The Best Soup in Los Angeles

Krua Thai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"Our new fave thai place AGAIN. We stopped going cos we found a closer place khun dang but then khun dang became too busy and pricy so we went back and the krua thai pad thai is a must!"

JunTong SulLungTang

★★★★☆ 4.4 (393) • $$

"I ate here for the FIRST TIME last week and I've already been here 3 times since I looooove this place sm already!! The service is great and so warm and the food is even better. For such a small space they really don't make you feel rushed. The food is amazing everything I've tried has been amazing so far. I must say the spicy one is my fave so far and the Kimchi is sooo good too. Can't praise this place enough. 5/5 experience for sure. This place is like a warm long hug"

Golden Deli - San Gabriel

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"Golden Deli serves some of the best pho I have ever had. The broth is rich and flavorful, with perfectly cooked noodles and meat. Their spring rolls are delicious. The staff are friendly and very attentive. While the wait can be annoyingly long, it's worth it."

Nat's Thai Food

★★★★☆ 4 (149) • $

"My sister and I visited Nat's Thai Food just a few days ago. This was the closest food place to our hotel. Despite the mixed reviews, we decided to give it a try. We were greeted by a super welcoming older Asian lady. She gave us a genuine smile and offered us the menu. We were the only ones there. My sister got the yellow curry and I ordered the green curry with spring rolls. Although the lady that took our order was the only one there, she cooked our food very fast. The food was DELICIOUS! The spring rolls were crunchy on the outside but soft inside. My green curry had a very generous amount of tofu. :) Both of the curries were OUTSTANDING but they were both super hot. I highly recommend them both, just be careful not to burn yourself. We also got white rice to go with our curry. It was so good! If I have not made it obvious by now, I loved this place!The food was reasonably priced and I would definitely visit this hidden gem again if I am ever close to it. At the end, the lady handed our food with a very warm smile, which was the cherry on the cake. Definitely recommended!"

Chichen Itza Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"My friend and I planned to eat at Holbox, but with an hour-long wait just to order, we didn't have the time. Thankfully, we discovered Chichen Itza right in the same Mercado complex--and while it's not at the level of Holbox, it's still a solid choice for delicious food without the wait.I ordered the Pollo Asado, a flavorful boneless chicken grilled over mesquite charcoal and marinated with achiote and sour orange juice. It came with perfectly cooked fried plantains (crispy on the outside, soft and sweet inside--so good!), roasted red onions, rice, and black beans. My friend chose the Cochinita Pibil, which was tender, juicy pork marinated in achiote and sour orange juice, cooked in banana leaves, and topped with pickled red onions. It came with rice, black beans, and warm tortillas.We also shared a large Ceviche, which was fresh and zesty. Overall, the food was tasty and well-prepared, with good portions.The ambiance is casual and unpretentious, perfect for a quick, satisfying meal. The Mercado itself has a bustling, lively vibe, which adds to the experience.The big win here? No wait and quick service! Plus, we found street parking right out front, which was super convenient. If you don't have the time to line up for Holbox, Chichen Itza is a great alternative."

Dasom By Chef Kang

★★★★★ 4.5 (114) • $$

"[edit] will have to try the oxtail next time then!!!====4.5/5 because banchan was a teensy lacking + needed more dumplings in my dumpling rice cake soup$41ish for two dishes and lots of leftoversPretty poppin' for a Saturday morning! Also smelled great *___*Special dumpling rice cake soupIs soooo good even with no hangover. I do wish there was more dumplings instead of the 3-4? That were in my bowl, but in terms of flavor, it was delish! The rice cakes soak up the broth so hurry and eat!Wagyu oxtailWoah this is super flavorful. But also little to no meat lol lots of fat/skin/tendon that was cooked wonderfully. This needs to be paired with a pickle of some sort , the banchan really helped. I'd get this dish if there's 3+ people eating! The medium spice def packs a punch and I enjoyed eating this with something sweet at home to offset the spice.Banchan Quail eggs and fish cake were our fav! There was also omelette and sausage slices so that's cool.Super solid place for Korean food at good prices. Some dishes aren't ginormous compared to other spots, but the flavor and quality is really there."

Jin China Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.3 (179) • $$

"It was my first time eating here and I have to say, I will definitely be returning! Customer service was fantastic. Very attentive and answered any questions we had on the menu. We ordered the Wor Wonton Soup and the Famous Black Bean Noodles! When he said the noodles were a comfort food, he was not kidding. It really did feel like we were eating at home in a cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend stopping by if you're visiting the Japanese Village or Weller Court!"

Tofu Bean Korean BBQ

★★★★★ 4.6 • $$

"Portion getting smaller and smaller. I understand no to go boxes for side dish. But when all the side dishes were consumed, and our entrees had many leftovers, you dont charge to go boxes for 50 cents each? Should had been wiser just ordered one dish and shared the whole family, then order again just as needed. Coz when we wanted to help businesses by ordering three entrees, the consequences were paying for the leftover to go boxes. This was not even an AYCE, and per entree cost about $29!"

Siam Sunset

★★★★☆ 4.1 (329) • $

"Discovered Siam Sunset via an Eater article, and I'm very happy that I did! It was an excellent recommendation. We decided to get lunch takeout from here yesterday and it did not disappoint. We ordered a variety of dishes, and each was delicious and flavorful. I would definitely come back.The menu items I got to try included the Hainan Chicken, Roasted Duck Curry, Roasted Duck Noodle Soup, and Spicy Pork Basil. My favorites were the Hainan Chicken and Roasted Duck Curry. The restaurant itself was very busy when I arrived, which is a good sign. After trying the food, I know why!"

Sea Dragon Chinese Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (523) • $$

"I forgot to take picture before we started serving. But it was great. We ordered Teriyaki chicken(bit gamey for me but great with hot sauce), Kang pao chicken( you can't go wrong with this one), cod fish in black bean sauce( ultimate), and shrimp chop sui( we just added veggie dish just to make vegetarians happy)in catering size. It was tiny bit tight for 40 people but we made it. We had one serving left over. THE BEST MOTHERS DAY COMPANY LUNCH WE HAD SO FAR"

MDK Noodles

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"MDK Noodles is such a solid spot for korean soup for any occasion. Parking was pretty easy since there's a structure nearby, and the parking meters were available given it was a Saturday. It's kind of hidden on the corner of a busy street, but not too hard to find. This was my second time here, and I had to get the Kalguksu and spicy Kalguksu again. They give you a big portion of noodles, so it feels super worth the price, which also wasn't drastically expensive from other soup restaurants.We waited about 30-40 minutes, but honestly, it was worth it. The food hit the spot, and I left feeling full and satisfied."

Thai Original BBQ & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.5 (747) • $$

"I went to the restaurant for a Xmas work lunch. Our server, Jack was so awesome and very attentive. Everyone at the table loved his service and positivity. The food was so fresh and so tasty. Everyone was so pleased with the food and service. I would definitely recommend and come back for lunch or dinner."

Olympic Cheonggukjang

★★★★☆ 4.3 (201) • $$

"The spicy octopus dish is my favorite and I can't even eat spicy food. The fried fish is a must. Everything else is worth a try, but those are my top 2 there. I think I eat there like 2 times a month and every time it's been great. Been going there for years and I finally put in a review! Kept it a secret."

Rosty

★★★★☆ 4.4 (654) • $$

"We love Rosty! Best Ceviche! Great Peruvian! Their spot also looks v cute but we usually get take out."

Sun Nong Dan

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"生活雖有瑣碎的煩事，也會有美妙的幸福～這家開24 小時的韓國店， 是我最最喜歡的韓國料理， 沒有之一， 他家有盤烤牛肉， 光叫小辣還是非常辣， 但是味道烤的超棒的， 很多人會加cheese 上去，我是覺得不用加 cheese , 原味就已經超讚的啦， 唯一不喜歡的是他家的前菜泡菜， 每盤都不太喜歡."

The Ppong

★★★★☆ 4.2 (291) • $$

"Great casual spot for good Korean-Chinese food!The restaurant is small but with decent seating. We ordered two types of the champong (one seafood and one with meat and seafood), the black bean noodles, and the ttangsuyuk (fried pork with sweet sauce). In all the dishes, the ingredients were top-tier quality. The noodles were also very chewy, unlike a lot of other places. Our favorite dish was the fried pork. They serve it with fresh cut cabbage and other vegetables which was a fun take on the dish that added a lot of freshness. The noodle dishes taste-wise was average, but I think the quality of the ingredients definitely give them brownie points. What made me give this place 5 stars was the service. Who I presume to be the owner was so kind and accommodating. He was very attentive and quick to bring us anything we needed. I definitely recommend supporting this business!"

Yuk Dae Jang

★★★★★ 4.5 (815) • $$

"The spicy beef noodle soup (not too spicy) with the fresh pasta is mighty delicious. Their seafood version of the soup is also a favorite of mine. Any savory stews or noodle soup you can't go wrong here. I didn't care for the Bossam, meaning I had better versions before.Yuk Dae Jang is a well-known restaurant brand from Korea, the food here is authentic and so good! Multiple locations come to mind in Southern California: Irvine, San Gabriel, Koreatown, Gardena, and beyond. -Parking on the premises of the mini-mall;although tight.-Payment: Credit and Cash."

Miari Noodle House

★★★★☆ 4.3 (222) • $$

"I came here with my mom after I picked her up from her dental appt. She chose this place because she had wanted soft noodles, nothing spicy or hard from her extraction today. This place is across the street from the Galleria market. Parking lot is pretty small and tight, but I was lucky to find one to the side corner so that was great, and even though the place was packed, we got seated right away as we entered, another plus!! We looked at the menu and noticed a huge bowl of noodles the lady was eating next to us. Mom asked her what she was eating and she said it was the noodles with the anchovy broth with clams. Mom then said to just share the big bowl because she can only eat so much and her novocane didn't wear off, so she said she had a funny taste in her mouth and couldn't chew very well. As soon as the lady brought us a warm tea and 2 side dishes we ordered the same dish as the lady next to us, I've decided to cut the radish and kimchi into smaller bite sizes and easier to eat for mom. There were tongs and scissors to cut the food which came in handy, another plus. Mom enjoyed her noodles and she said she was well stuffed after she finished her bowl. I'd say it was a hearty bowl, great taste, not salty at all, which was another plus!! And the ladies were nice to check up and ask if we had needed anything, great service. We both finished our bowls and then Mom said it was well worth it and had a great price for us to share. We had a great dining experience here for the first time and we highly recommend it.Thanks Miari Noodle House team for the great service today!!"

眞 Jin Cook - Authentic Korean Soul Food

★★★★★ 4.5 (652) • $$

"My favorite galbi jjim (braised beef shirt ribs), hands down. The short rib is so tender, fall off the bone. The sauce isn't too sweet compared to other places I've tried. I love how the potatoes, squash, carrots and rice cakes are perfectly marinated in the sauce. It's good to share for at least 2-3 people and comes with rice and banchans (side dishes). You'll wait a bit on the weekends during lunch and dinner time, so I recommend coming during off times. They're open late and have a homey, traditional ambiance."

Jinsol Gukbap Buena Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (216) • $$

"JinSol Gukbap is finally in OC. It tastes the same as the LA location without the drive.The menu is not exactly the same as the LA location, but we came for only the gukbap anyways which was delicious. Will definitely come back. The dwaeji gukbap is hearty and comforting soup that is perfect for a cold day. We also love getting the suyuk as well. The small is perfect for two people and a large is great for bigger groups. We came on a Tuesday night for dinner and still had to wait about 15 minutes."

Hurry Curry of Tokyo

★★★★☆ 4.3 (171) • $$

"SO GOOD. Got this place delivered and it was so good.Got the chicken cutlet curry and it was so good. Hot diggity. I could order another entree. I'll be back. Thanks for the phenomenal food!"

Yuk Dae Jang - Rowland Heights

★★★★★ 4.6 (250) • $$

"Yuk Dae Jang has a Rowland Heights location... yes!!! This is one of my favorite Korean food establishments. Whenever I'm craving their amazing shredded beef soup (yukdaejang), this is the first place that comes to mind... it is incredible and one of the reasons I often struggle to give up meat!The service has always been good. The ambiance is calm and I love that they are located in a shopping center with plenty of parking. I have always loved this restaurant, since I started going to their Koreatown location, which was across the street from my former office. When I found out they had a San Gabriel location, I started frequenting that one since it was closer to home and to my new office. But now, with Rowland Heights opening this location, it has become my go-to, since it's so much closer to home!"

The Magnolia Grille

★★★★☆ 3.9 (440) • $$

". I walked in there and it took them about 5 mins to come to me AFTER I rang the bell because no one at all greeted me. The very nice host in the front let me know that they were very busy, however, I watch the waiter walk over and greet non-people of color when it's really not that hard to just say good morning. I have no problem waiting, but not being acknowledged is really hurtful. The food here is very good for a diner and I'm glad that they have been able to stay in business for so long when I come here usually I don't know how to feel because sometimes I get a good interaction and sometimes I feel like they just don't want to deal with me, even though I always come in and do take out."

Bistro Na's

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"Bistro Na's is an elegant dining hall with carved wooden panels. Go there to celebrate a milestone. There are Chinese string instruments on the walls, the same ones that are playing on the speakers. Go there with a group to sample their imperial dishes, such as Peking duck and crispy shrimp. Beijing Zhajiang Noodles: This is a great dish if you're here for lunch on your own. For a plate of noodles, the presentation is extravagant. They mix the ingredients in front of you table-side and squeeze a small tube of flavor. This is one of the best expressions of Zhajiang mian in the SGV. There are some bits of pork belly, but not as much meat add you would normally expect. The fresh seasonal vegetables as a whole new dimension to this simple dish. There are slices of cherry radishes, edamame, seaweed, celery, cucumber, beet leaves, and napa cabbage. The flavors and textures are very interesting together. There's also some sweet cherry peppers and green pickled garlic for huge bursts of flavor. The chewy wheat noodles are coated with a fermented black bean sauce with a sweet and savory finish.Dining Area: Make a reservation or get on the Yelp waitlist. There are a few dozen wood and stone tables in a classy setting.Parking: The large strip mall has ample underground and above ground parking."

Little Siam Thai Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4 (529) • $

"Legit Thai food. I actually crave this place. Every time I go there, I am satisfied with the food and friendly service. Today I got the lunch menu, that comes with a soup + side of rice for a very good price. I had the eggplant lover and my husband had the pad Thai. We could choose the kind of protein we wanted on both (no extra charge). However, I don't know if the lunch menu would be enough for big eaters - so that's something to take into consideration before choosing."

Lotus & Light

★★★★☆ 4 (625) • $$

"This place impressed us when they opened in our neighborhood. It was exciting, not so exciting now. Keep up with the upkeep please. It looks like a used place now vs a hip new eatery. The last attempt for "to go" not really enjoyable...burned and soaked in dripping oil."

Olympic Noodle

★★★★☆ 4.1 (444) • $$

"Food was great. It tasted like the grandma made with her own hands. The seafood pancake was very fluffy."

P P Pop

★★★★☆ 4.4 (958) • $$

"PP Pop is my all-time favorite restaurant in Monterey Park! Their customer service is always top tier, and the waiters/waitresses work very effectively and quickly to ensure that each table's needs are tended to. If you go during the weekends, there's almost always a wait because of how good their food is. It's definitely less packed on the weekdays for sure.They have a paper menu where you can just check off how many and which item you want to order. They sometimes give it to you to fill out when you are waiting for your table so that they can enter in your order immediately when you are seated. I always order the Pork Potstickers and the Mala Spicy Beef Rice Noodle Soup. Their potstickers are a MUST TRY. They are fried to perfection with a nice crispy the outer layer, and inside the dumpling, there is a lot of soup and a savory pork ball. Their noodles are so smooth and goes very well with the numbing spicy broth! I love that they add in corn and bak choy (my two favorite veggies) in the noodle soup as well. They also have very good and refreshing drinks and they come in a HUGE cup! My favorite is the passion fruit iced tea!I would say it's a pretty small restaurant, but still feels spacious! Everyone that I've introduced his restaurant to has enjoyed it! Highly recommend!"

Mountain Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (300) • $$

"In the heart of LA's Koreatown, this small Cafe packs a lot of flavor!I ordered #2, the whole chicken ginseng soup and my partner ordered #4, the bone marrow soup. Both dishes came with a side of rice and 4 banchan (or Korean side dishes) consisting of kimchi, braised beef, pickled radish, and another preserved veggie. The braised beef was my favorite banchan. The chicken ginseng soup had a lot of great flavor, especially after the ginseng and sweet sticky rice had been soaking in the broth.A very friendly, older Korean woman took our order and served us. If you run out of any of the side dishes, just ask her and she'll bring out more.Located next to Paris Baguette in a small strip center with many other Korean restaurants. I arrived via rideshare, but parking looked like it was vallet only in their small lot. Open 24 hours a day. I would definitely return here!"

Cafe Amara

★★★★★ 4.9 (14)

"Love this place! I'm here at least 3-4 times a week. Sometimes twice a day if I'm working a long day! I work right around the corner and love love love coming into this adorable cafe! The food is amazing and the service is what makes it even better. Everyone is so kind and welcoming. I love walking in here in the mornings for my coffee and bagel and also of course walk over for lunch. Salads are amazing!"

Mdk Noodles

★★★★☆ 3.9 (752) • $$

"Korean food makes me happy...If I'm starving, it's a good time for Korean food!If I'm pretty full, it's a good time for Korean food!I was able to try MDK Noodle on two separate occasions, and it was good both times. The interior is minimalistic at best....almost sterile.The waitstaff rushes around with pushcarts filled with menus, banchan, and water...it's pretty fun to watch.They shoot over to your table drop everything off, and they are gone!Once they come back around, you are able to order....and then they show up with your food on the cart. Its that simple!The surprising part was that you never receive tableware or napkins. There is a hidden shelf built into your table and everything is inside!The dishes we tried were tasty and the portion size was decent. We weren't blown away by the flavors, but it was satisfying. The items were a little expensive for what they was...but that's everything nowadays...This is your place if you need a quick, expedited sit-down Korean restaurant. It's relatively fast, and you can eat and get out of there if you really need to.Enjoy!"

The Corner Place Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"One of my favorite kbbq places in ktown so far. It's not AYCE and even though the price of one of the most expensive meat would easily match a good AYCE place, the quality and freshness of the banchans (side dishes) and the meat itself it's worth it. The portion of the house meat can feed 3 adults. Make sure you order the noodles in the cold broth, it balances well with the greasiness of the meat. It was a perfect meal after a hiking. Service was fast as efficient."

Pad Thai On Beverly

★★★★★ 4.6 (154) • $$

"This Thai place I personally love, it is nothing crazy but super clean space, I love that no matter what I order I always feel good after, good portions and good price, fast service and always is consistent with quality and flavor. I would recommend."

Wat Dong Moon Lek Noodle

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"One of my go-to spots. Tasty noodles. Great service. Parking lot. Great artwork. It's the total package."

Jin Ju

★★★★★ 4.8 (66)

"Food: 5 starsService: 6 starsAmbiance: 4.5 starsMy first visit with family, and we will be returning for sure! Came here for dinner on Saturday night around 6 pm, and we all left happy. My sister had told me they had pretty good marinated pork ribs - soy sauce marinated style ribs. We ordered two orders of Pork Belly and three orders of Marinated Pork Ribs (for three adults and two kids). I personally like thick pork belly vs. thin ones and if you like me, you will like their pork belly. My two kids really loved them. Then we had the marinated pork ribs which I was looking forward to. They're more like the soy sauce marinated ribs you would see in Korea vs. spicy ones you see in K-town. We ended up ordering another order.I will say their ribs are not as sweet as Ham Ji Park ribs. If you like more flavorful marinated ribs, you may prefer Ham Ji Park, but once you try their ribs, I think you'll have days where you will crave for Jin Ju ribs and other days for Ham Ji Park ribs. Lastly, their service was EXCELLENT! Everyone who came to our table were prompt and so nice. They all made our dinner more enjoyable."