Cho Dang Tofu House

Ok its not the best soon dubu ever but the dish is a standard comfort food and this fulfilled the need with NO wait. There’s something very old-​school authentic about the flavor of the broth, maybe some doen jang paste was added. Anyway I enjoyed it and the spice level was pretty accurate.

Best Korean restaurant in the area! Hidden gem in the old Korean district.
1. Food: For those that want classic home Korean food.
a) Seafood & Beef Soon Tofu: Generous portions of meat with good flavor. Taste like moms cooking.
b) Cold Noodle: Really good, for those hot humid days
c) Side dishes: Tasty and plentiful.
d) Korean Pancake: Super delicious, this is one of my favorite Korean dishes.
e) Free ice cream: Yum!
2. Décor: Traditional Korean tofu house. Large restaurant and parking lot for huge parties!
3. Price: Really fair and good prices.
4. Service: Very friendly and good service.

I thought their soontofu was pretty comparable to SKD. Though SKD has the edge, it’s a slight one. And with SKD’s price increase and lessened meat quantity I would recommend Cho Dang. Plus here you get more side dishes. I got the beef soontofu, which had a generous portion of meat. The kong gook su ($ 9.50) was really good. The soup is thick like it should be.
The service was really friendly. I think it’s a couple of runs everything. The wife stopped by the tables to check up on them, which I thought was a nice touch. The husband does the bussing and I think cooking as well and he was friendly too. They offer free self serve soft serve and coffee.
The building itself is old but they keep it maintained. They could probably take some time to clean the outside up a little though to make it more presentable. Otherwise, I thought this place was very good.

My go-​to spot for tofu soup. Prices are very reasonable, food comes fast, very consistent and delicious! They bring out all of the typical side items, like fried fish and veges, all of which are great. One recommendation I would give is to ask for the rice in stone pot which goes great with the soup! Also I find that hot/​spicy is the best level, since the mild can be a bit bland.

Unappealing area hides a great Tofu soup restaurant
We enjoyed very much the totally authentic soon duboo jiggae
Banchan were just enough & just enough variety
Plenty of parking
Prompt professional service

We are fortunate to have many Korean restaurants in the Atlanta area. The interior is very simple compared to many of the other places and its exterior is equally nondescript. I can imagine many people driving by without it even catching a second of their eye.
With that being said, there is something quaint about Cho Dang though that sets it apart. It feels very mom and popish. The food is classic Korean done right. I wouldn’t hold a dinner party here but I would go on a casual outing with friends for some good eats. The staff is super friendly and have gave me some complimentary items on occasion when there was even the slightest mistake on their part. The free coffee (hazelnut I think) and ice cream at the end definitely don’t hurt either.
Set your GPS to locate this gem and enjoy!

My $$ rating is higher than other reviewers because I include tax and tip for total price. Dishes start at $ 9:50…$ 20 is most expensive dish.
I ordered Kimchi Beef tofu soup with stone pot rice. This order lacked he crispy rice at edges and bottom of bowl, still tasty. Requesting more crispy may be in order.

My Korean friend brought me here for tofu soup and I loved it!
Before our entrees came out, the waiter brought out a bunch of complementary appetizers. This apps ranged from spicy kimchi to fish! It was a great way to start the meal. Once our meal arrived, my Korean friend quickly told me to crack my egg into the soup to let it cook. The process behind eating this food was very cool! After the meal, complementary coffee and ice-​cream are available to all patrons.
If you are looking for good food off the beaten path, Cho Dang Tofu House is a great place to go!

Korean food oh how I love thee. The tofu soup was scrumptious and the velvety egg yolk is always a treat that I save for last. I got the beef short rib and soup combo. Lots of sides, some new ones, marinated okra and a crunchy kale salad. Attentive and quick service. Restaurant is spotless and updated. My first visit; won’t be my last. I recommend!

Hidden gem alert!
Please don’t judge its exterior appearance and pass. Give this place a chance because it will surprise you.
Walking in you’ll realize this is a fairly quiet place and you’ll amaze at how clean everything is. Food is pretty good too!
I’m not going to rave about this place too much because my fiancé and I ate here for the first time. So this is solely on our two dishes, Bulgogi and Seafood Bibimbap. Both dishes are quite good. We’ve had better from other places but this restaurant did enough of a decent job that we’re open to return for other dishes.
It’s definitely a good alternative from the more popular places.
Also, there’s free self serve ice cream for dessert! (Because of free ice cream we were immediately sold.)
We’ll be back.
Ratings from 1 – 5 (one being lowest and five being highest):
–Service: 5
–Food: 4.5
–Overall: 4.75

This is my go to place for tofu soup and very casual korean bbq.
To start off, i really like the layout of the restaurant, almost cafeteria like, i even like the tables they have. The lady who usually takes orders and serves is always really nice and attentive, and adds to the experience. Food wise: THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST FRIED FISH. I went to so kong dong because everyone says their food is really good, but i was so sad when i ate the fried fish– it was almost soggy, and coating didn’t really stick to the fish whereas here the fish is nice and crispy (i’ve ordered them togo to eat with rice– so good). The combos are good as well, the tofu soup has a decent amount of heat, the udon noodles in the udon soup is nice and chewy as you’d expect, and they also put green chilis in it to give it a good amount of heat. The short ribs are pretty good, not amazing quality, but good to finish up the meal and get you feel; and bonus points for the nicely caramelized onions at the bottom. The banchan do change from time to time, but I like the japchae and the tofu, as well as the bean sprouts (surprisingly considering I rarely eat them). The ice cream machine at the end is a nice touch, even though I don’t really like the consistency, I do show off my skills in making a perfect cone. Cho Dang is very casual, and that’s what I like about it: simple, good food with homely service.

Delicious… my partner and I shared the spicy short rib. It was enough to leave us both pleasantly stuffed. Complimentary appetizers, coffee, and ice cream for dessert. The service was quick. I wish they had fountain drinks, but can’t be too picky… they had canned coca-​cola products.

The only other tofu place that I thoroughly enjoy during the winter time is in New Jersey. This tofu soup shop is not bad on Buford Highway in Atlanta, Georgia. Our lunch for two only cost $ 21 and we were so full.

I like this kind of family restaurant, home made taste, reasonable price, quiet and spacious sitting. Will visit again!

«Let’s skip out on the wiki facts and focus on the food. I’m trying to find out what to order on the Unilocal app before the server gets back.»
[Time & Date of visit]: Many weekday nights
[Party Size]: 2 – 6
[Location/​Ambiance]:
Location — It’s a bit of the more quiet side of Buford Hwy in it’s own section. Right after the Oak Cliff intersection, if you start to see Red & Green Brazil steak house you missed it. The parking lot has seen better days, but try to park within the faded lines as best as you can. Don’t be that guy *grr* !
I have yet to see this place extremely packed, so it’s usually low key and not loud. Which is nice if you just want a quiet meal in peace from the main stream places.
[Service]:
Full service. The older ladies have always been super nice and though their English might not be perfect, they do repeat your order back to you to confirm as well as ask how spicy you would like a dish instead of assuming anything.
Food has always been brought in a pretty quick manner. If not staggered depending on which food item is already done.
[Food Highlights]:
I’m not that particular on ban chan, but the jap chae /​glass noodles as well as the fish, and marinated potatoes are my favorite to munch when I stop by.
Seafood dolsot Bibimbap — My staple dish, as I don’t really care for tofu soup that much. It’s been consistent as for portion and the amount of squid and shrimp they give you. The shrimp tends to shrink fairly quickly, so don’t leave that on the bottom.
Quinoa dolsot Bibimbap — Surprisingly for a healthier option to replace rice, this is just as good as the regular bibimbap options.
Bulgogi — Most times this dish hasn’t been consistent on the sweetness and cooking degree. So take a chance if this is one of your staple dishes when dining in a Korean restaurant.
Don’t forget your ice cream before you leave!
{Summary}:
For a place that stays open late and provides a lot of value, Cho Dang Tofu House has been a place that my friends and I frequent when they’re craving tofu soup and I just want some bibimbap. Worth a visit if you don’t want to be a spot that’s noisy as well I feel. 4 stars for a hidden gem.

4 years later and still no improvements. The staff is unfriendly, unresponsive, and generally just difficult to deal with. At one point, we were literally the only ones in the restaurant, and we still could not get the attention of the waitress. When we asked for a refill of our side dishes, she randomly selected 2 out of the 8 to refill. When we asked again, she randomly picked 2 more instead of the ones we asked for. The only positive from this experience was that they finally fixed the ice cream machine. Other than that, I don’t expect to return anytime soon. There’s too many other options on Buford Hwy to deal with poor service.

This place served me decent Korean traditional food authentic to original food we eat in Korea. I was not that hungry but ended up having two bowls of rice. SO GOOD! Believe me the food is excellent!!! I am a traveler from Korea and gave me a smile after eating it. I have been eating Korean food all along but this is the best in this trip!

The place was very unassuming. I remember I came here a few years ago before I was a Unilocaler, and I am glad to have revisited.
After an awful experience in So Kong Dong, I have vowed to be in a search for a new tofu house to frequent along with my family. As we drove down Buford Hway, I vaguely remembered this place, and decided to take a leap.
From the outside, it does look run down. The inside is not anything flashy, but very clean and comfortable.
We were promptly greeted by a kind gentleman who spoke very little, but put a lot of care on waiting on us. He even drew down the curtains, without being asked, when he noticed that the sun was slightly bothering me. He gave me a kind smile and a nod as he drew the curtains down. I felt that he genuinely care about his customers.
We ordered the seafood soup. One is plain and the other is spicy.
We also had the usual trimmings of kimchi and other pickled vegetables here and there. I would say the food was pretty good. Although, I must admit that their seafood tofu could use a little more umami to it… it was good, but it was missing something that I just cant put my finger on … Now, I would not really recommend their Plain soup … to me, tofu soup is just no fun at all if it is not at all spicy. The soup had clams and shrimp … i wish there were oysters in it. Now, some of the clam in the other soup had a bit of sand in it — so I suggest for management to really address that issue — it can really kill the soup. I also wish that they would give two fried fishes as oppose to one since the fish is sooo small. lol.
Other than that, I really think there is a real potential here. I would like to give it four stars, but the food just needs a little more bump. Regardless, I would still come back.

6.99 lunch special, sausage n ham tofu soup with 8 dif kind of ban Chan including fried fish. Great service and self serve frozen yogurt on yr way out. Will be back from sure.

Never mind the three and a half stars! I give this place 5 stars because of it’s authenticity, best purple rice ever, and sides for days!
I love that this place always changes its sides so it’s always a surprise for me every time I come here. And they have many sides too like 6 – 7. I always order the mild tripe tofu soup and it’s always perfectly consistent and on point!
I love that the food is always fresh, and prompt and their hot tea is barley tea is perfect for a chilly day.
The customer service here is amazing! They never hesitate when you want more sides.
I will always choose this place over any tofu house in the metro area!

Cho Dang Tofu House remains a solid Korean restaurant on Buford Highway. Simply put, it may not be the nicest Korean restaurant around (it’s worn and shows its age), but its reliable and affordable. And you can’t beat the free self-​serve ice cream.
I’m writing this update for Cho Dang to report on some menu items I’ve tried that weren’t mentioned in my original review, so this can be considered an extension of my last review. These foods include the naengmyeon ($ 7.95, labeled as «cold noodles» on the menu) and the dumpling udon noodle soup ($ 7.95).
Naengmyeon is a Korean noodle dish that’s served cold. I’m a fan of this dish and order it often when dining at non-​BBQ-​oriented Korean restaurants. The noodles can be made from a variety of ingredients such as buckwheat (same as Japanese soba), but most of the naengmyeon I’ve had in metro Atlanta has been made of arrowroot. This is the case at Cho Dang. The arrowroot noodles are dark in color and exceptionally chewy. As is customary, you have the option of having the noodles cut tableside by a server with a pair of scissors. I always have this done. Otherwise, the noodles are tougher to eat because they are so chewy.
The noodles can be served «dry» with a spicy sauce or «wet» with a cold broth. More often than not, I opt for the broth. At some restaurants, this broth is served on the side. At Cho Dang, the bowl of noodles is served with the broth already poured in. The broth is light and watery. It has lots of crushed ice which keeps the bowl nice and cold. Some think this is a great summertime dish because of it’s cold temperature. I like it year-​round.
I’ve noticed the naengmyeon at Cho Dang is a bit more fragrant than the naengmyeon at other Atlanta area Korean restaurants. The Cho Dang version comes with a hard-​boiled egg (no shell), two slices of beef, sliced cucumber, and daikon radish. If you want, you can pair the noodles with a side order of galbi (Korean BBQ beef shortribs) for $ 14.49. A reasonable value.
Naengmyeon is served with bottles of vinegar and spicy horseradish/​wasabi-​like mustard. I like to add both, particularly the mustard, for the appetizing sour and spicy flavors they give to the noodles and broth.
The udon noodle soups here are OK. I think it’s probably best to stick with Japanese restaurants if you want udon noodles. The dumpling udon noodle soup reminds me of instant udon noodle soup with frozen potstickers. Granted, it’s better than that, but not by a whole lot. The soup does come with a generous portion of tofu and is served in similar piping hot black bowls like the popular tofu soups (sundubu jjigae) are served in, except slightly bigger. Dumpling options include pork and shrimp.
The banchan (small, complementary Korean side dishes) at Cho Dang do not deviate much. My favorite is the spicy pickled bok choy.
Service remains good.
For more information on Cho Dang, please refer to my previous review which provides a better, comprehensive overview of the restaurant, its menu, prices, and other dishes such as the tofu soups (with purple rice) and BBQ meats.

You can find Cho Dang Tofu House on Buford Hwy on the right headed North of I285 about a block from Winters Chapel Rd. The building is free standing and away from a shopping center behind it. It’s a bit difficult to discern as the name in in Korean with «Korean Restaurant» beneath. The sign at the edge of the lot says «Chodang.»
Cho Dang is my favorite Korean restaurant on Buford Hwy — the flavors are spot-​on when compared to what my Korean mother made for our family as I was growing up. The location is a bit dated but still fits into the traditional woody-​accented interiors you see in other Korean restaurants of its era. The food in general is spicy and the pickled veggies homemade — this latter «panch’an» is updated frequently using seasonal pickled veggies, egg, tofu and fish. There’s usually 7 of these (7 cheop). Speaking of fish, you also get a small appetizer fish (I think these are croakers) that’s been pan-​fried. You tear into this and pick out small pieces of meat.
For larger groups I frequently order a kimchi pancake or my favorite, a pepper pancake. This 12 inch pancake features ground beef, onions and peppers, including hot jalapenos and is served with a Korean style ponzu sauce (tastes like soy, mirin, a drop of sesame oil and some green onion — once again just like what mom used to make). My friends call this a Korean pizza and it is indeed served cut into slices like one. It’s also delicious if a bit on the oily side.
The specialty of the house are the various types of tofu soup. This style of cooking is called soondubu jigae — soups, stews and broths served with soft tofu in blazing hot crocks. This comes to the table bubbling and steaming and usually it’s served with «purple rice» — rice cooked with beans in a similar crock. You spoon rice into a metal bowl and add the soup and pickles, a little at a time until you’re full. I cheat and eat directly out of the rice crock (but that’s not considered good form) — I also eat every bit I’m served which makes me a bit of a pig, but I love this food so I’m honest about my gluttony.
If I’m very hungry, I’ll splurge on one of the combos — like the BBQ ribs (galbi) and tofu soup (my favorite is the kimchi beef tofu soup, extra spicy — they know to double up on the heat for me and I do indeed fell it — nothing like those endorphins kicking in to let me know how good this is). The beef is wonderful and the soup top-​notch with tons of Tofu (a bit different from the Kimchee Jige you usually order in a typical Korean restaurant).
Traditionally you keep the rice «clean» so you can pour in some of the hyeonmi cha (this is the hot brown rice tea they serve you in a glass) or some water. Mixed with the crunchy rice that’s caramelized in the crock, produces a new flavor and texture combination that’s nice to finish off the meal and clean the palate a bit. Or you can take advantage of the free soft-​serve ice cream dispenser or very-​sweet coffee dispenser near the door.
There are always tons of Koreans, Americans (Anglos!) and other ethnic types there — it seems quite popular. Also the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, available for a description of the menu items or two plus they readily fill water and tea glasses. All in all a nice, casual dining experience — you won’t leave hungry!
(slightly longer review on my food blog)

Yum yum. I still haven’t been to all thaaat many Korean places in Atlanta, but Cho Dang has risen to the top of my very short list.
I always like to get mushroom tofu soup the first time I eat at a Korean tofu house so I have some baseline to compare against – I ate that dish so often as a vegetarian youngster in LA that it’s a bit nostalgic for me, too… depending on how well the dish is made.
I have to say, this place’s mushroom tofu soup was pretty much identical in quality to the best I can remember having in LA. My only very minor quibble was that «medium spicy» still ain’t very spicy. But I digress.
The banchan is good – not the widest array of items, but all pretty tasty. I tried the purple rice that other reviewers have claimed is so good, but was relatively unimpressed – any distinction between the purple rice and regular ol’ white seems to be in texture (and a minor change, too, at that) versus taste.
The best part, though, is the free vanilla ice cream at the end! Who does that? I don’t know, but there is something so joyous about serving yourself a cake cone full of soft-​serve on your way out.

This was my first time trying this restaurant because my Aunt had enjoyed it in the past. Went for lunch, only 3 tables full including ours, but still took a long time for the waitress to get to us. The side dishes were very less in quantity compared to other tofu houses. Foods were flavorable, but nothing stood out. What got on my nerves though was 1) An employee was obviously either smoking in the kitchen or bathroom because we can literally smell it throughout the whole restaurant at one point and 2) Our waitress didn’t understand much English. I had asked for separate checks right when we ordered, during our meal when we said that we’re ready for our checks, and at the end. She came back with one check total.

Probably everyone has been to So Kong Dong, but for sure not everyone has been to Cho Dang… just because the parking lot is empty at night? (Btw, you won’t have any parking problems here…)
So Kong Dong’s pancakes are one of the best, but for tofu soup and table service, Cho Dang wins. Also, purple rice is unlimited and served in stone bowl. Plus the free hot barley tea.
Need a getaway?

I can’t believe it took me this long to write a review about Cho Dang. I’ve been going here since the early 2000’s. I’m surprised it has lasted this long.
Obviously, the other competitor to the Sun Du Bu dish in the Buford Hwy area is So Kong Dong. I’m going to do a comparison between them.
The bathrooms in Cho Dang is bigger. They have 3 whole urinals. They are close together though. If 3 dudes were in there, we would all be touching shoulders and crossing streams.
Cho Dang has a more mom-​and-​pop feel to the restaurant. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same couple that’s been running this place for 15+ years, working tirelessly on nights and weekends. So Kong Dong feels more like a business.
The food tastes about similar. Cho Dang has less banchans it seems. They still give you the fried fish. They also give you a choice between white and purple rice.
Cho Dang also has baby squid Sun Du Bu. I love that. That would be my go-​to dish if I come back here. As far as I know, So Kong Dong does not have the baby squid. Also, it seems like most of the Sun Du Bu in Cho Dang has an extra clam or 2. I think that’s a good surprise, if you’re not allergic to shellfish.
The marinated short ribs tasted great. I think it’s better than So Kong Dong’s.
The Sun Du Bu in Cho Dang has a lot of sodium. I felt like my throat was lined with salt when I finished. I needed a gallon of Kung Fu Tea to wash that feeling down.
Overall, this place is a 3.5 star place. I don’t know whether to round up or down. It depends on my mood. If I’m feeling nice, I’ll give it 4 stars. But I’m not feeling nice today. So I’ll give it 3 stars.

Ended up coming here for dinner on a Tuesday night after finding out So Kong Dong was closed.
They have definitely improved since I’ve been here last. Service was awesome. I was immediately greeted upon arrival and walked to a table. The hostess was super nice and didn’t make me fill rush as I waited for the boy to show up. Our server came by our table several times to refill waters and the banchan.
Food has also improved although I found the spicy level of my tofu soup and the banchan to be lacking. For banchan, we received an assortment of broccoli, 2 types of kim chi, bean sprouts, dried miniature shrimp, zucchini, marinated potatoes and my favorite, a fried fish for each order. This was a pretty underwhelming variety compared to some other places. The boy’s bulgogi was seasoned well and he enjoyed his meal. I got the beef and seafood soup with the stone pot purple rice. This time, the soup came out bubbling hot and I happily cracked my egg into it for it to cook. However, despite requesting it to be spicy, I found that there was no heat to it. Kind of disappointed. Would recommend extra spicy for other hot heads like me. I was also impressed with the amount of beef you received. The stone pot purple rice was a great bonus. I loved the crunchy charred rice with the soup.
They still had the soft serve ice cream machine (vanilla only) and the cappuccino machine for a sweet ending to your meal.
Prices were average. $ 8.50 for tofu soups. They have tofu soup + bbq short ribs combo for $ 15.xx. Bulgogi was $ 13.xx. Bibimbap was $ 9.xx. Korean BBQ was around $ 17.
I still prefer So Kong Dong for their tofu soup and banchan variety but would recommend coming here if you want to avoid the crowd/​wait or you find yourself craving tofu soup on a Tuesday.

I owe this place to surviving LAW SCHOOL, mainly was the one place I could go after class and loved every dish!
Kalbi, purple rice, et al are musts right up to the ice cream at the end!!!
Owner and family are incredibly nice and one of the reasons I love this place after 14 years!!!

More commonly referred to as Tofu House… Because of the variety of soondubu (soft tofu soup) here. Served with a raw egg and (purple) rice with red beans. You crack that egg into the boiling stone bowl, and stir it up. Pieces of soft tofu break. Steam. Taste. Slurp. And perspire a little. This soup works wonder when you’re feeling sick.
Cho Dang is another Tofu Soup restaurant on Buford Highway. These tofu places serve tofu soup, Korean BBQ, cold noodles, and other Korean foods at generally reasonable prices.
Cho Dang is a hidden gem tucked away on Buford Highway, near White Wind Mill.
The only thing that set Cho Dang apart from all of their competitors is that they serve PURPLE RICE with your tofu soup instead of the regular white rice.
The Banchan, also know as side dishes, varies every day. It just depends what they have in stock on that day.
The BBQ beef ribs are okay. These are served still sizzling on a black iron skillet with plenty of freshly sliced onion. It’s very mouthwatering and savory. The bulgogi is tasty as well, with good flavor and tenderness.
I typically will order the Kimchi or dumpling tofu soup with «medium» spicy-​ness. I don’t like to get too spicy of a food, though I do enjoy my Sriracha and Texas Pete. Maybe it’s because this is a hot soup and will only amplify the spicy-​ness. The medium is not too hot; it’s perfect for me.
The service at Cho Dang is outstanding and the food comes out fast. They are open until 11pm, seven days a week.
If you like Tofu, this is a place for you. If you love Soon Tofu, then come here!!!

COMBO 1 BBQ RIB AND TOFU SOUP
Comes with all the side dishes of course. Kim Chi, small fish, potato salad, etc. The meat is very good and tender although the flavor is more mild than the bbq meat at So Kong Dong.
The tofu soup is full of tofu and ground beef. It’s thick and very good. Also has a good amount of spice.
BUL-​GO-​GI
Thin and tender sliced beef or pork. Very flavorful and delicious. Comes out on a skillet.
PURPLE RICE IN CLAY POT
I LOVE this rice. I always ask for it at Korean places and this place is no exception. Comes in a clay pot. I can eat it just by itself.