Chodang Tofu Restaurant

Tl:dr Soups are ok, meat dishes aren’t worth it. We still don’t know what the Beef Tofu Soup tastes like… In the past my family would come here and have a great dinner. With the new owner, prices are higher and I would be fine with that if the quality and quantity went up too but the meat dishes and kimchi pancake quality has actually gone down. The soups were good though. Don’t bother ordering the L.A. Galbi ($28.99), the Bulgogi ($25.99), or the Kimchi Jeon ($18.99). The quantity of food was scant and meats were served on aluminum platters that made the food get colder faster. The Galbi sat on a bed of raw onions which would normally be ok I guess if the plate was a sizzling plate but the plate was just an aluminum plate. The kimchi pancake was supposed to have kimchi and veggies but it was mainly just a starchy pancake. The restaurant was really stingy with the side dishes and the napkins for some reason. We asked if they had a side of cooked tofu for my toddler and the server went to verify and asked us if it was ok if it was boiled and we were ok with it. We weren’t told we would be billed for a full beef tofu soup ($16.99) that just had boiled tofu in hot water. We inquired about that when the bill came and were strongly told that they don’t have sides of tofu. That would have been good to know before getting billed for a full soup. This meal for 4 adults and a toddler ended up being $200+ after tip. We likely won’t be back.

I recommend this quaint family business! We ordered the soft tofu soup and it was steamy and homemade tasty. The server (owner?) recommended we have the heat at "Medium" instead of too spicy so that we could feel a bit of spice but it would not be too hot and uncomfortable while we could enjoy the taste of the food itself. She was right! A truly enjoyable meal! When asked for more of one of the five sides, she did not hesitate to refill it and did not charge extra. The dining area was clean and decor was traditional. I thought it was sooo sooo practical how she brought out all of the edibles on a rolling tray. Will need to return to try more of the menu!

I guess you won't find any place who serve a decent 갈비탕 in Phoenix area even though this place was recommended by a long time local Korean merchant. A person who ordered 해물순두부 commented it is too 'milky.' For the name sake of 초당, at least, their 순두부 should have been above average. Don't know when they close, but while we were in the middle of dining, they dimmed the light signaling to get out of the hell. Won't go back for sure nor recommend to anyone. I will tell the merchant who recommend the place our terrible experience.

Absolutely some of the best Korean food I’ve ever had. Everything is so full of flavor and textures are excellent. They only use high quality meats here! It’s a new owner that took over with her mom doing all the cooking for the last year. Trust me the quality and taste is sooo good. You must come here for Korean food! Yes the prices are not what I would call cheap, but they explained that the quality of products they use are the reason. You can taste it!

I'm writing this review a couple of months late. I never write reviews, but I've still been thinking about this food! I was in Chandler for work and, having recently returned from working in South Korea for several years, was really craving some Korean comfort food. I searched the area and was pleasantly surprised to find all of my favorite soups available for takeout at Chodang Tofu. I ordered the kimchi sundubu jjigae (김치순두부찌개) and the dwenjang jjigae (된장찌개). They were sooooooo good, I nearly cried. They tasted as good as my neighborhood halmeoni made in Korea. And the service was amazing. The kind aunty and halmeoni at Chodang Tofu gave me plenty of banchan, including some of the best kkakdugi (깍두기) and 감자조림 (braised potatoes?) I've had in the US. I hope to be back in Chandler soon so I can get another fill of Korean comfort food. 정말 잘 먹었습니다~ 또 올게요^^

This spot is super clean and cozy with real Korean vibes and it was awesome seeing other Asians happily digging in, even the bathroom was spotless and the halmeoni was incredibly sweet and welcoming. The kimchi jjigae hit like perfect comfort food with great flavor, soft tofu and just the right heat plus the heukmi bap and sides like the perfectly cooked pajeon made everything even better.

One of the best Korean restaurant in the valley where you can get a hot stone bowl tofu soup with an egg while the soup is still boiling. Or my favorite satay squid with vegetable soak in traditional Korean red sauce make sure you ask for extra napkin because it could get pretty spicy and don’t let me start on the short ribs. The best way to go is take friends and family so everybody can try a little bit of everything because of portion is huge. Love this place 🥰