So Gong Dong Tofu House — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

This place has been around for years. If I could have rated it 16 years ago when I first visited, it would have gotten 6 stars!

But it seems like the place has slightly declined. The decor has not been updated, so the place looks kind of dingy and unmaintained. It's darker inside than I remember, almost gloomy feeling.

The food is good, but it's not great. It used to be MIND BLOWING. Now? It's just... Good. I've had the galbi, the bulgogi, and the shrimp and scallops, as well as several stews. They're all extremely solid. But, nothing really stands out if you've eaten a lot of Korean food. Compound that with the price, it's not a good value proposition.

Service is adequate. Some Korean restaurants, they take your order, serve your food, and then ignore you. They at least don't do that. They serve the food, they check on you regularly, but they're just sort of cold to you. Compare that to when I started coming 13 years ago, the staff all used to be warm and friendly. You felt like you were eating with family. Not anymore, and that's a bummer.

Finally, the value. It's tough to justify the value. My lunch cost me $25 with tip. Expect to spend about $50-80 for a two person dinner, more if you buy bottles of wine or soju. Again... The food is good, but I'm paying that much, I'd want to pay for an experience that I just don't get at So Gong Dong Tofu House anymore.

I'm not saying DON'T go. I'm still giving it 4 stars. I'm just saying that if you DO go, it was WAY better on every level years...

This spot instantly took me back to the mom and pop Korean restaurants of my childhood. The ones with K-music shows playing on the TV, traditional wooden tables, and that cozy, slightly worn-in feel that always hints at great food.

I ordered the kalbi and soondubu, and my first impression was solid. The banchan were fine, nothing memorable, but the kalbi was excellent: tender, flavorful, and perfectly grilled. The portion (five pieces) was smaller than I expected, but the taste easily made up for it. I’d give five stars for the kalbi alone.

The soondubu, however, missed the mark. The broth lacked depth, and while they kindly upped the spice level for me, it just meant more red pepper flakes without the rich, layered flavor I was hoping for. Given that this place specializes in soondubu, that’s what I based most of my rating on.

That said, the service was wonderful. The server was great and very kind, which made the experience feel warm and welcoming.

Overall, it’s a comforting spot when you’re craving Korean food, but I wouldn’t call it the best. Come for the kalbi, that’s the real standout. It looks like the pancakes are really popular here, so I’ll definitely come back to try them on...

Ive had Korean food in many areas ans different states, so it is not new to me. The Service at this particular spot is poor. I came during my lunch. I was the only person in the restaurant and it was so hard to get a server's attention. A younger server lady was on the phone and passes by me when I clearly needed more banchan and rice. The elder server lady did not speak much english and gave me a shocked look when I asked for more Banchan and she laughed at me almost did not serve me more. Very patronizing. I ordered my soondobu spicy, yes food was good. Banchan servings were small and they only served me the Banchan once main dish was ready. I have never been served so poorly at a Korean restaurant in my life. I liked the food and service by another Korean spot a bit further from my work, I chose this place because it was closer, but clearly is...