Mapo Gamjatang - Korean Restaurant NorthYork | Pork Bone Soup — Restaurant in Toronto

The ribs were out of this world! But alas, the most disappointing aspect was the soup. We asked if there was a soup with vegetables since my girlfriend isn’t feeling very well and she couldn’t find many in the meat dish (written as a soy base “with vegetables”). Out came the server who we asked if they had a soup with vegetables and which one he recommends. We asked if we could substitute the meat with more vegetables which they agreed to do. The soup (pic 2) was just onions. (Original price $12). We asked if it was possible to add some more vegetables and the manager was certain that there weren’t any other vegetables that we could add. We asked what vegetables they did have and they mentioned carrots. So we asked if they could literally just prepare some raw carrots and bring that instead which we just dropped in the soup (pic 3). They were seriously going to charge us full price for a soup that usually contains the similar ribs to photo 1 but a smaller portion. My gf didn’t feel really comfortable paying full price so they offered us a $2.40 discount. The overall bill with the discount plus a 10% tip for the servers plus one beer was $75 which is pretty pricey. To be honest the soup was a huge disappointment for us. And the fact that we ended up not enjoying it, they refused to take it off our bill so we took the soup home hoping we can modify it and add our own vegetables. It would’ve been great if they understood our concerns or better yet, if the server was aware of what is contained in the soup and had communicated that to us in the first place instead of just mentioning “vegetables” in the soup which was an overstatement. The manager seemed indifferent about the whole situation and just mentioned “next time they’ll try better”. Which in itself was an overstatement since it was easy to tell how he didn’t care at all about the problem. This is the major overall issue in Toronto. If managers in restaurants went out of their way and put just a little effort into the care of the guests instead of treating us as a price tag that brings business (short term) into a restaurant then they’d have a hell of a better reputation. But it seems like a pattern of behaviour for people to be treated as cattle to sit down, eat, and get out that the service of the restaurant is lost. It’s such a shame that I have to cross this one off my list as a place to go back to over such a nuisance since it just goes to show that they don’t want my business again. Pros: ribs. Absolutely amazing. Cons: anything else on their food menu. Especially the soup with...

Gamjatang is one of Korea’s oldest and recognized soups in the world. The heart of the soup comes from the neck and spinal bone parts of the pig with usually one or two potatoes. This results in a very hearty, hot, and often messy eating experience. I’ve had numerous Gamjatang in my life, including ones from South Korea, and I can safely say that Mapo Gamjatang is the best I’ve ever eaten.

I love when I find a specialized Korean restaurant that focuses all their time and energy mastering one type of dish. Mapo Gamjatang has elevated Gamjatang to something people would order as a “hangover” food to a masterclass of Korean cuisine. At the time of review, I have been able to visit this place twice, because I honestly thought my first experience was a fluke and maybe a second tasting would ground my experience. I humbly say this place is truly the real deal and it’s nothing short of amazing.

I ordered the large Gamjatang, while my partner ordered the Soon Tofu Gamjatang. First thing, the presentation is jaw-dropping. It is deserving of an episode of Netflix’s Rhapsody for Gamjatang. The bone pieces are massive with very liberal chunks of tender and juicy meat. If you want to experience every bite, you will need to get your hands messy, but that is part of Gamjatang’s charm. The broth is rich and deep in flavour, just make sure you mix the soup as many of the spices and toppings are on-top of the pork bones.

Inside the soup, there is a potato which you often don’t think about too much, but as you bite into it, the flavour and texture profile is insane. Most potatoes in Gamjatang are fairly dense and flavourless, but this potato explodes like a mash potato once you bite into it. It is one of the surprise delights of the meal. There is a healthy amount of vegetables inside of the soup, and at the very bottom, there is a nice handful of glass noodles.

A nice touch is that the cold water they serve comes very cold in the classic Korean metal cups (they bring a metal jug). Which is a nice contrast to the piping hot soup you will be eating.

There are other items on the menu, but revolve around Gamjatang. You can get a Kimchi style, or one with instant ramen noodles on-top (which looked very popular when I looked around). I saw a group also sharing a large soupless version on a large platter, which also looked amazing.

I would urge all to try this place, as it is one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. The restaurant's appearance has a rustic, yet modern feel. I hope you like K-Pop as they proudly play it in...

I visited Mapo Gamjatang and thoroughly enjoyed the Korean food experience. The restaurant's unique front side makes it hard to spot on a first visit. Their attractive white signage is blocked from view due to their wooden overhang and corrugated roofing for their outdoor patio, probably a remnant of the pandemic. To compensate, a plastic sign was hung along the thick wooden fence below eye level, which made it difficult to identify this place as a restaurant. At any rate, the outer appearance of the restaurant was not very welcoming. Inside, it was relatively spacious, with plenty of seats, mostly wooden brown and nothing begging for attention. Tables and eating utensils were all clean, except for the menu, which needed a reprint in my opinion. Most items on the menu were a variation of its signature Gamjatang, Korean pork bone soup. Mapo Gamjatang: Their main signature dish was great. Large pieces of pork bone with tender pork meat falling off were served in a bowl. I transferred each bone to a separate dish and separated the meat from the bone, then disposed of the bone in a separate bin available on request. The Gamjatang also came with a halved potato and glass noodles on the bottom, which was already enough food. A bowl of steamed rice served on the side meant that it was going to fill up even the hungriest of guys. The soup was well seasoned, tasting mostly of doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste). After removing all the bones, I dumped the steamed rice into the soup and started digging in. The soy-sauce-based mustard sauce was served on the side so I could dip the meat in it. Personally, I thought that it did not add much value since the soup was already well seasoned, and the sauce wasn't strong enough to make a difference on my palate. I must mention that the side dishes complemented the meal very well. For me, the showstopper was the kkakdugi, or cubed radish kimchi. It was perfectly fermented and a great way to refresh my palate. The servers were prompt and eager to assist. I think I saw that they offered a 5% cash discount, but I did not take advantage of it this time. The access to the washroom was a mixed bag. It was located downstairs, and I noted that the stairs didn't feel particularly safe. The washroom could have been cleaner. Overall, I had a good time. While their gamjatang wasn't exactly cheap, I thought that the overall value matched the price. I recommend their regular-sized gamjatang to anyone who enjoys the taste of Korean pork bone soup. I would like to come back next time I'm...