Korean Bbq In Koreatown

Pinterent Juli 04, 2023 Comment

The sizzle and smoke of the tabletop Korean barbecue is one of the definitive features of the LA dining scene. The availability of premium ingredients and a rabid following of diners has created a critical mass of restaurants specializing in grilled meats, nearly overshadowing the love of barbecue in the motherland itself.

Over the years, KBBQ restaurants have segmented into various categories – premium, all-you-can-eat, mid-range a la carte - with each place trumpeting a particular specialty or stand-out side dish. Some emphasize their grilling devices and methods - stalwarts like Soot Bull Jeep still employ charcoal for a smoky char, while others rely on special grates for more direct heat. Wherever you go, KBBQ is even better with a pitcher of ice-cold Hite, or a chilled bottle of soju, Korea's national spirit.

From casual AYCE spots to Michelin-level culinary experiences, gather your friends and family and explore LA's world-class Korean BBQ scene with our guide.

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Michelin-starred chef Akira Back originally opened ABSteak in February 2020 before the pandemic forced its 19-month closure. Located in a sleek, modern space on the first floor of the Beverly Center, ABSteak reopened in December 2021 with a revamped menu that's much closer to traditional KBBQ than its previous fusion-style incarnation.

Start with the stylishly-presented Yukkhea (aka yukhoe), mixed tableside with beef tartare, garlic, pine nuts, onion, bell peppers, cold-pressed sesame oil, and quail egg. There's also the gyeran-jjim inspired Egg Soufflé, and Seafood Pajeon - a scallion pancake with shrimp, mussels and squid, served with spicy soy sauce.

Signature cuts of prime ribeye and New York striploin are dry-aged at ABSteak for 30 days. Premium highlights include the richly-marbled Snow Flower Kkotsal (prime boneless short rib) and the near-mythic A5 Olive Wagyu from Kagawa Prefecture, priced at $42/oz (three-ounce minimum).

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When the world's best-selling music act says in an interview that your restaurant is their favorite KBBQ in LA, get ready for a spike in business. That's exactly what happened during BTS's recent mini-residency at SoFi Stadium, when the ARMY descended on Ahgassi Gopchang and wait times soared to five hours.

Part of the Kijung Hospitality Group, which also owns/operates Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong, Ahgassi Gopchang specializes in gopchang (cow’s small intestine). Experience fatty, slightly funky mountain tripe in the high-value Yang Daechang Combo ($56 for 2, $93 for 3-4), which also comes with large intestine sheets and chewy slabs of abomasum - the cow’s fourth stomach, which produces an enzyme called rennet that’s used to make cheese. Accompaniments include raw garlic (to cook), and bubbling kimchi stew. Mountain tripe also factors into the fried rice, available with or without molten cheese.

For customers that might find so much tripe daunting, Ahgassi Gopchang also offers multi-meat combos with more familiar cuts like thin-sliced beef brisket, Prime skirt steak, pork short rib, and fat-trimmed pork jowl.

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The airy, clean confines of Chosun Galbee makethis the place to bring the parents. The excellent ventilation system ensures that diners won't smell strongly of smoke while servers donning hanbok (the traditional Korean garb) present high-quality cuts of galbi and more. The banchan selection here is admirable, almost addictive, with picks like delectable kimchi and cucumbers, julienned daikon radish, and even the slow-braised stringy beef called jangjorim that's not found at barbecue places as often as banchan. The grills always get a pat of butter for extra fat and seasoning, while servers start the grilling for diners. The long strips of unmarinated galbi are the best pick overall, while the weekday Lunch Box platters offer cubes of marinated short rib, thin curls of fresh beef brisket, spicy pork, or dark chicken meat with salad and assorted house specials. Newer places may have a little more flash and sizzle, but Chosun remains the old stand-by, that K-town spot that's consistently excellent.

Opened in 1982, this Koreatown classic is known for two things – great barbecue and great cold noodles. Put the two of them together and it's possibly the best one-two punch in Korean cuisine. The underlying details of The Corner Place start with two banchan placed on the table when seated. First, it's the almost-spicy shaved pile of green onions tossed in a black pepper and sesame oil. Then there's a medium-sized bowl of dongchimi, which is a lightly fermented soup of various crunchy vegetables like daikon radish. That particular bowl is for sipping and picking out during the meal, but that soup makes the addictive, tangy broth that comes with the signature cold white noodles, known as Dong Chi Mi Gook Soo. Tabletop grills quickly get filled with the standard players – marinated short rib bulgogi, kalbi, the house-specialty skirt steak that's lightly marinated, and other variety cuts like paper-thin beef tongue slices and chewy bits of beef shank. Then these pieces are meant to be washed down with slurps of cold noodles whose broth recipe is so secret that only a few people (likely grandmothers) know how to make it. Copied all around town but never replicated, the noodles are what makes The Corner Place amazing.

Opened in July 2021, Daedo Sikdang is the first U.S. location of the famed Seoul-based steakhouse. Diners know they're in for a high-end experience as soon as they walk in - LED lights hang from exposed rafters and hover over natural oak tables with built-in grills.

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Daedo touts its singular focus on Certified Angus Beef prime ribeye, showcased in the signature Daedo Cut with ribeye roll, cap and strip. The premium cuts are cooked ina bespoke cast iron pan that's coated withkidney fat. Options include the Classic Korean Cut of thinly-sliced, marinated ribeye; and the luxurious Ribeye Cap, a limited special that clocks in at 16 ounces for $240.

Flown in from Boueun in South Korea, Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) anchors the crispy and sour fried rice, which can be enhanced with diced meat (single or double shot), crunchy kimchi puffs, and sunny-side egg. There's also the refreshing Yeolmu cold noodle soup, and hearty Doenjang Guk (fermented soybean paste porridge).

Grace Min owns branches of Eight Korean BBQ in Koreatown, Buena Park, and Singapore and specializes in Mangalitsa pork belly that sizzles on a state of the art platter. The platter tilts so grease spills into a receptacle, a handy, fat-saving design touch. The steel tray also features pineapple rings, bean sprouts, and kimchi, which crisp in draining grease. Eight signature pork belly flavors all tout different health benefits. Healthy pork belly? According to Eight Korean BBQ, yes. “Original” fat-streaked pork belly is simply seasoned and “rich in Vitamin B1.” Herb “alleviates stress and depression.” Miso paste helps in circulating the body’s natural biochemistry.

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Other notable griddled pork preparations include fattier, crispier pork jowl and thicker, unseasoned pork belly that’s scored and rolled into a flower shape.

Though a bit west of Koreatown, this Mid-City restaurant (along with locations in Downtown LA and Beverly Hills) does a great job of making KBBQ approachable. The room looks dark and fancy, unusual for some people that expect bright lights and plain décor. The service is also very helpful, with most servers fluent in English. The banchan selection is second to none, with more than 20 tiny bowls matched together on the plate, looking like a visual feast in itself. Then the meat selections come out, which are conveniently put together in combination orders for diversity. The pork belly and brisket are very good, but the galbi might be even better, marinated to the brink of savoriness and then browned on the hot grill.

The expansive menu also has plenty of a la carte choices like spicy pork bulgogi, unmarinated short ribs from Creekstone Farms, and even an Australian Wagyu beef ribeye for an over-the-top bite.

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Located in MaDang Courtyard off Western Avenue, Jeong Yuk Jeom serves up its acclaimed 45-day dry-aged beef in an expansive, two-level space. Shared apps include the Instagram-ready Giant Beef Tartare Sushi with seasoned rice and chestnuts; and the spicy jukkumi (webfoot octopus). Butcher's Pride combos range from $125 to $175 and $239 - depending on the selection, they can include brisket, prime boneless short rib, or dry-aged prime ribeye. Cuts like the marinated prime galbi and aged prime tenderloin are available a la carte. Level up with the Tomahawk Steak for two - available aged or dry-aged bone-in ribeye ($200 / $250).

Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong was a game-changer for the KBBQ scene when it opened at the nightlife mecca of Chapman Plaza in October 2021. Owned and operated by Kijung Hospitality Group, Baekjeong has since expanded to Rowland Heights, Temple City, Torrance, Orange County and New York.

The boisterous, smoky ambiance resembles the myriad barbecue spots in Seoul – low-flung tables with stellar meat and pristine banchan that focuses more on quality than quantity. The galbi and beef cuts are generously portioned and perfect for sharing, getting grilled on open grates found in the best KBBQ places. Then the standard, thicker steel grills are brought out for the pork cuts so that moisture is not lost. The pork collar is the real treat – long, fatty pieces that firm up on the grill and get an