Best Korean Restaurants in the U.S.
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Korea is positioning itself as one of the global leaders of pop culture. But for all the well-deserved attention K-dramas and K-pop are getting, we can’t forget about the amazingness of Korean food.
Korean BBQ is the most popular food outside the country, but the cuisine offers many flavors you won’t find anywhere else. From hot and crispy kimchi fried rice, to the filling yet lean kimbap (which are not anything like sushi), to the perfect mix of bibimbap and the spicy goodness of dakgalbi, Korean food is heaven on a plate.
Ready to try some of these delicious dishes? These are the best Korean restaurants in the U.S.
15. Korea Garden Restaurant
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Location: Houston, Texas
Rating: 50 (out of 100)
*Ratings come from trusted Tripadvisor reviews.
Bottom Line: Korea Garden Restaurant
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Korea Garden Restaurant provides an authentic taste of Korean food. The menu mostly consists of soups and broths, which are extremely common and popular in Korea, despite what BBQ joints would have you believe.
We recommend trying all the things you won't find in many other Korean restaurants. Start with saewoo juhn (fried battered shrimp) or jae yook bokum (stir fried pork, tofu and mushrooms). Then, get the neng myun, also known as cold noodles. The dish is originally from North Korea and well-loved in South Korea, but not too common outside of the peninsula.
Pro tip: Order it with hot strips of meat. The heat of the meat contrasts the cold noodles to somehow make magic happen.
Visit Korea Garden House
14. Dak & Bop
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Location: Houston, Texas
Rating: 53.8
Bottom Line: Dak & Bop
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Translating to chicken and rice, this fusion restaurant's specialty is its Korean fried chicken. Each piece of crispy goodness is made to order and never frozen, fried twice and sauced by hand.
The sauces then take it to a level that'll have you craving this style of fried chicken forever after.
Other items on the menu include a variety of French fries, fried rice and bowls.
Visit Dak & Bop
13. Genwa Korean BBQ
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Rating: 54.5
Bottom Line: Genwa Korean BBQ
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Competition in the Koreatown of Los Angeles is tough, but Genwa still manages to shine brighter than the rest of the BBQ diamonds.
This isn't necessarily where you'll get a true Korean experience, but rather a more upscale version of the BBQ joints that are so popular in the country. For one, you won't cook the food yourself. And for those not familiar enough with Korean barbecue, this is definitely a positive.
But when it comes to flavor, the generosity of banchan (side dishes) and the delicious sides that include a basically perfect kimchi soup, Genwa is as authentically Korean as it gets.
Visit Genwa Korean BBQ
12. Jeju Noodle Bar
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Location: New York City, New York
Rating: 55.1
Bottom Line: Jeju Noodle Bar
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In South Korea, the gorgeous volcanic Jeju Island is renowned for its distinct cuisine. At Jeju Noodle Bar, Chef Douglas Kim brings the culinary traditions of the island and mixes it with those of the mainland and of countries around the world.
The restaurant has a Michelin Star and its specialty is ramyun, of which we'd recommend gochu ramyun, made with healthy pork bone broth.
Visit Jeju Noodle Bar
11. Surisan
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Location: San Francisco, California
Rating: 55.2
Bottom Line: Surisan
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If you love a good fusion restaurant that is unpretentious yet high quality, stop by Surisan when you visit Fisherman's Wharf district.
The restaurant is named after a mountain that is not too far from Seoul, where chef Nick Yoon grew up. Yoon brings a perfect mix of Korean and American food, using locally sourced organic ingredients as much as possible.
Go for brunch and skip the Western version, going instead for Korean brunch. If you dine here during lunch or dinner, you'll also have your pick of amazing dishes like kimchi fried rice, Korean fried chicken and the enhanced ramyun, which will most definitely spice up your life.
Visit Surisan
10. Tomukun Korean Barbeque
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Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Rating: 56
Bottom Line: Tomukun Korean Barbeque
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Tomukun is really two restaurants in one: a Korean BBQ joint and a noodle bar. The experience you get and where you sit depends on which dish you want to enjoy.
The BBQ part is more strictly Korean, while the noodle bar also uses elements from Japanese ramen. Either way, the food is delicious and the ambience is perfect.
Visit Tomukun Korean Barbeque
9. Jin Ju (Tie)
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Rating: 57.4
Bottom Line: Jin Ju
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This modern Korean food restaurant is sleek in its design and purposeful in its dishes. The menu has plenty of traditional food for those who want something classic, but there is an exciting hint of global flavors that delight diners seeking new tastes.
The samgyeopsal, or pork belly, is delicious, served with nontraditional Brussel sprouts and beets, as is the pajeon, a savory scallion pancake.
If you want to try something very common in Korea but that usually doesn't make it onto American menus, order the domi, spicy fish that Jin Ju serves battered and accompanied with mushrooms and baby carrots.
Visit Jin Ju
8. Joule (Tie)
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Location: Seattle, Washington
Rating: 57.4
Bottom Line: Joule
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Joule is more heavily inspired by Korean flavors than a strictly Korean restaurant. In fact, you'll find elements of other Asian cuisines as well as Western fusion.
To celebrate this fusion, try the kalbi burger. For more adventurous eaters, the beef tartare salad is the best choice for a starter.
Trust us, raw meat is much more delicious than you think.
Visit Joule
7. Seoul Spice
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Location: Washington, D.C.
Rating: 60
Bottom Line: Seoul Spice
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Seoul Spice sells itself as Korean comfort food and specializes in bowls.
First, you choose your base, which can be rice, noodles, kimbap or salad. Then, you add your choice of protein, veggies and restaurants.
It's definitely not traditional Korean, but a delicious, convenient and affordable twist on the bowl craze.
Visit Seoul Spice
6. Love Korean BBQ
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Location: New York City, New York
Rating: 63
Bottom Line: Love Korean BBQ
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There are a million and one K-BBQ places in New York City, but LOVE Korean BBQ has set itself apart from other Koreatown places by having a truly unique vibe.
More than a BBQ place, the restaurant feels like a nightclub, which in New York City somehow really works. BBQ is, of course, the star of the night, though you'll also be able to order other typical dishes like bulgogi and bibimbap.
For appetizers, take the road less traveled and get the stir-fried octopus or the truffled egg-plosion, which serves steamed eggs with mozzarella cheese and truffle oil.
Visit LOVE Korea BBQ
5. Jungsik
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Location: New York City, New York
Rating: 63.6
Bottom Line: Jungsik
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With two Michelin stars to its name, Jungsik is the place in New York for high-end Korean food.
The restaurant serves modern Korean, taking inspiration from several parts of the world and somehow making them work with traditional Korean cuisine. A minimalist signature menu states simply the main ingredient for each dish: scallop, octopus, lamb, apple.
Despite the lack of information, we assure you you're in good hands. Anything you order will be delicately served and taste heavenly.
Visit Jungsik
4. Mo Ran Gak
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Location: Garden Grove, California
Rating: 67.4
Bottom Line: Mo Ran Gak
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Fusion is great, but if you want to try something close to what you'd find in Korea, we recommend Mo Ran Gak.
Though mainly BBQ, you also have several options for trying many other different foods, including several buckwheat noodle dishes, soups and seafood dishes.
If you need proof that this is the real deal, you'll be happy to realize once you walk in that most of the customers are Korean.
Visit Mo Ran Gak
3. Soowon Galbi
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Rating: 68.4
Bottom Line: Soowon Galbi
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If you believe hole-in-the-wall restaurants are the best restaurants, Soowon Galbi is for you.
The Los Angeles establishment is located next to a laundromat and puts more importance on the quality of its BBQ than on its aesthetics. This can make you feel a bit closer to Korea.
Though pork is the most used meat for Korean BBQ, ordering beef is definitely worth it here.
Visit Soowon Galbi
2. Chiko
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Location: Washington, D.C.
Rating: 70
Bottom Line: Chiko
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Can't decide between Chinese and Korean? Neither can all D.C. residents who love Chiko.
Bringing together two of the most delicious cuisines in the whole world, Chiko serves you orange-ish chicken along with kimchi stew.
For a delicious dinner, order the pork and kimchi potstickers.
Visit Chiko
1. Jinmi Korean Restaurant
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Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Rating: 78.3
Bottom Line: Jinmi Korean Restaurant
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If you want to go beyond Korean BBQ and into the wonderful world of everything else the country's gastronomy has to offer, Jinmi is a great place to do so.
The no-frills restaurant serves authentic Korean food in a relaxed setting. Enjoy lots of banchan with your tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes with spicy sauce), bibimbaps and soft tofu soup.
Or go for the very interesting but delicious Spam army stew.
Visit Jinmi Korean Restaurant
Best Korean Restaurants by City: A-M
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Anchorage, Alaska
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Chicago
Garden Grove, California
Houston
- Dak & Bop
- Korea Garden Restaurant
Los Angeles, California
- Genwa Korean BBQ
- Soowon Galbi
Best Korean Restaurants by State N-Z
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New York City, New York
- Jeju Noodle Bar
- Love Korean BBQ
- Jungsik
San Francisco, California
Seattle, Washington
Washington, D.C.