BCD Tofu House — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Nestled in the vibrant Koreatown of downtown LA, BCD Tofu is a bustling tofu haven that tantalizes taste buds with its mouthwatering dishes and delightful side dishes. From their hot-stone bibimbap combo to the seafood tofu soup with shrimp, clam, and mussel meat, this restaurant offers a delectable culinary experience that attracts a diverse range of customers.

One of the first things I noticed upon arrival was the restaurant's popularity, evident from the consistent waitlist. Especially during rush hours, the demand for BCD Tofu is high. However, their efficient waitlist system, where you input your name and phone number into an iPad, and receive a text to monitor the progress, helps streamline the waiting process. It's worth noting that even during a late-night visit, we waited for about 30 minutes, highlighting the restaurant's popularity regardless of the hour.

Once seated, the vibrant ambiance and bustling atmosphere added to the excitement of the dining experience. The diverse array of customers, ranging from locals to visitors, created a lively and inclusive atmosphere that added to the charm of the restaurant.

Now, let's not forget about the delightful side dishes. BCD Tofu impresses with its selection of traditional Korean cold dishes, which includes refreshing cucumber, flavorful kimchi, crisp broccoli, and perfectly mashed potato, all served with accompanying sauces. These side dishes offer a harmonious balance of flavors and textures, providing a delightful contrast to the main dishes. The crunchy cucumber, spicy and tangy kimchi, and the freshness of the broccoli create a medley of taste sensations that add depth and variety to the meal. The velvety and creamy mashed potato, paired with its flavorful sauce, adds a comforting and savory element to the dining experience.

The menu at BCD Tofu offers a range of tantalizing options, and I had the pleasure of trying several standout dishes. The hot-stone bibimbap combo, served sizzling in a stone bowl, was a delightful medley of flavors and textures. The seafood tofu soup, brimming with shrimp, clam, and mussel meat, was a seafood lover's dream come true. The original tofu soup provided a comforting and nourishing experience, while the Atka mackerel combo showcased the restaurant's versatility beyond tofu-centric dishes.

In conclusion, BCD Tofu in Koreatown is a bustling restaurant that delivers on its promise of exceptional tofu dishes. Despite the consistent waitlist, the efficient waitlist system helps manage the flow of customers, making the experience worth the wait. The diverse range of customers, lively ambiance, and the addition of delightful side dishes make BCD Tofu a must-visit destination for tofu enthusiasts and food lovers alike.

Tips:

Parking is easy if you are lucky. They close at 3 am, even though on the sign it says "open 24 hours". BCD Tofu's location offers a unique opportunity to experience the vibrant Korean elements that surround the restaurant. We went to a nearby H-mart which was 10 mins walk away. You can explore a variety of Korean food products available for purchase at BCD Tofu. In addition to its dining offerings, BCD Tofu goes the extra mile by providing products for sale, allowing customers to bring a taste of their experience home. This thoughtful addition adds convenience and the opportunity to recreate the flavors of BCD Tofu in the comfort of your...

Okay I'm very embarrassed to admit that I never heard of this place even though a) it's an institution in Koreatown b) it's a chain with restaurants all over the place c) plenty of haoles and d) celebrities and e) kitchy haole celebrity rockers have made this a late night go-to and e) last but not least THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT. This was my New Year's Day breakfast-- the ant had been there for the first time on New Year's Eve and fell in love with it and wanted to bring me it and I'm glad she did. The tofu pot er Soon Tofu is what I had and what she had, difference being that she had the wonderful dumpling Soon Tofu and I made the mistake of getting the Soybean Paste. Now I hasten to say there's nothing wrong with soybean paste except that if you like your Korean food spicy -- and really, you should if you are able-- then this is not the choice for you. Or me. I mentioned it to the waitress and she schooled me. In a most friendly way of course. When I ordered a side of Gochujang she brought it to me, but also brought me a completely new soybean paste Soon Tofu that they had made spicy for me for no extra cost. Now that's extraordinary service! Went above and beyond in the most efficient way possible, even though the place was crawling busy because of the holiday. It was much better but even so next time I'll have the dumpling, or the seafood, and maybe move on from there to the ham. Make sure you put the eggs in and you can get extra if you want. The potato salad and the fish cake salad are both tasty in fact all of the sides are tasty. And the croaker was very good too although I'm still not sure about the best way to eat it as I ended up scraping the fish off but this is overly labor intensive for the results kind of like...

First time, but not the last time here. My company brought us here, it was about 20 of us, but you'd think it was less, because service was so fast. We got here around 5p on a Thursday--I'm assuming right before the dinner rush. The restaurant is a good size, but we sat at two separate tables that were parallel--about 10 at each table. I had the bulgogi combo (about $27), which I selected seafood soup. You get to choose from about 5 different soups and the spice level. I recommend mild, not medium, because my coworker said his medium was really spicy. My mild was just that and just right. The soup arrives literally boiling hot! This is where you have the option to crack a raw egg in it, so it can cook. This was a cool visual. The seafood in the soup was minimal however, literally one shrimp and about 3 clams. I think there was to be one other seafood. The juice was good though. Because you also get a personal cast iron serving of white rice, a broccoli and cauliflower medley, and the sizzling bulgogi beef, you can mix it all together in the small bowls they give you (a little at a time) and it's delicious! I don't eat a ton in general, but it was definitely enough to eat 2x. In addition to the food mentioned above, the combo also comes with this small dollop of what I think was potato salad, and another dish I can't recall. Nonetheless, you can have extra if you finish the small servings of veggies, etc., but not extra bulgogi. We also got a small pan fried mackerel as an appetizer (it's shredded in the photo). My coworkers' food looked delicious too, which was Galbi (bbq short ribs), yellow corvina, chicken teryaki, and kimchi. I recommend this place for singles, dates, small groups, or...