For meat-eaters, Koreatown is hedonistic meat heaven. In LA, there are hundreds of Korean BBQ eateries. Even culinary connoisseurs traveling from Seoul marvel at the sheer quality and quantity of the cuisine provided in this bustling area full of neon lights and late nights. Here are 10 amazing Korean BBQ places in Los Angeles, ranging from knife-cut noodles floating in seafood broths to bursting pots of hot stews.
Jeong Yuk Jeom Korean BBQ LA
The luxurious Jeong Yuk Jeom, located in the MaDang mall, wins bonus points for providing validated parking. While you’re there, try some of the restaurant’s non-BBQ options, such as spicy stir-fried octopus and a fantastic beef tartare sushi with roasted chestnuts.
You can nearly always find a table in their large, two-story location off Western, even during peak weekend hours. They also have a fantastic range of dry-aged cuts including prime-grade short ribs.
Finish your meal with a couple of seafood pancakes and the banchan that comes with it, and you’ll be in for a real treat.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Luxurious
- Validated parking
- Great non-BBQ options
Address: 621 S Western Ave #100, Los Angeles, CA 90005, United States
Timing: 11:30 AM to 11 AM
Contact: +1 213-384-2244
Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ Restaurant
KBBQ fans frequently complain that all-you-can-eat restaurants don’t provide high-quality meat, but Hae Jang Chon is an exception. Their extensive menu includes USDA Choice and Prime beef, such as belly, tongue, and brisket; an array of seafood, poultry, and thinly sliced Canadian pig cooked on two-inch-thick Korean stone grills; and strong sides such as salad and kimchi pancakes. If you haven’t already had your fill of pork, they’ll serve you tableside-cooked kimchi fried rice (pro-tip: ask for mozzarella).
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Extensive menu
- Strong sides
- High-quality meat
Address: 3821 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, United States
Timing: Monday to Saturday – 11 AM to 12 AM; Sunday – Closed
Contact: +1 213-389-8777
Park’s BBQ
Parks BBQ is the gold standard of Korean BBQ in Los Angeles, plain and simple. While you’re waiting for your seat at Park’s, take a look at their wall of fame, which features several photos of famous customers. The beef and pork are among the highest-quality, melt-in-your-mouth meats in Ktown.
The extensive menu might be daunting but focus on the combination platters for a spectacular display of meats. Their Taste of Parks set bundles to make ordering simple, but save space for the delicious short rib soup, which is filled with green onions and glass noodles in a clear, hangover-curing broth, as well as stone pot rice.
Reservations are required, particularly on weekends.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Gold standard
- Highest quality beef and pork
- Extensive menu
Address: 955 S Vermont Ave G, Los Angeles, CA 90006, United States
Timing: 11 AM to 9 PM
Contact: +1 213-380-1717
Soowon Galbi
Add Soowon Galbi on your wishlist if you haven’t already. When you have to squint from all the smoke as the meat is cooking over natural charcoal, you know you’re about to enjoy some famous K-BBQ.
Soowon Galbi is one of the few places where you can get all three: quick service, a party atmosphere, and excellent food.
On any given night, you’ll find folks in suits conducting meetings alongside UCLA students. Everyone is having a good time, and there are some fantastic combos available; the best value is Combo B, which includes enough beef and pork to serve four people.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Cooked on natural charcoal
- Quick service
- Excellent food
Address: 856 Vermont Ave B, Los Angeles, CA 90005, United States
Timing: 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Contact: +1 213-365-9292
Magal BBQ
This Korean import first arrived in Ktown in 2015, and it has since grown in popularity among both Koreans and non-Koreans. On any given night, Magal draws a sizable audience, many of whom appreciate the restaurant’s unusual menu innovations.
At this sleek, industrial eatery on 8th St., the strategy is to avoid the combo platters and instead order a la carte. Even though they have a laid-back, cutesy vibe, they don’t skimp on quality. Aside from the fedora-wearing servers and Hawaiian shirts, another amusing feature of this restaurant is the meat sushi, which is cooked at your tables with a blowtorch.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Amazing vibe
- Meat sushi cooked at your tables
- Innovative menu
Address: 3460 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005, United States
Hours: Monday to Thursday – 5 PM to 11 PM; Friday – 5 PM to 12 AM; Saturday – 3 PM to 12 AM; Sunday – 3 PM to 10 PM
Contact: +1 213-383-1909
Daedo Sikdang
Daedo Sikdang, a famed Seoul steakhouse with a new offshoot in Koreatown, has opened its first – and only – US establishment. The restaurant is housed in a massive, elegant structure on W. 3rd Street with rows of similar light wood tables and gleaming stainless grills.
Certified Angus beef ribeye is divided into three slices and cooked in a cast-iron pan on the basic beef menu. The crispy orange kkakdooki fried rice and yolmu cold noodle soup, which comes with thin rice noodles and ice chunks directly in the bowl, are also recommended.
All four dipping sauces are prepared in-house, including one that takes a week to ferment nine vegetables.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Elegant
- Great food
- Light wood tables
Address: 4001 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, United States
Hours: Monday to Friday – 5 PM to 11 PM; 4 PM to 11 PM
Contact: +1 213-322-2559
Ong Ga Nae
This is KBBQ, but perhaps not the sort you’re looking for. They start with the second round of the feast by adding noodles to the soup once you’ve finished most of the meaty things.
This hearty, hard-to-find-elsewhere meal of thinly sliced beef, mushrooms, spinach, and green onions simmered in a semi-sweet broth, accented with good banchan, and served with glass noodles at the end can easily feed two or three people.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Hearty food
- Good banchan
- Glass noodles
Address: 936 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006, United States
Hours: Monday to Friday – 4 PM to 11 PM; Saturday – 11:30 AM to 11 PM; Sunday – 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Contact: +1 213-386-9292
Sun Ha Jang Restaurant
As soon as you enter Sun Ha Jang, you’re greeted by a wall of duck images. It’s not because they’re big fans of Aflac; duck is pretty much the only thing on the menu.
Sun Ha Jang, a popular Korean duck BBQ place, has added a front terrace for one of LA’s most distinctive tabletop grill types. To finish the dinner, guests are served flavor-packed fried rice after a procession of fatty, delectable duck grilled on a griddle. You’ll be stuffed on duck when you get home, which is one of the nicest sorts of full.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Duck on the menu
- Distinctive tabletop grill
- Front terrace
Address: 4032 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019, United States
Hours: Monday – Closed; Tuesday to Saturday – 12 noon to 2 PM, 4 PM to 8 PM; Sunday – 4 PM to 8 PM
Contact: +1 323-634-9292
Chosun Galbee
Quality and iconic tastes continue to be the hallmarks of one of LA’s longest-running Korean BBQ restaurants. Chosun has survived because of its devoted following and superb execution, with spacious outside eating space and a decent takeout scenario.
Everything here is of exceptional quality, particularly their signature dish, which is marinated in a sweet-savory sauce. Chosun also features a complete bar, which is unusual for KBBQ restaurants, which often only sell beer and soju.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- Quality
- Iconic taste
- Spacious
Address: 3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019, United States
Hours: Tuesday – Closed; Monday and Wednesday – 11 AM to 3 PM; Thursday to Saturday – 11 AM to 10 PM; Sunday – 11 AM to 9 PM
Contact: +1 323-734-3330
Genwa Korean BBQ
They have excellent beef that is usually succulent and tender. Genwa is your jam if you go to KBBQ for the banchan as much as the grilled meats. There are no less than 15 delectable side dishes on the menu. Even better, the smokeless grills in this ultra-sleek, contemporary room ensure that you don’t return home smelling like grilled meat.
This upmarket KBBQ restaurant is just a short drive down Wilshire.
Features that make them stand out of the crowd are –
- 15 delectable side dishes
- Contemporary rooms
- Excellent beef
Address: 5115 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
Hours: Monday to Friday – 12 noon to 10 PM; Saturday and Sunday – 1 PM to 10 PM
Contact: +1 323-549-0760
This was our list of the Best Korean BBQ restaurants in LA. Which among these is on your bucket list for this weekend?