Sun Nong Dan — Restaurant in Los Angeles

They do not replace dishes that make customers sick and demand customers to pay for the dishes that customers could not eat at all. I am not sure if it meets the high standard they advertise with 4 stores.

Their menu does not specify allergens that make many people sick, such as gluten.

Servers' behaviors made me worry about food contamination. Servers removed eaten dishes loudly and strongly right next to our table (leftover food can splash to other tables with people eating). Servers did not wash their hands after touching others' eaten dishes before bringing new dishes. I would prefer people who bring my food to not just have touched others' leftover food, without even washing their hands, or separate work that busboys take care of eaten dishes and not touch new dishes and servers bring new dishes and not touch eaten dishes.

Servers did not stay to take orders or answer questions. Menus can clarify routine questions for customers to not need to ask servers, such as which menus have breakfast discounts (hard to pick up the 4 menus with only numbers that can confuse customers who can accidentally order not discount menus), which grains their multiple grain rice has (e.g., brown rice with beans that gave some people's GI system trouble vs. black rice), if rice cake soup has ManDoo (e.g., list ManDoo soup right below rice cake soup). I don't want to feel like I am not receiving service unless I grab the busy servers, when their menus did not specify these things.

They use paper cups and chopsticks, which poses 3 problems:

1. For hot water, they provided paper cups coated with plastic. Hot water on plastic makes environmental hormones, which attacks our reproductive organs and makes us sick.
2. Using stuff from trees unnecessarily contributes to global warming, when CO2 increases the temperature of the earth, and trees consume CO2. Restaurants can provide metal cups and chopsticks.
3. Disposable cups and chopsticks made them look similar to unknown food courts, which does not match their advertisement that this is a nice restaurant.

I go to Korean restaurants to feel welcoming ambiance ("Juhng" in Korean), not just for great food. This restaurant felt like a factory to serve food quickly with disposable cups and chopsticks, have people leave with their loud cleaning up noises right next to us, and just receive money for the dishes that customers could not even eat. Although I want to support ethnic restaurants, this one just won't do it.

I recommend Don Don Lee SoonDae or HyunDaiOg as alternatives for discounted breakfasts and welcoming ambiance and DaSom by check Kang for GalBiTang with...

I used to support this restaurant as I've eaten here before, however after what happened last night there's no way I can come back here. My brother, his cousin and I were stereotyped by the staff the moment we walked in. The person who took our order was in no way interested helping to give any suggestions on what to order, much less answer any questions my brother had about the menu, as it was his first time here and he just arrived in town.I don't know his name but the employee was younger, had a bowl haircut and had two earrings and a few tattoos. He obviously hated that he even had to speak to us, so that's strike one.

I ordered the ox knee soup and the short rib soup. The guy who placed our order was just like "cash or card" and did NOT like us being there. Still feeling a bit awkward from the employees coldness, we were trying to lighten the mood, however the guy just said three words with an annoyed face "cash or card". Strike two! this guy behavior was unacceptable and at this point, we were totally feeling unwelcome here. But it gets worse.

He takes the card and swipes it, and get this: HE automatically puts "no tip" on the checkout screen and proceeds to hand me back my card! He really did that! The guy assumed that I wasn't going to tip him for the takeout order. As if assuming all black people do not tip at all. I couldn't even utter a response. He said the order would take at least 15-20 minutes

So we go outside to wait for our order and 10 minutes later the same guy comes out with our food and just hands it us and rudely walks away! He just wanted us to hurry up and leave the establishment! We were completely brushed off. That was the final strike.

It's really sad that in 2022 and in Los Angeles that people are still acting surprised and caught off guard when people from a different race/ethnicity walk into your restaurant. Instead of welcoming someone in to appreciate what your culture has to offer in the culinary world, you choose to take on an hateful demeanor. I'm disappointed and saddened because the food here is great. We, along with some of my other friends who have eaten here will never come back, and it's probably exactly what they want anyway.

Do better...

Ordered the Chadol Sulung Tang, Tta Roh Guk Bap, and the Large Galbi Jim (Level 2 spice). Plus white rice, but there may be the option of brown or purple rice. The Chadol Sulung Tang is Ox Bone Soup with Beef Brisket. There is salt, pepper and green onions on the side that you can add to your liking. The broth in this is very rich and soothing, definitely helps to add the smaller seasonings to bring this flavor out. The brisket is tender and has a nice texture to bite into. The Tta Roh Guk Bap is Beef Brisket with Dried Cabbage Soup. This definitely has some spice to it but it’s tolerable between a few drinks of water and having some of the side dishes to tame the spice down. The dried cabbage in here builds the broth and spice in here, rich and hearty. The beef brisket in here is again tender and smooth. The large Galbi Jim consists of marinated prime ribs in a secret Galbi sauce, cooked with potatoes, green onions, carrots, onions, and rice cake sticks. Beautiful in execution, this is a mouthwatering piece to be shared with a group. The rice cake sticks are a little sweet and have such a nice chewy consistency to them. The vegetables are cooked down to soft slices that still maintain their shape and just enough firmness before biting in. The sauce here is a bit syrupy and having some spice is a good choice for this. The prime rib in here is plentiful and very delicious, well made, and filling. A staff member even came by to help us debone the prime rib from the meat, cutting it into bite size pieces that were amazing. There is a line during the rush hours just to sign up for the waitlist so be prepared to wait and be patient. Interior is nicely decorated with traditional Korean artwork and some modern pieces like a frog. Parking lot here is valet only so keep that in mind as it is directly on Western blvd. Otherwise, it may be a walkable location depending where you are...