So Kong Dong Tofu & BBQ

Delicious and you can add more spice if you’d like. The banchan was great as well. We both got the seafood soon tofu and beef on the side - everything was flavored and seasoned well. Would def go back!

For authentic Korean cuisine in Portland, head to Southeast. Sokongdon serves classic, home-style Korean dishes with warm, welcoming service. It's the kind of place where Korean food is both served by and enjoyed by Korean people—always a good sign. The flavors are comforting, the atmosphere is inviting, and there's plenty of parking. Stop by and enjoy a truly satisfying meal.

The rice served with the soft tofu stew is cooked in a stone pot. After scooping out the rice and eating it, hot water is poured into the empty pot to create *sungnyung*—a warm scorched rice drink. When rice is cooked in a pot, the crispy, stuck layer at the bottom is called *nurungji*, and soaking this in water produces the soothing drink known as *sungnyung*. That’s why I visited this place, but the seasoning of the soft tofu stew wasn’t quite right, so I asked for it to be adjusted. The rice was a bit sticky, almost like a cake, but I didn’t mention it and just ate it as it was. The server was incredibly kind, so I quickly finished my meal and left, thinking such things can happen occasionally. Overall, the atmosphere made me think it’s a place where locals come to enjoy barbecue and other Korean dishes. It’s a spot I’d recommend.

I've been coming to this restaurant for the past 2-3 years. The food is amazing, i love it, my family loves it. Theres tons of options from the menu. My go-to would be a meal combo included with a meat tray to cook. it's on the expensive side tho. Seafood pancake is a must. Overall, super delicious, filling, with lots of variety, and lots of sides. They used to not charge you on refills for salads and sides, kinda sad about that now. It also depends on who's serving you, because some may be more generous than others. It gets incredibly crowded around dinner time. If you're in there for a long time, the smell can stick onto your clothing, and you'll end up smelling like meat after. It's no biggie. Just come prepared wearing a hat or whatever you're comfortable with. This restaurant is for anyone, including vegetarians. Solid choice for korean bbq 👍.

It’s a nice Korean restaurant in a not very nice area 😂 but the food was top tier! We ordered bulgogi and ox bone soup they tasted delicious! The server was very nice even tho she’s on her own deal with all the tables but she worked really really hard

I love this place, i go every time I'm in or near Portland, but it has gotten a little spendier. Their portions are large so probably priced reasonably, i just wished they offered half orders, because they have so many good dishes it is hard to settle on 2 or 3, we like to try 3-4 dishes and that is just too much food for 2 people. My recommendation is bring a family and everyone can have 1 dish they can share with the others.

So we have gone here several times but this last time was 3 weeks ago and we were disappointed we got the spicy pork and we went at 11;30am during the week and the pork was small pieces and on the dry side it went up in price to $25.00 it went up $5.00 from 2 months ago. We got 2 of them. And the customer service went down to she served the food and never checked on us. And we had to call her over to get our check. My daughter said she didn’t deserve a tip but I still gave her one. But we definitely will not be going back and we will be looking for a new korean restaurant.

This is Korean food the way it should be done! Large portions, authentic in every way, and sides with every order that makes for a unique experience with every bite. I had the stone pot beef bibimbap, and what a great experience. The bowl is lined with sticky rice that is baking to the bowl, so as you pull some free to eat with the ingredients in the bowl, you experience multiple textures and flavors. You will want to add a little of each side dish to each main dish bite, resulting what tastes like a different dish with every bite. The staff were very friendly, and can answer any questions you may have. I ate there for lunch, and I won't need to eat dinner, the portions are very large. This is my new favorite Korean restaurant, and I'm happy to drive across town for the quality.

5 star experience all around!! It's a typical Korean bbq joint, with all the amazing meat smells wafting in the air. Came here for my husband's birthday dinner, his father and wife, and my brother. It was the first time his father and wife had Korean bbq style and they loved the experience and the high quality taste of meat. We ordered the shared meat platter E which was for 5 people, got 3 appetizers and we were overwhelmed with a ton of food. They have flavored soju in bottles which were delicious. It was all so good!! We all took leftovers home. Let me talk about the customer service, hands down the best service ever received at any Korean bbq restaurant. The staff was incredibly attentive, changed out the bbq halfway through, brought us everything extra we asked for like sauces, napkins and boxes for all the leftovers. They even helped with cooking up the meat as could barely keep up with how much we had. And they were super busy in the restaurant! Definitely making this our go to Korean bbq spot!!

Today I ordered the spicy rice cake (tteokbokki) for the first time. I was hesitant to order because the ratings were low on Postmates. But, I was craving it because I'm homesick these days. I thought it'd be worth the risk since Sokongdong is one of my few go to Korean restaurants in the Portland area. Honestly, I'm so happy I ordered. It's spicy and exactly what I was looking for. Not overly sweet and tastes authentic to me. I enjoyed the banchan selection today. I'm usually happy with it. No complaints. I've ordered the short rib soup several times for delivery and takeout. 91% of the time my order has been flawless. The other 9% was slightly disappointing mostly because of the change in quality but certainly not terrible. I also like their tofu soup. It's in the top 2 of closest quality and taste to what I'm used to from back home in SoCal. However, the quality is a tad bit inconsistent. Might be a better experience for those who dine in. I can't speak on that much since I mostly order delivery. Kalbi is also good but as with most places -- overpriced. In desperation, however, I'm inclined to order to satiate my cravings. 10/10 recommend for your Korean cravings.

Drinks - N/A Food: - The Ox Bone Soup was very good, usually when I get this dish at other restaurants they usually come unseasoned with salt on the side but this came pre-seasoned, and it was seasoned perfectly. The only thing I wished for is maybe different cuts of meat to have in this soup, but it's good as is. - The Steamed & Seasoned Pork Belly was also good. $40 is a steep price, but to be fair it is a large portion. I can eat a lot and I shared this with one other person and we couldn't finish it. The medium was a good size and we have leftovers from it. Ambience: - The space is very large, lots of seating options - This restaurant is built into the same building as Fubonn - Nothing to write home about with the décor, the food speaks for itself Overall: The service was very good, we didn't have to wait long and the food came out at a decent pace. The banchan is good but doesn't quite blow my mind. The meal comes with a probiotic drink at the end (similar to Yakult). It's kind of a hidden gem, I haven't heard much about this place, I kind of randomly stumbled upon it and I'm glad I did. The food is good, the prices are reasonable for the quality. I would definitely like to come back.

I have passed by this place probably a million times when grocery shopping at Fubonn and not only was it until recently that I tried it. The Korean restaurant is located at the front, outside portion of the supermarket mall and has a big sign for you to notice it! Inside, there's plenty of tables, and you can either order specific dishes or BBQ. I've come here twice now and every time the service has been amazing, and the food has been delicious. I love the banchan here too! Although they have a lot of other similar dishes to many Korean restaurants in the area (and do it just as well), one of my favorite dishes that is often difficult to find in Portland is samgyetang--and they have it here! It is the perfect soup for when you are feeling under the weather and is so good. I highly recommend this spot.

This is definitely my new favorite Korean BBQ place. There might be some of you concerned that it's in a strip mall, but maybe you should give it a try. The staff is super friendly! They even took a reservation over the phone for my birthday. The restaurant has a front area with a few tables and a space near the rear with some very large tables with grills. This is a perfect spot to take a group of 6-8, or even 10-12 people. We ordered the set meal for the group and it was plenty of food and options. The ban chan (side dishes) were a little better than other places I've tried. The potatoes were my favorite! You can ask for more of these. Get some beer and soju shots to wash it down, strawberry best. I love that they will change your grill when needed! This is a classic Korean experience even with some KPop on TV. They went above and beyond to bring a few complimentary additions. I will definitely be back! Thanks for a great birthday dinner!

It's now our second time here because the food is so good here. Their seafood pancake is amazing, crispy and loaded with seafood. Their full size galbi comes with a lot of protein. My husband loves the rice cake and mando soup here, the broth is so comforting. Their banchan also changes so this time we got some hotdog. The potato banchan is soo good too. Can't wait to come back.

Visiting PDX and had a nice dinner here with my daughter, who loves K bbq. We tried the brisket, bulgogi, pork belly combo and it was delicious. The provided a good portion of meat along with a nice variety of ban chan. The soondubu (tofu) soup served with dinner was outstanding. The server was kind and very pleasant and the atmosphere was very pleasant. This place was great. Solid 4.5 stars.

My boyfriend said he's been coming here for years. The portions are the perfect amount of food. I love how there is options to grill Korean bbq. We were craving something soupy. We opted for the bulgogi & curry combo. The curry soup is a must try! I never had it any where else. The staff are super friendly and always refilled my banchan. I would definitely come back.

My favorite Korean restaurant on the east side! I've tried many but always come back to this spot. The place seems a bit small, but they have more seats in the back towards the restrooms. The staff are kind and attentive, very quick at bringing over your orders and refilling water without needing to ask. I've tried their KBBQ a few times, but I personally prefer ordering their dishes. Their seafood pancake is the best I've ever had, it's always crispy and has an abundant amount of seafood to batter ratio. It isn't oily either which is a huge plus. I also love the tteokboki and beef tartare. Can never go wrong with the galbi as well. Overall, will always come here when craving Korean food!

i've always seen this restaurant but i never visited until today. i think this is one of my fav korean places in portland. i love that they have bossam because i feel like most places in portland don't. the boss am was definitely my favorite dish. the seafood pancake was super crispy and had so much filling compared to the other ones i've tried. the soondubu also had a ton of tofu. i just love how this place has such filling foods. the workers were super kind to us. this restaurant is fairly large and they also offer korean barbecue. i enjoyed my experience here and i will definitely come back if im ever craving korean food!

Sokongdong...so long gone. I got to eat the beef tofu soup and bulgogi combination and also got a taste of the oxtail soup. Korean soup/stew is the distinctive factor for good korean food. This establishment highlights that it is a tofu and bbq spot. Thus, the tofu soup was lacking. The flavor was weak and watery. I need the soup to be hot, potent, and savory. Furthermore, the bulgogi came out kind of lukewarm. That bulgogi needs to come out so hot that it's steaming and the onions underneath it is carmelizing. In this way, this dish failed. The oxtail soup had a similar problem as the tofu soup. It needs more flavor and strength. This soup had weak ox tail. The side dishes were decent, but not amazing. I'm happy to bear with the mediocre side dish because it's not the main event. I did appreciate the yogurt drink at the end. It helped end this meal on a good note. However, I would caution anyone for a pricey meal with lacking taste. I would give it a solid 2.5, but rounded down because the main entrees were not hitting the spot.

sokongdong has a lot of potential but unfortunately due to their staffing shortage, the service was extremely slow. it took 30 mins for the first dish to come out. generous portions and flavorful dishes. i really enjoyed the Seafood Sizzling Stone Pot BIbimbap! it was the perfect combo of sweet and salty.

Sokongdong is one of the OG Korean restaurants in Portland. I have gotten to see this restaurant through the years and I have to say that their decor now is probably the best. They have a modern fresh take on what they have always been. Their soondooboo or galbi tang are what I always get. Absolutely some of the best Korean food in the area. Service can be hit or miss but that's typically if they are busy. Which most nights, they are busy.

A surprisingly spacious and modern Korean restaurant in the building of Fubonn supermarket. The place has a few tables dedicated for KBBQ with grills and vents and a few tables for regular dining. It's pretty empty late afternoon on a weekday. We ordered a Bibim Naengmyeon which is a cold spicy buckwheat noodles and a Squid Stirfry. Food took a bit of time eventhough it's just us but other than that service was friendly. Right off the bat, we noticed that they're pretty skimpy on their rice that came with the stirfry. The banchans also lacked diversity, mainly kimchi -- no offer to refill either. The two dishes were vastly different in quality. The Bibim Naengmyeon was amazing to me. Delicious broth, flavorful sauce, and chewy noodles. Everything I could have asked for on a hot day. On the other hand, we've tried a lot of the Squid Stirfry at many Korean places and theirs was definitely not the best...It lacked the stirfry char, actually looked like they might have made it way before hand and just microwaved it which is a big shame. The stirfry also mainly had veggies, not a lot of squid. Pretty mixed thoughts on the dishes but all in all not bad. Would be down to come check them out again, just need to know what to order I guess.

My favorite place for authentic Korean food when on East side. Stopped by after hiking at the Columbus gorge. Had bulgogi, seafood tofu stew, and small seafood pancake. It wasn't busy so service was excellent as well. Also there rice comes out in individual hot stone bowl, and low the bottom crispy rice

Pretty great KBbq options. We got a set menu with four kinds of meat and a stew (plus the banchans). We added a dolsot bibimbop. For four, it was a good amount of good. Service was good, and she refilled one Banchan with a smile. We will be back.

Our go to restaurant for great Korean food. Excellent BBQ and always great on standbys like Bibimbap and Tofu soup. Seafood pancake is really outstanding.

It has been a few years since I last stopped by here. There is a lot of parking since it's in to a shopping mall. I wanted some soup and saw that they had galbitang also known as short rib soup. I was definitely impressed, when I came for the soup they had a special $17.95 for lunch instead of the typical $20.95. The soup came out boiling and very hot. There was a good amount of short ribs, and fall of the bone tender. There was a dipping sauce for it too, had a hint of mustard in it with some soy, jalapeño and onion. Inside the soup they also had a good portion of glass noodles which were great. The soup was also topped with green onions. The soup broth itself was packed full of flavor. I will definitely be coming back here for their galbitang. The banchan's they had were good as well, I especially liked their sweet potato and their fish cake banchan. At the end of the meal, I was served a yakult like drink which is to help clear your system after eating the food. The service was good, they take your order, bring the food and you eat and they bring you a check. If you need anything you can ask the server for it.

went there with two other people and it was great! the girl who helped us was nice, she recommended me a way to cook the meats while my friends were away. the meats were delicious, the rice was warm and tasted good. the sauces they included added a pretty good flavor; they give you small sides like broccoli, radish and kimchi to go along with. we also ordered some gyoza which was pretty tasty, the tempura wasn't my favorite i feel it was a little too soft. as it was near the end of the night we were the only ones there but they had good music playing in the background which we vibed to while we didn't have anything to talk about. we didnt get to finish everything but they do have to go boxes which was neat lol. overall it was a great experience and the service was awesome, and i would definitely go back.

Probably my favorite sit down Korean restaurant in Portland. Their food is always top notch! Favorites include kalbi short ribs, bulgogi, spicy pork, and japchae. Their seafood pancake is pretty good too! They're always generous with side dishes and also play kpop music videos in the back (shout to ARMYYY!). I think mainly they can just improve on the service. Some of the waitresses are great but there's a couple in particular who are pretty slow & don't check on us often enough. I also don't love their kbbq here; we go here only for sit down Korean food. If you want to bbq, i prefer Ktown or kkoki. Prices are also typical, not on the high or low end

You go to Tofu Soup restaurant and why order different dishes? Well, sometimes, I want to try other dishes also. I assume that their main Tofu dishes must be good? I ordered a Soy Bean soup and a grilled Mackerel. The Mackerel was good. But, I did not like the Soy Bean Soup because they used vegetables and other ingredients that are not common in the original recipe. Then again, you are supposed to order Tofu dishes at the Tofu restaurant so it is my fault. What I did not like about this place was the side dishes. They provide 3 side dishes and they were too little and did not complement the main dishes.

I really would give 5 starts. One thing that's missing is their service. We've gone there several times but seems like there is only one that's nice and would give a good service. She looks quite young, long hair with glasses on. She is very nice. Other ladies are pretty rude. Upper in age, not that it matters but they served us like they don't give a xxxx. They don't smile. They also make annoyed faces when they are asked for something even it's simple to-go box, or check. Otherwise their food is so good we highly recommend!

Ehhh...I really wanted to like this place. Did it satisfy my tofu craving? Barely. Not too many people near closing on a Friday night. For a dinner tofu/bulgogi combo at almost $30, I was expecting more. My tofu tasted great, but literally only had 2 pieces of small shrimp and 1 mussel. Bulgogi could have toned it down on the onion, but great portions and flavor. Our sides were only 3 items; okay tasting kimchi, beansprouts, and some pickled cucumber. All which I ate in like 2 bites. Definitely could have asked for me, but didn't bother. It didn't come with rice or at least not initially, so we had to ask. We definitely were the last party to arrive so maybe they were just over us at that point.

So good! Ordered the seafood pancake and the bibimbap + soondubu combo meal. My friends ordered the naengmyun and bulgogi too. It was all so delicious. My friends and I ordered for delivery and the food got to us very quickly too

Service ofcourse was great only two server was there during lunch but very efficient and kind. The Menu was simple but very practical. They have Korean bbq on Grill but we order the soon tofu(sizzling hot tofu soup) and the bibimba on a hot stone Bowl too. It was really delicious. reasonable price too. The bathroom was so clean too. I do recommend this place try your Korean food. I would suggest if you are not so fond of spicy better order the mild soon tofu soup because it's react spicy hot . Mild is the play safe side for your taste bud.

The food was fine not amazing. Pretty expensive for not very big portions and they brought the food out cooked. No one in the entire restaurant was cooking at their table so I don't know what is going on at this KBBQ place. Was a little under $100 to way under feed 6 people, about 15 per person. Disappointed to say the least.

no pictures unfortunately. we got a mul naengmyun (korean cold noodle) and a tonkatsu dish to share. the food was okay, at best. nothing to write home about. it was edible and it is "good enough" when options are scarce in portland. the banchan was fine, again nothing to write home about, but they served its purpose. i was concerned to ask for more because it felt like a place that would charge you for more banchan, which is cardinal sin #1 in korean cuisine in my opinion. anyway, food alone would get a 2.5, 3 star rating. the lowered stars is due to the price points! the naengmyun was $17.95 i think and the tonkatsu was like $18.95 or so...? hovering around that "just under $20 mark." that's insane. naengmyun, at most, should hover around the $12.95 mark or so, if even that, for that level of quality. the noodles were not anything special. i was blown away by the prices, and maybe that's just what korean restaurants can get away with in portland because of the market, i don't know. it's too bad, because it's close to my home and there are all the "main" lunch type options to eat there, outside of just the regular meat grilling options.

such sweet staff, my mom really wanted to barbecue but it was just the two of us so we couldn't order the 2 minimum. she went ahead and just allowed us to with our one order of meat anyways. great sudubu as well

I picked our farewell dinner of the beautiful Portland city to be here at Sokongdong Tofu. Good choice, everyone enjoyed eating here. Called ahead to make a reservation and the table was ready when we arrived. The nicest people work here. Sat down and ordered BBQ! From Hawaii and after eating "mainland"food all week it was nice to get some Korean food and rice! We ordered a few plates of the brisket and choice Spencer steaks. Also ask for the oil and salt to dip your cooked meat into it, and ask for lettuce or make a lettuce wrap with rice and ur choice of meat and sauce. The restaurant was clean and it was a nice evening spent with family and friends. A high recommendation.

It's so much fun going to sokongdong. Whenever my friends visit from out of state they want to stop here every time. We always have a great experience and it's something we've been doing for the past 5 years. I only ever get the beef bulgogi haven't really tried anything else however that one thing is delicious and you'll definitely have a good time eating it. The servers are always really nice. You should definitely throw a party here.

All the dishes were on the bland side. I had to add a lot of the bibimbap sauce for my dolsot bibimbap and it became really good. I love the crunchy rice at the bottom. Also, their potato side with honey drizzle was really good. We asked for more. I would not order the soondubu jjigae again. It was really bland, almost like water.

If you want to have an authentic KBBQ, you should go there'! We normally order combo to cover 3-4people plus cold noodles and seafoods pancake! We love their meat jun as well. It's not cheap but we don't want to feel wasting money for junk foods. They are always packed! So you should go early dinner time or lunch. Their restaurant is huge! So please have some patients to get order by waiters/waitresses. (Especially in the dinner time) You won't regret.

This place is a great fix for craving of Korean food. If you like Tofu soup or Korean short rib BBQ, this is a place. I enjoy it much better than other Korean BBQ in town.

They took great care of us. The food was delicious and plentiful. We had a wonderful time.

There are a lot of Korean restaurants to choose from. This place (in my opinion) has been consistent with service, cleanliness, price, and portions. We chose tabletop this time around. Opted for the Combo A which included pork belly, beef bulgogi, beef brisket, dumpling soup and rice bowls. They had eight different banchans that they brought to the table, and were more than happy to refill them if needed. If you're in the area give them a try.

Great food and price. Kimchi could be fermented real ones. Not fermented but more like kimchi salad. They replenished side dishes three times. Tipped generously for the great service, too.

This place is so delicious. Their cold noodles are perfect for a hot summers day. Not only do they have plenty of entrees but if you dine in they also have Korean bbq!

Updating this review because it's the best I can find in Oregon! The service has never been an issue and the food has been quality every time we go. Now if it's your first time, there's a technique to this. Once the soup is delivered, they will give you a raw egg. Immediately crack the egg into the soup. If you like it thick, start stirring immediately. If you like it in the middle of a stew and what it comes served as, let the egg poach on it's own for 30 seconds, then stir lightly. Take the rice from the stone pot and empty it out into the empty metal bowl they gave you, but please leave the crispy edges that are stuck to the stone pot. Have them pour hot tea in the stone pot. Now it's time to eat. When near the end or your meal, start chipping off the crispy rice that's been soaking in the tea. Take your spoon and have a sip with some rice and let all that spice and grease from the BBQ meat wash itself down! A spin to dessert! Enjoy your meal!

Came here after a hike and got their lunch options. Service was great and food was amazing! We felt that price was decent for the amount of food that was given. My boyfriend and I both enjoyed it.

Great service, nice atmosphere, the lava soup was perfect. The bibimbap was highly disappointing. Where's the beef? I guess I'll have to order something else with the soup combo meal next time.

Nice interior, the seafood pancake was really crispy had good service and lots of banchan

Clean, friendly, good menu & TASTY food. Walked in unsure but left impressed. I'm going back to try other menu options but as of today, really enjoyed the mackerel, beef tofu soup, short rib and bulgogi. The bonchon kept coming- not a big variety but still good.

I've gone here several times over the years and the food has always been solid. Their soon tofu with seafood is easily one of the best dishes there. I went again after a couple years hiatus and their food was still good and tasty. I would not say it's my favorite korean restaurant but probably the best near me. Their service was a little slow but the waitresses were all working as fast as they can with a friendly manner. For a Saturday night, it was busy but not crazy. I would say give this place a try if you're looking for some decent korean food in a bright setting. Tables were clean and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Everything was excellent. There are some price differences from the website and the restaurant. Good service, atmosphere and good food. There is a little room for something more. The kimchi assortment is also excellent.

Great Korean food, best I've had on the east side. Good selection of entrees. I can't wait to try something besides the spicy pork lunch combo. Good Ban Chan. Service was good. I'm glad I gave this place a try

October 18, 2020 - it's seems that my last update was 8 years ago for this restaurant. Just a WARNING to those ordering Ox Bone Soup - Take note that it is not ox tail soup and does not contain ic tail. It is ox bone soup BUT does NOT contain ox bone as well. Such a huge disappointment!!

Ordered carry out. Ready on time and hot! Bibibimbap and bulgogi were very good and flavorful! Large portions and really hit the spot! Would order from there again.

While the Korean food competition is getting real tight, Sokongdong has maintained to keep title of the best overall Korean restaurant on the East side of Portland after a recent revamp of the interior. Why would you want to come here for Korean food? Their sundubu / soon du bu (Korean soft tofu) stew is the best in Portland city wide. There are other Korean places that have decent sundubu, but overall, Sokongdong is better. I can't say way better, but better. On top of that, their overall offering of Korean dishes and entrees are better than most of the Korean restaurant on the East side of town.

We enjoyed our food here a lot. We had a group of 8, including some kids. We did the Korean BBQ, and also ordered some other items. My personal favorite was the seafood pancake. It was really, really good. I highly recommend it.