Tofu Village J Korean Restaurant
1271 E Ogden Ave,Ste 119, Naperville, IL, 60563
Tofu Village J Korean Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Naperville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Naperville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Naperville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1271 E Ogden Ave,Ste 119
Naperville, IL, 60563 - Phone (630) 848-0884
- Website https://jkoreanrestaurant.us
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Priscilla A.
I was visiting my sister out in the 'burbs and when they suggested dinner, they had Tofu Village in mind. What a gem! I'm a city girl, and I'm used to hole in the wall places, but hole in the wall places in the burbs are a different story. This is a hole in the strip mall! At first glance the restaurant is very unassuming. You just see "Tofu Village" in big red letters. We had a group of 7 including two kiddies. They put together a couple of tables and sat us within minutes. Since my sister and brother in law have been there before, they ordered for us. We had two orders of the beef bulgogi, the ribs, and some dumplings. Considering our large group at first the rest of us were worried it might not be enough food, but that was not the case at all! Their portions are generous, the service was fast, and the owners were extremely nice. The food was delicious! One of the best Korean restaurants I've been to in a long time. Next time you're in the 'Ville and hankering for tasty Korean food, give this place a try!
(4)Tom T.
Wife and I gave this place a try based on the Yelp reviews. We both liked it. We got a bowl of the kimchi & beef tofu soup and beef bulgogi. The soup was delicious, plenty of kimchi and beef in there. Lots of soft tofu as well. We got medium spicy and it was just right for us. Zingy but not lip-numbing spicy. The beef is salty and savory. A long with them, they brought out about 15 banchan dishes: kimchi, potato, bean sprouts, potato pancakes, fried tofu, etc... We enjoyed the large variety of banchans. I know some think the banchan are "free", but come on folks, nothing is free. They'd be out of business if it was really free. Their cost are built into each of the entree prices. So chow down on the banchan and ask for more if you want more. We'll definitely be back for more Korean goodness.
(4)Karen F.
Perhaps I went to Tofu Village on an off day, but I wasn't completely blown away- the service, the food, and especially the prices. For a meal that costs $15-17 each for a small stone soup bowl, I personally think it's over priced. I get that the side dishes are suppose to be fun and cool, but any decent Korean restaurant will give you those same exact dishes. From my perspective all of the sides would be about a $10 app at any other restaurant that wasn't Korean, but since Tofu village IS a Korean restaurant, the prices in the meals shouldn't be raised to much. The side dishes were good, nothing especially exciting, but pretty standard. The soup that I got was yummy too, it was very hot and a fresh egg was cracked on top. I think it was worth closer to $10-12, similar to other restaurants that I've been too. It didn't blow me out of the water. If you go to H-Mart next door, and go to the restaurant to the far right, opposite of Bini Bakery, you can get a delicious hot stone soup or bim bim bop there too for a couple dollars less and numerous side dishes.
(3)Jo L.
We ordered kimchi and beef tofu soup and bibimbap. Food was delicious. Lots of banchan including kimchi pancake, steam eggs, water, watercress, bean sprouts... However, i took one star off because I personally think it's a little over priced.
(4)Sara T.
Kinda pricey but the food is legit. Servers were incredibly friendly and tried to make conversation with us. Side dishes were plentiful! Great option for Korean food in the Naperville area.
(4)Yejun B.
Vest Korean Restaurant in Naperville. I hope this restaurant move to nearby my house! I miss Tofu Village's food everytime.
(5)S P.
Awesome place for me. I got the mushroom bi bim bop. The meal came with 14 small side dishes that were fantastic. The server Judy was so professional and explained each of the side dishes. I will be back!! My only complaint is too many TV's with sound competing with a loud radio playing bad music (in my opinion). They need to choose either TV or radio.
(5)Nikki K.
Food was delicious! The price was a little bit high. I had the bulgogi, bibimbap, dumplings! Delicious! Staff was amazing. Our waitress Judy was very knowledgable and such great hospitality!
(4)Tracy Y.
I would definitely visit again. First of all, their 13 dishes of side dishes comes pretty soon once you seat down and they totally pump up your appetite and the waiter were there to explain which dish is what. I had an egg omelette rice and it came in decent size and worth it's price, it has fried rice wrap inside by the egg. I recommend this dish! The service was great, it was twenty something degree outside and the waiter arranged us to seat next to a small warm heater which was nice.
(4)Laura A.
I was in town to pick up my son from college and found this restaurant on Yelp. This was the best Korean food I have had in years! The owners were amazingly nice and helpful- and the price was inexpensive. I will definitely come here again!
(5)Jeff H.
The name is so misleading. This place doesn't just offer tofu ( which is a bit foreign to the American palate ). It is a full service Korean restaurant with Korean BBQ, noodles, everything. The most impressive are the side dishes that come with your meal. Mind boggling variety. If you love Korean there is no need to schlep all the way to chicago. Stay in naperville. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
(5)Sarah V.
Great place. Most of the negative reviews are regarding a price increase. I never came prior to the increase, but I found the prices reasonable based on the huge amount of high quality sides and food you get. Also, it is BYOB, which is a major plus as far as a bill goes. The food was delicious, and the service was exceptional. I'll be back.
(4)Wendy L.
Truly a suburban gem! To start, they served korean rice cake, salad and a very tasty crispy scallion pancake! Had the mushroom bibimbap as my entree and was not disappointed - have not seen it at other places. The ban chan was very fresh and plentiful. Service was phenomenal from the gentleman owner. Worth making the trip from Chicago and certainly ranks up there with Chicago's best.
(5)Danny H.
First off, I'd like to point out how absolutely friendly and welcoming these people are. Quaint location right next to super H Mart. The greatness of this restaurant is the food. Squid stir fry was spot on, kalbi was phenomenal! Expect 12 fresh sides... seriously, EVERYTHING was fresh. I'm quite a stickler for cleanliness and freshness. 5/5 will go again.
(5)Sheng S.
So fresh 10 times better then other Korean restaurant I really enjoyed the food I am definitely going back again
(5)Sarah L.
Husband and I went for dinner on a weekday night and enjoyed it a lot. We ordered the Bibimbap and the Kalbi as entrees. They gave us so much food! And probably the best side dishes I've had at a Korean restaurant.
(5)J H.
We took my mom here last night. She is not an adventurous eater but we love the good and thought she would too. Being a vegetarian, I could not explain all of the foods on the menu. The host/waiter stepped in and gave my mom a thorough explanation - including the proper way to eat her selected dish. Needless to say, my mom loved it! The food was fresh and delicious - it was a great evening!
(5)Ziyi Y.
Great place serves great Korean food! Love it! Best service ever!
(5)Chole L.
This is not authentic Korean food, this is a taiwanese style korean food. Too expensive and not that good.
(2)C R.
Delicious food and so many flavors. Don't let the location or the decor deter you. The overall experience is fantastic.
(5)Sarah S.
Spent $20 for a dinner for two and I'm completely satisfied. I've never been so full in my life! So many side dishes and appetizers on top of gorgeous amounts of food! Will definitely be coming back.
(5)Kate C.
It's rare to get good service in a Korean place, or at least that's been my experience. I travel all over the country for my job (45 states in 6 months), and eat Korean everywhere I go. This place stacked up quite nicely and was on par, price wise with many of the places I've been to. The service was fantastic, the food served in multiple courses, and everything tasted great. All for under 15 bucks. I really do not understand the bad reviews. Come try it for yourself!
(5)Ibrahim J.
There are not too many options for Korean food in this area, so I stopped. The upside: The portions are very generous-- there are a HUGE number of side dishes, and the main courses are more than filling. If you are eating alone you may even want to request that they not give you ALL the side dishes, as it might be too much. Also, the service is friendly and very attentive. I gave an extra star for these pluses. The downside: There is a lot of food, but it's so-so. From the side dishes to the main courses, there is just a little something missing. The tteokbokki for example, is just rice cake boiled in a mixture of kochujang and water (they could at the very least use a basic anchovy/kelp broth). The kelp crackers were unnecessarily bitter (I have had sweet or salty, but never bitter), And so on. Most needed a small fix or adjustment-- I can tell, and I'm not even Korean. In general, it might be better if they focused on doing a small number of banchan very well, rather than offering an overwhelming number of underwhelming dishes. The problem becomes worse for them, as others have complained that these side dishes are not fresh-- this probably has to do with the logistics of having so many separate dishes at the ready..... I certainly felt like I was getting my money's worth in terms of quantity, but perhaps not in terms of quality...
(3)Moe M.
Saturday lunch is relaxed and very friendly. Each side dish has just the right amount of spice and is expertly prepared. It seems the chef is a master at coming up with many varieties of vegetables. The main dish of spicy pork was piping hot and very tender. Steamed eggs were perfectly done and a real treat. There is real talent in the kitchen here !
(5)Tellsplatte ..
It's a good location close to Super H Mart. Food is about sub-par. Kimchee was excellent and authentic tasting, but all other stuff we ordered were below average.
(2)John D.
The price is too expensive . The food is not authentically Korean at all . I believe it is owned or operated by Taiwanese. there is no Korean people but Chinese people eating there. they still charge you outrageously , A soup costs over $18 , it is definitely it is not worthy going there for a second time . Next plaza has a Chinese food that gives you many options , very cheap . Attention : not worthy at all
(1)Connie L.
I'll have to agree with some of the other reviewers that the prices would prevent me from coming back. Don't get me wrong, the food is good (I had the squid and tofu soup) and there is a good variety of sides dishes. However, I don't think it's worth it to pay $15.99 for a soup and $20 for a plate of bulgolgi. I must add that the owners are super nice and they kept checking up on us, granted that it was a Thursday night and there weren't that many other customers.
(3)Alex C.
I've been going to this place for a while, and seen how it's changed over the years. While pretty good quality Korean food, the service and price are lacking. After going recently, the prices have basically doubled since when I first started going. I wish I could say the quality did as well, but after the owner changed, the quality has been a bit lacking as well. In terms of service, I was a bit annoyed by the fact that I didn't receive rice with my soup. We had to remind the server. Overall, the food still tasted pretty good. The appetizer dishes provided were decent, but I do miss the porridge that used to come with it. The tea is still as good as ever. Make sure to get tea, not just water. Only thing was the server didn't come by to check if we needed refills :( I ordered kimchee beef tofu soup. The flavor was good, as well as the quantity of tofu and beef. A bit too much kimchee. I had medium spiciness, which was still pretty spicy, for someone with average tolerance. My brother had omelet rice, which he thought was pretty good, aside from the quality of the onions. It might also have had to do with his dislike of onions to begin with. My mom ordered the bibimpap, which was pretty good. Only thing I didn't like was the blandness of each topping. I usually like the uniqueness of flavor of each section, but I didn't find this one to be very distinguishable. I enjoyed the meal overall, aside from these few little things. I would go again, although probably not too close in the future haha. Don't think my wallet could handle that.
(3)mei s.
We used to come here when it was tofu village. It's been under new management for the past two years and now it is more than just tofu and soups. A lot more. I was really in the mood for some good stone bowl bibimbop after my disappointing outing to Northbrook where there was hardly any meat in my bowl. This place does not disappoint. Not only was there a ton of meat in my bowl, they came out with so much panchans! It was unreal. Every time they kept coming to our table, I could not believe it. I was so full from my salad and panchans, that by the time my meal came, I could barely eat it. The service was so friendly too. They explained what everything was. We will definitely come back again and with kids next time.
(5)Nikki T.
I am Korean and let me just say that this is not the place to get delicious Korean food. The food is mediocre at best and unbelievably expensive! Never going back here again.
(2)Erica L.
Hubby and I tend to go here for a late lunch after a morning spent outlet shopping. The past two times we've eaten around 2-3 pm and were the only customers = more attention! Their banchan spread is one of the most varied and generous - I counted 14 different side dishes during our last visit. You could get full on these alone. What's interesting is that one them consist of French fries and onion rings with ketchup! Love it. I always get the delicious beef tofu soup, mildly spiced. Hubby mixes it up and tried the squid tofu soup, medium spiced. The soup came with a generous serving of squid that is served separately then thrown into the hot soup. There was so much squid that we were able to take home a third of it. Good Korean food, great service, reasonable prices, and a side of fries and onion rings, who could ask for anything more?
(4)Sam K.
The owner of this place is really down to earth. He likes to talk to his customers and build close relationship with them. This place always has lots of food (enough small dishes to keep you full let alone the meal you ordered). Try the beef with kimchi soup, but my latest favorite is the special noodle soup only available Monday and Friday limited to 30 orders a day. Try this place out and say hi to the owner. He will treat you right with great food! Update: The price hike of doubling the price is unwarranted because the portion is the same as before. In fact, the latest visit I found the tofu to be a bit dry and old, not as fresh as before. The previous price was decent, and if it is due to the small dishes, the restaurant does not need to prepare and hand out so many.
(3)Lisa B.
I started writing this review in 2011. Whoops. The food here is delicious. I ordered a seafood tofu soup, super spicy of course, and it was really great! The banchan had lots of variation to it. Since I was with my sister we also got refills on the banchan. The prices are a bit much, but if you don't come here often and you come for the tofu soup and banchan, it's not that bad in the long run.
(4)Andrew T.
The prices are ridiculous, especially for the soups, which will blow about $15 out of pocket. The banchan was okay and definitely not fresh. If there were any other Korean restaurants nearby, this place would go out of business pretty quickly. The quality of the food definitely does not match what you pay for it.
(2)Justin L.
Someone should remove the "People on Yelp Love Us" sticker... Have you ever seen a hot girl (or guy) and as you got closer they just turned out to be a total disappointment? That's the new Chodang Tofu Village. It was once amazing, but once you get in there to try it again, it's just not the same. The food... yes the panch'an was plentiful and SOME of it was good. As with some of the previous reviewers, the kimchi and the spiced raddish were probably the biggest disappointments. Those are some very common dishes for any Korean restaurant. They seemed to be drowned in the sauces, rather than fermented/picked in the sauce. I ordered the soondubu (being tofu village and all)... again... like other reviewers... the egg did not fully cook; however, the soup did come out boiling. My theory? They brought it to a boil and brought it straight out rather than bringing the soup and bowl to the necessary temperature. I also ordered the dish mild to spicy, but I felt absolutely no burn or spice in it. The service, ownership and the venue... I'll start with the easy ones. Service was good, quick (which may have been the downfall of the quickly cooled soup) and responsive. I had no real wait and they were very attentive. The venue is the same as it was so it can still seat probably close to 40 or so inside. The ownership... like so many other reviewers I don't want to sound racist or biased... I guess I should preface this with the fact that I am Chinese. The two women working the front are both Chinese, and held multiple conversations in Chinese (including some confusion about how best to service tables while I was in there). If there was a Korean chef or any Korean staff, I didn't see them. The kitchen staff consisted of a Hispanic man and a Chinese chef. Sadly, I just don't think they've had enough experience with Korean food to do it right. Overall, just go next door to H-Mart or look for an actual Korean restaurant somewhere, at least until this place gets things figured out.
(2)Jie S.
This is my first lunch here and it was awesome. I could not believe I missed this place for 4 years since I moved to Naperville. I think one of my friends didn't like this place and I have never thought about giving it a try. Well, I saw Korean spicy tofu soup in the reviews and thought I must try it at least once. The best Seafood Tofu soup I have ever tried. Period. I liked the waiter asked me how spicy I wanted to be. I told him I wanted it to be "real spicy". It was perfect. It came in a black stone bowl and still bubbling hot. Tofu was silky soft with enough flavor. The soup was scarlet red, spicy and tasty. It was a bit salty but tasted great with a bit rice. Hot and spicy which was exactly I wanted. My lunch was Bibimap. On top of white rice, we had shredded carrot, one Sunny Side up Egg, bean sprouts, spinach, zucchini, pickled radish, Bulgogi meat, and a bit mushroom. I added lots hot pepper paste and mixed all together in a 10-inch metal bowl(the same size as the bowl I use to wash vegetables at home). Yum! My hubby got his Bulgogi which was served in a hot plate. I like Korean BBQ but don't want to grill it myself at the table which could be smelly and messy. I was glad it was cooked ans served. He loved it. The small appetizer dishes are pretty good but not great. I liked they provide the bean rice as well. The service was great too. The waiter was not chatty but always showed up at the right time with the right stuff. We are served the hot tea when we sat down. Then all small appetizer dishes showed up. When tofu soup was served, he brought two sets of bowls and spoons for us to share. I was just feel a bit hot with the soup, two glasses of iced water showed up. Really no complain there. I will definitely come back before or after my H-Mart trip every week.
(5)Rexcrisanto D.
I've been taking my family and friends here for the last 2 years ever since my favorite Korean restaurant closed in Chicago. The head chef, who used to cook in Chicago's Korea town, makes his own chili sauce, and I'd have to say that it's the best tasting Korean chili sauce I've had. My favorite is their ojinguh bokkeum, though they list it on their menu as "Stir Fried Squid." I give this a 5 stars. Ojinguh Bokkeum is my favorite Korean dish, and I've tried countless of variations from many restaurants. This by far is the best I've had. It is well worth the $18.99 price. I also recommend their Kalbi over the Bulgogi because you get much more meat, however if you prefer more vegetables, get the Beef Bulgogi - both get a 4.5 star. If hot soup is your thing, I recommend their beef tofu soup, though they all taste great (4 - 5 stars). Their complimentary appetizers (served before the entrees) are very generous and freshly prepared daily. Every now and then, they will serve something seasonal or new. Just the appetizers. Be careful how much you order because the appetizers can be quite filling if you're not careful. Lastly, I got to know the owner, chef and staff. They are all great people and have gone out of their way to make us feel at home.
(5)John Z.
I liked this place more than I expected. Service especially won me over, but I liked the food too. So, we had business in the area (Super H Mart, if you must know) and I was like "hey, let's try Tofu Village," which I had been suggesting we try for about a year or so, it had gotten to the point where I was mostly annoying my wife when I mentioned it as a suggestion. (We had a stretch of too much asian food, I'm told.) So, she said yes. And we got there and she thought we were doing takeout and I thought we were eating in. We ended up eating in, and we were glad we did. So, not a huge menu selection (which can be a good thing, as overwhelming choice can be daunting), but it was nicely described and had pictures of what you were going to get. So we put in our order, we had a vegetarian (possibly vegan?) mushroom bi bim bap for my wife, and I got the Jap Chae, party because we had a baby with us and I know he loves noodles. Everyone liked their food, my wife felt the bi bim bap at Kuma's Asian Bistro may edge it out, but she really liked the flavors of the Jap Chae and is curious about a vegetarian version. The baby liked more of the foods than I expected including a lot of the banchan, as it turns out, he may be more adventurous than many people, hopefully it stays that way. So, servicewise where I think they did great was when the banchan came out they specifically were describing each dish to us and generally placing it with how safe they felt it was for the baby to have it. Sometimes a bit too close to the baby for our liking, (he is a bit a grabby) but the intentions were there. For whatever reason, most Korean places I've been to, even if you're all "What's this, it's tasty?" they're like "It's banchan... a side dish." So, for this reason, I think it's pretty good if you're kind of new to korean food. The prices are noted in a lot of reviews and I did notice it and took brief pause, but I felt like with all the food I got, I had no real issue with it. We liked it a lot, and will go again.
(4)Bibiana A.
Korean food is ok. I was surprised, didn't expect much when I walked in. I had the tofu seafood soup which was tasty but the side dishes were really bland, not worth eating. The service was excellent, which always makes he visit, but the prices are high! I've been to other Korean Restaurants and they usual don't charge that much. That's why I gave this place a 3.
(3)John S.
Went here thinking it was the same as the location up north with the same name. While they both have similar menu's they are different owners. The service here however was extremely friendly. We called to ask when they closed and they asked how far away we were and said they would wait for us. Really how nice is that. You just don't get service like that. I had the spicy beef tofu soup for dinner. Be careful here asking them to turn it up because they will. My soup was spicy. I mean really spicy and I like spicy food. They gave me a giant bowel with a generous portion of beef and tofu. They also gave us generous portions of Kimchi which my boyfriend really enjoyed. Over all great service and food.
(5)Steven W.
After reading some of the negative reviews here, I was a little reluctant to try the place out, but it ended up being a great experience! We finished a movie around 8:30PM on a Saturday night, but they still let us sit down even though the restaurant was pretty much empty and they close at 9. The banchan came within minutes, and tea and water were frequently refilled. The tofu came out piping hot (as opposed to what others had said), and the server also asked if any of the banchans needed refilling. I thought the food was quite authentic (compared to previous experiences in Koreatown in LA), and the price ($12/person) for a filling meal with boxes to go was great value. The only bad thing was that we were really rushing our meal because it got awkward as they were closing everything down...certainly not their fault. I love supporting small businesses, and it looked like they were doing everything right.
(5)David N.
Decided to try a different Korean restaurant with the girlfriend after an outing in downtown Naperville. The service was very friendly and attentitive. I ordered the Bibimbap while my GF had a spicy tofu soup dish. The bibimbap was kind of a disappointment as the sauce was solid, but overall, it was nothing special. It needed more bulgogi...lots more? My gf spicy tofu soup was also just alright. However, the tofu part of her dish was superb as it had just the right firmness and texture perfectly harmonizing w/ the korean flavors. There was a nice variety of side dishes including french fries. Unfortunately for the bibimbap eater, it was somewhat of a repeat.
(3)Nelson B.
Food quality is average but the price is way too high. Geez we're talking about mostly pickled coming out of a jar food!
(2)Dada J.
Service and side dishes are very impressive!!!! Tofu soup is 4 star (not as soft as some restaurants, but the soup and the organic egg are good).
(5)Melli Y.
Overall, I enjoyed it! I love good a Korean meal, that being said; I am very picky about what I order and how it comes out. I ordered myself the traditional beef bulgogi, usually restaurants make it and it comes out dry and the portion is usually never enough for me. At Tofu Village it could feed 2 people along with the rice and plentiful side dishes. Not only were there so many side dishes, but they were delicious! Then my mom ordered the tofu soup and that was delicious as well but wasn't really craving it that night. The only problem is that I have passed this restaurant my whole life living in Naperville and I always thought it was some crappy Chinese restaurant. I was wrong... obviously. The price is also reasonable and affordable for what you get! The chef's/cooks came and explained the food items and was very friendly as well as the waitress. I would come back in a heart beat!
(5)Jennie C.
Place was empty when I walked in on a Sunday night. Usually this is a big red flag, but after the food arrived I didn't understand why there weren't more customers, because the food was great! There was a good spread of banchans, and the sundubu was perfect for a chilly & misty day. The kimchee tasted a bit different from what I'm used to at other places, but that was the only thing off for the night. Service was very friendly and accomodating.
(4)Mary Y.
Ok Don't get me wrong the food here is pretty good its just the prices are ridiculously high. I ordered a fried rice and it was over $13. It comes with a lot of side dishes but $13 for fried rice during lunch is ridiculous. We also ordered Kalbi with is the beef ribs it was really good but again it was almost $20 a plate. If it wasn't for the price i would give it 4 stars but it is way too high. We had lunch there last week, we have four people in our party and our bill was almost $90 for lunch.
(3)Julie Y.
Prices have nearly doubled (tofu soups are around $15-17 dollars) which, frankly, is pretty ridiculous. The quality of the banchan and the entrees have also fallen quite a bit. I'm very disappointed that they have gotten rid of several items on the menu (like the bean rice and cucumber banchan) all while increasing prices. The service still leaves a lot to be desired.. we had to ask the waitress to fill our cups multiple times. I think it's time that we take our business elsewhere
(2)Ham S.
We were regulars for awhile but then they raised the prices very significantly. Almost doubled in some cases (or at least it felt that way). Unfortunately we won't be coming back. Way too expensive for simple Korean food. I'd much rather eat in the H-Mart food court.
(2)Matt Y.
Overpriced for the the food they serve. The tofu soup was made with the wrong type of tofu. Should be made with silken but was much too firm. Wish I would have taken a pic to show the lack of tofu in the tofu soup and the 3 pieces of dumpling in the dumpling tofu soup for $15. The bulgogi was $21! Oh yeah, I can't forget about the $1.75 bowl of extra thimble of rice. Please, please, save your money and go up the street toTanaka or HMart. You've been warned
(1)Min S.
By far the worst Korean food I've had in the Chicago area. Overpriced and poor quality cooking.
(1)Kedar D.
As a vegan, I can't recommend Chodang Tofu Village. I came here with a friend thinking there would be plenty of vegan (or veganizable) options but was disappointed to learn that practically every dish (even the ones that seem meat and fish-free), still contain meat or fish broth or god knows what. Korean food generally isn't good for vegans and vegetarians, but when I went to Chodang Tofu Village, I hadn't yet learned that lesson. I did get some kind of tofu bowl soup but was not terribly impressed with it. Also, there was a significant language barrier, and I'm not sure that my server understood the concept of giving me a dish without any animals or animal byproducts. Lord knows what I ended up eating. I give Chodang two stars because I like the unusual concept and the fact that they have the guts to open a place like this in the replicon suburbs.
(2)Velina L.
Recently under new ownership, this very bright, no frills Korean place serves very good, healthy food. As with typical Korean places, they start you off with some small plates of kimchee and other Korean pickles, as well as a hot bowl of rice soup (not sure how to describe it, but very typically Korean). They also serve you rice tea, which is free. I love their tofu soup, which you can get with beef, pork, seafood, or other options. They also have vegetarian options, for those of you who are not an omnivore like me. The tofu soup arrived to the table quickly, bubbling in the hot stone bowl. They alos bring out eggs that you can crack into the delicious broth. Portions are pretty large, and you get your choice of white rice, brown rice with milletseed, or rice with eight types of beans. You can also choose the level of spiciness from white (not spicy), to mild, regular, and spicy. It's actually not very spicy at all so don't be shy about what level you think you can handle. Service was friendly, food was good and reasonably priced. I'll definitely add this to my list of regular places to go to in the Lisle area.
(4)Vicky F.
Okay... First of all, I like their food. Over the years, since changing the owner, the price has gone way too high! A standard regular tofu soup should be around $10. Three weeks ago, I got a seafood tofu soup, I walked out of that place paid $18 plus I gave them probably $3 for the tips. $21 for a tofu soup?! This is way too expensive. Note: before the seafood tofu soup only costs $10.99 or $11 something like that. I have lived in Naperville and Lisle area for cover 10 years. This place really juiced up their price high for the past two years.
(2)Tommy M.
Had the pork tofu today, extra spicy. Excellent, the best I have had in Chicagoland. Giving only 4 stars because the steamed mandu was bad - clearly this came out of a package. FWIW, the name of this place is changing to Wei's Kitchen. It's now Chinese-run, not Korean, although the menu is staying the same and the main cook is Korean.
(4)Vivian Y.
A star for the very nice and attentive service not common in Korean restaurants and a star for offering more banchan when we were running low (also rarely happens). But the food was just lacking flavor. I saw a beautiful picture of soondubu on the menu card at the table with a giant prawn on it. when I received my boiling soup, all I found were 2 little tiny shrimp about the size of a nickel. disappointed in the least. I will come back and try the bimbimbap. My husband and the bulgogi and enjoyed it. there is a lunch size portion for $8.95 in case you don't want the family sized portion.
(2)Jake C.
Yes, the owners are Chinese, and apparently they knew that their own Korean cooking wasn't the most best, which is why they just brought on a new chef. As a result, the Bi Bim Bop I had there quite good, and so were the side dishes. Only thing critical I can say is the bean sprouts was slightly off. However, service there is extremely friendly and attentive. The owners were helpful in describing the dishes and checked up very often to make sure everything was satisfactory. They were also quite social, creating a very welcoming atmosphere. I'll be going back again in the near future.
(5)Yane Y.
Okay, I'm a fan of Soon Tofu! I came here for the first time yesterday because it was close to H-Mart (Korean grocery store). Man! Am I so glad that my husband brought me here. Similar to my review for the other location in Mt. Prospect, the broth here was awesome. If you like Soon Tofu, then I'm pretty certain that you won't be disappointed. For those that have no idea what Soon Tofu is or have never tried it, it'll be a hit or miss (kinda like accounting). With accounting, you're either good at it, or you're not. Well, with Korean food (like kimchi or in this case, soon tofu), you'll either love it or hate it! If you love it, I think you will appreciate the soon tofu here. I always order my soon tofu "medium", which is not too spicy - it's manageable. This location gives you so much banchan (Korean for side dishes). They were all pretty tasty! The lady swung by and gave us refills, which was nice. SERVICE: The service here isn't that great because they're probably short-handed. But then again, if you're not Korean!!! You need to get their attention and ask the servers for what you need. (Korean people have different styles of service. They don't always come and check up on you and ask if you need something more; they just expect that if you want something, you will let them know. So keep this in mind. Sometimes, they are just truly short-handed and do what they can... but either way, if you're at a Korean restaurant...gotta make sure you are assertive and just ask). COST: The cost was reasonable for the soon tofu. I think it was like $8-9 per soon tofu (depending on what you get). Not positive. MENU: This location seemed to have more options for their menu. The location at Mt. Prospect has a limited selection (only soon tofu). Here, they have multiple soon tofu selections, but they also have jjool-myun (cold noodles which are slightly spicy, etc.) .. I think they had other appetizer options, etc. I was very impressed because they had more than the other location. I did not try anything else, but at least its available!!! CONCLUSION: I will come back again..... I recommend this place to people who like soon tofu! (I noticed that there were a lot of non-Koreans, which made me very happy! They ate their soon tofu, like there was no other.....)
(4)Anna H.
I really love this place! I've only been eating Korean food since I've been in college but I know the korean spicy tofu soup (soon-doo-bu-jijae) is one of my favorites and I can only find it here at Tofu Village, in Naperville. In my opinion, I think the tofu soups here are VERY authentic and delicious. Not to mention, they always give you soooooooo many condiments when you order the soup as well so it's a very filling meal! Would highly recommend it, especially since winter's coming and soup is soooooo delicious and good for you in the winter. =)
(5)Chilin T.
New ownership, different taste, def not as awesome as it used to be
(1)Sanjeev m.
We have been going to this place for 4+ years and we are definitely fans of this unpretentious joint. At the moment (Apr 2010) they are celebrating their 5th anniversary by offering $7.99 Tofu soup bowl (usually $10). If you haven't tried it you are missing very good quality Korean soups. Go there especially on days when it is a bit chilly or someone in your party if suffering from clogged sinuses. Drink the soup it is sure unclog your sinuses and will replenish your soul.
(4)Kristina U.
Let me start off by saying that I love Korean food. I was first introduced to it when I went to live in South Korea. I lived there for almost three years and became very involved with the people, culture and subsequently food. I appreciate everything about Korean dishes; I loved them so much that when I got back to the U.S my first task was to find a good Korean restaurant. Frequently, I go shopping at the Asian market called H Mart (in Naperville) so I found Tofu Village that way. The first time I went in there I was so excited that I didn't even mind the prices, which were VERY high for what they serve. I was very disappointed. The first time my husband and I went there, our food was bland and that is difficult to do, especially with spicy Korean stews. I had the mushroom tofu stew and he had the Korean bean paste stew. Which, (like I said) were both bland and disappointing, not to mention expensive. Also, this restaurant likes to switch out ingredients that would normally be used in these stews to save money, like the mushrooms for instance. The side dishes were good and plenty and I appreciated that, I even commented about having them as a separate meal. The waitress told me they have the side dishes as a meal and that it costs 7 dollars per person for unlimited refills. This (and the fact that we love Korean food) is why even though my husband and I were really disappointed the first and second time we went, we gave this restaurant three chances to get their stuff together. We had a particularly annoying incident with the side dishes which we decided to order as a main meal the last/third time we were there. After paying 7 dollars (each) the waitress and chefs were visibly annoyed at us ordering the "cheap" option. They refilled the dishes once and were so outwardly annoyed and hesitant to refill them again (even though they are unlimited) that we just left. This place is a disappointment with the food and the staff. In Korea, the restaurants are fantastic and mostly cheap. This one takes advantage of the rarity of Korean food (even though most ingredients are NOT hard to come by) and overcharges for very mediocre food that (in my opinion) does not even resemble Korean.
(2)Hohan H.
This place is different than most I have been to, it's authentic but a little Americanized (in a good way). You don't cook your own food - which my hubby likes ( he's American) and doesn't want to go out to cook himself ( who are we kidding when we do dine at Korean restaurants with table grills I end up doing it all anyways)and the waiters generally speak English. I love Korean food (mom is Korean), and I brought a friend who had never had Korean here, and she loved it! They bring out a few appetizers you would generally not get at a typical Korean restaurant, besides the many little dishes. In fact my friend said she can't get the food out of her mind, so we are going back today. It's clean and bright, and nicely/lightly decorated. It's great for a newbie to Korean or a regular lover of Korean food. If you are a newbie I suggest you try the bulgogi and/or kalbi. (Both beef, think teriyaki thin slice or more steak/short rib style but ten thousand times better), taste all the little dishes and pick a favorite, it's part of the FUN! I have been here 15 times or more, I love it.
(5)Melissa L.
Searching for a good lunch on Ogden can be difficult, particularly if you don't want hot dogs or fast food all the time. Tofu Village's menu is not large; the specialty is their tofu stews, which comes in a steaming iron pot of meat, veggies, and other good stuff. You know you probably should order it. However, they offer a lot of choices to the tofu stew, from beef to chicken to seafood to mushroom to miso. Everything has tofu in it. You can also alter the level of heat, although I have tried the spiciest and it isn't that bad if you are used to eating spicy food. Your choice of rice, white, brown or multigrain. The tofu is always silky smooth. You also get a raw egg to crack into your stew. I know this grosses people out, but I love it. It adds a little creaminess to the stew. I have eaten it a dozen times and not gotten sick. The combination of rice and stew is great. I leave full but not full of self-hatred like I do after eating at Taco Bell or something. This is definitely comfort food without the guilt and also good for the winter months I like that they offer banchan - little side dishes - alongside the meal. You can always ask for more of a certain dish without feeling bad. And that's free. Chopsticks are for the banchan while the spoon is for the stew and rice. Just put a little rice on your spoon and a little stew and eat it. I don't think it really makes good leftovers, but you can take it home with you if you don't finish it. Sometimes the owner's kid is around, which adds to the homey feel. Once it walked up to my sister and offered her a Koala Yummy. Cute. Overall, for ten bucks it's a nice lunch. Not cheap enough for eating everyday, but then again, why are you eating out for lunch everyday? For something healthy AND hearty, Tofu Village is a great choice. Just make sure to mix the egg in your stew!
(4)Eric Y.
I've been here a few times, and i've been to the one in schamburg a number of times. Overall, if you want the real thing....go to schamburg. This tofu villiage just doesnt do it. The rice comes in a small container and not in a stone bowl like in schamburg. I think that since the new owners came in the amount that you get isnt as much as it use to be. Go to schamburg!!
(2)J V.
I am not an expert on Korean food nor am I fan of tofu. I remember eating at tofu village about 2-3 years ago and thought it was overpriced and bland. I have been humbled, surprised and amazed in my last couple of visits here. EVERYTHING and I mean everything I was served was fresh and out of this world. There are very few places I've eaten at where not only did I really enjoy the food but I also enjoyed the experience. You get your money's worth here if not more. Side dishes are explained and some dishes are done table side. There's care and love in every dish and I have tasted it in the last couple of dishes I have had. Service is great and the pricing is just right. Three tips of advice: 1. Make time to eat here. Service is quick but with all the side dishes you will need a good chunk of time to enjoy everything. 2. The heat/spiciness starts off pretty good. Go with what is recommended asking for extra spicy could be too much (they can make it mild to atomic) 3. TRY ALL THE SIDE DISHES (its fresh and you may find yourself craving more). Take an adventure and give this place a shot I promise you will not be disappointed. Cant wait to go back with friends and family. The area needs more gems like this.
(5)Xander S.
WARNING: Different ownership, different food. This is NOT a Korean restaturant. Let me say this first, so one doesn't think I'm a racist Asian: the new owners are very friendly; they're Chinese, as opposed to the originally Korean owners, and they've made great attempts to learn a decent amount of Korean. Too bad that this cultural education it didn't extend into the preparation of Korean food. Whether it's a deliberate mashup of Chinese and Korean, I'm not sure; but let me tell you it's beyond disappointing: it's just bad. I was almost angry at how they're attempting to masquerade as a Korean restaurant, and I pity any person who comes here expecting Korean food. My family used to frequent this place in years past as it was one of the few Korean restaurants around Naperville. The previous owners were friendly, the food authentic, and was always satisfying. So you can imagine what disappointment I had when I brought by girlfriend here with the expectation of eating yummy Korean food. It's really not. I ordered extra spicy soon dubu soup, which is always my goto meal at Korean restaurants. If you get the right ingredients, it should be impossibly hard to screw up... The first moment I noticed something was wasn't right was with the banchan; they were curiously not-banchan like, and each tasted somewhat sour and distinctly of too much oil or soy sauce. The kimchi was bad (a red flag for any Korean place) like they'd been washed in water and dressed again in some odd non-Korean spice before serving. It tasted more like washed cabbage with chili sauce. After this, I became apprehensive about the main course; unfortunately, my fears were confirmed when I received a yellowish brown soup. Let me go into the details of what *not* to do with soon dubu: Despite being served in a stone bowl, the soup was lukewarm. Soon dubu is supposed to be bubby hot, so you can put the egg in after serving. It wasn't, and like all the other views suggest, the egg ended up staying in a half-raw state. Also, I don't know if the owners have ever been to a Korean restaurant, but soon dubu is *not* a teriyaki dish. It's not supposed to be sweet and sour. But that's what they served. The beef was tough and chewy, and tasted distinctly of teriyaki; and there were splotches of brown. Also, the broth itself was sour. Finally, the tofu was hard, and looked like it had been dumped in at the last minute. Not "soon dubu" (soft tofu) at all. The owners must have noticed that I clearly wasn't going to finish my food, so they offered to pack it up. Maybe I should have said no, so that the message was more clear, but I already felt bad for them; for they clearly did not know what they were doing. I paid for the food, and walked out, still hungry, but having lost my appetite. Lesson learned: I love Chinese food cooked the right way, but Korean food is not meant to be cooked in this odd Chinese style. Based on other reviews, it seems the name is changing to Wei's Kitchen, but still making "Korean" food. Well, at least expectations can be more clear to passerby. Hopefully, these folks will learn too.
(1)Fletcher O.
My wife and I went to Tofu Village for lunch today we got the following; The pork pot-stickers (which were HUGE and really tasty) The Squid Bibimbap which was tender and very fresh and a huge portion. We got so many sides that the table was filled with wonderful things to compliment the meal that we were so stuffed! The owner, Judy and our waitress, Mina, did such a wonderful job explaining what everything was and kept bringing out more and more food. My wife and I have never had such a wonderful experience at a restaurant before as they did whatever they could do to make us feel welcome and wowed and they did a wonderful job!
(5)Dean P.
*DISCLAIMER* the restaurant had just changed ownership 10 days ago. It is no longer being run by korean people, but chinese people as stated by the owner. ok so i read the reviews on yelp before going here. I tried not to hype myself up for this place since being in the midwest i'm not expecting the best korean food. But man, how off from the reviews was this restaurant. We arrive at the restaurant around 7 pm on a saturday and we were seated right away. The wait staff was very nice and accommodated for our large group. We order our food and wait. and wait. and wait. Usually at a soon doo boo/tofu soup restaurant you don't wait very long for the food but we assumed it might be from our large group. We finally get our meal but we notice that none of our bowls were bubbling at all...I didn't know how they expected us to put our egg in there. Also for my bowl not being hot, it was also burned on the bottom. Terrible! After everyone gets their soups we ask if we can have rice, and they inform us that they ran out and its gonna be another 20 mins before rice is ready. That is just unheard of really. its like a sandwich shop running out of bread. They ownership did try to remedy the situation by giving us 20% off and bringing our jap chae (korean noodles) on the house. Unfortunately the jap chae wasnt really jap chae so i was again disappointed. I understand that they did just change ownership but still very lacking. The ownership also informed us that they will be changing the menu to more of a fusion asian restaurant adding thai and chinese dishes to the menu. If it were not for the really friendly staff there, this review should be a 1-star rating.
(2)David E.
Good customer service. Big portions and lots of sides. I would definitely come back.
(5)Jaz P.
I love that this place is open until 11pm on the weekdays, especially since the foodcourt at HMart closes at 9pm, and you're otherwise stranded. Owners are nice and speak English. Kimchi with beef tofu soup is recommended. They are generous with the side dishes, even when you order to go.
(4)Angel W.
Price went up $2 for lunch and $3 for dinner...portion shrinks down. Not as good as before. I am used to go twice a week. I will never go back again.
(2)Jan W.
Good service, they keep coming back to ask if you needed more of the side dishes. Very generous in this respect. I ordered the Mushroom Tofu soup and found it was OK. Tasted like a bunch of different sauces comes together. One of us ordered a hot beef Tofu soup and it was really hot. The side dishes was great. The french fries and onion ring were not that good.
(3)Katherine C.
Under the new management, I honestly felt Chodang became much MUCH better in terms of taste and service. One thing for sure, the kimchee tastes much better (not as sour as before). Also, they always make sure their food is always fresh and made from scratch on that day. I remembered asking one day for the preserved squid (that they would usually serve in the beginning), and the waiter/owner said that because the squid supply was not fresh they chose to diversify and gave us an alternative dish (which tasted just as good- if not better). That's what I like about this shop - they never say No, and if they don't have it, they will offer something else at no extra cost. How cool is that? My favorite is the hot tofu soup over there. Because I have a thing against not-fully-cooked eggs, I would request for my egg to be cooked in the soup before being served. Usually the guests will need to break in the egg themselves (Korean tradition) but if you're like me, you can always make a request. All in all, I've been very happy with my visits at Chodang and I know they will get better and better.
(5)Celestina P.
I have never been to a korean restaurant that taste worst than this. The minute I walked in I was greeted by two Chinese people that appeared to be the owners. That didn't bother me. It doesn't matter who owns the restaurant as long as the food taste authentic. The side dishes were poorly made (Kimchi was distasteful). The spicy dwegi bulgogi was bland and not spicy, and the galbi came out with just a few pieces. The food is also expensive for the portion sizes. The service was poor. We ran out of water early on and had to request it after we were done eating because no one came to check on us. When I requested some water the lady said, "you pay first." You got to be kidding me. Honestly, I was so disappointed with the food and service, I don't think I will ever give this place a second shot.
(1)Tammy L.
I work in Naperville, and this is one of my favorite places for lunch. I always stick with their specialty--a tofu soup, most often the mushroom one. The rice with 8 beans is delicious, and the side dishes are awesome too. I think they might make their own kimchee, which is pretty awesome. It can be a little bit slow, but so good on a cold day. It's very filling too! Tofu Village is a hidden gem, in my opinion.
(5)Luan N.
I ordered a beef tofu soup with regular spiciness and there just wasn't enough heat to it. I thought the tofu was great, creamy and silky. However, I felt there was just too much tofu and it took an edge off the spiciness of the broth. Maybe next time I'll try the Mount Prospect location.
(3)Daniel Y.
For a Korean restaurant in the burbs, Chodang offers a big enough menu of food to satisfy your stomach. It doesn't have all the Korean food you want, but does offer some of the favorites such as mandu, kimchi chigae, bulgogi, and more. This place excels with its soups, which is a treat in the winter time. In terms of price, it's actually very reasonable... after tax and tip, you can get away with not spending over $10, which is a deal considering most Korean food is over $15 for one dish.
(4)Trevor S.
Not even close. Certainly not Korean.
(1)Bonnie L.
They changed owners. NoooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOoooooOOOO!!!!!!! On the plus side, you get alot more side dishes. And they're good too! But the star of the restaurant, the soondubu, is not what it used to be. Or supposed to be. The broth tasted off, did not come out bubbly hot, and I think they pre-cooked poached eggs and put it in for you. Huh? The tofu...oh the lovely soft and silky tofu of yesterday. Gone. Replaced by some firmer version. And was it me or did the tofu taste slightly tangy? I didn't want to appear difficult in front of the people who I was with but on the inside, I was praying a little Chodang prayer...oh God please don't let me get sick from bad tofu (I didn't btw). At least the owners are friendly.
(2)KW L.
We were out in the suburbs and decided we were in the mood for a nice warm bowl of soon tofu on a cold winter afternoon. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and is relatively easy to find. We were greeted warmly at the door. The menu is relatively small and straightforward. This is a specialty restaurant in soon tofu, so if you are looking for something other than that this may not be the korean restaurant you are looking for. They do bring out a nice variety of banchan and the soon tofu was seasoned well, filling, and satisfying. It warmed us up for the winter afternoon we were about to spend outside.
(4)Emily K.
We came here expecting old Cho Dang, and were surprised about the new ownership. Still, we had a very nice experience here today. Korean food is usually a pretty good bang for the buck, and this was no exception. A lot of side dishes were brought out, and many of them were quite good - extra points since I want to introduce a wide variety of foods to my 3 year old, who especially enjoyed the bean sprouts and kimchi. My bibimbap was good, everything really fresh. Because so much of the meal is vegetables, I could eat a lot and feel pretty good afterwards. Also, great friendly service - this is something not always found at Korean restaurants. If I lived nearby, I would come here all the time.
(4)Karl S.
As others have remarked Tofu Village is a good place for modestly-priced Korean dishes. The usual sides were very good. We had the beef and the seafood tofu soups. Another person in the group had chicken bulgogi. Service was very good. They refilled the side dishes. The folks working there were nice and accommodating. We will return.
(4)Vincent S.
I'm excited to come back to this place for another experience. I had the spicy kimchi tofu soup which was served boiling hot in a stone bowl. They give you an egg to crack into your boiling soup which cooked the egg and cooled the soup down; very nice. While your meal is cooking, they serve you a bowl of rice with a platter of vegetables, kimchi, sprouts, and these delicious beans. It's a very light and fun appetizer that doesn't spoil the main course at all. The service was fine and very friendly. It was completely empty in there on a Friday night. I imagine the name may be misleading as if all they serve is Tofu. All of their dishes have plenty of substance if you were to cut the tofu. There may be a draft in there as they had some heat fans going. Didn't bother me.
(4)Tina C.
This is a very good Korean restaurant. I've just moved to the Western suburbs and am glad I found it! Food is tasty and freshly prepared. Service is very attentive and friendly. Restaurant is clean and sunny during the day. Location is very convenient next to H Mart. I'm Korean and have eaten many times at NY/Queens/NJ and Chicago Koreatowns and this place measures up!
(5)Jesse K.
The food was fresh and flavorful, the service was warm and friendly, and we enjoyed the multitude of tasty sides. The owners came out after our meal to ask how we enjoyed the food, what our favorites were, and to thank us for stopping in. I've been to many Asian restaurants with as good or better food, but the service was always lacking - the personal attention really made all the difference - we plan to go back again soon!
(5)George K.
I would give this place a 5, but the service was a bit slow. Food was delicious and banchan was on point.
(4)Barry F.
First off sort reviews by date and you will see when the new owners took over and a marked difference in the number of stars since the new owners took over. We had dinner here with a few friends and this place is a keeper. The food just keeps on coming, the people are so welcoming and friendly. Many relishes and side dishes all well seasoned with differing flavors. We liked most of them and they just keep coming. I had the beef bulgogi which was a touch under seasoned, but still yummy. My wife had the short ribs and OMG these were sooooo good. Several people had the stone bowl soups vegetarian style and said they were good. Just when we thought we couldn't eat another bit they brought out desert. A cream and red velvet cake combo? Then a red bean dish which had a flavor we didn't like. All in all we I ate way to much because it was so good. Seems to be a mom and pop place, and we will be back many times. I highly recommend this place!
(4)Eunkyung K.
Quick and friendly service. It is a nice introduction to the world of Korean food. I highly recommend this place for any occasions, especially a quick lunch between work. I have not been there for dinner so I am not sure about their dinner service.
(4)G S.
I have to agree with everyone's assessment that this place is consistently good and has very little competition. In addition, the nutritional value of the food compared to the price is actually a pretty good bargain. Paying a couple dollars more than getting a typical fast food meal lands you tofu soup with a lot of vegatable sides. I will say that this Korean restaurant does not attempt to do anything more than keep it simple and keep it mostly tofu. In that respect, they do a really good job. This place screams healthy and for the most part I think it is. It is a high protein and vegetable menu with very carb lite friendly options (such as brown rice) The staff is very nice and patient. In these recessionary times, it's a good place for a nutritious meal at a reasonable price.
(4)Q L.
It's been a year since I've eaten at this restaurant. I was so excited when I found out I would be working in Napervile. At least I could find some decent Korean food. I've read the poor reviews and thought it couldn't possibly happen to me. But the soup wasn't boiling when it came out so the egg just kinda of sat there raw. The meat was so tough. Maybe it the way the cut it but I spit out alot of pieces since I just couldn't chew them. $26 lunch and couldn't even eat it.
(2)Jojo F.
Two visits in one week for the same dish has made Chodang Tofu Village in Naperville a reason to yet plan another visit in the near future. I had the Tofu Soup, which sounds pretty simple, right? Yeah. Your choice of drink? Tea. Warm, earthy tea. Next, you are first served a bland rice broth, a custom way of warming your stomach, as I was told. Next, some pickled garnishes were brought out, followed by mini plates of more pickled veggies, spicy greens, sprouts, cabbage and small, tasty beans. Then a plate with a raw egg. Then, about 2 minutes later, a boiling plate of tofu soup was brought out. I mean, it's sizzling fajita plate-style. We are encouraged to crack our egg into the boiling plate of soup and add whatever fixings we wish. I went to town, cracking my egg, swishing in the cabbage, sprouts and beans, watching the party of food form before my eyes. For a meal under $10, definitely try Tofu Village.
(4)Mike T.
Just reading other reviews that this place is under different ownership. I went a couple of years ago and it has great Korean tofu soup. I wonder if it will be open on Sundays from now on? I do want to go back and have some seafood soup again. I recall that they had a good appetizer menu where we ordered a beef/asparagus dish that was good. The location is nice, being next to Hmart, in order to go shopping for food after a quick meal.
(4)JR W.
3.5 stars this place is going to get some competition from the new cafe court in H-mart next door. they do put in plenty of seafood for the seafood soondubu, but somehow the flavor seems a little lacking compared to others i've had. still decent though, and the service is very nice. when the waitress was busy attending a table, one of the chefs came out to seat us. our barley teas were also monitored attentively.
(3)Jeff C.
The best thing about this place is that it's average...with no competition (right now) it's doing fine, but I really wonder where it'd stand if there were a couple more tofu joints. The menu is slim, and it's mainly about the tofu soup choices. The side dishes are plentiful. Kalbi is a good choice as well. Things that bother me: Very rarely do they have all 3 rice choices available, we dined for dinner one saturday (early) evening, and there as only brown rice left (usually it's white, brown, or multigrain). I know, I know, it sounds snobby, but come on, how hard is rice to cook? Also, the tofu most of the time comes out with soup only filled 2/3rds the way up the bowl. They've got one table in the back that can probably accommodate 8-10. Unless it's busy, other tables are combinable, but overall the place probably seats 35-45 max. Service is slow once the restaurant is over half full.
(3)Private I.
This place is great! It sounds like the new owner is going to change the restaurant's name, soon. We've been amazed at the amount of food served. The mains on their own are in enormous portions, and then all of the little plates come out too and take over the table. We've ended up wasting a lot of what gets served because we just can't eat it all, and the radishy things in the banchan are not our favs. One of the best things is that the food's got a lot of spices and they can make it waaaay hot if that's what you want. A nice, smoldering, red colour, and with so much flavour! The mains we like the most so far are yuk-gae-jang (apologies for my spelling errors) and chicken bulgogi; the sides are the sweet bean thing at the end, the duk boh kee, and the jap chae; and we also enjoy that simple, white rice that they bring to the table in steel bowls. The barley tea is deelish and so earthy. Its warmth is always nice throughout our meals. The service couldn't be more polite, friendly, and prompt. I've been especially moved by the older folks in the kitchen who always smile and tell us such a big welcome. We've never had trouble seating all in our party together, and the seating itself is comfortable. There's a ton of free parking in front because this Korean restaurant is in a strip mall with an H-Mart. Prices are more than reasonable for a very high quality of food and drink. We're big fans of this place, whatever it will be called after Tofu Village.
(5)Nelson S.
I really like this place and hope that with the power of Yelp, many more people will come here. I love this place for the stone bowl soups. I usually get the kimchee & beef tofu soup or the seafood and it's sooo yummy. Nothing better than a cold day where I can come in and have some soup. The soup is served with several little side dishes like kimchee, spouts, and salad and the raw egg is for the soup. I think it adds a richness to the soups, your choice if you want to add it. This place is clean and simple. The menu is not extensive but it is good. Prices here are very reasonable and you won't leave hungry.
(4)Sarah C.
Tofu Village is awesome. There may not be many things on the menu, but the food is simple and delicious. And, they also give you about five little side dishes no matter what you order. It is like having your korean grandmother make you a home cooked meal. And the prices are really reasonable, and leftovers make a nice snack the next day. Just remember they're not open on Sundays.
(5)Argwen C.
The issue with this place is that they don't have a consistent food quality. Some days are good, some days are bad. I've been there at least ten times since last year. Mostly I would have the tofu soup with beef with seafood pancake. The quality of the soup broth seems to decline, and last time we had a disappointing seafood pancake. Their seafood pancake was pretty OK, not supre outstanding, but pretty standard. However, lately, it just didn't taste right. I do like their service though. They also "refill" the sidedishes as we request without a blink, and would nicely introduce the dishes if they are new.
(3)Nari H.
I won't repeat what's already been said, but it's a favorite with me and a couple of my korean girlfriends. i'm actually not a big soonduboo fan (it's a crime i know) so i always get the other dishes, but they're just as good, albiet perhaps pricey? but i do appreciate the fact that they sometimes let me get one of the kids meals if i'm not too hungry. their side dishes are also very good.
(4)Mark S.
The cuisine here is Korean, and as the name would suggest, about half the dishes feature some form of tofu. However, "tofu" does NOT imply "vegetarian"; though there are excellent vegetarian choices, there are also a variety of meat and seafood dishes. My son fancies both tofu and mushrooms, so he of course got the "Mushroom Tofu Soup". It arrived literally boiling, and he didn't want to put the egg in it, so he had to wait quite a while until it had cooled enough to eat. Otherwise he enjoyed it. I had the "Salad Noodles" and found the "house sauce" not excessively sweet and very tasty. Our dinners came with the traditional Korean sides of kimchee, sprouts, radishes, soybeans in a sort of carmalized sauce, etc. The setting is not fancy, but it's attractive and clean and holds roughly 50 people. It's in Ogden Mall midway between the theaters and the gelato place. You take it from there. If you go to their website, you may encounter some character set issues, but if you click on "Menu" at the very top, you will see a complete readable menu including photos. I also took away a paper menu and there was a "10% off next visit" coupon on the back. They take Visa and MasterCard but not Discover.
(4)Eric F.
This place is a gem! Excellent Korean food, which is really hard to come by in the suburbs. The restaurant is located next to the big H-Mart/H-Plaza on Ogden, which sells a variety of Asian foods and wares. It's a modest little place, but very clean and bright, sort of like the food. We ordered beef-wrapped asparagus rolls, which were by far the most delicious Korean food item I have ever had. It came with a sweet sesame mustard sauce which complimented the natural flavors of the beef and vegetables very well. We also had vegetable dumpling tofu soup, which could have been spicier, but was still delicious. The tofu was warm and soft, and the soup easily balanced with the various kimchi and vegetable dishes served with the entree. Finally, we ordered Korean style BBQ ribs, which were $15.00, and while they were tasty, were not worth the price. Not only was the size of the entree a let-down, but the meat around the bone was a little fatty. The lean meat served off the bone was good, but again, not worth the price tag. We met the new owner and he was very gracious and friendly. He told us he planned on expanding the menu, including some Thai and Chinese-inspired meals over the coming weeks and months. Just another reason to return, because the menu was a little sparse. I recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Korean, and if you haven't had Korean before, this would be a good place to start. The asparagus rolls are reason enough for me to return any time I'm in the area. The good: Nice, clean, bright decor, friendly/attentivestaff, delicious, healthy, flavorful food. The bad: Menu is a bit sparse, pricing didn't make sense on a few of the dishes (I should note that these issues were mentioned to the owner and he said they were planning on fixing them very soon).
(4)J J.
If you are a big fan of tofu and egg...this is the right place! -Fresh ingredients -welcoming service -relaxing environment - $ but with lots of foods!
(5)Jeanne L.
In terms of taste, this is the best soondooboo (Korean tofu soup) I have ever had. Most Korean restaurants don't get the taste right the way they do, and Chinese restaurants aren't even close. It's a tad pricier (for Tofu soup), even than California, but you get pretty big portions, and the brown rice with millet seed is fantastic. They give you many side dishes too (pickles, kimchee, peanuts, salad, jellyfish, etc etc) and it's all a great combination. Their barley tea is good too (free)! Anyway, in the Naperville/Lisle/Aurora area this is the best soondooboo you can get.
(4)