The Best Korean Restaurants in LA for Tofu Stews and Knife-Cut Noodles

Try some of the most phenomenal Korean food outside of Korea.

MDK Noodles
Photo courtesy of MDK Noodles
Photo courtesy of MDK Noodles

It’s not hard to understand why Los Angeles has spawned some of the most phenomenal Korean food outside of Korea. The city is home to one of the largest Korean populations in the US with a vibrant, dense Koreatown that boasts over 500 restaurants spread across three square miles. While most diners might associate Korean cuisine with barbecue restaurants—those mouthwatering meat meccas we’ve all come to love—it’s so much more than that. From tofu stews to knife-cut noodle bowls to fried chicken, Korean culinary culture is as diverse as it is delicious. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, we’ve scoured LA for 20 amazing restaurants to enjoy a range of delectable Korean food—from tasting menu concepts to casual take-home joints.

Kinn
Photo by Jesse Hsu, courtesy of Kinn

Koreatown
Since opening its doors less than two years ago, Kinn has swiftly won over diners with one of the best and most reasonably priced tasting menus in Los Angeles, offering seven courses for only $95. While the menu changes seasonally, you can always expect a stunning procession of refined dishes from Chef Ki Kim, who comes to LA from lauded New York restaurants like Atomix and Jungsik. Kim’s imaginative approach to food is a joy to experience; on any given night, you might get pureed sunchokes nestled inside seaweed taco shells or kurodai fish strips layered underneath a clear, jelly-like veil made from shallots. Plus, the crispy octopus that put Kinn on the map is no longer a supplement but included in the seven courses, so everyone gets one of the restaurant’s sensational, seared-to-perfection tentacles that’s been braised in its own juices until tender.
How to book: Reservations available through Tock.

Han Bat Sul Lung Tang

Koreatown
Many a hangover has been cured by the rich, nourishing soup served up at this modest restaurant. They peddle only one dish that matters: sul lung tang, which is made by boiling ox bones for hours until the broth turns milky white. Slurp up this creamy soup with either beef brisket, flank, tongue, or intestine (or even better, a mix of all of the above), but not before customizing your bowl with the provided salt, pepper, green onions, radish, kimchi, gochujang, and rice, adding more flavor or crunch until everything is to your liking. While there’s often a wait at Han Bat, service is almost instantaneous and the line goes fast, so don’t let a long queue deter you from enjoying LA’s most-trusted hangover meal.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

ABSteak by Chef Akira Back
Photo courtesy of ABSteak by Chef Akira Back

Beverly Grove
As part of the Beverly Center’s push to turn itself into a major culinary destination, the mall added this premium Korean restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Akira Back to its dining portfolio. Think of it as high-end Korean barbecue (and one of the few stellar spots that’s not in Koreatown), with an assortment of 30-day dry-aged steaks, melt-in-your-mouth cuts of meat like wagyu picanha and marinated galbi, and a bunch of interesting sides, such as shimeji mushroom fries, a steamed cloud of egg souffle topped with cheese, and beautifully presented beef tartare mixed with garlic, pine nuts, onions, sesame oil, and quail egg for an aromatic umami bomb. The meal is well worth the slightly steeper price tag; not only are the grills smoke-free, all the meats are cooked and served for you, so no one in your party has to man the grill all night.
How to book: Reservations available through OpenTable.

 MDK Noodles
Photo courtesy of MDK Noodles

Koreatown
If you’re in the mood for a carb fest, make a beeline for MDK, which whips up arguably some of the very best noodles in town. The family-owned restaurant specializes in dumplings, knife-cut noodles called kalguksu, and chlorella noodles colored green with nutrient-rich freshwater algae. Everything is made from scratch daily and never frozen—a freshness you’ll taste in every chewy, bouncy bite—either served warm in a homemade chicken broth that’s been simmering for an entire day, or chilled and mixed into a spicy chili sauce that jolts your tastebuds awake. MDK recently added seasonal soybean noodles to the menu, packed with various beans and nuts and served as a cold dish in a nourishing soy-based soup.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Tokki
Photo courtesy of Tokki

Koreatown
Billed as a Korean tapas restaurant, Tokki—which opened less than two years ago—brings youthful, new energy to K-Town with modern Korean fare that nods to non-traditional flavors and ingredients. Here, you’ll find Koreanized takes on dishes like arancini made with sticky rice and kimchi seasoning, beef tartare that gets its unique flavor and crunch from Korean pears and homemade pear compote, and uni toast composed with onion aioli and Korean pickles. On the flip side, the menu reinvents Korean classics with a twist—like mixing tteokbokki rice cakes with rosé gochujang sauce and bacon, or incorporating truffle bulgogi into kimchi fried rice. The vibey ambiance, excellent playlist, and strong drinks menu full of artisanal cocktails and Korean spirits, like craft soju and rice wine, make Tokki the perfect place for date nights and group dinners.
How to book: Reservations available through OpenTable.

 Nanoom Dining
Photo by Augusto Piccio IV, courtesy of Nanoom Dining

Nanoom isn’t a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Instead, chef Andy Choongman Lee brings the restaurant to your home, offering an unparalleled private dining experience that’s almost sure to change your perception of Korean cuisine forever. Lee kicks off the meal with an astounding number of banchan—around 25 in total—ranging from soy-braised baby octopus to rice-syrup-roasted anchovies, followed by multiple courses of nourishing Korean food steeped in storytelling and history, each paired with its own bespoke beverage. Not only does Lee use your kitchen to create an incredibly soulful tasting menu—Korean fare made in the way previous generations might remember it—but he also thoughtfully pays homage to his heritage in every detail. Food is served on exquisite dishware handmade in Korea, and leftovers are wrapped using the art of Korean gift wrapping called bojagi, using a beautiful cloth sourced from the motherland.
How to book: Reservations available through their site.

 Chimmelier
Photo courtesy of Chimmelier

Westlake
Chimmelier, a portmanteau of “chicken” and “sommelier,” is the brainchild of the team behind Hanchic—the Korean fusion spot that took LA by storm before closing, due to building issues that prevented them from continuing as a dine-in concept (but don’t worry, they’re looking for a new home for Hanchic!). Now, to-go spot Chimmelier operates in its place in a strip mall just outside of Koreatown, slinging ultra-crispy Korean fried chicken and street food that explodes with flavor. Korean spices (think: gochugaru, Korean curry powder, bean powder, and more) play a starring role in the chicken batter, giving diners a mix of traditional Korean flavors mixed with the familiar. Street food bites, like corn cheese, shrimp toast, and kimchi fried rice, are decadent and delicious. And finally, you’ll want to slather their sauces, from the umami-laden cheese sprinkle to the scrumptious honey butter, on everything.
How to book: Takeout only.

Hangari Kalguksu
Photo courtesy of Hangari Kalguksu

Koreatown
As the name suggests, this restaurant’s forte is kalguksu—a traditional Korean noodle soup with wheat flour noodles, made by hand-cutting them with a knife instead of stretching or extruding them. These noodles have a chewy mouthfeel and texture that’s hard to replicate, and when they’re dumped into a bowl of piping-hot broth, they become the ultimate comfort food. When you’re in need of something more refreshing on a sweltering LA day, however, Hangari also specializes in milmyeon—thick wheat-based noodles that likely originated during the Korean War when many North Koreans fled to Busan. These noods are deposited into an icy-cold broth with egg, cucumbers, and radishes, and in the summer, you’ll find crowds lining up for it snaking out the door (don’t worry, it goes fairly quickly).
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Kobawoo House
Photo courtesy of Kobawoo House

Koreatown
You could order pretty much anything off the menu at Kobawoo House and leave full and happy. But you can’t visit this K-Town institution, which opened in 1983, without ordering three of its specialties. There’s haemul pajeon, a massive pancake studded with seafood chunks and green onion, served crisp on a hot plate. Then there’s bossam, an irresistibly boiled pork belly dish accompanied by kimchi, pickled peppers, and preserved shrimp that you wrap together in cabbage for a salty, savory, meaty package of flavor. And finally, there’s dotori guksoo, a brightly colored platter of cold acorn noodles and veggies that’s designed to be mixed together. Wash it all down with soju, and thank us later.How to book: Walk-ins only.

Photo courtesy of Jook Hyang
Photo courtesy of Jook Hyang

Koreatown
Jook Hyang is the type of place where you’ll see elderly Koreans quietly reading their newspapers and enjoying the restaurant's homestyle specialties: abalone rice porridge or samgyetang, a traditional ginseng chicken soup made with sticky rice, garlic, and jujubes. It’s warm, filling, health-giving comfort food that doesn’t weigh you down or make you feel as if you’ve overindulged. Rather, everything served at Jook Hwang tastes clean and nutritious with a focus on high-quality, seasonal ingredients sourced from all over, ranging from deodeok (a mountain herb from South Korea’s Mount Jiri), wild ginseng from the Appalachian Mountains, and matsutake mushrooms from Oregon. In addition to the restaurant’s famous porridges and chicken soups, you’ll find other Korean dishes, like braised short rib, spicy braised cod, and hot stone bibimbap.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Downtown
Kwang Uh and Mina Park got all of LA excited about fermentation at their now-closed but beloved restaurant Baroo. Now at Shiku, their homestyle concept in Grand Central Market, they’re focused on turning out doshirak lunch boxes inspired by what Kwang’s mother used to pack him for school. Whether you order the kimchi-braised pork belly or doenjang-marinated chicken, each box includes an ever-changing assortment of excellent banchan, made fresh every day. These delicious bites—from ripe papaya kimchi to curry coleslaw and kimchi yellow corn—pay homage to Baroo’s fermentation experiments, and they’re available to take home in a larger format.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

 Surawon Tofu House
Photo courtesy of Surawon Tofu House

Koreatown
Surawon stands out in a sea of tofu restaurants in Koreatown—largely in part because the restaurant makes its own tofu using organic, non-GMO soybeans and ditches the emulsifiers or additives you might find in commercial tofu. Their house-made tofu has a more complex, savory flavor that lends extra depth to Surawon’s hot, spicy, comforting bowls of bubbling soondubu stew. For a slightly higher price point, you can even opt for the nuttier tofu made from black soybeans, which is supposed to be richer in antioxidants with extra cholesterol-cutting benefits. If you’re in the mood for a more substantial spread, make your meal a combo by adding sizzling beef short rib or salty grilled mackerel to your tofu soup.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

 Soban
Photo courtesy of Soban

Koreatown
Ask anyone who’s been to this tiny Koreatown haunt about the food, and they’ll tell you Soban does just about the best version of every traditional Korean dish you can think of. Take their succulent raw blue crab, drenched in a soy marinade that’s infused with over 20 different aromatics. Or their braised black cod, one of the most buttery pieces of fish you’ll ever have tossed in a finger-licking sauce that deserves to be poured over everything. The cherry on top is the banchan spread, impressive in its quantity with several unique dishes tossed into the mix. It’s little wonder this no-frills spot has scored numerous awards and accolades over the years, but perhaps its best claim to fame is that director Bong Joon-ho and the Parasite cast celebrated their historic Oscar wins here after the awards show, noshing on seafood tofu pancakes, braised short ribs, and other delights.
How to book: Call 323-936-9106 for reservations.

Koreatown
Founded in 1964, Daedo boasts five South Korea locations that serve over 650,000 servings of ribeye a year. The sophisticated Seoul import recently opened its first US outpost in LA—a tastefully appointed space with a bar serving soju- and rice-wine-based cocktails (pro-tip: you’ll need one while waiting for a coveted table.) Superior ingredients—from CAB Prime beef that passes nine more quality standards than USDA Prime to radish kimchi and soybean paste flown in from South Korea—make the elevated price points worthwhile. Thoughtful preparation is also key: All four dipping sauces are made in house, including one that involves fermenting nine veggies over a week-long period, while every sliver of unnecessary fat is trimmed off Daedo’s grade-A meat before it’s cooked on cast-iron grills coated in fat from the cow’s kidney.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
Photo by Ashley Yi, courtesy of Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong

Multiple Locations
Baekjeong, the Korean word for butcher, is a fitting name for this wildly successful chain, which opened its first outpost in LA in 2012 and has since expanded to multiple locations in California. As one of the city’s most hyped KBBQ spots, this place can command one- or two-hour wait times, but it lives up to the hype with top-notch meat and highly efficient servers who waste no time swapping out your grills and cooking your proteins. Each grill comes with a specially sectioned area where eggs and corn cheese cook at the same time—if you have any room left over after putting away marbled short ribs and paper-thin slices of brisket.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Koreatown
Ham Ji Park is a pork lover’s paradise. Their signature pork neck stew called gamjatang features slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone meat and fork-tender potatoes, while their famous ribs are smothered in gochujang—the Korean fermented chili paste that adds kick to the meat’s smoky-sweet caramelization. Balance out the fatty flavors with their fresh salad, which has an acidity that helps cut through the delicious grease, and palate-cleansing barley tea.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

bbq meat and veggies
Photo courtesy of Parks BBQ

Koreatown
Helmed by Chef Jenee Kim, who graduated from college in Seoul with a degree in culinary science, this award-winning restaurant has claimed awards since opening in 2003. Though this no-frills spot is on the pricier end of KBBQ, the extra bucks translate to premium cuts of meat, including melt-in-your-mouth Kobe beef and American Wagyu. Their Taste of Parks set combos make ordering easy, but be sure to leave room for the excellent short rib soup—brimming with green onions and glass noodles in a clear, hangover-healing broth—and stone pot rice. Feel like BBQing at home? The restaurant operates a butcher shop in the same plaza.
How to book: Reservations available through their site.

Koreatown
Named after a South Korean province known for its high-quality meat, this casual, lively eatery’s galbi—USDA Premium Black Angus bone-in short ribs marinated in their signature sweet and savory sauce for 48 hours—is a no-brainer. But you should also branch out with Soowon’s pork neck, an exquisite cut of meat that manages to be soft, juicy, and crunchy all at once, and try their substantial array of non-BBQ dishes, like the tofu stew, scallion pancakes, cold noodle soup, or grilled mackerel.
How to book: Walk-ins welcome or call 213-365-9292 for reservations.

Koreatown
There’s one thing this hole-in-the-wall does insanely well and it’s worth going for, especially if you’re in the mood for non-traditional KBBQ. Mapo is the master of dak galbi, or spicy BBQ chicken, with a spice level that’s easily adjusted depending on your preferences. The chicken is fried with rice cakes, cabbage, gochujang sauce, sesame leaves, and melty cheese in a large cast-iron tray right before your eyes. Once you’ve finished scooping off this piping-hot hodgepodge, servers use its greasy drippings to prepare kimchi fried rice, which you’ll somehow find room for in your stomach, even scraping down the last crispy rice chunks stuck to the pan. Serving portions are outlandishly generous, so arrive hungry with friends.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

Koreatown
Quarters sits in the same plaza as Kang Ho Dong, but the restaurant’s fusion approach distinguishes it from its legendary neighbor. After all, what other KBBQ spot serves kimchi-smothered nachos, galbi tacos, and melted cheese fondue with its grilled meat? Big groups will enjoy the fun party vibes at Quarters, where every other table is downing beer-ritas to a fist-pumping EDM playlist and set combos with all the go-tos—bulgogi, pork jowl, and rib eye—make it easy to share.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

chosun galbee
Photo courtesy of Chosun Galbee

Koreatown
Chosun Galbee sits on the higher-end scale of KBBQ with polished appeal and punctual service. Its serene atmosphere and cool, spacious dining area (including a lush garden patio) lend themselves well to easy dinner conversation—a departure from other spots where you have to yell over the din to be heard. But don’t get us wrong: Chosun is still action-packed with meat aficionados, who make a beeline for its namesake dish (short rib steeped in a specially formulated soy sauce) and kot sal (or “flower meat,” in reference to the intricate, flower-like marbling). The menu features recipes originally created by the owner when the restaurant first opened over 25 years ago—and it’s versatile enough to accommodate even non-carnivores, with plenty of cold noodles, rice cake stews, and a strong seafood offering that includes Chilean sea bass and spicy raw crab. An extra perk? Chosun has a full bar, somewhat of a rarity among KBBQ restaurants that tend to only serve beer and soju.
How to book: Call 323-734-3330 for reservations.

Koreatown
This long-standing spot still does things the OG way, serving thick slabs of meat (versus machine-sliced thin) on smoky charcoal grills (no gas-powered flames here!) for a nice char. Pro-tip: The marinade-massaged meats tend to cook quickly, so keep an eye on the temperature. When your protein’s ready, wrap it in lettuce leaves—along with a bit of rice, garlic, and chili paste—for a two-bite-sized package called ssambap.
How to book: Walk-ins only.

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Tiffany Tse is a Thrillist contributor. See where she’s eating lately at @twinksy.