Koreatown Los Angeles food guide: barbecue, soups and late nights

Koreatown is a dense neighborhood just west of downtown Los Angeles, roughly between Western and Vermont avenues and between 3rd Street and Olympic Boulevard, with Wilshire Boulevard running through the middle. It is the place in LA for Korean barbecue, but also for bubbling tofu stews, bone broths, noodles and fried chicken, and many places stay open very late. Take the Metro D Line, come hungry and bring friends.

Where is Koreatown in Los Angeles?

The usual definition is the rectangle formed by Western Avenue on the west, Vermont Avenue on the east, 3rd Street on the north and Olympic Boulevard on the south. Wilshire Boulevard is the main street through it, though much of the eating happens on the side streets and in the strip malls off it. The neighborhood is often described as the heart of Korean culture in the United States.

How do you get to Koreatown without a car?

Koreatown is one of the easiest LA neighborhoods to reach by train. The Metro D Line runs under Wilshire Boulevard with stops at Wilshire/Vermont, Wilshire/Normandie and Wilshire/Western, and the B Line also stops at Wilshire/Vermont. From downtown it is a short ride. Parking is famously tight, and many restaurants use valet, so the train is often easier, especially for a dinner with soju.

What should you eat in Koreatown?

Dish	What it is
Korean barbecue	Short rib (galbi), pork belly and marinated meats grilled at the table
Soondubu jjigae	Soft tofu stew, served bubbling in a stone pot
Seolleongtang	Milky ox-bone soup, seasoned at the table with salt and scallions
Gamjatang	Spicy pork bone and potato stew
Naengmyeon	Cold buckwheat noodles, ideal on a hot day
Korean fried chicken	Crisp, often glazed, and usually paired with beer
Banchan	The small side dishes that arrive with almost every meal

How does Korean barbecue work?

At most barbecue restaurants a grill is built into the table. You order meat by the portion, and either a server cooks it for you or you cook it yourself. Banchan, the small dishes of kimchi, pickles and salads, arrive at the start and are usually refilled if you ask. Some places price by the dish; others offer all-you-can-eat menus with a time limit. Barbecue is best with a group, since many restaurants have a minimum number of orders per table, and it is worth wearing clothes you do not mind smelling of the grill.

What is there to eat beyond barbecue?

Plenty, and some of the best meals in Koreatown involve no grill at all. Tofu houses serve soondubu in stone pots with a raw egg to crack into it. Ox-bone soup restaurants serve seolleongtang all day and, at some, all night. There are restaurants built around a single dish, such as stews, cold noodles or dumplings, along with Korean-Chinese places for jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), bakeries, dessert cafés and grocery store food courts.

Is Koreatown open late?

Yes. Koreatown is known for having one of the largest concentrations of late-night and 24-hour businesses in the country, including restaurants, cafés, karaoke rooms and Korean spas (jjimjilbang). It is one of the few parts of LA where a proper meal at 2 a.m. is normal. Hours change, so check before you go if you are counting on a particular place.

How should you plan a night in Koreatown?

A classic night runs in courses. Start with barbecue or a stew for dinner, move on to a bar for soju or beer with fried chicken, sing at a karaoke room, and finish with a bowl of soup at a late-night spot. If you prefer a quieter visit, go at lunch, when many restaurants are calmer and some offer lunch specials.

What should you know before you go?

Weekend nights are busy, and popular barbecue restaurants often have a long wait in line, so go early or late. Many restaurants post their menus with photos, which helps if you are new to Korean food. Ask staff what they recommend; a dish you have never heard of is often the best thing on the table.

A few more habits help. Many stews and soups come with rice and banchan included, so you rarely need to order sides. Soups such as seolleongtang usually arrive unseasoned, with salt and scallions on the table so you can season them yourself. At barbecue, if staff are cooking for you, let them decide when the meat is ready and how to cut it. Tipping works as it does at other sit-down restaurants in Los Angeles, and the check comes to the table at the end. If you are new to Korean food, a tofu stew or an ox-bone soup is a gentle, comforting place to start, and barbecue is the one to save for a night with friends.

How do you keep track of where you ate?

Koreatown has more restaurants per block than almost anywhere in Los Angeles, and it is easy to lose track of which stew was the good one. On Mosey you can rate the places you ate at and the dishes you ordered, with photos, keep a list of Koreatown favorites, and follow friends whose taste you trust.

More guides to read next:

• LA County restaurant letter grades: what A, B and C really mean
• San Gabriel Valley Chinese food guide: where and what to eat
• Santa Monica and Venice food guide: where and how to eat by the beach

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