Buil Samgye Tang

This is one of the best Sangye Tang restaurants in Kore town! This soup makes you so warm. It’s so good and healthy. The service is also great! I highly recommend!

Perfect healthy and comforting soup for my cold. It helps with your cough, throat, immunity, etc etc We came on a Saturday night and appreciated their huge parking lot that is shared with the plaza. Found a spot right in front! We got to pick our seat and the food didn’t take too long to come out. I liked the banchan plate, it was cute and unique. I also liked their herbal hot tea that was ginger and cinnamon (a combo I wouldn’t have thought of but it was delicious)!! The soup was delish but it’s a chore to pick out the chicken bones so be prepared! I felt they were friendly but not over-friendly like other ratings are saying.

My friend wanted to eat there. It was alright. It is just that the soup itself isn’t my favorite thing to begin with. The quality of the soup was ok. The side dishes are ok. I suppose we could’ve got more but didn’t ask for more. Again, it was the restaurant that my friend liked: It was my first time there, and I am not a big fan of the soup (mostly…. so many little chicken bones to pick out) to begin with. The soup was definitely hot, and the folks who worked there were friendly. No complaints on that front.

I’m a soup lover. I always wanted to try a ginseng chicken soup in Korea town. However, it seemed hard to find a good one. I was happy to find this place. The taste of the soups was good but it was a bit light, I was barely to feel the ginseng. The abalone was delicious. The highlight was the boiling soup on the table. It was pleasant. Kimchi and tea were good too. Great and friendly services. Will come back again.

Ginseng + licorice soups are so nourishing — love the metal cutlery, bowls, and chopsticks. Pleasant atmosphere + KINDEST employees. The world would be a better, brighter place if everyone met the man working here.

Authentic home style Korean atmosphere and food, wonderful service. The menu may be small but they have easily the best samgyetang in Los Angeles. Warms the heart and soul.

Clean & amazing taste of Korean chicken soup. One of my favorite place in LA you must try it :) one thing I really love this place. Also chopstick and spoon are come with inside of boiled hot water cup. which is safe & protection feeling from Covid or other virus.

Updated 2021. New location, same excellent food and service. The parking situation is a whole lot better in this new plaza and more seating inside the restaurant as well. The owner is still very nice just like always and the soup is still at its best. Would highly recommend for anyone that are in need of some good comfort Korean food.

This is one of the best Sangye Tang restaurants in Kore town! This soup makes you so warm. It’s so good and healthy. The service is also great! I highly recommend!

Perfect healthy and comforting soup for my cold. It helps with your cough, throat, immunity, etc etc We came on a Saturday night and appreciated their huge parking lot that is shared with the plaza. Found a spot right in front! We got to pick our seat and the food didn’t take too long to come out. I liked the banchan plate, it was cute and unique. I also liked their herbal hot tea that was ginger and cinnamon (a combo I wouldn’t have thought of but it was delicious)!! The soup was delish but it’s a chore to pick out the chicken bones so be prepared! I felt they were friendly but not over-friendly like other ratings are saying.

My friend wanted to eat there. It was alright. It is just that the soup itself isn’t my favorite thing to begin with. The quality of the soup was ok. The side dishes are ok. I suppose we could’ve got more but didn’t ask for more. Again, it was the restaurant that my friend liked: It was my first time there, and I am not a big fan of the soup (mostly…. so many little chicken bones to pick out) to begin with. The soup was definitely hot, and the folks who worked there were friendly. No complaints on that front.

I’m a soup lover. I always wanted to try a ginseng chicken soup in Korea town. However, it seemed hard to find a good one. I was happy to find this place. The taste of the soups was good but it was a bit light, I was barely to feel the ginseng. The abalone was delicious. The highlight was the boiling soup on the table. It was pleasant. Kimchi and tea were good too. Great and friendly services. Will come back again.

Ginseng + licorice soups are so nourishing — love the metal cutlery, bowls, and chopsticks. Pleasant atmosphere + KINDEST employees. The world would be a better, brighter place if everyone met the man working here.

Authentic home style Korean atmosphere and food, wonderful service. The menu may be small but they have easily the best samgyetang in Los Angeles. Warms the heart and soul.

Clean & amazing taste of Korean chicken soup. One of my favorite place in LA you must try it :) one thing I really love this place. Also chopstick and spoon are come with inside of boiled hot water cup. which is safe & protection feeling from Covid or other virus.

Updated 2021. New location, same excellent food and service. The parking situation is a whole lot better in this new plaza and more seating inside the restaurant as well. The owner is still very nice just like always and the soup is still at its best. Would highly recommend for anyone that are in need of some good comfort Korean food.

Wife needed hot soup, i needed a hangover cure. After some research, wife found this spot. It was a quiet friday lunch time, just 3 other tables. Upon entering a spanish lady straight greeded us with 100% perfect pronounciation in Korean?! Seated right away and we both chose #5, abalone sam gye tang. Needless to say, wife was satiafied and my hangover was cured in minutes. Rice inside chicken was a bit softer than I remember from those in Korea but this was the closest to authentic samgyetang I found in the states. Side dishes were solid as well, the lady checked on us often and kept refilling the banchans and even the gizzard as well. 10/10 would recommend.

Craving for Chicken Soup and found this restaurant. Only offer Korean Style Chicken Soup - Samgye Tang. That's the whole menu. There are five different style of chicken soup. From basic, without Ginseng, with Ginseng and to the expensive one with fresh Abalone. Ordered the non ginseng one. Typical chicken soup, with cornish chicken, rice inside the chicken with jujube. Good taste. The other one was with Ginseng and fresh abalone. Worth every penny. Very tasty and good for hang over, cold and during weathered health. Good place to have a true chicken soup. They gave you the table salt on the side. Bowl for bones. Service is quite straight forward and fast. Considering there is only 1 menu! Korean Chicken Soup - Samgye Tang! The unique view is the cashier and bus table are two mexican ladies. The two guys cooking at the kitchen are two mexican guys. Simple recipe. Owner and customer trust the people that handling the restaurant.

buil samgye tang is a small korean restaurant offering traditional samgye tang (Korean chicken soup with rice and ginseng) what i ordered - young yang samgye tang: 9/10 || this is a traditional regular samgye tang - chicken broth soup with ginseng, sweet potato, sweet rice stuffed chicken, and green onions. it came out piping hot as you can see! you can add salt to the broth to your taste level. i was instructed to take the chicken out to let it cool and the meat was so tender. you can dip the chicken in the salt and they offer kimchi, kakdugi (radish kimchi) and some veggies. flavors are simple yet so warming and pleasing to the tummy. my mom always tells me to eat hot when its hot out so thats just what i did! did not disappoint and such good value too ($20). def saving for another hot day!! ig @stephiesmunchiez

The owner and the staff here serves the food here with so much love. The chicken soup and the price is so worth it. You have to try the food here. It's real authentic Korean Ginseng Soup

Omg so addicting perfect for nutrition and hydration my second time coming this week ! The chicken literally melts in your mouth perfect for cold weathers or hangovers !!! I definitely recommend this for chicken lovers I'm craving again still definitely be back next week ! Hidden service is amazing too everyone's so nice

Such a good value for great food. I got the abalone soup and it was so delicious. What impressed me the most is the service though! Probably one of the friendliest owners/workers I've met at a restaurant in koreatown. Their side dishes were 10/10 too. A LOT of seats inside and parking in the lot so wouldn't worry about a wait time.

Korea's version of chicken soup with rice and ginseng. Traditionally, Koreans eat samgyetang during the hottest days of summer. But for me, whenever the weather's cold or I start to feel like a cold coming on, I always crave samgyetang. Menu is limited and there's only 3 types of samgyetang. I opted for the Young Yang samgyetang, which was served with ginseng. Clay pot was served piping hot with banchan and some salt to season the broth or chicken. The chicken is stuffed with rice, garlic, jujube date, and sweet potato. Broth is clean and meal was hearty. Banchan adds a refreshing and crunchy bite in between. Service is kind and friendly. Food came out within 10 min of placing my order.

A Ktown YouTuber: jiujitsean mentioned on one of his videos, that this is the best samgye tang spot, so I tried it out today. I ordered the chicken with abalone, and the entire dish was tender, savory and delicious. I especially liked the sweet rice inside, that had yummy, but subtle herbal flavors, along with chicken and the broth of course. This comfort food has lots of nourishing ingredients that's suppose to cure your cold too. Good service, good food, free parking and spacious. Highly recommend.

I have been missing samgyetang since our trip to Korea. Let me tell you, this is the best samgyetang I've had in the States. It tastes almost like the beloved samgyetang shop in Busan. So this shop specifically specializes in chicken ginseng soup so if you're looking for other appetizers and dishes, I suggest you go elsewhere. The restaurant is quite large with a private parking lot in front. They have a lot of large tables so this would be a great spot to take a bigger party. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the owner and they seated us promptly. They were so warm and friendly. BTS videos were running in the background which we enjoyed during our meal. I ordered the traditional #1 samgeytang and the first thing you notice is that it comes out PIPING hot. The metal pot keeps the soup warm but also takes a long time to cool down so be careful on your first few bites. I burned my tongue because I was so eager to devour it. The soup broth is herby, light, and more on the bland side.. that is until you add some salt and break down the chicken. That's when all the real flavors come out and blend seamlessly together. The chicken tears apart so effortlessly with just a spoon. You really don't need to use any muscles. The rice quickly becomes porridge and adds that nice starchy addition to the meal. The chicken meat was incredibly tender and soft. There are lots of small bones so do eat carefully. I also enjoyed the bits of sweet potato too. All in all, it was a fantastic dish especially for $20. Each order comes with a tray of small side dishes: raw carrots, jalapenos, onions, kimchi, some kind of chopped meat, radish, and spicy bean paste. The side dishes were very simple yet served as light palate cleansers. At the end of the meal, I laughed and joked that the best part of the meal was the tea. Well, half heartedly it was. The tea was so comforting and delicious. This was the perfect meal after a long rainy drive from the Bay Area. The food was so comforting and the service was so kind and welcoming. Thank you for your hospitality and we will see you next time we visit So Cal!

I walked in there the place was empty however shortly after 4 other couples walked in. If you're looking for great Samgye Tang this place is good but the banchan was meh . Usually there is a better selection . However what they offered was great ..I have a slight cold and when I lived in Korea this was my go to meal! Super nostalgic meal so I'm glad I came. The decore is simple but you don't come here for the decor do you;) FYI it's typical but I thought that I should add they do not serve beer or Soju. Just soda , hot tea and water .

Perfect healthy and comforting soup for my cold. It helps with your cough, throat, immunity, etc etc We came on a Saturday night and appreciated their huge parking lot that is shared with the plaza. Found a spot right in front! We got to pick our seat and the food didn't take too long to come out. I liked the banchan plate, it was cute and unique. I also liked their herbal hot tea that was ginger and cinnamon (a combo I wouldn't have thought of but it was delicious)!! The soup was delish but it's a chore to pick out the chicken bones so be prepared! I felt they were friendly but not over-friendly like other ratings are saying.

The chicken soup here is the ticket!!! So very very good! It will cure whatever ails you!

This is a fairly decent samgyetang spot in Koreatown. Menu is pretty straightforward and most people come here to eat samegyetang. I personally crave this any time I feel like my energy level is low or I feel like my body needs some additional nutrition from different herbs that they use to make the broth. If you are not familiar, it's chicken or hen cooked for a very long time with a variety of herbs and nutritious ingredients with great health benefits. Service was great as well. I would recommend this spot if anyone is looking to get their samgyetang craving fix.

My friend and I ate dinner at Buil Samgyetang and it was perfect for this week's cold weather. Service was pretty fast because we were immediately seated. My friend ordered a #1 regular Samgyetang while I ordered #3 Han Bang Samgyetang. While both #1 and #3 have ginseng, the difference between the two Samgyetangs is that #3 has more ingredients with goji berries and licorice. Our orders arrived within less than 10 minutes and were even boiling as we were ready to dig in. The chicken was super soft and tender. At first I thought the broth was bland, but I realized that I needed to mix the broth altogether so that I can taste all the ingredients. The ginseng had decent thick slices while goji berries made it a bit sweeter and healthier packed with antioxidants. The rice is found at the bottom and had a porridge-like texture. Little did I realize that I was able to finish most ingredients until the chicken bones were all left. The waitress and owners are very attentive and usually check in at our table. They also have BTS live performances shown on their TV screen (mostly from the You Never Walk Alone and Love Yourself eras). Buil Samgyetang is now my go-to restaurant for Samgyetang in KTown!

Awesome samgye tang good size chicken and good amount of trimmings. Bit if a drive for me but worth it. Service is cordial and satisfactory. The ambiance is peaceful and conducive to mindful eating, although I buy takeout. There is plenty of free parking at the strip mall.

Buil Samgye Tang is my favorite place to go when I am feeling under the weather because Samgyetang is one of my soul foods. The ginseng chicken soup is the perfect meal to bring me back up on my feet. The broth is so flavorful and deep and the chicken is so tender. It is really hard to find a good Samgyetang in the states, but Buil does it authentically. The owners and servers are always so kind and attentive everytime I go, and offer us so much refills on side dishes. The food also comes out super fast which is always a plus when I'm hungry. Some people dip their chicken in some salt and pepper, but I personally love dipping it in the jalapeno jangajji (jalapeno pickled in soy sauce). The flavors work so well together, and you will finish the whole chicken in no time. I am drooling just thinking about it again. The space is also bigger than you would expect from seeing it outside with plenty of seating, and because it is in the Rodeo Galleria plaza, there is a huge parking lot which is free of course. If you're in the area, you should definitely try it!

I was greeted with warm and welcoming hospitality. The star of the show,for me is the #1 ,it was masterpiece of flavors and textures. The chicken was tender, the broth was rich and savory, and the combination of ginseng, garlic, and other aromatic ingredients created a truly soul-soothing dish. I have been getting them since I discovered the place, I was out of state last year so didn't get one. And yes I notice how small it's gotten but I do understand on why it did.

This place never disappoints. Amazing value. Amazing food. It's a must visit anytime anyone in the family is sick and needs food picked up. Great coffee next door is a bonus.

Arrival at 2:30 PM, we found the restaurant to be relatively empty. We opted for the signature dish, Young Yang Samgye Tang. The overall experience was satisfactory, albeit with a minor setback regarding the portion size. Surprisingly, the dish contained only about 2/3 of a chicken instead of a whole one as expected. Nevertheless, the service was pleasant, and the availability of ample free parking space added to the convenience of our visit.

This was probably my favorite meal while visiting Los Angeles! I ordered the ginseng chicken and literally ate every last drop. It's so good! the service was very fast and friendly as well.

My friend recommended this place for samgye tang. They have different types and I tried the one with abalone. There are three different sizes of abalone that you can pick from. You can also add abalone in other soup but you gotta ask for the price. The side dish is pretty good and refillable. It's good to have a hot soup in this weather!

If you're looking for a super healthy super soul cleansing chicken/porridge/ginseng soup, this is it! It's as authentic as u can get because they do stuff the entire Cornish hen with rice and jujubes and have lots of ginseng included. The broth is very light and clean and the meat is so tender it falls right apart. The owners were very attentive and kind and it wasn't too busy when I went. It's a bit on the pricey side but I had enough leftovers to take home for another meal. Love that they offer omija tea as well.

This place is amazing i had Galbi Tang and the taste was perfect and the meat was so tender i will be back in the future and try different soup

I came across Buil Samgye Tang when Yelp searching for tofu soup places in LA. After reading some reviews, we decided to eat here since it specializes in the one item and it was something new to us. Samgye Tang is ginseng chicken soup. It is traditional Korean soup and meant to be for good health. Did I know that before I decided to eat here? No, I did not. Did I have any idea what I was doing when I did get my food? No, I did not. The banchan had items I wasn't used to seeing (like raw onion, carrot, and jalapeño). It also came out with an extra bowl and another container...after observing others, it seemed like the extra bowl was to scoop your soup into and the taller container was to put bones in; I can't make my previous statement with 100% certainty though. They served hot ginseng tea with the meal, which was very delicious! I had the Young Yang Samgye Tang (number 1 on the menu). It's served with a whole, small chicken. I could see why people would want to eat this when sick, the ginseng seems to give it a medicinal feeling/quality. Hearty and filling. Although I personally didn't love the taste of the soup, I'm glad I experienced trying this Korean dish.

Came here over the weekend with my sister. Quick service, great soup. The soup arrived at the table super hot and the chicken was falling off the bone so easily. It comes with a small dish of things you can add to your soup for more flavor, but the soup as it tastes delicious! This was my first time having a soup like this and I'll have to say that I'm now a fan. I'll definitely be back, especially during the cold winter season.

REVIEW FOR THE SAMGYE TANG: BRILLIANT 5/5 Whether it's a cold or hot day, this soup hits the spot. When you are sick, this is the perfect soup to have! The chicken is SO FLAVORFUL and TENDER. They put the entire chicken in the soup and stuff the chicken with gooey sticky sweet rice. The green onion added to the soup adds a fresh element as well as extra flavor. I make sure I leave nothing to spare in my bowl. For the banchan, they serve the part of the chicken's anus/ butt. I did not touch or put that in my mouth so I can't vouch for how good it tastes. The Korean waitress serving me encouraged for me to try it but I am not that keen or exotic to eat that part of a chicken :)

It is very nice and fresh food. Great service! It is my first soup when I been to LA.

There's only one thing on the menu which is samgyetang (aka chicken ginseng soup) We opted for #1 Young yang Samgye soup (traditional Samgye soup) and #5 Jeon Bok Samgye soup with abalone to share. I personally enjoyed #5 the most, with the abalone in the porridge(sweet rice), the flavor was simply spot on. And, I loved that they gave us chicken gizzards as one of the sides. It tasted just like beef, and surprisingly, it didn't taste gamy at all. I enjoyed that too. +The chicken was melt-in-your-mouth kind of tender, the broth was flavorful. Overall, good comfort Korean food. It was delish! Quick tip: I've been to lots of Asian restaurants, where they try to up sale you. And I found it weird that they only had the large abalone option. But you can decide on your own if you try to order it.

Good spot for ginseng chicken soup. When you sit they offer fresh ginseng hot tea and a plate of small bites including chicken gizzard, onions, paste which was good. The soup was nice and the chicken was flavorful. A spot to consider on a cold day. Has its own free parking lot as part of a larger plaza.

A little about this dish first. Samgyetang is a boiled whole chicken filled with sweet rice soup with ginseng, jujube, chest nut, garlic, scallion and some times other herbs. There are several histories regarding this dish but, is not correctly registered to have some explanation. However, it has been served from Chosun era with similar presentation which later has been modified as time when by. This dish was served mostly during hot days of summer to recover nutrients lost due to high heat and humidity weather conditions that people had to endure. According to the Korean traditional medicine book, the ingredients of this dish has heart strengthening, stamina boosting, help digestion, protein rich and fatigue recovery. There are lot more story regarding this Korean dish but, one thing fore sure is that is healthy and very tasty. Buil Sambye Tang specifically specializes this dish which makes them my trustful place to eat this dish.

I have been craving samgyetang for YEARS! It's hard to find good samgyetang here because I don't know what they do with American chicken but it's just different. I am so happy to have found this place because the samgyetang was so good. I was told that I had to wait for 30 minutes because they just sold out of samgyetang and I guess they were making another batch. It was so worth the wait! The samgyetang came bubbling hot (the soup was actually still bubbling). The chicken was fall off the bone soft and the rice and ginseng and all other fillings were a perfect balance. FYI the samgyetang is not seasoned and you are provided with salt, which is how it is. I'm happy to say that my search for a good samgyetang in LA is finally over.

Absolutely delicious, healed me from whatever has been going around. Clean and friendly service and atmosphere. Great pickles. If you need to heal, this soup will help.

I love this place. It is sooo perfect if you're craving chicken soup or something warm. It's warm and super flavorful. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Everyone working there is super friendly, attentive, and caring. They want you to have the best experience. It does get a bit busy here and there but trust me when I say the soup is worth it. It's not too noisy, unless it's absolutely packed of course. However on average, it's a very enjoyable environment and eating experience! :)

Oh my god. This place is like coming home to your grandmother's house after fighting a war. The smiles of the owners and the hospitality is unmatched -- truly so heart warming! (,: We always get the ginseng chicken soup! Comforting ambience and always quiet

Great service! Would highly recommend. Staff was nice and serves food using fresh ingredients.

Since I didn't want to sit in traffic after work, I went to this samgyetang soup place I've been wanting to try for years, but they were closed during the pandemic. It was delicious samgyetang! This is almost as good as the ones in Seoul, Korea, but it's hard to surpass what's native to their land. Chicken was meaty, but rice was lacking. The broth was rich and thick and the spices and herbs added just the right kick for a wonderful dinner on a chilly evening. Sides and condiments were tasty and could be refilled. Aside from that, the interior was exceptionally clean and well maintained, which made dining there a pleasure. All in all I had a very satisfying meal and would definitely comeback again!

I love this place Super clean and organized Has parking as well The soup is fantastic Love it so much Ordered the number 1 traditional Has the sticky rice in it Love it sooo much

Service was just ok but the food was amazing And broth was super rich. I really liked the with abalone one tho

If you're looking for a healthy and hearty Samgyetang, you've found the right place. We came here on a cold LA night and the soup really hit the spot. The soup came with a generous portion of fresh chicken, herbs, green onions, and salt for flavoring. It was so delicious and the portions are big so you can take the rest home for a second meal. The staff is super friendly and hospital. They were attentive and refilled our bonchon when it got low. My favorite thing about coming here is that parking is easy compared to literally every restaurant we attempted to go to but couldn't because there is no parking in Ktown on week nights. Luckily, this shop is located in a plaza with a huge parking lot that's free so that's a no brainer.

When you're looking for samgyetang (Korean chicken soup/porridge) in the area, this is a great choice. Granted, the prices can be a bit high (depending on the amount of herbs or ginseng you have in your soup). The owners are wonderful people, very kind and generous. Every time I stop by to pick up my food they greet me with a smile. When you eat in, you get great service and some delicious tea while you wait. Their samgyetang is one of the best in the area and it's nice that they have the more high end version with the ginseng. My wife and I often default to eat from here when we're feeling down or sick. There are other restaurants who have the dish but this is a specialty here and no one quite does it as well as them.

Ambiance: clean and bright family style restaurant, specialized in making chicken soup Service: very friendly and attentive, refilled water and small dishes adequately Food & Drink: simple menu items Banchan - *** limited kinds, mainly kimchi napa and radish, chicken gizzard is their special Young Yang Samgye Tang - *** soup #1, traditional, regular samgye tang, special chicken broth for soup with Korean ginseng, Astragalus, Sweet potato, Jujube, Garlic, Green beans, Green onion, Sesame, Black pepper, Sweet rice, very light taste Han Bang Samgye Tang - **** soup #3, same base as #1, plus more herbals like Oriental raisin tree, Goji berry, Angelica gigas, Liquorice, rich in flavors, recommend Diet Coke - *** canned drink Price: moderate portions and decent prices, about $25 per person

AMAZING. This is quickly gonna become one of my go-to's. I was craving samgye tang so I came here and tried out their classic, which was perfectly executed. As a plus, there's lots of seating and parking shouldn't be too hard with the big parking lot!

Absolutely enjoyed this place. Caution, soup comes out bubbling and steaming so be careful when you eat it! Utensils also get crazy hot so be cautious, but it's so worth it. I really wanted to try their abalone samgyetang but it was sold out so I just went for the original, which was number one. We did wait a while through, we arrived for late lunch around 2:20 but we were finally seated around 3 pm but then again it was the weekend which can explain why it was crowded. Filled with locals and older senior Koreans, which is often a sign of good food when going to Ktown.

Yummy samgyetang! they serve hot tea w the hot soup which really made me and my mom sweat so we had to request cold water. Samgyetang comes without any salt/seasoning so utilize the salt they bring out to make the broth salty

What a soothing meal on a chilly evening. I felt a cold coming on so I wanted to eat chicken soup. This place had just what I was craving. The portion was generous. The broth was so healing. Will be back for sure!

Maybe to people who believe in the medicinal benefits of herbs in the traditional Korean chicken soup, this place meet their needs but to me and my family, this place is just ok. The only thing they have is chicken soup - you can have them with different herbs (like ginseng). They are nice for cold nights or when you're trying to recover from a cold. However, if anyone on your party isn't a chicken soup fan, then there's not much for them. There are very few vegetables no matter what you order. Varieties of their appetizers are few - we got three dishes (most Korean restaurants give you 5-ish ) and two were kimchi. Nothing green. So overall I'd say this may be a niche place for chicken soup lovers and others may need to adjust their expectations.

SO good! Small and simple menu. Its authentic and perfect for rainy days in LA. They have perfectly cooked sweet potato which realllly melts in your mouth I usually ask for extra sliced garlics to eat with chicken breast! Ample parking in the plaza.

Sometimes they say we need to compare apples to apples. I know I'm comparing apples to oranges here but chicken soup tastes just relatively bland compared to tofu soup. The appetizers are not as good as many other Korean places nearby.

*** Specialty - samgye tang (chicken-ginseng soup) *** I first learned about this place from Jonathan Gold's 2012 article "60 Korean Dishes Every Angeleno Should Know" (https://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/jonathan-golds-60-korean-dishes-every-angeleno-should-know-2383348). Last month I finally had a chance to visit this place on Saturday night because the restaurant is always closed on Sunday. The strip mall parking lot is EXTREMELY small (only 2~3 designated spots for the restaurant), so I had to drive around the neighborhood and found a metered parking spot near Western Ave. After our party was seated, the staff gave us complimentary ginseng tea and banchan (smaller selection comparing with other Korean restaurants - radishes, chicken gizzard [pretty good], jalapeño, and carrots.) The menu is very straightforward - there are only 4 options to choose from (#1 Young Yang Samgye Tang [with Korean ginseng], #2 Young Gye Tang [same as #1 but no Korean ginseng], #3 Han Bang Samgye Tang [same as #1 + deer antlers, milk vetch root, Korean angelica, and wolfberry fruit aka goji], and #5 Jeon Bok Samgye Tang [same as #1 + abalone].) *** #1 Young Yang Samgye Tang (chicken soup with Korean ginseng, sweet rice, sweet potato, jujube, garlic, mung beans, sunflower seed, sesame, and green onion - $15.99): You will need to add your own salt or else the entire soup will be tasteless, so I added all of salt that originally came with banchan to the bowl and the amount was just right. Rice is hidden on the bottle of the bowl and weirdly enough it was one of those dishes that got more enjoyable as I took more bites. I am not exactly sure how long they simmered the chicken, but holy cow meat just fell off the bone super easily. Overall it was a great soup - especially the light and hearty broth! *** Basically samgye tang is the Korean version of chicken noodle soup, but replaces noodle / paste with rice and other herbs instead. A solid 4.5-star on samgye tang, but round up to 5-star due to courteous service.