LAGuide
The Best Restaurants In Koreatown
photo credit: Matt Gendal
It feels like every inch of Koreatown’s three-mile radius has a parking lot, bakery, spa, or restaurant that’s busy from morning to night. It’s a lot to take in, but in the best way possible. And while we can’t help you find the best hair salons or pawn shops, we can tell you where to eat and drink. Koreatown's incredible multiculturalness means you’ll not only find excellent Korean restaurants, but long-standing Peruvian rotisseries, Oaxacan institutions, and classic burger joints serving patty melts and pie. This guide reflects all that delicious diversity, and hopefully makes your next K-town visit a little easier.
Looking for the best Korean BBQ spots in LA? We've got a guide just for that, too.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
If you’ve driven through Koreatown, it’s clear as Chamisul that there’s no shortage of places to eat and drink, preferably at the same time. And that’s what you’ll do at Jilli, a modern sool jib (drinking spot) where you can snack on juicy Korean fried chicken, listen to early 2000s hip hop, and drink fizzy makgeolli, beer, and natural wine. Their crackly double-fried poultry is the Chimmelier recipe we know and love, with the rest the menu featuring cheeky takes on Korean bar snacks, like tuna dip topped with smoked roe, plump poppable shrimp toasts, and a rigatoni alla kimchi vodka we’d like to order in Buca di Beppo-sized portions. The dining room is pretty small, and things tend to kick off after 8pm, so reservations are not a bad idea.
Here’s Looking At You is an upscale dinner spot on 6th Street with excellent cocktails and unique, genre-defying cooking that you’ll be thinking about all week: frog legs in spicy salsa negra, tamari-laden steak tartare, and crispy duck confit. For all its creativity, though, HLAY is still a neighborhood restaurant, and on most nights, tables are filled with bubbly friend groups debating how many orders of roasted shishitos they need for the table. If you’re looking for a chatty bar with fun drinks, HLAY has that going on, too—just plan on showing up early to grab a bar stool, some chicken liver mousse, and a tiki-inspired beverage.
photo credit: Brant Cox
Ktown Pho is a neighborhood gem for two reasons. This tiny Vietnamese cafe on Western makes the best pho in Koreatown, which is very apparent if you show up on weekends. Also, the light, fragrant broth here has the rare ability to purge our bodies of whatever poor decision we made the night prior. It’s miraculous as it is delicious, whether you order the oxtail, chicken, or their surprisingly well-done vegan pho. Our favorite protein, however, is the thinly sliced wagyu that’s rich and buttery and comes in a four-ounce portion, validating the $18 price.
photo credit: Open Market
Open Market is a hybrid cafe-corner store on the bottom floor of an office building, where you can stroll in for a coffee, pastry, or bottle of wine. But what differentiates this Ktown spot from every other cute, trendy mini-mart is its one-of-a-kind sandwiches. From the “Alhambra” Hainanese chicken salad to the “Mariposa” with al pastor-style mushrooms, each one pulls inspiration from a different area of LA. Our go-to order is the “Normandie, “a juicy brisket sandwich with pickled radish and scallions that tastes like the lovechild of a classic French dip and a bowl of beef noodle soup.
If you speak Italian, Antico Nuovo is literally new Antico—a much-improved version of the rustic Italian spot that opened between Larchmont and K-town in 2019. Antico 2.0 is a charming restaurant that’s great for nice dates or intimate dinners with your closest friends. Sit at the bar and you’ll enjoy views of pasta twirling, warm focaccia just pulled from the oven, and expeditors carefully inspecting every plate with the concentration of a jewel appraiser. There’s not a bad dish here, but we'd point you toward the homey agnolotti stuffed with beef cheeks and pancetta and whatever grilled meat catches your eye. If you don’t order ice cream at the end, return ASAP.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
For all you geography nerds out there, Biriyani Kabob House is technically part of Little Bangladesh, which is located within the borders of Koreatown. But what's most important here is that BKH is a true LA gem—a place to find incredible Pakistani and Bangladeshi food in a small, low-key dining room that always has an empty table waiting. You’ll want the Hyderabadi lamb biriyani, a plate of aromatic basmati rice laced with spices crowned with a lamb shank the size of a football. Beyond that, the best way to eat here is to ask the owner which curries and tandoori dishes he's excited about (we've never been steered wrong).
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Mapo Galbi is a quiet restaurant on the outskirts of Ktown where you’ll find one of our favorite dishes in the neighborhood, dak galbi. A simple dish of chicken, vegetables, and rice noodles stir-fried in a spicy sauce at your table, the flavors are so intense and complex that you’ll take breaks throughout the meal to permanently ingrain this moment into your mind. Then comes the second course—which involves a heaping pile of nori-topped white rice that’s smashed onto the same grill and cooked until it’s crispy. Correction: Mapo Galbi has two of our favorite dishes in Ktown.
photo credit: Team Infatuation
Ham Ji Park is a rowdy and always crowded Korean restaurant in the heart of the action on 6th Street, but unlike other grill-your-own-meat spots in the area, the two things you’ll find on every table are prepared in the kitchen: the pork ribs and the pork neck stew. That might seem like a lot of pork in one sitting, but the sweet and spiciness of the ribs complement the fragrant perilla-seasoned stew perfectly. Portion sizes for both dishes are borderline insane, so bring friends or else you'll be carrying leftovers to the bar after.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
This fluorescent-lit strip mall spot on 6th Street (with a second 24-hour location on Western) is famous for being open until the wee hours of the night, long after the bars have closed. And for good reason: few late-night dining experiences in LA compare. Groups huddle around massive cauldrons of their signature spicy galbijjim: braised short rib, rice cakes, and vegetables simmered in a thick, fire-red sauce. Order it with cheese on top, and they’ll blowtorch it at your table until it’s melted and bubbly. Beyond this incredible onslaught of meat, the soups are also worth your time, especially the next morning. Get the oxtail with brisket soup after a night of karaoke and thank us later.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Watching hundreds of golden chickens roasting on spits isn’t the only reason people go to Pollo A La Brasa, but it’s a big plus. The line of hungry people that stretches out onto Western is proof that this Peruvian-style chicken spot is one of the best places to eat in the neighborhood. A quarter bird runs a little over $10 with fries and a salad, and the chicken is just that perfect combination of salty and juicy. You might have to beg the table over to use their bottle of aji sauce, but it’s worth the hassle. The sauce has a cult following for a reason.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
By most measures, Parks BBQ is the gold standard of Korean BBQ in Los Angeles. Sure, it might not have the boisterous atmosphere of other popular spots, and you’re definitely going to spend some money here, but when it comes to the quality of meat, Parks can’t be topped. The large menu can be simplified by ordering one of the combo platters (P1-P3), which will commence a food parade of meats like bulgogi, short rib, and rib-eye, along with all the necessary banchan. Reservations are mandatory, especially on weekends.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Myung Dong Kyoja’s large dining room is filled with a mix of large groups of coworkers, tables full of old friends glaring at each other, and solo lunchers just trying to find some peace. And everyone’s eating noodle soup. When it’s hot out, try the spicy cold, chewy wheat noodles mixed in a spicy sauce with vegetables, but when you need some comfort, get the kalguksu with ground chicken, and pork dumplings in a thick chicken broth.
KBBQ at Pigya is not for the “kind of hungry” or anyone who loves sweet little Piglet. At this big, rowdy restaurant, domed grills sizzle with brick-sized pork belly, fatty pork cheek, and heaping piles of kimchi. Even though this spot is pork-centric, the $98 pork gyu combo that includes beef is the way to go. It comes with beef short rib and a silky, yuzu-drench carpaccio that’s the refreshing bite you want after eating jumbo bacon. The staff handles the grilling and courses out your feast, too, which ends with a mound of kimchi fried rice and spicy hangover ramen.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
There’s really nothing quite like Dan Sung Sa at midnight on a Saturday. The dark, all-wood tavern is jam-packed, the smoke from the central grill fills every corner, and everyone is drinking soju like it’s the last batch in the world. In short, it’s a chaotic dreamscape and one of our favorite late-night spots in the city. The large menu is full of skewers, scallion pancakes, and other classic Korean bar food, and all of it is exactly what your body needs to soak up an evening’s worth of alcohol. A word of advice: When they say ”spicy,” they mean it.
LA Guide
The Best Places To Drink In Koreatown
photo credit: Eugene Lee
For many people, the smoky, rowdy atmosphere is half the fun of Korean BBQ. If you’re one of those people, go to Ahgassi. The massive BBQ restaurant on 6th Street has hour-long waits most nights of the week, but just know you’re lining up for some of the finest cuts of meat in the neighborhood - get the skirt steak, marinated short rib, and the house specialty large intestine. You’ll also get a free steamed egg dish with your food, but plan to order several more for the table.
photo credit: Kobawoo House
Open since 1985, Kobawoo is a Koreatown staple, and home to our favorite plate of bossam in the neighborhood. With big, wooden booths and clean lines everywhere, Kobawoo’s interior is a little upscale, and ideal for a date. That said, if you’re flying solo and don’t want to eat a giant plate of pork belly wraps by yourself, they have a smaller lunch special for around $20. And maybe throw in a plate of their deservedly famous spicy acorn noodles if you're feeling peckish.
photo credit: Matt Gendal
Whenever we finish eating creamy pumpkin soup and pickle-y banchan at Borit Gogae, we feel like we could float back home. This food is a probiotic paradise, and the restaurant plays calming music that could lull you to sleep after your cup of cinnamon punch. Order the barley rice set for $30 per person, which comes with a bowl of barley rice, a royal spread of banchan, and three kinds of soup. Just when you think the banchan will stop coming, the servers start layering bowls of sea snails, acorn jelly, and pickled radish on top of each other like stacking cups.
A meal at Guelaguetza, a Oaxacan institution, involves multiple types of mole, tlayudas, and big plates of meat. All of it is phenomenal and best when shared. With its massive space and live music, it’s a great spot for a big group dinner or for entertaining out-of-towners dead set on drinking as much mezcal as their bodies will allow. Also, don’t forget to order some queso fundido—it’ll ruin every other queso you’ve ever had.
photo credit: Surawon Tofu House
There are lots of places to get spicy, bubbling cauldrons of soondubu in Koreatown, but Surawon is the best of them, especially since Beverly Soon Tofu is no more. They make all of their organic tofu in-house, and for $1 more, you can upgrade to black soybean tofu which is a little nutty and super savory. Come by with someone you love on a cold night, order some soju and a couple of soondubu combos, and be sure to include a seafood kimchi pancake (here, they’re loaded with veggies and squid).
photo credit: Soban
You’ll find banchan at most Korean restaurants in Koreatown, but Soban goes beyond. There are 16 different side dishes here, from vinegar-y lotus root and shishitos to excellent boiled potatoes. When it comes to main courses, the black cod is the specialty—it’s slow-braised, and comes with a spicy red sauce and radishes. It’s very good, but we like the simple, pleasantly salty short rib galbi jjim stew even more.
photo credit: Holly Liss
When the old-school Cassell's closed several years ago after a 65-year run, we worried this lovably crusty burger spot was gone for good. But Cassell’s is back and better than ever, rebooted inside a shiny retro diner space on the ground floor of the Hotel Normandie. The cheeseburger will always be the go-to order here, but if the patty melt doesn’t hit the table at some point, you’ve made a huge mistake. Also, a slice of dulce de leche banana cream pie is exactly what you want after a long night out in K-town.
photo credit: Eugene Lee
The raw crab combo at Master Ha is a truly special dish, made with marinated raw crab served over rice, plus a raw quail egg on top. You’ll mix it all up, wrap it in nori with some pickled vegetables, and end up with what is basically a really great crab handroll. If you’re here for lunch, you’ll see some of these crab dishes, but mostly, people are eating the sullungtang, a rich, milky-white soup made from oxtail bones that's very good on a cooler day (or, more likely, if you’re hungover).
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
When your friends demand hot food and cold beer ASAP, Hanshin Pocha is there to make your life easier. This high-energy pub is on the third floor of the City Center on 6th, and while it doesn’t take reservations, group walk-ins are super easy. Snack on Korean fried chicken and crispy pork pancakes, and put on the provided gloves to eat some spicy chicken feet. Most of the food here is very spicy, so hopefully everyone in your crew is comfortable with getting sweaty in public.
photo credit: Eugene Lee
A meal at Han Bat Sul Lung Tang happens at warp speed. Before you even put your jacket on the back of your chair, a waitress will ask you what you want—an easy choice considering there is basically one thing on the menu (sullungtang). Within a few minutes, a steaming bowl of the cloudy white soup arrives at the table, stocked with a protein of your choice (we usually go for the brisket), followed closely by the check before you’ve even taken a bite. Don’t worry, your meal is not over. Once you’re settled, mix in all the salt, pepper, green onions, and kimchi radishes sitting on the table, and bliss out.
photo credit: Eugene Lee
When the temperature in LA does that thing where it’s 88 degrees every day for three months straight, go to Yu Chun. The bare-bones diner on Olympic has a menu full of different soups, dumplings, and galbi platters, but everyone here is eating the naengmyeon in silence. It’s a giant, refreshing bowl of cold kudzu noodles (cut with scissors by the server) chilling in an icy, vinegary broth filled with boiled beef, radishes, and sesame seeds. If you’re looking to add a little heat, there’s nose-clearing hot mustard on the table.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Thanks Pizza reminds us of the kind of pies we devoured as kids at skate rink birthday parties: affordable, personal pan-style ones, only now they’re topped with unexpected combinations of high-brow ingredients. The garlic chicken pizza is a little spicy with a sweet, pungent kick from the blue cheese, and the mascarpone pizza—topped with basil pesto, cream cheese, and yes, mascarpone—is sweet, tangy, and herbaceous, and somehow feels both nostalgic and novel at the same time. Each pizza is available in two sizes, 9- or 12-inch, and everything on the menu costs less than $25.
photo credit: Eugene Lee
Most people come to this traditional Korean spot on 3rd Street for one thing: gukbap, a clear pork-broth soup that arrives mostly unseasoned, but with a big spread of banchan like kimchi, salted shrimp, and thinly sliced pork belly that you add in to kick it up. At lunchtime, older couples and people who work nearby fill the tables in this little strip mall spot because it’s a tasty, affordable option in the neighborhood. If you're here with a group, however, we suggest adding on an order of char-grilled spicy pork ribs and the jokbal (braised pork trotter) platter with sweet mustard sauce.
