I thought this place was legit. Soup is on the saltier/heavily seasoned side but still good. I liked the banchans! Eggplant, cooked kimchee and anchovies, regular kimchee, soy potato, potato salad. Service was good.

    (4)

  • Raymond D.

    Best Korean food I have tasted ever! Everything is top notch from their flavor of food to their portions to their service. Food came out quick. Very attentive to customers. Will recommend menu without rushing you. The flavor is rich and you know the food is quality. What we ate as a group of five Forgive me for spelling the names wrong. Bi bap flavorful Cold noodles to cool down the spice Pancakes were to die for Fried squid noodle dish is Bomb Short Ribs Bu go gi After they scoop the rice out for u. They put hot water and drain it to get a nice crispy rice shell chip for you to break apart and eat. Spicy tofu soup was excellent. Everything about this place makes you want to drive back from Sacramento to Berkeley for some Damn good food and service! Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Jenny K.

    I would choose this if someone ask you the best restaurant in Bay Area. I'm a native Korean so I know how tasty it is. This is the best. Also the server hyunwoo who was serving our table was so kind. I will come again with friend and family soon.

    (5)

  • Steve K.

    Good quality, tasty soon do boo with authentic Korean sides.

    (4)

  • Doctor G.

    I was assured by knowledgeable persons in a position to know that Pyeongchang is about as authentic a Korean restaurant as you can get. We arrived for a weekend dinner and found limited street parking. Unassuming place with dark wood benches and long tables as the dominant decor. I had the BBQ short ribs. The marinade had a bit of a sour taste to it and passed that along to the meat. It was OK, but I've had better. I guess I like my BBQ sweet. The banchan dishes were OK, lots of spicy veggies if that's your thing. The tofu soup that came with my meal was tasty and I thought the bean egg pancake appetizer was just great. Highlight of the dinner. Service was fine. By the time we left, the restaurant was packed with hipsters. This restaurant has obviously been discovered.

    (3)

  • Fanny Y.

    This is our go to place for tofu soup! The BBQ is also good but there's other places for that. They do have white kimchi that is unique and so yummy!

    (4)

  • Maggie S.

    The service and food here was excellent! I ate so much that I was glad to be wearing stretchy pants. I appreciated the complimentary touches like tea, banchan and tofu soup. I wish they would serve a pork dolsot bimbimbop. I ordered the spicy pork instead which came in a generous portion size (double what I expected) and was a bit on the sweet side. My favorite thing about this place is that the rice is served in a hot stone pot so it gets nice and crispy. 5:30 on Sunday is a great time to arrive to get a table immediately. Place was packed after 6.

    (4)

  • Sophie P.

    Wow, it was a pleasant surprise to go to this place! We ordered multiple the soft tofu soups, the bulgogi, and the pancakes. THEY WERE ALL SO DELICIOUS. AND everything so reasonably priced! The pancakes were crispy and delicious, and the soft tofu soup tasted fantastic. The hot stone bowl bibimbop was also out of this world! The only thing that bothered me was the bulgogi--I thought the meat could've been better, but overall I would definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Michelle K.

    If you want good Korean food, come to PyeongChang Tofu House (this message has been brought to you by a Korean). The soondubu is actually really good here. However, there are two things I want to highlight about PCTH: 1. The banchan is always good (except the kimchi... for some reason, it tastes a little off to me). It tastes homemade, and the seasoning is never too salty or too bland. 2. More specifically: the rex sole (gah jae mi) is the bomb. It's a pan fried fish that's crispy on the outside and has a soft, succulent white meat. My family (and I think traditionally?) doesn't squeeze lemon on it, but I like the taste of doing so. Menu items I've tried: 1. The nokdujeon (pureed bean pancake--an appetizer): more delicious than I expected! 2. Dol sot bi bim bap: the pot is hot! I usually (by usually, I mean the 2 times that I've ordered this dish) let the rice sit for awhile so the rice at the bottom gets brown and crunchy. 3. Kong gook soo: it's okay, but i'd pass... maybe because I'm spoiled and I've been exposed to really good, home made kong gook soo. 4. Gah jae mi gu e: pan fried rex sole. THE BEST! 5. And of course, the soondubu. A plus! I can't remember if you can see the pictures I've posted, but description of the banchan from top left to bottom left, clockwise: -A Korean root called seu rae gi (slightly sweet and slightly bitter) -Zucchini (served cold) -Kak du gi (radish kimchi) -Crumbled tofu and pieces of a slightly bitter Korean root -Pan fried radish that's been cooled -Potato that's been boiled in soy sauce, sugar, and water -Kimchi (fermented cabbage) -Mung bean sprouts

    (5)

  • Fenny S.

    I dont think i will come back again! The food overall is so spicy and salty. We ask for refills side dish. But they never bring it . Other table get 8 side dishes. but we only get 6.

    (1)

  • Selina L.

    My favorite to go Korean restaurant when I come visit from SF. It's my 3rd time back and the food never disappoints. Love their side dishes and the hot stone pot with fish roes and mixed veggie. Always looking forward for their complimentary tofu soup with your order your bibimbop as well. I'll look forward to returning in the future whenever I can swing by to Oakland.

    (5)

  • JD I.

    All good by me. The banchan here is some of my fave. The radish with hot sauce lights you up and the cold mashed tofu with parsley puts out the fire. The bibimbop was pretty good but not the best I've had. The tofu soup is excellent - just enough seasoning for me. Everything is served piping hot as it should be. I really like the atmosphere here. The big tables hold all those dishes easily. The wait staff has been alittle too hands off for my pref, but they do an outstanding job keeping the place spotless! Not a cheap meal but worth a visit to be sure.

    (4)

  • Sam P.

    The place is really targeted for Korean food fans. The soft tofu soups were GOOD. However, the seafood pancake was a bit soggy and lacked the seafood taste.

    (4)

  • Winé C.

    Super cute little place that has what looks like polished trees as furniture. My friend was feeling sick so we decided to stop at a non-bar type Korean restaurant to get some nice homestyle goodness into his system. You will first be surprised about how expensive the items on the menu are. Being used to Korean bars (not that they aren't already on the pricey side), Pyeongchang's prices scared me. After I collected myself, I ordered the spiciest tofu soup they had available. It lit a fire up my butt. Quite literally. These guys are not kidding around when it comes to chiles. The soup was flavorful and fresh, it tasted like they spent all day boiling and toiling so that I could come in and order the soup. While I sobbed to slowly finish my soup (HOTT!!), I tasted some of my friend's soybean soup, which was delicious! The perfect complement to a sick person's belly. It was hearty, rich and well-made. There was a good balance of liquid and solids in each bowl and I was delighted to finish both. If you are looking for somewhere good to eat, Pyeongchang should really be at the top of your list. GO, go now and enjoy!

    (4)

  • Raymond Y.

    Pretty sure this place has the best tofu soup in Berkeley. It's kind of pricey, though, one plate of bulgogi here is the same price as an AYCE Korean bbq... But I come for the tofu soup. My favorite is the dumpling tofu soup, and my friends always get the combination tofu soup; all of the soups here are spectacular, though. I would recommend getting something different every time so that you can try all of them. Their service, though, is probably one of things about this restaurant that impresses me the most. A restaurant without good service is little better than a McDonald's drive through, after all. The waiters are attentive and nice, and make you feel as though they actually want you to stay and eat for as long as possible (unlike many other places in the area). Would definitely recommend this place to students, visitors, and anyone who wants to fall in love with tofu soup.

    (5)

  • Andrew H.

    I love coming here. I usually get the the vegetarian Dolsot Bibimbop, hold the egg, for a vegan option. This meal comes with a tofu stew, which is awesome and super filling. We also usually get an order of pancakes, which we're pretty sure are vegan. Since there's only one vegan option, I don't visit often, but it's always a winner.

    (4)

  • Brenda Jiwon L.

    Sura, which was my favorite korean restaurant closed down so I came here. I personally don't like tofu soup but fortunately they have many other korean dishes! I ordered the SamGyeTang (chicken soup) and it was good and the chicken was soft and perfectly cooked. However, it definitely isn't worth $20. For a $20 SamGyeTang, I expected a bigger chicken filled with more rice, chestnuts, and other healthy ingredients. However, I was still satisfied with my SamGyeTang but will not order this the next time I come here. The DolSotBiBimBap is not worth it. The portions is really small with minimal ingredients. They also gave us two tofu soup as service and I liked how it was spicy. I think their Tofu Soup options are good. Their banchan is mediocre. Some of them had seasoning that was way too sweet. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and we all left full and satisfied. Definitely not the BEST korean restaurant I've been to, but now that Sura is closed, I'd say this is the best place near koreatown Oakland. The only negative is that their service is really slow and it took forever for our meal to arrive.

    (3)

  • Sarah L.

    I LOVE THIS PLACE. They have the best, most authentic tasting traditional korean food. Their best charm is definitely the different and delicious banchan (side dishes). If you order take out though, make sure you ask them to include all the banchan! We ordered another order of the panfried fish to take home to my brother, only to see that they had left out the cucumber side dish :(

    (4)

  • Kimberly H.

    Ample street parking. Service was very good. Side dishes were amazing. Tofu was okay. They leave the remaining rice in a hot dish to let it get hard and crispy, but this was the one part that wasn't so good.

    (3)

  • Alan S.

    We came here late in the evening after going to First Friday. The venue was cute with tables that looked like there were made with whole tree trunks. Service was friendly and attentive. That's well and good but what really made this place shine was the food, specifically the tofu dishes. Suppose that makes sense based on the name of the place. There was a mashed tofu and parsley starter that was surprisingly good. The other starters (kim chee, sprounts, eggplant, etc) were also tasty. My wife and I were particularly impressed with the tofu soups...they were deliciously spiced and the tofu was just right. We also shared a hae chol bee bim bop, had seaweed and fish roe. It was tasty but the tofus was still the best part of the meal. The average prices of entrees at this place is a bit more than the $8-12 one typically expects for the starter level fare at a casual sit down restaurant; However, you get the typical collection of 8 different appetizers to start so you get a lot of extra food as part of the package so it's worth.

    (5)

  • Bumble B.

    Reminds me of the tofu house in ATLANTA that I used to love -- unfortunately I do not think this spot is opened the traditional 24 hours like the Tofu House off Buford Highway, but it delivers the same great taste! My bf and I both ordered the kimchee tofu soup with beef -- I think boy was a little dissapointed that there was not more beef in the bowl but I was surprised they even offered meat in their tofu bowl!!! my gripe: NOT SPICY ENOUGH!!!! they were probably going easy on us white folk plus we told the waitress we were in a rush but next time I am going to ask for the maximum spice!!!! Our server staff was sooo sweet. We had twenty minutes to get in and out and make it to work in time and our waitress was so accomodating and sweet!!

    (5)

  • Michael N.

    Rather than wait over an hour at Burma Superstar (a few doors down) we decided to take a chance at Pyeongchang Tofu House. We had a table within 5 minutes and food began to stream out of the kitchen soon after. Service is amazing btw. Very kind people who understand that this is perhaps unusual food for some (dumb) people, so they go a long way to explain and help you decide. All of us are vegan which can often present a challenge in some spots, not PTH. This is very, very good food. Fresh, interesting and healthy. Will go back again this week! Interesting people watching too. The mainly Korean families were probably 75% and why you suspect it is probably quality/authentic, and, I don't know if we were there on a special night but it was like Korean SuperModel night. Made dinner even more special.

    (5)

  • Joji V.

    Great food and atmosphere. Staff was very friendly and attentive. There menu is small but really how many choices do you need? they did run out of some of the side dishes which was ok but disappointing only because I wanted to much on some more(I was very hungry lol)

    (5)

  • anna s.

    We had the BBQ ribs, pancake, and tofu soup. Everything was perfectly cooked and we wolfed it all down. Excellent service too. We'll be baaaaack.

    (5)

  • JerriSherri M.

    I just had one of the most hearty meals in Oakland at Pyeonechang Tofu House. I had a seafood tofu soup and it definitely exceeded my expectations. However the best part was the stone-pot rice that comes with the soup. The quality of cooked rice might not be too significant to some people - they might see rice as a complimentary food that comes with most Asian dishes but for a person who comes from a rice-based diet like myself, the quality of cooked rice is pretty important. I can honestly say they had the best cooked rice I've ever had in any Asian restaurants. It was cooked to perfection which amplified the taste of tofu soup when they are mixed together. I've been served dry and yellow-ish rice before (probably few hours old) at other Asian restaurants before and I felt insulted because the rice is the most basic yet most important. The rice they serve at Pyeongchang Tofu House is snow-white fresh and deserves respect. Although I wasn't too impressed with some of the side dishes, all three kimchi side dishes (white kimchi, radish kimchi and cabbage kimchi) were tasty. You know, kimchi is what matters the most when you are eating tofu soup. I strongly recommend a tofu soup at this restaurant to anyone especially for chilly evenings in the bay area. i guarantee you will walk out energized and be ready to face the world.

    (5)

  • Sharon L.

    A review that's way overdue. My boyfriend and I are regulars here. We come here at least once every couple of weeks and have been here more than a couple dozen times. And even after so many visits, the food never fails em. They make amazing banchan (the potato, kimchi, and lotus roots are my favorites). I'm usually not a fan of tofu, but here they use very soft tofu in their tofu soup that carries the taste of the broth very well. If you order any of the bibimbap or bbq dish, it also comes with a small tofu soup, which I consider to be very good in value. Overall, our favorite Korean restaurant in the bay area.

    (5)

  • Ashley K.

    The place may have upped its game since my last visit in 2011. The soondubu is really great - my fave is the seafood mix - and ban chan is plentiful and diverse. Wait staff could check in more and refill water cups, but that's not atypical with most busy Korean establishments?

    (4)

  • Anna C.

    The service was on point and the portions were huge (including the side dishes)! Ordering the dolsot bibimbap surprisingly came with a small tofu stew! The burnt rice at the bottom was perfect and definitely one of the best places I've gotten bibimbap in the bay. This is a gem! Must eat Korean place!

    (5)

  • Esther S.

    Super nice servers this time around! And the tofu soup was solid just like last time.

    (5)

  • Soup S.

    I love the Tofu House. Big bowls of tofu soup. Lots of homestyle banchan. Crispy rice bits from the bottom of the stone bowl. Perky service. Big ass wood tables. All is good, especially for lunch.

    (5)

  • Corena W.

    Their tofu soup is pretty good and authentic. I am glad I can try something like this in NorCal. It is always busy at night and sometimes the line is long. Hope they could have more seating areas!

    (4)

  • Zoe K.

    It's still my favorite Korean restaurant in the Bay area. Fresh homemade banchan and and nooroongji water (pour water over slightly burnt rice in the pot) feels like having a meal at grandma's! Seafood tofu soup and Mong bean pancakes are my favorite!

    (5)

  • Tre G.

    This was very enjoyable. I want to go back.

    (4)

  • Eric L.

    As far as I know, this is the best tofu soup in SF and the East Bay.

    (5)

  • J X.

    Their tofu soup is legittt but the way they serve it is a little strange. Be sure to ask for an egg if you want one as they will not give you one automatically like most places will. Also, they don't pour the tea into the stone bowl that's used to hold rice after they've scooped the rice out; you have to ask them to do it specifically. Other than that, there are no complaints! Solid banchan, friendly service, and food comes out quickly. I've been coming here for a while and they're very consistent. Be sure to wear layers if you're coming here as it gets HOT inside, especially after you've started digging into your soondubu. Street parking is relatively easy to find. Stop by Tara's for ice cream a few doors down after your meal. It's so nice on the tongue after a searing soondubu sesh!

    (4)

  • Banzie M.

    I've had a lot of soon tubu and this place is by far the best! The broth is delicious. Great banchan, atmosphere and service.

    (5)

  • Julie K.

    Pretty good soon dubu (spicy tofu soup) place in Oakland, actually one of the best I've had in the Bay so far. I come from LA. Down there, this kind of food is abundant and good, with cheap prices. IMHO, Pyeongchang Tofu House is up to those standards, although it comes with the bay area prices. The banchan is of good quality and they all taste good. I always eat the kimchi first to see if the rest of the banchan is going to be good, and the kimchi is very decent. The Kalbi will cost about $18, but it comes with a complementary small tofu soup. Don't do what my friend I did and order Kalbi and a separate tofu soup on top of that like a noob. We got the surprise complementary soup and we thought we were going to die of our belly bursting. Just the Kalbi order (with the complementary small tofu soup) is enough for two people. The wooden tables and chairs are a good touch, and the service is actually good in spite of being an Asian restaurant. I didn't even have to speak Korean to get good service!

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    Food is decent here. In addition to all the side dishes, you get a complimentary tofu soup. To eat, we had the kim chi tofu soup, which was very good. We also had the al do sit bim bop, but it felt like it lacked meat and the stone pot it was in wasn't hot enough to make the rice crispy. Also, the rice wasn't spicy enough. We also had the BBQ ribs, which was ok. Decent portion size, but too much fat. Place does get packed by 7pm on a Friday night, so come here early.

    (3)

  • Wanugee N.

    Probably my two favorite Korean dishes are Dolsot Bibimbop and Soon Dubu. Well, not counting Jap Chae and Bulgogi, which would be four. Anyway, I love Tofu and all things Soy, so Soon Dubu with the chance to have some Banchan and maybe Soju with it is something I am always game to eat. This nice little restaurant on the corner with the large awning outside is a good Soon Dubu spot. Inside, the burl wood tables and benches decor reminds me a lot of of one of my favorite Soon Dubu joints anywhere, this one in K-Town Los Angeles, Beverly Soon Tofu, on Olympic. Here is my review from a few years ago: yelp.com/biz/beverly-soo… The food here is good, the decor clean and pleasant but not fancy, and I had Soon Dubu and Soju that totaled $16 before tip. Not quite L.A. K-Town prices, but not bad for Oaktown. They offer some other dishes too, and not a lot of Banchan, but good quality Banchan. And just like Beverly Soon Tofu in L.A., this restaurant will fill your Dolsot with hot water or tea, so you can eat up the remaining rice crisps lining your hot bowl. No Ajumas or K-Drama beauties serving me, in fact it was mostly guys working here when I came. Not K-Pop Boy Band types, just guys serving food. Pyeongchang is the name of a city n Korea. This is the 68th different Korean Restaurant I have Yelped about.

    (4)

  • Mahin A.

    I am a fan of Korean BBQ, yet am pretty picky when it comes to calling some places delicious and authentic. However, Pyeongchang Tofu House is really a diamond in the ruff. I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty their food was. Portions were extremely generous. They give you unlimited appetizer sides beforehand....loved the eggplant one, as well as the potato & spinach mix. They then bring out a bowl of soup and rice. I ordered the Spicy Bul Go Gi......which was SO good. My friend ordered the regular one. It was tasty as well. I highly recommend this to Korean food lovers and to non-Korean food fans as well. You may surprise yourself!

    (5)

  • Tiff C.

    Service is great, food is tasty & even got on the house tofu soup! Great spot, will visit again when I crave Korean in the East Bay.

    (4)

  • Yoshika H.

    I've been coming here for years and love their food. The soon dofu is great, a well as their bibimbap. I really love their chicken stuffed with rice and ginseng in soup during fall and winter. The prices are a bit higher but the food justifies it. I can't wait to try their short rib with potato stew... next time...

    (4)

  • Santoki A.

    I really like the atmosphere of the restaurant. Wooden tables and benches make me feel like I'm in korea. The plating is also beautiful. Banchan is delicious. Cold noodle with fresh soy milk is lovely. Gabi tang is my favorite dish here..everything is good! Servers are friendly. Great service! Favorite korean food in berkeley/Oakland area.

    (5)

  • S Y.

    In Korea, restaurants tend to specialize in on dish, so you if you have a craving for some spicy rice cakes, or beef soup or bbq, you head to specific restaurant to suit your craving. Pyeongchang started off in the same vein way back when with a array of tofu casseroles and a few side dishes done well. Over the years, I definitely brought loads of my non-Korean place and helped gringofy the place, probably to its detriment. Now it has lots of items on the menu, non of which seem particularly well executed, the tofu casserole itself is a watery soup with little flavor, and the banchan is pretty tasteless. Our table had a running joke about the elaborate process they must have undertaken to render every bit of flavor out of the incredibly tasteless radishes. Unfortunately, there isn't much competition out there for good Korean food, so it's hard to recommend another place, but I had a decent iteration of the tofu casserole at the Bowl'd location on Solano Ave. On the plus side, the Americanization of this place has rendered much better service.

    (2)

  • Nina H.

    came here for the first time for dinner. The atmosphere was good but the table we were seated was a bit big for us, my husband and I were sitting across from each other and it seemed like we are miles apart. The banchans were okay, there were only 8. We live close to Jang Ga House so we've been pampered with the 20 they usually serve us. My favorite was the stone rice. It was really delicious and I enjoyed eating the crispy rice at the end of the meal. I ordered a combination tofu soup in medium spice. It was good but not the most amazing one I've had. I also wished they put an egg in it. My husband ordered the spicy pork. It was good and the portion was huge. We ended up with a bunch of leftovers which would feed us another meal. Overall, I would definitely return again, but not sure if it would be our first choice of Korean restaurant

    (3)

  • Cathy S.

    An old favorite stand-by of mine since grad school days. The soft tofu soup here has the mouthfeel and richness (umami) lacking in soft tofu soup chains. I would stick to the soups, fish, and rice dishes here and skip the short ribs and bulgogi. You can get the latter done better elsewhere. Love this place so much I drive from the South Bay when I have the craving.

    (4)

  • Katherine F.

    Line too long at BS? Head over here for some delicious and filling Korean food. You won't be let down. We had the veg tofu soup and radish + barley bi bim bap (comes with side of soft tofu to put on top). All were delicious. The complimentary appetizers hit the spot as well. Good stuff all around.

    (5)

  • Mily W.

    Today I woke up craving soft tofu soup! I wonder if it was because I spent 4 hours watching a Korean drama last night ... LOL anyways !! I came here because of previous reviews raving that this place had the best soft tofu soup! I was so excited ! Parking was relatively easy. When I came in I was warmly greeting by the waiter. I ordered a dumpling soft tofu soup ( $10.99 for all tofu soups). The dumplings are ok, it's the ones they sell at the Korean super markets ( I usually get them from there and they look exactly the same lol). The beef soup flavor was pretty good tho! The highlights of this place are: 1. The tofu itself: super soft and silky 2. The rice: they serve it in a hot stone, and after scooping out the soft rice, there was Krispy rice at the bottom !! The rice itself had a light but unique flavor to it. Yes, you guess right I love rice! Haha it probably bump my review to a 3 star. They serve you with a variety of side dishes. They were ok, a bit tasteless in my opinion except the potato and the string beans. The soup is yummy here. I have tried better soft tofu soups and side dishes in other places but this place is really close to where I live, so I might come back after my next Korean drama marathon if I dont find a better place :)

    (3)

  • Pam S.

    Liking the wooden tables and chairs! Soft tofu all the way...and make it spicy. Tofu soup at $10.99 in ceramic black pots. Comes with rice that's portion for you. And don't forget the burnt piece at the bottom :)

    (4)

  • Cindy L.

    Geez louis this place gets it right! Tried PyeongChang a couple days ago, and the first moment I had a taste of the Soft Tofu Soup, I knew I'd be back! Alright, first things first, a walk into this place on a friday night pretty much tells you what you're getting yourself into. There's a full house filled with college students and Korean families! You know you're getting a winner. The wait time was not too long, for a group of five, we only had to wait for 5 to 10 minutes. The banchan that came with the meal was quite nice, and it came in pretty large portion (or what I'm used to). Everyone in my group pretty much ordered the soft tofu soup. And I really appreciated that their "Extra Spicy" was not the "painful heat" kind of spicy, but more of a "flavorful spicy". The tofu itself was very nice, extra soft! I also appreciated that they left us the rice in the claypots, which you could pour your extra soup in when you were done to basically have a second meal, sadly, I did not have enough soup to do so. I really enjoyed my time at PyeongChang. The staff were all very nice, bubbly even, it was kind of nice to see that. I do have to agree with folks that the price is a little steep, but there aren't too many tofu restaurants around, so I think that explains why. But I'd definitely come back for some more soft tofu soup!

    (5)

  • Elaine C.

    Came here for the tofu soup and while it was good (note: if you want a raw egg, make sure you ask for one to crack into your soup, they aren't automatically given here), we were blown away by the dol sit bibimbap. Hands down the best I've ever had. Totally worth the extra dollar for the stone bowl: crunchy, delicious rice crunch.

    (4)

  • H Y.

    It's nice to see the owner has hired more staff and is updating the restaurant. I haven't been here in years but it looks great and service is much better mainly cause there are more servers. The reason I'm lowering my score is due to the banchan. Still plentiful but textures and flavors were off. I'd rather not get tons of them if they don't taste good. Just focus on a few things and make them great! Hopefully it was just an off night. Tofu stew was still spot on. Prices have increased since I'd last been but thats to be expected. All in all still a solid choice.

    (3)

  • Wen Yi C.

    I love love LOVE the tofu soup here! My favorite is the kimchi tofu soup but the seafood and beef tofu soup are also incredibly yummy. This is the most flavorful and hearty tofu soup I've had in the Berkeley/Oakland area. It comes with a side of rice, banchan (you can ask for refills), and sometimes a complimentary salad. BE WARNED THOUGH: there are a lot of car burglaries in this area! My car's window got smashed when I was parked right in front of the restaurant, and the police officer said that its pretty common in that area. I would suggest parking directly ON telegraph ave (not on the side street) and hiding EVERYTHING.

    (4)

  • Andrew W.

    I've been coming here for at least 9 years and it is pretty consistently good. I think they make there own tofu here and it is excellent. My wife agrees and she is extremely opinionated about tofu. We usually go for the stone pot bi bim bap which comes with a small bowl of the tofu soup (which can be quite spicy). This is a lot of food and if you order another soup it can easily do for a nice lunch for two.

    (4)

  • Kendall Y.

    Hate to be the nay sayer here but..... We had the combination Tofu soup and the bi bim bap and frankly not so great. The side dishes to be fair, were really good though but the soup was essentially all tofu and the bi bim bap which was supposed to be beef, literally, had two small pieces of meat in it. It was essentally all veggies. No need to be so stingy with main ingredients, it would seem. On the other hand, the staff was really nice. We will maybe try again with bulgogi or other plates.

    (2)

  • Don W.

    The banchan is great. I like the caramelized potato one (Gamja jorim I think it's called) the most, but they're all very good. Some of their best dishes are the Nok Doo Jun (bean pancakes), the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop (Bi Bim Bop with beef), their BBQ Beef Ribs, the Bul Go Gi, and possibly my favorite: the U Guh Ji Gal Bi Tang (Short Rib Beef Soup). It's so hearty! Service is friendly enough, and the interior is interestingly decorated. The tables and benches are what can best be described as... fallen tree-like. Very Kitchey. I'm admittedly not an expert on Korean Food, but I love this place.

    (4)

  • Jung Amy C.

    Sometimes I just want simplicity...Korean cuisine is extensive in its variety and some Korean restaurants menu can be like a book. Pyungchang Tofu does few dishes, but damn do they do it well! As it's a tofu restaurant, their soon du boo is pretty good, but the reason I come to Pyungchang is their gamjatang aka pork and potato soup. It's sized for two diners minimum...but quite frankly, ordering for myself and taking home the left over is not too bad as the broth gets better the next day! Bigger sometimes is better!

    (5)

  • Rosers M.

    I don't like Korean food...or so I thought until trying this place out. Turns out it's just that most of the Korean options in SF are not good (and before you hate, not my words...). Pyeongchang Tofu House delivers a mean combo - good food, huge portions, reasonable prices, and a friendly (and competent) wait staff to boot. Big ups for the nice lady working who doubles as some sort of rice-bowl-serving-ninja - she rapidly dishes out the rice in smaller bowls and sets up the cast iron bowl so the tasty burnt rice crust just peels off by itself! We tried the Soybean Tofu Soup and the Seafood Tofu Soup and loved them both - they're pretty much the same thing, with one just having a shot of miso paste added. The side dishes were also generally tasty and generous (my favorite was the pickled celery) - they unfortunately didn't serve any seaweed or dried seafood on the side, but all in all very good. Definitely plan on going back when we are in the area next - for what its worth, we started contemplating moving to Oakland ("wow, Oakland is actually pretty nice...") after trying this place out. Score!

    (4)

  • Steven L.

    Absolutely the best spicy pork BBQ bulgogi plate in the Bay Area - super juicy and delicious large serving. The dol sot bo bim bap was excellent and the stoneware was extra hot to ensure you get that sticky rice effect against the plate. The original tofu soup was pretty good but probably could have used a tad bit more salt. Banchan was very good and unlike other korean joints because the little plates are a bit larger as well as the pieces. Their kimchee was very tasty and their spicy cucumber was excellent. I usually frequent Gong Ja (best banchan) or Seoul Gomtang (best tofu soup) but this place is definitely a keeper now as an east bay korean food urge alternative.

    (4)

  • Dmitriy S.

    It's been about two years since I've had soft tofu soup, with my last experience being in the heart of LA's K-Town. I still remember how amazing that tasted, and was pretty excited to see if Pyung Chang could live up to that. We walked in and were quickly seated, only after my Korean friend bowed down to the waiter in proper Korean fashion. After that, I could tell this place was legit. The decor is a bit interesting. Authentic wooden tables and benches make you feel like you're having a picnic, but in the middle of a restaurant. The service itself was a bit slow considering how lightly occupied the restaurant was, but on a lazy Monday after finals, we had all the time in the world. First came out the side dishes. I was hoping for more of the standard ones I've seen at other places, such as anchovies or fish cake, but the all vegetarian option worked fine with me as well. After quite a bit of waiting, the soft tofu soup came out with a bowl of rice. I ordered the Combination Sundubu, which came with pretty much anything imaginable. Shrimp, squid, mussels, beef, clams, and mushrooms were all boiling happily in this delicious concoction. I had it mild, which was just the perfect amount of spice. Combined with how hot the soup was, this cleared all the sinuses exactly how it should. The soup was full of flavor and just had tons of stuff floating around in it, which made it even harder to finish. Who knew such a small bowl would fill me up so quickly? I never really knew how much I loved soft tofu soup until I rediscovered it at Pyung Chang. I will be back for sure

    (5)

  • Soo Jung R.

    I've been here multiple times, with friends and family. My parents were very satisfied, and the side dishes (ban chans) are very authentic tasting. Never had better tasting kimchi in the East Bay. Better yet, their Soft-tofu (Soondubu) soup is the best I've had in the entire Bay Area so far. It is pricey, with $10.99 for one soondubu soup, but I think it's worth going when you're hungry for that authentic Korean meal. One downside is that the restaurant doesn't have a parking space secured, so you might be spending 5~10min looking for parking nearby. I try not to park too far away, because I don't like walking long distances at night in Oakland. ;) Other than that, service is pretty good - take note that the owner/servers tend to ask you to sit with other parties at their long tables, to maximize the number of customers they can receive.

    (4)

  • Stacy X.

    Alright. I have some pretty mixed thoughts of this place. Best things first, the tofu soup was AMAZING. Seriously, it's one of the best tofu soups I've ever had. Just order that, don't order anything else. It also comes with stone pot rice I believe. I ordered the bibimbap, which was pretty darn good since it came with the tofu soup. It was great, but I AM very generous with the sauce, so it might just be that making it taste amazing. Ugh on the side dishes though. The only thing I liked was the kimchi. All the other side dishes were kind of odd and not really my taste. Mostly just tasted sour and kinda weird. 1 star for side dishes. It would be lower if they screwd up the kimchi, but thank god it seems no one can screw up on that! Love the tofu soup. I would love to come here on a cold day for just the soup.

    (4)

  • Katie C.

    Probably my favorite korean eatery in the east bay. I have yet to be disappointed with any of the dishes I've tried. service is attentive and bathroom always impeccable always a plus. Hate going to a restaurant and enjoying my meal then have to face a pretty nasty unkempt bathroom.

    (5)

  • Tom I.

    Great attentive service from friendly staff, excellent tofu soup, bulgogi was delicious. Gf wanted to leave but I suggested we stay and try it out. "I love the soup!" She kept saying ;) boyfriend knows best! But seriously, this place is great!

    (5)

  • Sunny K.

    This place is 3.5 for me.. But because that option is not available, I'm giving an A-OK. First of all, I love its banchans!!! And its rice is awesome too. I've been here a couple of times, and each time I expect the best tofu soup in Berkeley/Oakland because the restaurant is called tofu house.. But no. It's not amazing and it's not too bad. Also, the soup barely has any meat or seafood in it. Basically you are paying 10 bucks for tofu in water. I don't know about you, but I would rather go to Seoul Gomtang and eat its hella bombass seafood tofu soup instead. Just my opinion :)

    (3)

  • Eugene L.

    OMG the waitress here is HOT. I'm going to give it 5 stars and will return to ask her out on a date (not for the food). If she's not here next time, this place will receive an analyst downgrade accordingly.

    (5)

  • Erin O.

    The kimchi soondubu is excellent, and is definitely one of the best Korean dishes in the area. It reminds me of one of my favorite spots in Seoul, especially with the fresh and flavorful banchan. Egg Lovers: Make sure that you get your egg BEFORE you get the soup. I've been there a few times where they didn't give me an egg until I asked for one, and the soup cools down fast... which can make or break your soondubu experience. :) Favorite place to eat on cold days or sick days, even if $11 seems a bit steep for soup.

    (4)

  • Rossi K.

    Been here twice in the last week, enough said! This is our go-to for Korean soft tofu soup and spicy pork. oink oink

    (5)

  • Noel M.

    I always get bulgogi at Korean places and this time was no different. But this time they gave me a small tofu stew as well. Not sure if that's normal or if it was because I ordered in Korean ;) but it was DELICIOUS. Coming back here whenever I can!!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Sean S.

    I liked this place in the beloved gourmet ghetto of Oakland. We originally had planned to check the pizza shop across the street, famous for their cocktails as much as their cheese. But alas it was post NYE and they were closed! So Tofu House really saved the day. Upon sitting down they brought us all those delicious apps that korean restaurants love to bring, sating or ravenous appetites and allowing calm cool drink menu reviewing. Look they have that ginseng soju! OMG, bring us a bottle of that, and one of the sweet ones too. Damn tasty. I ordered a bim bim bap, but it was with barley and some even tastier veggies. My korean friend told me, oh that's the healthy one. Give me one of those please! I think it maybe is called boribap? It was delicious, as was the tofu soup that came with it. I'd never had that before. Ended up with too much food and saved the tofu soup for breakfast next day. If you're in Oakland, stop by this place. It feels like k-town in manhattan!

    (4)

  • Lolia S.

    With its hefty wooden tables and benches and bubbling pots of soft tofu stew (soon dubu), Pyung Chang is the perfect spot on any cold evening. They have 9 kinds of soon tofu (mushroom, seafood, dumpling) and some other dishes too (BBQ, fish, appetizers) but I always get their specialty, soon tofu. * Banchan: not a huge spread (8 dishes) but quite good, fresh, particularly liked the boiled potatoes in a sweetened soy sauce, blanched sprouts crunchy * Kimchi soon tofu ($9.99): the silky tofu and spicy broth were delicious, the broth had tiny bits of chopped veggies, enoki mushrooms, and tiny, tough bits of beef, no egg was provided Service was brisk. They didn't offer to refill banchan or tea. I think you have to ask for that and the egg.

    (4)

  • Carolyn T.

    I got the kalbi tang. but it really didn't taste like it... they put in this aged looking cabbage that made the soup taste off overall. The fish was incredibly expensive and it definitely was not worth it. They give you a pan fried skinny looking fish for $16.... the side dishes were delicious, the soup was still good, our waiter was incredibly nice, just the food is a bit over priced.

    (3)

  • Jami M.

    Great! First time for Bi Bim Bap. I had the vegetable with beef in a stone pot. It comes out piping hot and is of course served with all the traditional side dishes. It is a great comfort food and makes you feel all warm inside. Their Kim chi is also really good but very spicy. Good atmosphere. Also served with tofu soup which was a first also and was very good.

    (4)

  • Aaron Y.

    This is one of the few restaurants that can get away with smelling like fish soup and cabbage left by a sunny window all afternoon, which is the first thing I noticed when I walked in. To me, that smell is very strong and not exactly appetizing, but at the time I was so hungry that I didn't care. They brought out the banchan really quickly, thankfully. I was quite impressed by their gamja jjorim (glazed potato): it was flavorful without drowning in sauce. Their kimchi had a nice fire to it; they either have a good supplier or make it themselves and either way, it was impressive. When we were finished eating the banchan they brought more over without asking, which is a quality I really like in a Korean restaurant. By the time our soup, dolsot, and complimentary tofu soup came out I already felt like this place was good but the entrees really tipped it over the edge to amazing for me. The tofu soup was especially good: soft without being soggy and richly flavorful. I think this is the best Korean place I've found in the Bay Area so far.

    (5)

  • Jessica P.

    I have been going here for a couple years starting in college. It is the ideal place to get bubbling pots of soon tofu. The portion sizes here are pretty big when you factor in the banchans. (Just a tip: the banchan here are more rustic and looks a bit weirder than other places (thing like tofu and herb, which you can't get at other places) but are still super tasty) The extra couple dollars that you spend compared to other places for tofu soup is worth it, since they give you dolsot rice. Although it isn't stated on the menu, the sole rex, grilled meat dishes, bibimbop all comes with a small bowl of tofu soup. Hint: If you ask, they will give you a raw egg to crack into the soup. Ask for it when you order (The few times when I asked, they have never charged for it)

    (4)

  • Robin K.

    This is my favorite Korean restaurant in the Bay. Their soondooboo is some of the best I've had! Check this place out, it's a must.

    (5)

  • Minsey L.

    I think most of PyeongChang's success is due to the fact that there is not that many tofu houses in the area. It's very pricey ($11) for tofu soup, and pretty much everything else on the menu is too. If there was a BCD around, it would blow this place out of the water because it's so much cheaper and about the same taste-wise. They also did not provide an egg until I asked for it, and by then the soup cooled down too much. Service was pretty bad too.

    (3)

  • Aiko L.

    So glad we found this place. Probably the best soondubu I've had. The first time we came, they served us a delicious tofu/lettuce salad with home made dressing. I even asked if they sold the dressing, it was so good. I tired both the mushroom and vege soondubu, and both were tasty. We had to ask for the egg both times we've come here..not sure why? Service is friendly, and pretty quick. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is b/c the soondubu is almost $11..a little on the high side. But this is our new go-to place for yummy soondubu!

    (4)

  • Jenn C.

    This is yet another local business that I am re-reviewing because my previous review has totally disappeared! A friend told me about how awesome this place is - and I was skeptical because I haven't seen a lot of vegan friendliness on Korean restaurant menus! The ambiance is quaint - wooden tables and tile floors - like some cross between fast food and cafe, with loads of colorful artwork. They were mopping the floors while we were eating - filling the dining are with strongly scented amonia based cleaners (yum!). I was quite surprised when I found that they have quite an affordable hot pot of tofu on the menu - which comes with a load of little side dishes. The food was tasty and filling - the two of us ate dinner for about $20. The vegan/vegetarian options are quite limited (I think only one or two entrees) but when dining out with friends this will do in a pinch! The food was good but not compelling enough for me to make regular visits to the PyeongChang Tofu house.

    (3)

  • Venus L.

    I came here with my family today to get some Korean food because I really craved a good bowl of soon tofu and haven't had one since I moved back up north. I realize that the Bay Area has very little soon tofu places compared to Socal. :( I got the Kimchi Soon Tofu ($10.99) in medium spiciness. It was a good amount of spiciness for me but I was a bit disappointed that they didn't serve an egg + small fish with it like most places I've had in Socal. The quality of the soon tofu also isn't as good as the other places I've had before in LA and OC. In addition to the soon tofu, we ordered the pancake appetizer ($6) - pretty good, I really liked the crunchy outsides, the beef short ribs ($16.99), and the stone pot bi bim bap. All decent fare. The side dishes were a bit disappointing though. All cucumbers, bean sprouts and kimchi....bleh. Where's the potato and the other specialties!?

    (3)

  • Carrie L.

    Wonderful food, wonderful service, and even a very unique atmosphere. I liked the tables and all the ceramic dishes. The banchan were really good and different. Let's see, there was tofu with parsley, radish, kimchi, potato, bean sprout, and I can't remember what else. Those were my favorites. Then I got the vegetarian sundubu jigae. Wow. Very spicy. The rice helps a little with the spice. If you ask them to, they'll do Korean style on your leftover rice by adding boiling water to the dolsot pot. Apparently, that's a treat or a dessert in Korea, but I didn't care for it. It gets a little burnt on the bottom. Still, it was neat to see how it's done.

    (5)

  • Jim D.

    I NEVER give 5 stars on 1st taste but . . . Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap was everything I could ask for. They have a Ginger chicken on the menu that looks like heaven. I can't wait to get a few people here with me so we can order several things at one table.

    (5)

  • Lucy L.

    Delicious tofu soup. I had it mild since I am a wimp. Just wonderful texture and flavors and it was still boiling when they placed it on the table. Great variety of side dishes with the standout being what looked like a crumbly cheese (tofu?)mixed with herbs. Go! It's great!

    (4)

  • Fontane L.

    One of my favorite places for comfort food - tofu soup! So delicious! I believe their other food is good too, but I pretty much come here wanting tofu soup. Realistically, I should perhaps give it 4 stars, but they get an extra star for good memories, fun times, and comfort on a cold windy night. mmmm....

    (5)

  • Quincy W.

    Came here around 4:40pm today, and just notice they won't open til 5:00pm, so we feel so disappointed and leave, then 1 mins later, the waiter call us back, and say they are okay to serve us now, feel so happy :) the food there always good (I've been there 3 times so far!) I love their tofu soup a lot!! With the service and food I give them 4 stars, and definitely will recommend them to my friends =D

    (4)

  • Tammie C.

    LOVE THE PLATE MEAT THINK its called bossam? Super super good! They also give a complimentary tofu soup if only one person ordered it and other p

    (5)

  • P C.

    We've been trying out many Korean restaurants in the Bay Area, esp. in Oakland. Seriously, their tofu soup is the best by far. In addition to the amazingly soft tofu, rice is the best part - even better than Japanese rice! Unfortunately they don't serve seafood pancake, but the veggie one was pretty good too - worth trying.

    (5)

  • Maile N.

    This place is just how I remember it as I used to come here any chance I got when I lived in this neighborhood. Love the wooden bench seating! Love the banchan - and they refill your little dishes as you please! We got mushroom tofu, pancake and bbq beef - mmm, tasty, super comforting and filling. We ordered way too much, but it was oh so good, we couldn't help ourselves. I want to come back again real soon!

    (4)

  • Ari F.

    As a vegetarian, and with a vegetarian partner who isn't too into spicy, I probably wouldn't come here again, but I left satisfied and not too disappointed. As a veggie, there are only a handful of menu options -- the tofu soup, the cold cream tofu soup thing, and two bibimbops. Our friends who were also vegetarians ordered the barley-based bibimbop, and it looked alright. They bring out all those fun little bits of stuff to put on your food, which I love about korean food. However, our bibimbop was the sprouts one. I wouldn't order it again. All it was was rice, mixed greens, and sprouts. No dressing, no fun little bits, no carrots. It was like, worse than something I'd throw together if I was running out the door but wanted to be healthy. Sure, you could put the fun bits on it, and it came with free tofu soup, but it was disappointing. Worse, it was supposed to come with carrots, and it didn't, and no serving staff mentioned that. So 13 bucks for rice, sprouts, and mixed greens. Lame. But, that said, the decor was cool -- these awesome hardwood tables. And the tofu soup was pretty delicious, albeit not super exciting flavor-wise. All the little bits around the table were tasty and fun and helped liven things up, but not the vegetarian sprout bibimbop. And though the wait staff wasn't as attentive as I would have liked, there wasn't too much to complain about and you can grab your own chopsticks and napkins from a nearby area if you're feeling it. So, for vegetarians, if you come, you'll probably have a fine time and eat some tasty korean food, but you're not going to be blown away.

    (3)

  • Cecilia N.

    Really small restaurant but has a really home-y feel. The service was great-- quick, polite, attentive-- and the food was amazing. The tofu soup was delicious but my favorite was the kalbi! The marinade was perfect and the portions were great. The server said everything is home-made, which is something you can taste in every bite! Can't beat that! Will be back soon!

    (5)

  • Henry K.

    Super good! Kind people good service great price. Love it!

    (5)

  • Loren C.

    Been living in this area for over a year and I have yet to venture away from Pyeongchang Tofu House. It's our go-to place. The bibimbap is to die for and the free tofu soup and apps beforehand always leave me full and happy. Staff are also amazing. Love this place.

    (5)

  • Noah C.

    After a four year long quest to find a satisfying soondubu restaurant, I think I've finally settled on Pyeongchang being my favorite. It helps that it's really close to where I live, but it's also the small things that make a difference. For one, the broth here hits the flavor notes that I prefer in my soondubu - it's thick, has a faint taste of anchovy, and has proper amounts of spice. I usually order beef in my soondubu, but the pork version here is so nicely done that I converted over to that. Also, when I ask for very spicy here, they actually ratchet the heat up. Not as much as in Korean places down south, but enough that I can feel it, which is more than I can say for most soondubu places up here. Also, they do a great job with their banchan; I particularly like the egg and tofu with parsley, something I rarely see in banchan up here. Their kimchi is also a lot riper than I've gotten from other Korean places up here, which I appreciate. The service here is solid and attentive, without the negative attitude that you can get from some Korean places (although that sometimes is the mark of a more authentic place for me). Plus, they mostly understand my shitty Korean when I try to order something!

    (4)

  • Eli G.

    What a great experience. There were two servers that were really great. They walked me through the steps of how traditionally this meal is eaten (seafood tofu soup). They were checking in on me to make sure I had what I needed consistently. The appetizers were delicious and the tofu soup was amazing. I plan on going back soon.

    (5)

  • a g.

    Soft tofu soups are excellent. We had original, not spicy, which our kids devoured, and medium spicy vegetable, which was fantastic! Rice was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere is nice too- solid wood tables with benches and chairs, nice tableware.

    (4)

  • Amanda C.

    I really wanted to give this place a great review because the waiter was everything a waiter should be: friendly, informative, and eager to share his culture's cuisine with us. But when most of the dishes are broth-based soups, it's essential to start with an excellent stock, whether meat-based or vegetarian. Instead all the soups taste like they were prepared only with water and kimchi, resulting in a one-note broth with no richness. The side dishes were good as was the Korean bean pancake, but this place will never warrant more than two stars until they get a handle on their stock.

    (2)

  • G D.

    Hands down! This is my favorite korean place to eat. Everything is so fresh and full of flavor. They specialize in tofu soup.... beef,seafood & veggie! I always get the the seafood tofu soup (spicy). The RICE..... it cooked in a stone pot over the fire, brought right to your table* AMAZING*. Yes its a TOFU house but they have lots of other korean dishes. I brought my friend who's a vegan, he ordered the sprout bimin bap. He LOVED it. A great place to take someone to introduce korean food ~_* !

    (5)

  • Ruobin W.

    Each tofu soup is 11 dollars. The tofu is nutty, super soft and delicious. The soups are also flavorful and I really enjoyed the way it complemented the rice. There isn't much in the banchan department but the potatoes, zucchini and kimchi were good. Service was really nice (at 4 pm). I like the bench and table dynamic of the place too.

    (5)

  • Todd S.

    this is the best korean food i've had out of about 15 korean restaurants. also like the atmosphere - not too fancy and not divey.

    (5)

  • Brooke N.

    Amazing food. I always order too much. The pancake with kimchi is a highlight and the tofu soup is so delicious! No wait at lunch, and usually 30 min wait at dinner!

    (5)

  • tim b.

    Noooooo! One of my fav. spots has now failed me. I'm livid, by the worst service I have received in quite some time, and at a place where the food is always decent and plentiful. Maintaining a guest list is the simplest thing in all of service and yet, on a moderately busy night, I was dropped for standing outside, in plain view. To my amazement some fat drunk F***, fresh off his art murmur adventure, gets seated immediately as I stand there. "WTF!!" I exclaim, to which the response was "you were outside" DONE SON! YOU'RE CUT FROM THE TEAM!! So, now that the anger has passed. Only go on weekends, when it is quiet and morons aren't in your way.

    (2)

  • I R.

    Nice service, decent food, generous portions. Not the best Korean food I've had but still a nice place.

    (4)

  • Monica V.

    The best tofu soup I've ever had (and I'm from LA.) The tofu is super soft and I like the consistency of the soup-- not too thick and not too watery. The employees here are exceptional. I've been here a few times, and I'm surprised by how enthusiastic and friendly all the waiters are. Seriously though, great service. I normally order Medium spicy at other Korean restaurants, but my suggestion is to go up another level here. Their Spicy is perfect for me (and I like how the flavor doesn't drastically change as you go up different spiciness levels.) Since I'm not much of a veggie person, the only side dish I look forward to is the honey potato cube. Bring friends here! They won't be disappointed. Also shout out to the kimchi pancake.

    (4)

  • Arthur Y.

    If you like sweating huge beads of sweat while you eat over a incredibly hot stone bowl that seemingly never lets your soup cool down - aka if you like soondubu - this is your spot. Nice decor, and friendly service. The fact that there are always tons of koreans in here make you feel better about it right away. The banchan (small side dishes) selection is legit (about 8) and they keep it endless. You can't go wrong with anything in a forever hot stone bowl. Just make sure you get a bunch of beer or water, and go with someone you don't care about sweating in front of. Or if you were born with no sweat glands, you're also good to go. Food here is proper. Service is super onpoint. And unless you like is soupy - don't let them pour hot water into your stone bowl rice - then you will be treated to a crispy rice treat.

    (5)

  • Shannon L.

    FOOD - 3 I had the kalbi tang which is the style with tons of cabbage. The meat wasn't big chunks of kalbi on the bone. I saw a bunch of beef floating around with one bare bone. The meat was tender at least. Budae chigae had good broth that was similar to the gam ja tang broth. Panchan (side dishes) were better than other places in the Bay Area but still just okay. There's one where they saute the kimchee which is probably just to do something with old kimchee. Potatoes and cucumbers were the best. SERVICE - 4 I'm sure they're used to drunk and rowdy people coming here but they were so nice to us and accommodating!

    (3)

  • Misha T.

    Pretty good soondooboo, kinda bad bulgogi, fairly ok korean pancakes. The banchan comes with a really good eggplant thing I've never tried. So just do the tofu soup. I also saw a lot of old Korean folks eating the fried fish, so I'd assume it's pretty good.

    (4)

  • Sophie C.

    I came here because my mom was raving about this place, and we waited for 20-30 minutes because it was the night of a graduation and we had hoped there wouldn't be as many people at 7:40pm but we were wrong. I didn't realize how popular of a place Pyeongchang was until I saw some magazine and newspaper cutouts featuring the place inside the restaurant. Based on my mom's suggestion, my dad and I each ordered tofu soups. I got the original with beef, mild spiciness, and my dad got the combination with beef, medium spiciness. My mom tried their dol sop bibimbap (sorry if I killed the spelling), which is actually our staple at other Korean places, but since Pyeongchang is a "tofu house" my mom was the first in our family to try it here. Despite the slightly higher prices here compared to other Korean places, the tofu soups didn't really blow my dad or me out of the water, so we both felt they were a little overpriced. My mom liked the bibimbap since the flavor wasn't excessively strong as it can get at some places, but she said it wasn't the best she'd had. The side dishes were pretty standard- the potatoes which everyone on Yelp seems to be a fan of (they didn't blow me out of the water either to be honest), bean sprouts with seaweed, fermented Napa cabbage, kimchi, and bits of soy with some kind of vegetable (I've never had anything like this before and both my parents really liked it). (I'm probably leaving out one or two but you get the picture!) The customer service was really good though. Halfway through our meal an employee came over to help us scrape our rice off the stone pot, which he then did for other tables. Our server always had a big smile on her face when she talked to us and other customers, which was kind of funny because my mom noticed the smile would disappear immediately after, which shows she's doing her best to provide good customer service. Tldr- The place was okay although I felt it was a tad overpriced. I'd probably only come here again if I was in the area and didn't feel like waiting for Burma Superstar two buildings over.

    (3)

  • Rose P.

    Come here if you are craving for authentic Korean soup, you won't be dissapointed! I've also tried their SPICY PORK $24 and BOSSAM $27, both were delicious! The sides are good too and they are very generous with them. I just think it's a little overpriced, but what Korean place isn't in the Bay.

    (4)

  • Noelle K.

    This is hands down the best Korean I have found in SF! It is one of the only places that I go back to time and time again. I can not speak highly enough about the food here! Really authentic tofu soup and great value. Side dishes are really authentic too. Tip: If you get the stone bibimbab it comes with a small tofu soup (so you don't have to choose)!

    (5)

  • Iris H.

    First time here and I want to be back soon! Came here on a Sunday night at 7:30pm or so, write down my name for party of 2 and there were two parties before me. Got seated about fifteen minutes later. Restaurant has cute decor and tables/chairs made of wood and are tree/stump/bench shaped. Menu is easy to read with large colorful images. Staff is friendly and service is excellent. The waiter recommended that I don't let my rice cook too long because it will get too crispy (burnt), he motioned and suggested that I should mix the ingredients early. Did I look like I never had a hot stone bi bim bop? Food- Banchon was great! So fresh tasting and kimchi was delicious. Al dol sot bi bim bop (hot stone bbp with mixed fish roe, vegetables, kimchi, and rice) was interesting. The sprouts and oysters were a pleasant surprise. Rice was crispy, but I wish it was crispier. Should have left it to cook a bit longer... The waiter confused me :( But waiter brought me a side of mild tofu soup on the house. It didn't look anything special, but it tasted really good! Tofu was silly smooth and light. With a spoon of that and bbp, so good! Fiancé ordered a Samgyetang after they told him gal bi tang (short beef rib soup with napa cabbage and vegetables soup) was not available. We're sooo glad we tried their samgyetang because it was sooo good. Chicken and ginseng flavor is of perfect balance. Most (if not all) samgyetangs that I've had I felt didn't have enough ginseng taste. But this one was perfect! The chicken also tasted goood, meat tastes fresh. Sticky rice inside was gooey and of superb deliciousness. Hmmmm loved it, my favorite sgt I think! We also ordered nok doo jun (bean pancake) because I was greedy and read that people like it. We thought it was ok. Soooo much food, didn't need to order that, but glad we tried it. Next time I definitely will try their tofu soups (since their mild one was already sooo good, can imagine the soondobus to be pretty darn good) and maybe their cold noodles in soy milk (would be good to eat in hot weather, hmmm) if I can hold myself back from another samgyetang! Other bbps I want to try too!!

    (4)

  • Mandi W.

    Service is super slow and forgetful- had to ask multiple times to multiple people for rice, tea, eggs and Banchan refills. Soondubu has okay broth flavor but you get very little meat to your soup. Banchan choices are good though and if you order dolsot bimbimbop you get a free small soondubu which is perfect for two people.

    (3)

  • Kat T.

    Delicious soondobu. Definitely one of my favorite places in California to get it and that's saying a lot! The tofu here is really good and although I am not a fan of veggies like squash in my soondobz, I can tolerate it here cuz the rest of it is so yummy. Make sure to ask for an egg to put into your steaming hot bowl of soondobu!

    (5)

  • Jeanine S.

    It's comical how much food I end up with when I come to eat here. I usually will get some kind of bibimbap, and then they give you a bowl of the vegetarian soft tofu soup with it. It's so much food! I end up with leftovers for a few meals afterwards. But so delicious--seriously the best leftovers to have I like that with the way they do their bibimbap, you get a nice thin crispy layer of rice, and not a super thick and hard layer that's difficult to eat. I just tried their cold soba noodles and those were yummy too! The staff has always been so nice and fast. I like the big solid wooden tables and bench style seating they have too!

    (4)

  • Faye P.

    I wanted to go to Burma superstar but that place had a 30-minute wait during lunchtime. Instead, I stuck my little curious head in this place and it was half empty. My boyfriend met me here and we got comfy on one of the wooden picnic style tables. We ordered kimchi pancakes and a bibimbop to share. We got more fermented sides of course, since this is a korean place. The server also gave us a tofu soup on the house. Sadly, the tofu soup was the only thing that was good. The bibimbop was pretty boring and the kimchi pancakes were tasteless. Maybe we should order something with tofu in it instead in the future? Since this is a tofu house? Whatevs. The service is great though and the other picnic tables were littered with hipsters and Koreans, so it must be good enough!

    (2)

  • Patricia Z.

    Came here around 7PM on a Friday night and didn't have to wait in line for seats! Per its namesake, the tofu house offers a comprehensive variety of tofu soups and noodle broths. I ordered the original tofu soup with pork. Pros: -More appetizers than a standard Korean restaurant. My favorite dishes were the sweet soybeans, bean sprouts, and potatoes -I really liked the pork in my tofu soup. Its more like a chashu type pork than ground pork -Kimchi pancakes were solid. Seafood provided texture, while pancake sauce brought a tangy flavor to the dish -Barley rice is offered alongside white rice for the soup Cons: -The best part of the hot tofu soup, aka the egg, is missing. What?? -It took awhile for us to flag down our waitress for the check. They don't really come by to check on customers

    (4)

  • Bob K.

    We're getting closer! I'd rate this place a 4.5. For anyone here that follows my reviews, you know I've been lamenting about the Korean food in the southern part of the East Bay area. Two nights ago, I took my mom out for dinner here to Pyeongchang. This is a familiar place to her, but she doesn't like coming here because (according to her) the neighborhood is sketchy. I didn't find it overly so, but I can understand where she's coming from (she's a petite little 72 year old mom). Anyways, Telegraph Ave as most of you know is chock full of Korean restaurants. I'm going to have to make some more trips up here on the weekend. This place is currently rated by some local newspaper as 33rd on the list of 50 Must Eat Places in Oakland. So happily we went inside, but the menu made me even more happier. They have the usual stuff you'd expect at a Korean restaurant. However, the variants of the rice and soup dishes was very exciting to see. What really caught my eye though was that they had my all time favorite stew, gop chang jungol. What's that? Well to put it bluntly, gut soup! Their version had intestines, tripe, veggies, tofu, and spam. What dragged it down a point for me was the lack of noodles and greens. This is what I'm used to getting down in LA. However to Pyeongchang's credit, this was the first place in the East Bay area where the guts were of substantial quantity and size. Take a look at my two pics. This is a shareable meal, though the cost may be prohibitive for some ($42). But hey, order two kalbi entrees anywhere else and you'll pass that $42 guaranteed no matter where you go. The taste was outstanding! While the soup was a little watered down for me, it was perfect for my mom and fiancé. Service was spot on. In fact when we asked for to go containers, the waiter provided us with more soup broth. Oh and for those of you who are new to this stew: it's better the next day. Like cold pizza :) We'll be coming back up here, even if it is on opposite ends of the east bay for us!

    (4)

  • Hurjane V.

    The first time I came here was December 2014, and I wasn't too impressed. I came here again on July 4th since me and two others were starving and this was a nearby place that was open. We were quickly greeted and seated by the two smiling young ladies. We also got our waters and teas right away! We ordered: -Seafood pancake: Probably the BEST seafood pancake I've ever had! You can definitely taste the squid (or was it octopus?) chunks, and you get a good flour: ingredients ratio. It was also super crispy, and not too doughy or oily. YAY! -Stoneware Bibimbap: Very classic dish, can't really go wrong! With the bibimbaps, you get a complimentary tofu soup and your own jar of sauce to squeeze all over your rice! Mix it up and you have yourself a very delicious lunch or dinner! -Pyeongchang Special "U Guh Ji Gal Bi Tang": Short beef rib soup with napa cabbage and mixed vegetables.// YUM! Lots of napa cabbage, and a generous amount of short ribs inside the soup so you also get your meat! Soup is very flavorful already! I couldn't stop drinking it! -Mo Mil Kong Gook Soo (Seasonal): wheat noodles in soy bean milk // This was labeled a "seasonal" dish so I really wanted to try it! You can either get classic white noodles or wheat noodles, and since I like texture, I went for wheat. The soy bean milk is 100% soy bean, and they give you salt and pepper on the side (you will definitely need some). Delicious! And super refreshing on a hot summer day. -Chicken Ginseng Soup: Small whole chicken stuffed with rice, dates, ginseng roots and garlic. // Not as good as the one I had in Korea, but I love how light their broth is and soft the chicken is. I also really like that they give you the salt and pepper on the side, instead of directly into the broth! Each table comes with a stoneware pot of rice. They help you scoop it out, and leave the stonepot there so that after a while you can pick off the rice skin to eat the crispy rice crackers! Pros: -Great service! Quick, nice and super helpful! The girl saw we were struggling with separating our noodles, and she would come over to help. -Amazing food! I haven't had good Korean food in a while now...but now my standards might be higher now because of this place! Cons: -Meh prices. Maybe I'm spoiled by Socal prices for food (literally doubled, here!) but bulgogi for $26?? I might as well go to AYCE. But quality is definitely great here, so pricing is just a matter of your budget. -That annoying fly...not their fault that they lured in the fly because it smelled amazing here! Tips/Observations: -No specific parking lot for this place, so you might have to circle around for street parking! -They change up their banchan once a week/seasonally? Either way, every time you come, you won't be bored! Overall, I would come here again! Definitely a good family/friend spot, since they have big tables for each party.

    (5)

  • Tiffany H.

    Not bad, but not great. As someone who grew up with eating at many tofu houses, I was not convinced that this place was the best. I was also really confused when they did not provide the many services that most Korean tofu houses do. The tofu was not as flavorful as I'd expected it to be, and it was simple. Just tofu and spicy (ish... lol not really because I got the mild) soup... I'd expect them to garnish it at least a little with some green onions or something but nah... I was REALLY CONFUSED when they didn't give us eggs, and I felt let down, but apparently, you gotta ask for the eggs (which I found out after reading some of the yelp reviews). Also, it was a bit weird how they didn't pour the barley tea in our not quite empty stone rice bowl, which I guess you also had to ask for. I usually don't eat side dishes, except for the potatoes and broccoli (sorry, not a big fan of kimchi). So I liked their potatoes, but the broccoli & tofu side dish was a bit funky tasting- I'm not sure how to describe it. Service overall was typical, and the price is not worth it (LA has much better tofu soups & at better prices!!)

    (3)

  • Joe O.

    So most people come here for the Soon Tubu soup. In my earlier post I highly recommend getting the kimchee flavor. It has greater umami depth of flavor compared to the beef and pork flavors. Trust me. Also, did you know that they have a farm where they grow their own produce to make the sides you see on the table? All except for the napa cabbage which they buy at the local market to make their kimchee. On my last visit, I had some fatigue as I was battling a body chill. Got to go with chicken soup aka samgyetang. Now most places don't do it right. Pyeongchang does it right! *They use RED GINSENG. The reason why this soup is expensive is because of ginseng. They use the more expensive quality red ginseng. *They hardly add any salt. Salt comes on the side for you to dip in your chicken or to add to your broth. *Make sure you shred your chicken and dip it into the lemon pepper as well! *Filled with comforting gelatinous rice. A poor mans risotto cooked inside of a cornish hen. It tastes clean and invigorating. My wife and I both felt satisfied after our meal and I felt good enough to go out!

    (5)

  • Cindy C.

    + THE BANCHAN My favorite banchan from here is the gamja jorim (braised potatoes). This is the only Korean restaurant I know of that gives you huge slices of potatoes, instead of little chunks! I love how the potatoes are so sweet, soft, and even warm! Mo

    (5)

  • CatBut T.

    A personal fave of myself and my Korean friends. The soon dubu is most famous and I recommend the kimchi or vegetarian mushroom flavor for tons of umami! There are tons of vegan/vegetarian options here with soy broth soup and various vegi bibimbaps. They also do the standard omni dishes of South Korea like medicinal red ginseng samgyetang! People who have never had soy broth soup (kongguksu) before: please know that this is a very pure and creamy soy milk broth. You won't find heavy or complex flavors. I think it is delicious but know that you will need to add gochujang if you are looking for salt or spice. Cold noodle servings are incredibly generous. I swear, they use like an entire bag of memilguksu per serving! They actually have a variety of Korean bottled soju if you know the one you like, just ask. My favorite is Jinro Chamiseul, smooth and dry! The staff is soooo nice! They always remember their customers and check in the perfect amount even if it's busy! I was conflicted about leaving this review because a lot of yuppies choose a different place down the street and I don't want them to start coming here, haha. Leave it to the grandmas and grandpas, the families, and the locals please. [edit: forgot to mention, if you like egg on your soon dubu, you have to ask! I think they are concerned that some Americans may not like the idea of eating raw egg but when you ask they are more than happy to deliver it!)

    (5)

  • James S.

    I knew nothing about this place other than it was a tofu house; at least, that's what the sign said outside. so passed by it numerous times, i never tried it . yesterday, for mother's day, my mom wanted to go here. she said it was country food. korean country food?!? i couldn't really imagine a place like that in CA would be good. But we went. i looked through the menu, and it was korean country food. hadn't seen this type of menu since i lived in korea. so, it was a delight. however, i was still skeptic about it. i wanted to know how it tasted. their sides dishes were probably one of the best selections i had been to in the bay area. Very fresh. and they were definitely korean country side dishes. loved them! my mom loved them too. my brother and i ordered the boo-tae-jjie-gae with ramen and cheese, which i did not have since i left korea. it was enough to feed about 3-4 people. it came out. i had one tasted, and it brought tears to my eyes. brought back so much memories of korea. i also enjoyed their service. very good. rating: Food: 4 Price: 3 Service: 5 Ambience: 4 Overall: 4 This place came out of no where for me. I'm definitely coming back to this place. disregard James H. He don't know what he's talking about. :-)

    (4)

  • Vivian C.

    Need a cheap but filling meal? Don't wanna deal with the awful parking at Berkeley? Then check out Peyongchang Tofu House! Ok to be honest for a Tofu House, this places soondobu was pretty disappointing. It wasn't bad but it lacked any depth. Also no egg which made me a bit sad. BUT the small little positives added up to an extra star in my opinion. Service was great. They were extremely fast, efficient, and attentive. The restrooms are clean and the restaurant itself has a nice atmosphere. The food is definitely authentic and their banchan is great. While it's not the widest variety of dishes I've seen, each one is absolutely delicious. I ended up ordering the soondobu and the Nok doo jun. The nok doo jun was really good and had a nice crispiness to it. I was really disappointed with my main dish choice partially cause I was trying to decide between the soondobu and the kong guk soo and let's just say I wasn't very happy with my choice. However, I loved that they gave you the scorched rice (nurungji). You do have to ask for the tea to pour into the rice if you want it though. Overall, great experience. I'm a bit disappointed they didn't live up to their specialty but everything else was wonderful.

    (4)

  • Michelle S.

    I was really sad to receive the blandest meal of my life. It used to taste authentic here.....USED TO......... The kimchee was basically fresh cabbage tossed with sauce. The kimchee tofu soup was like red water. My dol sot bi bimbap had one note, rice flavor. The meat was flavorless as well. I had to ask for hot sauce, but even then it lacked depth of savory goodness. I'm sad to say that I will not be coming back.

    (1)

  • Tina A.

    YES i'm a fan! First of all service was absolutely fabulous. The waiter was very helpful in his suggestions and very friendly. Refills came often Banchan - a very limited variety: kimchi, bean sprouts, potato, non-spicy napa, and daikon. nothing super special Soondubu - very tasty soft tofu soup. i appreciated the extra spice. the broth is simple yet full bodied. not watery at all dolsotbibimbap - it was a heartier, more healthy tasting bibimbap, the best part was that the stone bowl was so hot you had a THIN layer of crispy rice, rather than the usual thick one stuck to the pot. and the staff helps you scrape it off too! it comes off as a sheet for easy eating overall, a pretty solid korean joint. i recommend to enjoy with group of 4 friends, that would be ideal for the table sizes/portions

    (4)

  • AQ N.

    Best tofu soup spot in the bay area. Hands down. Period. Spicy Beef Tofu soup & Deep Fried Fish are THE BEST COMBO! Oh plus the kimchi here is perfectly made in house. The wait can be kind of long on weekends so foodies beware. Other than that, must try!

    (5)

  • Lisa Z.

    Pyeongchang Tofu House is a safe place to get your K-food fix in Oakland. Though not the best of what Oakland has to offer in terms of Korean food (as there are many far better), like the name of this restaurant, the best dish to order is Tofu Soup. My girlfriends and I came here on a Friday night and it was pretty packed by 6:30pm. I was really craving some Sam Gye Tang but was intrigued by the Bi Ji Chi Che and ordered that instead. As a soup made of puréed soybeans, vegetables, and pork, this soup provided too much texture for my liking. The shredded pork was too dry and the soup a tad too salty. I guess Bi Ji Chi Che just wasn't my bowl of soup ;) The banchan dishes were good. My girls and I were in love with the eggplant and obsessed with the sweetened potatoes (we asked for 3-4 refills!). Unlike other Korean restaurants,the potatoes didn't have an overly sweet and sticky glaze coating them...they were minced and soaked up with a light sweetness to produce a natural sweet-from-within experience. The kimchi seafood pancake was satisfactory. Though a bit too soggy for my liking, it tasted good and went well with the pickled soy sauce. We received complimentary tofu soups and they were delicious. I definitely enjoyed it more than my entree. They didn't skimp on the tofu at all.

    (3)

  • Sun K.

    My favorite Korean restaurant in the east bay. Pro: - Consistent quality. YUM!! - Good service - Great for groups. Who doesn't love their awesome gigantic tables? Con: - Parking could be hectic

    (4)

  • James H.

    For a Korean restaurant that specializes in soft tofu soup, it is very average in taste. The side dishes are lacking in taste and only ones that are decent are the kimchi and the radish. I ordered the dumpling soft tofu soup (spicy). It came with only 3 dumplings and what's worse was that they're from the a package that you can easily get at the local Korean market on Telegraph. The broth for the soft tofu soup was lacking in spices and didn't have the depth that I expected and it didn't come with a egg to put in it that you usually get at other restaurants. The only good thing about the meal was the service.

    (3)

  • Sophie W.

    The two things I remember about this place: delicious seafood pancake and a super sassy waiter. My friends and I went to Pyeongchang because it seemed like a good choice to fulfill my craving for tofu soup. We managed to squeeze into a parking spot, and upon getting there around 8, we were quickly seated. My friends and I ordered tofu soup, seafood pancake, and bibimbap. What everyone Yelps about the potatoes is true: they are sweet, crumbly, and delicious. There was a bit of confusion when my seafood tofu soup came out and the waiter said it was the regular tofu soup, so I kind of had to awkwardly sit there without eating my food while he checked with the kitchen that it was the right dish. There is also no egg unless you ask for it, so MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR THE EGG! This is where the super sassy waiter part comes in--when I asked for an egg, he looked at me with a totally straight face and just said "no." I think the expression on my face was one of mortification/shock, since he quickly backtracked and said, "I'm sorry, maybe I looked too serious." Then we all laughed it off (at least, I tried to) and he brought my friend and me our eggs. The seafood pancake was delicious. It was kind of oily, but crispy and flavorful. My soondobu was good, but the seafood part of it was pretty disappointing. The shrimp was beyond tiny, and even after I went through the trouble of peeling it, I didn't feel compensated considering it was so tiny and rubbery. My friends who ordered bibimbap got tofu soup with their orders, and they ended up leaving it untouched because they were so full at the end. Those things might not look like a lot, but they're pretty filling. I don't think this place is super cheap, but it's probably one of the better Korean restaurants (price-wise and flavor-wise) when I'm in a craving mood.

    (3)

  • Noelle H.

    My comfort food? Seafood soon dubu. When the weather is gloomy and rainy, I channel my Korean half and this is what I cravveeee. I ordered the above mentioned and V got the beef and seafood soon dubu. Banchan were ok. I think I'm just used to Jong Ga's that has that huge selection. But these were still good! I love love LOVEEE how the rice comes in a stone pot. The crispy bottom layer is the best! I'm not crazy about pouring the tea at the end of the meal to eat the crispies. I'd rather just break off the pieces and eat it in my soup, which is exactly what I did =) The soup was delicious. Service was friendly. Rice was on point. Pyeongchang definitely hit the spot!

    (4)

  • Amy H.

    Friendly service goes so far here!! Everyone was extremely accommodating and even if I had to ask for more water a couple times, they were so gracious I didn't mind. The restaurant is clean and spacious and we were greeted and seated ASAP. Love that the tables (even for 2 people) are big, I hate feeling cramped. My friend and I came here around 5pm on a Saturday and ordered the kimchi pancake (5 stars... soooo good) and beef bibimbap to share. We got our banchan and my faves are the sweet potatoes and bean sprouts. Kinda disappointed they didn't have fish cakes or japchae though. Then we got a small spicy tofu soup on the house.. so unexpected and nice. We enjoyed it a lot. The only thing I would change is to put some more meat in the bibimbap and the prices are a tad bit steep, nothing too crazy though. Also, I really wanted short ribs but I was NOT about to pay almost $30 for it. I will be back!!

    (4)

  • Alwin L.

    Well made tofu soup. Bulgogi, chicken, and jap chae were all right.

    (3)

  • Albert W.

    Our hero was in the mood for some soondubu with his Korean-loving associates, so he popped into Pyeongchang for some seafood tofu. It's located in the central stretch of other Korean restaurants on Telegraph and was pretty easy to find. Inside, there's plenty of seating for large groups and the tables are wide enough such that his party wasn't juggling to fit all their plates in. After ordering their food (in Korean of course), our hero's party didn't wait long for the banchan to come out. There were only 5 sides and they weren't particularly appetizing, so they were off to a bad start. When their tofu dishes came, our hero was a bit taken aback when there was no egg on the side and he had to specifically request it. The taste, however, was decent and there was a good variety of seafood in their seafood soondubu. Overall, it's not a win, but it's not terrible either. PROS: - Their tofu is serviceable. - They do make their tofu pretty spicy! - Huge tables for big parties available. CONS: - Service is a bit sloppy and tends to forget things. - Their banchan is so-so. None of the side dishes really stands out.

    (3)

  • Ryan D.

    Bulgogi was well-seasoned and tasted like little chewy blankets of flavor. Are you salivating yet? Pyeongchang offers a hot, dense and colorful tofu soup that is presented on sizzling stone bowls. Their bibimbap is flavorful and the toasted rice from the bowl provided a tasty contrast to the soft, warm plate partners. Our recommendation would be visiting in the early afternoon to beat the crowds in the late evening.

    (4)

  • Valerie V.

    This place is fantastic. One of my biggest concerns about leaving LA many moons ago was whether or not I'd be able to find a soon du bu house as tasty as the options in LA's Koreatown. That sad a tall order at the time. Alas, there was no need to worry as I soon found this absolutely lovely North Oakland gem. The tofu dishes are all excellent, but my meal of choice is the dumpling tofu. Add a raw egg to that, medium spicy, and you're good to go. My then-boyfriend and now-husband soon became a convert as he also developed the tofu bug. Our son is now the next generation of Korean tofu-lovin' foodies in our house. My parents and in-laws are also huge fans. The bulgogi, while not BBQ'd at your table, is a solid hit. We've also had the tasty spicy BBQ pork. You really can't go wrong with anything here. Ask for the barley tea, another great staple and palate cleanser. Happy eating!

    (5)

  • Monica H.

    Worth coming here for some good Korean food. I got the Combination Seafood soondooboo, extra spicy and it was delicious! Definitely not overwhelmingly spicy and it filled me up. I would totally come here again! Really affordable too!

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Pyeongchang Tofu House

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