Brian Nagele
Whether you’re visiting Los Angeles, California or you live here full-time, there’s one part of town where everyone loves to go out to eat: Koreatown. There’s never a wrong time to make a reservation and head down to this charming city in LA for an unforgettable meal if you know where to go.
In a place like Koreatown, LA, there are so many amazing restaurants that it’s tough to find a good starting point sometimes. That’s where I come in. I spent a lot of time scouring the city for all of the greatest places to eat in Koreatown so that I could put together a hang guide to help out my fellow foodies out there.
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
3465 W 6th St #20, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-384-9678
Visit Website
Coming away with the number-one spot on my list is none other than Koreatown’s own Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. This Korean restaurant is a favorite among locals and visitors alike, and for very good reason. I try to come to Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong whenever I’m in the area and I’m looking for a delicious lunch or dinner.
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong is a fantastic place to get Korean BBQ in Koreatown. Check them out in the Chapman Plaza market off of 6th street, right across from Alexandria Plaza. It’s a great place to eat after a shopping spree.
Park’s BBQ
955 S Vermont Ave G, Los Angeles, CA 90006
Phone: 213-380-1717
Visit Website
Up next is Park’s BBQ, a charming Korean barbecue joint that you can find off of South Vermont Avenue, right around the corner from the Hannam Supermarket Korean grocery store.
When you come to Park’s BBQ, you simply have to try the barbecue, of course. My favorite part of eating here at Park’s BBQ is that it’s a grill-it-yourself-style of dining where the grill is built into your table and you can cook your own food. It’s even more fun in a large group! The lunch specials here at Park’s BBQ are always worth stopping in for. Just be sure to grab one of their delicious cocktails.
Soowon Galbi
856 Vermont Ave B, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Phone: 213-365-9292
Right off of Vermont Avenue behind the Zion Market grocery store, right across the street from VIP Seafood & Poultry Market, is another amazing place to eat in Koreatown called Soowon Galbi.
What I love about this place is that you can come here for some absolutely delectable Korean fare that can’t be beaten. I really enjoy the stone pot bibimbap or the fish roe stew. Both dishes are great choices. You can choose the option of grilling your own food here, but sometimes I prefer to sit outdoors on their patio to enjoy the fresh air.
Ham Ji Park
3407 W 6th St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-365-8773
Right on the corner of West 6th Street and South Catalina Street, inside the Royal Plaza Office & Retail Center, is a place called Ham Ji Park. This Korean restaurant specializes in traditional Korean food that will blow your mind like it did mine.
Ham Ji Park is a fantastic destination to hit when you’re craving spare ribs. Their menu features both pork and beef spare ribs, and I can’t decide which one I love more. I recommend you order both so you can decide for yourself. If you’re ever in the area, be sure to check out Ham Ji Park.
Cassell’s Hamburgers
3600 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-387-5502
Visit Website
This next place is called Cassell’s Hamburgers and it’s an absolutely incredible place to get a burger in Koreatown. While you may not immediately think of burgers when you think of Koreatown, Cassell’s is serving up some really tasty ones here in the city.
What I love about Cassell’s Hamburgers is that it’s got a laid-back diner vibe to it, not to mention the delicious food. Don’t worry, burgers aren’t the only thing they serve here. You can also get some fantastic breakfast from Cassell’s, including hot cakes, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and so much more.
Han Bat Shul Lung Tang
4163 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-383-9499
This next Koreatown restaurant is called Han Bat Shul Lung Tang and this is not one that you want to miss out on when you’re in this part of Los Angeles. I come here every chance I get because everything is so authentic and fresh.
Han Bat Shul Lung Tang is a Korean restaurant that specializes in traditional Korean oxtail soup. I’ve never had oxtail soup as good as what Han Bat Shul Lung Tang serves, and I think you’re going to really enjoy it as well. Look for Han Bat Shul Lung Tang off of West 5th Street, just north of the H Mart Madang Plaza Korean market.
Chunju Han-Il Kwan
3450 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-480-1799
Visit Website
Just east of the H Mart City Center and the Hotel Normandie LA on West 6th Street is a phenomenal Korean restaurant called Chunju Han-Il Kwan that you simply must visit while you’re in the area. Chunju Han-Il Kwan has some really incredible lunch specials that are great for a midday meal to refuel you for the rest of the day. It’s also a fantastic place to eat out for dinner as well.
What I recommend from Chunju Han-Il Kwan is the beef rib soup from the lunch menu, but definitely the crab stew if you’re going for dinner.
Myung In Dumplings
3109 W Olympic Blvd B, Los Angeles, CA 90006
Phone: 213-381-3568
Myung In Dumplings is the next place that I want to mention on my list and I think you’ll see why as soon as you’ve eaten here. Myung In Dumplings is a Korean restaurant that serves up the greatest steamed buns and dumplings around, hands down.
Some of my favorite foods to get from here are the pork and kimchi steamed buns, but I also love the sweet and spicy fried chicken. Check out Myung In Dumplings over off of West Olympic Boulevard near Seoul International Park and the Korean Pavilion for lunch or dinner.
Pollo A La Brasa
764 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Phone: 213-387-1531
For a little change of pace, I want to introduce Pollo A La Brasa, a South American-inspired restaurant that serves up some absolutely fantastic food in the Koreatown area. What Love about Pollo A La Brasa is that you can get such a wide variety of traditional South American foods. What I love the most is the anticucho which is actually grilled beef heart. It comes with corn and boiled potatoes on the side.
No matter what you order from Pollo A La Brasa, it’s bound to be good, so don’t be afraid to try something new.
Sun Nong Dan 6th St.
3470 W 6th St #7, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-365-0303
Visit Website
This next Korean restaurant is located inside of the Alexandria Plaza shopping center, right across the street from H Mart City Center. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for fantastic Korean fare. I am a huge fan of the soo yook here at Sun Nong Dan, but they have some terrific specialty dishes that are always hard to pass up, so I rarely do.
I think you should try the galbi jjim or the chadoi soo yook. Both of these are sure to leave you full and satisfied, but there are tons of other options as well.
BCD Tofu House
3575 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: 213-382-6677
Visit Website
Just east of The Line LA hotel on Wilshire Boulevard is a wonderful restaurant called BCD Tofu House that’s unlike any other place I’ve mentioned thus far. If you are someone that enjoys tofu, this is going to be like heaven for you. Of course, they have other things as well.
What I love the most about BCD Tofu House is that they serve fantastic lunch specials from 11 AM to 3 PM during the week, so it’s a great place to stop by in the middle of your day for a meal. Be sure to try the soon tofu soup!
Yang San Bak
3601 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-375-7933
Visit Website
Up next, we have Yang San Bak. This Korean restaurant is a fantastic place to eat when you’re in Koreatown, LA and you’re just craving some good, old-fashioned Korean BBQ.
Yang San Bak has some of my favorite Korean dishes like spicy pork bulgogi, thin pork belly, marinated spareribs, and the list goes on. Be sure to come here if you’re extra-hungry, too, because they have an unbeatable all-you-can-eat deal where you can grill everything at your tableside.
Check out Yang San Bak off of West 6th Street and Normandie Avenue, not far from the Hotel Normandie LA.
Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ Restaurant
3821 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-389-8777
Visit Website
This next place is called Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ Restaurant and it’s located inside of the Serrano Market Place shopping center off of West 6th Street.
What I love about this restaurant is that they cook all of their meats on a very interesting stone grill. I usually don’t see food prepared in such a way very often. Be sure to try a Korean soju drink as well. They’re my favorite!
I also enjoy the fact that they have both indoor and outdoor seating available so you can enjoy the famous California climate while you eat.
Hangari Kalguksu
3470 West 6th Street Suite 9 and 10, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-388-2326
Visit Website
Up next is a restaurant called Hangari Kalguksu that you can find inside the Alexandria Plaza shopping mall off of West 6th Street and South Alexandria Avenue.
What I love about this Korean restaurant is that they serve up some fantastic beef bulgogi and bibimbap. Either of these dishes are sure to leave you satisfied.
One thing I highly recommend more than anything else on the menu, however, is the TokBokki. It consists of fish cake and rice cake in a sweet red chili sauce served with onion and egg. It’s a classic dish that you’re going to love.
Jeong Yuk Jeom Korean BBQ LA
621 S Western Ave #100, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Phone: 213-384-2244
Visit Website
Now, for a real treat. Jeong Yuk Jeom Korean BBQ LA is a refined Korean restaurant that specializes in top-quality cuts of meat.
The specialty here, and what I can’t help but order pretty much every time, is the dry-aged prime ribeye. That’s only the beginning, though. They also have dry-aged tomahawk ribeyes and all sorts of other delectable cuts.
Check out Jeong Yuk Jeom Korean BBQ LA off of South Western Avenue in the H Mart Madang Plaza the next time you really want to indulge your steak fantasies and treat yourself to something special.
Jun Won Restaurant
414 S Western Ave B, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-383-8855
Right inside the Omni Plaza shopping mall off of South Western Avenue is a lesser-known gem of a Korean restaurant called Jun Won Restaurant that you need to check out.
This restaurant serves up some of the tastiest Korean fare in town and yet very few people actually seem to know about it. If you want to impress your friends with an off-the-grid Korean joint, then this is it. What I recommend the most from Jun Won Restaurant is the seafood with pollock casserole. It’s absolutely to-die-for, but the menu isn’t small, so there’s plenty of other awesome options as well.
Go Pocha
401 Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-381-0088
Just across the street from the Shatto Recreation Center, where you’ll find the Shatto 39 Lanes bowling alley, is a phenomenal Korean restaurant called Go Pocha in Vermont Plaza that you simply must try.
Go Pocha is an authentic Korean restaurant that has some incredible cuisine you won’t find in many other places. I really enjoy the spicy fried rice with cheese and the stir-fried kimchi spam rice the most, but there are plenty more delicious choices where those came from. Be sure to check out their selection of Korean soju as well for a great refreshment to go with your meal.
Ombu Grill
400 S Western Ave Unit 104, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-637-0262
Visit Website
This next place, Ombu Grill, can be found inside the Omni Plaza shopping mall off of South Western Boulevard, just north of the California Market.
I highly recommend coming here when you’re in town because not only is this a Korean BBQ hotspot, but it’s also a mix of phenomenal Argentinian dishes as well. You’d be hard-pressed to find another restaurant with such a great combination of foods.
What I love most about Ombu Grill are their lunch specials. You can get an absolutely fantastic Korean meal for lunch for a great price when you’re in the area.
Seong Buk Dong
3303 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-738-8977
Next up is Seong Buk Dong and this place is a real treat for anyone looking for some absolutely fantastic Korean fare in the Koreatown area. Be sure to check this place out off of West 6th Street next to the Founders Church of Religious Science.
The galbi tang and the kimchi jjigae are both incredible options to order from Seong Buk Dong, but the menu is full of Korean delicacies, so you’re bound to find something you like when you come here to eat. This place never disappoints whenever I stop by, my expectations are always blown away.
Ddong Ggo
528 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-568-3708
Ddong Ggo is another place that I want to mention when it comes to fantastic food in LA. This place is located off of South Western Avenue across from the Godspeed Cyclery bicycle store. You should definitely consider stopping by Ddong Ggo for some delicious Korean food when you’re in the area.
I definitely recommend something from the stir-fried menu here at Ddong Ggo like the stir-fried sausage and vegetables or the stir-fried seafood udon noodles, but the menu is quite extensive, so you’re bound to find something to satisfy you, so don’t be afraid to branch out a bit.
Toe Bang
3465 W 6th St # 110, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-387-4905
Lastly, I want to introduce Toe Bang. You can find this incredible establishment inside the Chapman Plaza market off of West 6th Street and South Kenmore Avenue.
I highly recommend starting with one of their refreshing and powerful cocktails to sip on while you peruse the menu here at Toe Bang. After that, you should definitely consider trying something from the soups and stews menu like the fishcake soup or the clam soup.
They also serve up some interesting traditional dishes like Korean pancakes and lots of different skewers, so be sure to read over the whole menu in case you miss something tasty.
