If you're craving authentic Korean tteokbokki, Yup Dduk LA is a solid choice. My Korean friend recently visited and raved about how much it reminded her of the chain's Korean roots. We decided to give it a go and ordered the Mild Yup Dduk, fearing that the spiciness might not be as intense as back in Korea if we ordered the Extra-Mild. While the mild option was indeed manageable at first, it gradually built up to quite a spicy kick. If you have lower spice tolerance, extra-mild is definitely for you. In terms of flavor, Yup Dduk's tteokbokki does lean towards a sweeter profile compared to what you might be accustomed to. Despite this slight deviation from the classic sauce, the dish shines with its generous portions of cheese and a variety of sides mixed in, which is a delightful twist. The portion sizes are massive--ideal for sharing and definitely big enough to feed a group of four. We also tried the Soon Dae (Korean blood sausage), which was a first for me. Its unique appearance, looking like a black sausage, initially threw me off, but it turned out to be quite interesting. While I'm not a huge fan of soon dae on its own, it paired well with Yup Dduk's flavorful sauce. The service was friendly, which is always a plus. However, the restaurant itself is quite small, which led to approximately 85-minute waitlist on a Saturday night. We opted for takeout instead. The seating area, with its half-wooden chairs and low tables, doesn't offer the most comfortable dining experience, but the food will make up for it. Overall, Yup Dduk LA delivers a solid experience with generous portions and a bit of a twist on traditional flavors. Just be prepared for a potential wait and less-than-comfortable seating if you choose to dine in. If you're in the mood for a spicy, cheesy, and hearty Korean meal, this spot is worth a visit.

First timer here!! My friend recommended this place and was saying how it was his favorite place here. We got the Yupdduk, spice level was extra mild. For extra toppings, we ordered ramen noodles, udon noodles, extra fish cake, and boiled eggs. I was not expecting the serving size to be so big my goodness. We weren't able to finish it but we ate like 75% of it hahaha. It was good and the right amount of spiciness for me.

If you can't handle spicy foods, I would not recommend this spot. Many people have complained that the mild is even too hot and spicy. But if you love spicy food, this spot is for you! Or if you can handle some heat, then I suggest ordering some banana milks or the yo cools with your order. Def not soda coz that just makes it burn more. Lol. I like a variety so I usually end up ordering the B set with the Yup Dduk. If you like more fish cake than the rice cakes, you can get the Yup O. I love their tuna mayo rice ball. It compliments the ddukboki so well IMO! Forgot to talk about the parking. Like many places in Ktown, its valet parking. And the parking lot is smalllllll. It's better to drop someone off and pick up the order circle the block and come back around. Coz the wait times here get crazy! I waited almost 1.5 hours to eat here. Smh. But the restaurant is small too with I think about 8 or 10 tables max. This location is in a small strip mall.

I visited Yupdduk on a Sunday evening and experienced a 30-minute wait to get seated. Thankfully, they offer valet parking as well as street parking options, which made it convenient. The restaurant itself is quite small--I expected it to be bigger--but the cozy atmosphere didn't detract from the experience. The staff was very friendly and checked on us regularly. We ordered the yupdduk with added ramen, mozzarella cheese, veggie fries, and fried dumplings. We opted for extra mild, which turned out to be the perfect level of spice for us. However, I'm curious to see how spicy the other levels are! I enjoyed my food so much that I couldn't stop eating, even though I was really full. The pickled radish was a great addition to balance the spiciness. I can't wait to go back and try their bulgogi next time!

Reviewing based on my most recent visit. We came here awhile ago and I don't remember what we ordered (pictured provided) but I knew I wanted to come back. They weren't lying when they say they' are the spiciest restaurant in ktown- be ware lol. We got the Yuo Duck- which includes fish cake and rice cake; you can choose more rice cake than fish cake. You must choose your Spice level, we ordered mild but their mild is a lot more MILD? My bf and I were sweating, the waiters saw his much pain we were in lol and gave us these mini yogurt drinks to help alleviate the kick . Everything was delicious, it's a very small restaurant. Definitely need to return soon

Let me first start with the portion to price ratio. Set A (the most basic and cheapest one, $31) was extremely filling for my party of three. We ordered ramen and deep fried spam as extra sides, and they paired SO WELL with the rice cakes, fried veggie sticks, sausages, and fish cakes. The only thing to wary about is the spice level, which our server warned us about (shoutout to her for keeping it real with us)! We got extra mild, the lowest spice level, and still thought it had a good amount of heat. Our server compared mild, the next spice level up, to Buldak ramen. Regular, the next one up, was compared to the 2x spicy Buldak ramen. If you know, you know. Yup Dduk is located in a small plaza with valet parking for $3. It's a pretty small restaurant with only about 5-6 tables and two people in the FOH as servers. My friends and I came around 8pm on a Thursday evening and had to wait around 15 minutes for our table--it was worth every minute. I loved the cozy vibe and was able to talk to my friends without struggling to hear them over the music. The two servers were very attentive and one of them got us more water as soon as we ran out, without us having to ask for it. He made conversation and cracked a few jokes with us despite it being time to start closing. Overall a very comforting environment!

I got this as delivery and was impressed with the portion size! It was a huge container of food. I did not feel like I missed out by not dining in. Enough for 2-3 people. I got it as very mild and it was the perfect spicy for me. It's still actually very spicy but I'm weak when it comes to handling spice. The sausage is sooo good! It's slightly sweet. Very delicious overall.