Sun Nong Dan (Koreatown)
Los Angeles’s Koreatown is known for its Korean food worldwide. Home to one of the largest Korean-American populations in the United States, this comes as no surprise. As a result, restaurants like Sun Nong Dan have cemented themselves as one of LA Koreatown’s local favorites.
Having established four locations all over LA and LA County, Sun Nong Dan has been a popular restaurant for years amongst Koreatown locals. Their main specialties are the ox bone soup, or seolleongtang (설렁탕) and the braised beef short ribs, or galbi jjim (갈비찜). This review will focus on the Western Ave. location, as it is centrally located in the heart of LA’s Koreatown and one of the most popular branches.
Open 24 hours a day, Sun Nong Dan draws in customers from all backgrounds wanting to try their legendary soups and torched galbi jjim. Especially into the night, the restaurant will always be bustling with customers filing in and out in small to large groups. With that being said, there is usually not a long wait time even during peak dinner hours, which is a huge plus. In addition, the restaurant has a secure parking lot with valet services for extra peace of mind while you eat.
The interior is clean and modern, allowing the venue to be inviting without distracting. The menu is expansive, ranging from soups to meat dishes, from small to large portions. While the torched galbi jjim is delicious and puts on a fiery show to torch the cheese on top, it can be expensive by itself and is recommended for groups of two to five diners for best value and shareability.
One of their more popular soup dishes is the seok uh seolleongtang (섞어 설렁탕). It is an ox bone-based broth with various cuts of beef mixed in. It is served with a side of rice (white and purple rice are available options), along with the standard banchan (side dish) assortment. The soup itself has a clear and light taste, with a nicely balanced, rich beef flavor. If you have had bone broth before, this is similar in taste, but with a more complex profile. The meat is tender and every cut is delicious. It can be dipped into the provided soy sauce, which brings it to another level. This dish is perfect for casual dining, or especially when it is cold and raining outside.
Taking things another direction, the oo guh ji galbi tang (우거지 갈비탕) is a spicier soup option. It is a spicy beef short rib soup with dried cabbages and generous helpings of leeks and green onions. The soup is much thicker than the seolleongtang, and tastes like a deep, beef-based soup with oil and vegetables. It is absolutely delicious and the flavor is really unlike anything else. The meat portions in this dish are generous as well, coming in an assortment of thinly sliced beef as well as thick cubes of steak. The vegetables help to balance out the richness of the soup and also brings a more complex flavor with each bite. This dish also comes with rice and a side of dipping sauce.
And when you go up to the front counter to pay (Korean restaurants in LA rarely bring you your check to the table), one of the most unique aspects is the wall of autographs of famous celebrities that have dined there. Famous diners include the likes of Yasiel Puig (former LA Dodgers right fielder) and Pokimane (Youtuber and Twitch streamer), amongst countless others. Next to the autographs are framed awards and news articles consistently praising Sun Nong Dan as one of LA’s best restaurants.
So, whether you want to go and see the wall of star-studded autographs, or just want a late-night comfort meal, Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown is going to have something for everyone. A true staple of the LA Koreatown food and cultural scene, it remains as one of the city’s favorite local restaurants for good reason.
