SYTK Sullungtang — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Reading the reviews for this restaurant, I am quite shocked. My parents recently had the displeasure of dining at this establishment and they were treated with such disrespect that I cannot stay silent. I usually hesitate to judge a place based solely on service, but this instance was a bit too deliberate and egregious for me to pass as a single instance of “having a bad day” on the owner’s part.

My parents decided to stop here on their drive home, having heard positive things about the food. Unfortunately, their experience was far from pleasant. They were seated in a corner and overlooked for most of their visit while the waitress, a middle-aged woman, prioritized the younger customers, attending to their needs with enthusiasm and care. When they finally ordered and got their meals, unlike other reviewers on yelp and google, they were given very small portions of side dishes and requested more after finishing them. It is very normal at Korean restaurants to request for extra side dishes if you run out, so this wasn’t an outrageous request. The waitress proceeded to berate them, saying they shouldn’t be asking for more of the side dishes. After bringing them over (with plenty of attitude, as if she was incredibly inconvenienced), she chided them that they MUST finish everything she brought, as if the thought of “wasting” banchan on them was personally insulting, so they said they would take home any leftovers if there were any by the end of the meal, to which her response was, no! You can’t take any as leftovers. You need to finish everything HERE. When my parents calmly pointed out her unnecessarily rude and patronizing attitude, the presumed owner (older lady seated behind the counter) who had been observing the interaction the entire time, stepped in—not to apologize, but to defend the waitress. She dismissed my parents’ concerns and implied that their request was excessive, claiming that some customers waste food, and that the waitress “didn’t mean it like that.” Instead of addressing the situation with professionalism, the owner doubled down on the disrespect.

At a basic level, the waitress has absolutely no manners or basic levels of respect for her customers. From a cultural standpoint, my parents were much older than this waitress, so her actions feel even more disrespectful. All they were asking was for a bit more banchan as they had been very stingy with the initial amount. Apparently, that’s all it took to set her off. As a business owner, I’m sure they account for minor loss of revenue due to people not finishing their banchan and it is built into the price of their menu items. But really, if this was SUCH an issue to her, she could have just brought them small portions again. She also treated younger customers much better, which makes me think she’s angling for good reviews and doesn’t care enough to keep up the facade for those who won’t be leaving reviews. They should be ashamed of themselves, and I hope they learn that they should treat ALL customers well, not just those they think will help push their business online. I know most consumers won’t really care if it doesn’t affect the quality of the food, but as a daughter, hearing my parents be demeaned by not just an unprofessional employee, but also the owner made my blood boil. I’m sure many of you would also be outraged if your parents were treated like this too.

As for the quality of the food, my parents did mention it tasted like it was watered down with milk- a common tactic for sullungtang restaurants that don’t want to take the extra time to cook down their bones and soup, but still want the “milky appearance” of a well simmered broth. For those of you who are looking for real sullungtang, I would heavily recommend Hanbat Sullungtang. Yes, they are pricier and have lines, but their lines move quick, they are consistently delicious. And most importantly, they won’t treat your older parents like trash.

Shame...

SYTK Sullungtang is a true gem for anyone who loves korean soup. This cozy spot has become my go-to place in ktown.

The short rib soup is an absolute standout. The broth is rich and flavorful, and the short ribs are tender and packed with savory goodness. It's easily the best value in ktown for short rib soup – hearty portions that leave you feeling satisfied without breaking the bank.

The hangover soup just as great. Perfect for those rough mornings or just when you need a comforting bowl of goodness. The combination of flavors in both soups is nothing short of spectacular.

The service is also great. The staff is always friendly, attentive, and quick to make sure you have everything you need. I've never experienced a wait, and the fact that they have a parking lot is huge in ktown.

This place also has various specials throughout the week. I highly recommend visiting on Tuesdays when they offer a buy one short rib soup and get one hangover soup for free. It's an unbeatable offer that adds even more value to an already affordable dining experience.

If you're an early bird, take advantage of the discounts before 10 am.

Great for takeout...

My absolute favorite sullungtang place in LA that I frequent at least once a month (probably would be more often if I didn’t live an hour away). Every person that I’ve recommended this place to becomes a returning customer, and it’s become a common dinner choice for my friends and I. Soup is always delicious whether I’m dining in or taking out, and there is an ample amount of meat in the soup. Banchan assortment changes every so often, but some things are always served (like radish kimchi which I love). Soups automatically come with white rice so if you’re looking for mixed grain purple rice make sure to ask for it (though sometimes they’re so busy they run out lol). It’s not a big restaurant, so it can get pretty full with dine in during certain hours, but I usually come in the evenings and never had a problem with finding a seat. Free parking lot right outside the restaurant, and while it’s not huge, there’s usually always a few spots open since this plaza...