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Mon-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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If you're in the mood for down home charcoal style Korean BBQ, this is the place to be. My favorites: the beef tongue and marinated squid. Top with some soju and it's the perfect meal. The meat here is also excellent -- meat somehow tastes better when grilled over charcoal. Mmm...carcinogens.
Some tips:
1. Be prepared to circle like crazy for parking during peak hours. They have a lot, but it's tiny.
2. Be prepared to smell like you helped put out a fire. The charcoal meat smell will reek all the way down to your underwear, but it will only remind you of the great meal you had.
3. Be prepared for a hefty wait if you come with a big party during peak hours.
I eat Korean BBQ regularly. It's one of my favorite dining experiences thus far in LA.
I went into Soot Bull Jeep with the mindset that it wasn't buffet style and, therefore, should not be compared to an all-you-can-eat. I always get annoyed at reviews that compare restaurants which are very different.
That being said, I was aghast at the lack of value we received at this place.
Meats- we sampled everything from the short ribs, beef and even eel. It was well marinated, tender and tasty but nothing amazing. The proportions served with the short rib were a joke. $20 and we had two huge chunks of bone (with no meat on them) and slivers of meat. I could have finished a plate of short rib off by myself no problem.
Banchan- Subpar. Not that many sauces to try. No tofu or boiling egg. No potato pancake. Many of the standard items like rice paper were missing.
Service- Typical of most kBBQ. They do as much as they can but when it gets busy they struggle to keep up. Still, they were good.
Price- As said before, I hate comparing buffet style to pay-per-plate restaurants. Still, the value is just so much better at somewhere like Road to Seoul. If you are under the illusion that the meats are such higher quality at Soot Bull that it justifies paying twice as much as somewhere like Manna's, fine. I am not impressed with this place at all.
After my first day of work, I needed meat and I needed it pronto. If you don't know, it's extremely rare for me to crave meat. I used to be vegetarian and I generally tend to avoid meat. But after a draining day, I wanted to eat like a man.
The bf took me to SBJ after mentioning it awhile back. Apparently they've remodeled since... probably due to health regulations since the bf recalled them grilling their meat on portable bbq grills with wood and charcoal. Now, they have the full on grills at most Korean BBQs.
We ordered their galbi and daenjang jigae. OMG. It's delicious. I love that their orders come with ssam (lettuce) because no matter how much I'm craving meat, the herbivore in me calls for a balance. You know this place is good when non-Asian people pour into this small little restaurant ordering up a storm.
Daeng jang jigae here is bomb and the bf loves that they serve it on the grill so you have piping hot soup throughout your meal.
Its got hole-in-the-wall covered, I wasn't even sure there was a hole until I saw a small "open" sign. The bbq beef was surprisingly tasty, and the staff was patient with doing the actual cooking (which I assume the real afficianado would have done for themselves).
It was a little unnerving that there were only 2 of us in the whole place at 12:15 pm on a Monday, but it was certainly quiet, and a few people came in later. I am probably not sufficiently acclimatized to this style of restaurant, but "A-ok" seems about right from that perspective. $50 for two, plus tip.
Review 300! And, it's a Five Star!
~No Soot or Tie Needed, No Bull Restaurant that Ain't Jeep! You will average $30 a person, but quality meat with delicious marinade! "YUM YUM GIMME SUM " - Stephy S.
Road to Seoul v. Soot Bull Jeep-Can't be done. Two different places.
There is No All You Can Eat here. There is no lady cooking for you. There is no free yummy cold rice water. What they do have:
Sweet marinated kalbi and thin marinated pepper steak. Excellent quality meats that are prepared to perfection. 5 stars all the way. I have to say that the three large bottles of OB I had actually tasted well with the food. Don't order the Coors..Yuck. I do like the meats here better than Parks.
This place has a pretty limited selection with the meats, but what they do have is some serious talent with what they have. They also have steak tar tar which I did not have room enough to try. Judging by the quality of the meats I had, I would feel comfortable eating raw meat here. Next Time, Baby!!!!
My first visit, for whatever reason, just seemed to be extra special and I had great dessert.
Kudos to Maggie C for suggesting this place. Unlike the other folks on here..I say wear your favorite clothes so you can have this sweet aroma with you wherever you go for days to come!
Korean bbq at it's finest! Don't expect the best of decor think good food! The minute you walk in be prepared to inhale a smokey room full of goodness. I stuffed myself to the point of food coma. Try not to wear your best the restaurant uses wood coals which produces crazy smoke. But don't be alarmed there are vents above your table working furiously.
I always order the Gal Bi and Chicken but when in a drinking mood I order the marinated squid. Insane!!! Service is consistent always attentive. YOU MUST BE ASSERTIVE WITH WAITRESSES IN ORDER TO GETGOOD SERVICE!! fyi...
This restaurant has become a staple K-Town FAVORITE. Since I can remember from it's beginning the restaurnts decor has actually improved and client base has expanded tremendously. Better than Cho Sun, good mix of people . Cheers!!
I have mixed feelings now that it's gone from a B-rating to an A. But dang that pork is good. Ok, mixed feelings gone.
the food here is so wonderful. it's not much for ambiance but i think it almost adds to the… Read more »
Food is great...if you want good food and terrible service this is the place to go. Be expected to get kicked out if you are talking after your meal at peak times, sat at a table after people that got there after you, rude waitresses, um...rude waitresses...did I mention terrible service? Yeah if you are Korean I'm sure it's a different story but don't expect anything more than terrible service if you aren't.
This place is a mecca for red meat lovers and beyond! I'm told that it's one of the best places for korean bbq. Luckily, I went here with someone who knows korean cultures, which put me at ease.
Delicious all around, fresh veggies all around, meats are premium.
Before you go, know that you will walk out of this place not only feeling completely satisfied, but damn, you and your clothes are going to smell like korean bbq all day long.
The service was damn good and attentive. But the place can get really smokey, I mean cloudy smokey!
After all that's said and done, it's not a place I would frequent, only because, it's too pricey. There are actually better and much cheaper places to go to and that I've been to for korean bbq.
I give 'em credit for using real charcoal, unlike most places. So there you go, Soot bull jeep!
My favorite Korean Barbeque restaurant in K-town!!! Everytime when I have visitors from out-of-state I always bring them there. And they LOVE IT!!! Many places use gas grill, they have the gas grill under charcoal!
The only down side is that there had been construction across the street for a while so it's a lot more difficult to find street parking. Their lot is so small that can fill up easily.
This is the 3rd Korean BBQ joint I've been to- so I am no expert on the side dishes but I can tell you my favorite lil treat was missing: potato salad. The kimchee, pastes, and greens were all pretty good but not exceptional.
I don't eat meat but my friends enjoyed the beef (ribs and some other part of a cow) and pork. We also had shrimp, calamari steaks and eel. By thoughts:
Grill did not distribute heat evenly so half the calamari steak/eel and meats would be cooked but other parts still needed more time. So some parts of the meat/fish were tasty and other parts overcooked.
Ventilation is pretty nonexistent so plan on stinkin like cow ass for the night.
Service was good and the place was clean but not squeaky...
Maybe I am spoiled since I go to Soowon Galbi all the time when I am craving Korean BBQ but I thought this place was mediocre. The meat was ok and the place looks beat up and run down. It looks like they have been using the same furniture for 50 years.
The price and portion is standard for what you get at a typical Korean BBQ joint but you can definitely get better BBQ in K-town for the same price. If you are going to make the drive to K-town, you might as well go to the handful of other places that are 10x better.
The ventilation here also sucks so you are going to smell like smoke and Korean BBQ for days. Just make sure you don't go to the gym afterward like me. I was getting the stink eye from everyone at the gym.
I went here a while ago with my church group. It was about 2PM when we went and it was not packed at all. Only two tables were occupied. We sat down and ordered. Two more tables were occupied by then and our food hasn't come out yet. I'm sure the beef and pork didn't run away =( at last, the food came, it has passed 20 mins...There were no table settings or water the server brought out to us. We had to ask 4 times for table settings. We asked for water multiple times and the server never brought it out. We weren't even done eating and she gave us the check. We were fed up, paid the bill and left her a note and left. I've never gone back since. As for the food? it was not better than tahoe.
I had just run a half marathon in SF and was freaking STAHHHHHVING. I hadn't eaten a freaking thing except the crap they pass out on the course. I got off the plane at LAX and the first question was what do you want? I was like I can eat ANYTHING because I burned about 1500 calories and I haven't eaten so I'm game for anything but whatever it is I want a lot of it...so KBBQ it was!
I'm still kinda new to the KBBQ scene and this was our first time at Soot Bull. It was a good experience. Not a shit ton of food but a very good amount. We got the kalbi and the octopus, damn that was one BIG ass piece o squid!
I guess since my first KBBQ experience was Manna (with Stephy at an UYE event!) everything else seems like not as much food and pricey to me? I dunno but overall the food was good and so was the service. I hobbled out of there full and happy...I'd go back again but first I'd like to try another place...
And hello? Obviously you are going to smell like smoke people. It's KBBQ for crying out loud!
omgah. Korean BBQ. Meat, meat, and more meat... How can you go wrong?!
I came with 2 of my friends and ordered the short ribs and pork. The pork was a bit too sweet for my liking, but they were both satisfying. The short ribs were especially good. I wish the lettuce came complimentary. We kept running out of lettuce and it sucks that we have to pay $2 for every order of lettuce. $47 all together for three people. I didn't come out bloated which disappointed me, but I was too cheap to order another plate of meat and my friends said they were already full D: Soot Bull Jeep was a good Korean BBQ experience, but I'd rather hit up an all you can eat place next time.
We visited from Chicago looking for the authentic LA Korean BBQ experience and I think Soot Bull Jeep fit the bill.
When you walk in you definitely smell the smoke and the coals are so hot that they occasionally shoot burning ash through the air. We learned that you actually have to cool the coals down using ice to keep the ash from flying around.
The short ribs were the best I've had. They were juicy and the marinade was the perfect blend of sour and sweet. The eel was unlike any other eel I had eaten, and though we overcooked the first batch, it was delicious when got the hang of it. The squid was lightly marinated but very good when cooked on a coal grill. You can serve the meat with rice, or lettuce and scallions, and it comes with a sweet and a spicy dipping sauce. Also the bowl of garlic you can roast on the grill was a very nice touch.
I'd say the meat was a step up from what we're used to getting, but the side dishes (called banchan) were lacking. What we received tasted good, but there were only a couple varieties and they were all the standards like pickled radish and kimchee. I have to stay the sparse servings of banchan was a disappointment but did not take away from how great the meat was. The service was brusque but that didn't really bother us because the food was terrific.
There may be many great Korean BBQ places in the LA, but we were glad we chose Soot Bull Jeep. They offer a no nonsense atmosphere that is filled with smoke and flying ash and the meat is terrific.
Hands down, my entire Korean family's favorite place to eat BBQ. I haven't been here in over a year, but my family's been going here for more than 15 years. Back then, before the mad cow scare, they were still grilling intestines for you. Are they doing that again? It's pricey, you smell like food for days after you leave, portion's have gotten smaller, it's dingy, but the food has been consistently yummy for a long time. The taste has changed-the galbi has grown sweeter to suit Western palates, but it's still damn good!
So glad they finally got a parking lot.
Don't take babies here-the smoke can't be good for them. Also, when I was around 8 years old, a spark from the grill almost got me right in the eye. I had a little mark under my right eye for YEARS. Too bad it's gone now. Could've shown it off as my badass foodie battle scar.
Good starter KBBQ restaurant - but once you become a KBBQ fan, there are many better places out there. The location is bad (dangerous) and the food is mediocre (no better than most AYCE places). It's not really expensive but then again, it's not cheap. It's super smoky and crowded all the time.
Soot Bull Jeep is always ok, but never amazing. It's dependable, if that's what you like.
This place is awesome...
Plus: Large portion, authentic, not watered down version.
Neg: You will stink afterwords because of the wood smoke.
Horror: The parking is a disaster. Have someone else drive you.
Went here with a K-town local for lunch on Saturday. We were there before they opened and watched them cart the charcoal in to use in teh BBQ. The menu is simple and reasonably priced for the amount and quality of food. Do not go here for ambiance as the the place hasn't been redecorated since the seventies (think fake brick and paneling) and the service is a bit bity if you don't speak the language but food is great.
We ordered the Short ribs and and Beef. The marinade was not over sweet and really cooked up well. It came with the typical sides customary with KBBQ. they were solid not mind blowing. We also oredered one of the spicy cold noodle dishes i'd never had before. It was interesting, good flavor, but i had to get used to "stretchy" noodles.
Overall I'd recommend the place and will go back. Straight forward solid KBBQ.
With over 200 reviews, Soot Bull Jeep doesn't need much from me, but it has my heart anyway.
I took away one star (was torn between that and finding a way to create a sixth star) for the service. They expect you to order the second you sit down. Never smiled once. And will literally remove the tongs from your hand, mid-flip, if they see fit. I know they're just trying to help me not f**k up the delicious marinated beef and all, but I had that sh*t under control. Having been raised by a Grillmaster, you learn that it is NEVER okay to remove the tongs from another man's hands.
The place was old, i went there with my korean bosses so i thought they should know korean bbq, and they were right! the meat was great, i ended up overeating hahaha, i really liked it, i can't tell you about the price since i didn't pay and the service was ok although the waitresses look mean and tired, the only thing missing the sweet potato salad.
WOW, what a treat this place was both times I came. The first time I came for lunch and got the Spencer steak and standard marinated short rib. Both excellent. It was relatively empty and I loved the no frills atmosphere that reminded me of a 50's ish family restaurant.
The second time was even BETTER. My friend had just gotten off the plane from Denver CO and I asked if he'd ever tried Korean BBQ. He said no and I lived nearby so we just walked to Soot Bull Jeep from my place. The place was packed, super smoky and I noticed the B health inspection grade (I guess that stands for BEST in this case). My friend and I ordered marinated short rib and marinated pork. The pork was INCREDIBLE. The best marinade I'd ever had, perfectly spicy. The beef was also very good.
One of best things about Soot Bull Jeep besides the charcoal grills that make for excellent meat taste, is the fact that you make lettuce wraps out of your BBQ. I love the brown paste that comes with the BBQ. I don't know what its called but it tastes great inside a lettuce wrap along with the cooked meat, roasted garlic and maybe even some Kim Chi or salad wrapped along w/ it. My friend from Colorado admitted that it was the best meal of the weekend and possibly one of the best of his life!!! Oh, and upon eating our fill, the bill was about 55 dollars for two huge Hite beers, the two meats and all the side salads. Not bad, especially in these troubled times.
This is one of four Korean BBQ's that I've tried, 3 being in Koreatown, one in Chicago. Supposedly the "best Korean BBQ in LA" is among what i've tried (I believe Soot Bull Jeep was rated #6 in that list). I won't name drop, but Soot Bull Jeep beat it hands down.
One thing to remember. This place is NO FRILLS, not a place to take a pretentious/superficial date or a pampered Beverly Hills prince or princess. You will smell like smoke upon leaving, thats for sure, it is not well ventilated. I just hope everyone can see past all that though, the relaxed atmosphere makes it fun!!!!
Every time I come here, I feel like I'm imposing on Korean family night, and I attempt to apologize for my whiteness by being the nicest, least demanding consumer one could possibly imagine. This approach is blatantly overlooked by the brigade of Korean gangsta waitresses, and by gangsta, I mean these are some bad bitches. Older broads, definitely been around the block, somewhat the equivalent of those French thugs in butt tight track suits and air max 90's that show off their facial scars in Parisian parks. Except these thugs have a Korean grandmother vibe to them. I digress...
One of the best, realest Korean bbq spots in K-town. Meat is damn good, atmosphere is hideous, but in a good way, and I like it when the waitresses treat me like shit. Most likely, I deserve it.
Also expect to smell like a pyromaniac and a cow made a baby. In a bad way. Two showers oughtta do it, though.
dont get the chicken its the most boring thing. marineated spencer steak and short ribs and the pork is very good. all the side dishes are good i like the peanuts paste.
annoying that they MAKE you order 2 things. best to go there with more than 2 people because of this.
it is good that they use charcoal instead of gas charcoal tastes better i think its less gassy.
watch your legs under the table if you rub up against any of the pipes or whatever you'll get like soot or grease on your clothes
I'm speechless! I was in LA and really wanted K-bbq. My friend told me Soot Bull Jeep was the very best and I needed to experience it. I was totally stoked. We arrived around 9:00pm and the parking lot was jammed pack. Rather than being impatient we sat in the parking lot waiting for someone to leave. Luckily, we only waited 10 minutes to park and we were in.
We entered into the restaurant and I tried to look around but I could barely see across the restaurant for the all the smoke. The tables were all filled with happy people flipping meat and drinking beer. The air, filled with the sweet smell of meat cooking over the wood & coals welcomed us and I couldn't wait to order. We tried the chicken & beef kalbi - I was all prepared to get my hands dirty and do a little grilling but the waitress did the majority of the cooking for us and once she was done my friend took over.
Both the beef and chicken were really delicious but you have to eat fast or remove the meat completely or you'll have jerky! We grilled, ate, and enjoyed Hite for an hour a bit when the waitress came along and told us they were closing. We hadn't even finished cooking all the meat, how could they be closing!! We pretty much pretended we didn't hear her and kept along our marry way when she came around again and said the doors are closing. I really wish we could have hung out there longer but as my friend explained to me Korean BBQ places aren't know for people lingering while dining. The idea is to get them in and out....that's precisely what happened.
Service aside this was the best Korean BBQ I've ever had and I didn't even mind smelling like BBQ all night because it reminded me of the perfect dinner I had just eaten plus my friends dog loved me that evening! LOL
I'm not buying the hype for this place. Yes, the place is a dump, but I expected that. I was a bit surprised at how small it is.
But this place is no better than the other all you can eat places out there. In fact, its not even all you can eat. I'd rather pay 15 bucks and go somewhere else. Mmm, but the short ribs were good. Oh and it they have their own lot which is great for Ktown.
Just looking at the dirt-singed exterior as I was parking was enough to have me start lapping the smoke-scented air like my friend's bulldog. Scrambling into the building I surveyed the tables and nodded at my folks with the full appreciation of my impatient family. My mother and father had already ordered and were well on their way to guiding the delicious pieces of kalbi into their true potential. My brother and sister quickly followed behind me.
Before she and I started getting down and dirty, we had a strategic discussion on which items of clothing would fit into my leather purse, shielding them from the smoke smell. Her Burberry scarf beat my Ross-bought wrap, out of sheer fiscal value.
I rubbed my wooden chopsticks together to flake off any splinters and got to business. Lettuce wrap layered with hot kalbi, raw garlic, kimchee, sam-jahng, rice, then folded in half and stuffed in mouth. Now before I got married I would've chewed with my mouth half-open, staring at my brother till he laughed rice out the table. I as the new bride, daintily held the paper napkin over my open mouth as I chewed and swallowed enough to close my mouth. I swallowed then spooned hot dehn-jang soup down my throat and took a swig of cold OB.
As my tunnel-vision resided after each lettuce stuff, hot soup spoon fulls, cold beer swigs, I noticed something different about this place. I see white people. No, I mean I saw a LOT of white people. There was a white couple having a romantic snuggle, in front of charred pork remains, right at the next table. I saw an entire table of 6 white people sitting three tables down, drinking and eating just like I had been eating and drinking. Bewildered, I stood up and went into the main room passing a stellar NY Times review on the wall. Half the people in the main room were not Korean. I accidentally walked outside in my confusion, and saw a big 'ole "Michelin Recommended" sticker slapped on the front door. I bumped into a waitress on my way back to my table and the waitress instead of berating me, said "pardon me" in Korean!
I think the now nice waitresses freaked me out the most.
DO-IT-YOURSELF BARBECUE WITH PUSHY SERVICE
Go for the food, not the service. We dropped in an hour before closing and they brought us the bill before we got our food! Also, they started turning off the lights in the middle of our meal.
Marinated Chicken and Shrimp
We enjoyed cooking the chicken and shrimp on the charcoal grill. The banchan were fresh and tasty but not as diverse as other Korean restaurants. The focus here is on the grilled meats.
Be sure to arrive well before closing time, and wear something that you don't mind smelling like smoke.
I heart Korean food and this rest is my favorite Korean BBQ rest in LA. They use charcoal to cook the meat. The kalbi was so good and I love their ban chan too. The only thing I didn't was the cold noodle. I guess I'm not used to eat noodle with ice cube and it was tasteless. Just wear your ugliest clothes there because you and your car will smell like bbq for hours. The place is kinda dingy and service is not good there but you will love the food.
this place is funny. mean pushy waitresses. nasty run down furniture. dungeons and dragons decorations.
and deliscious food. yummy!
Visiting this place is a religious experience for me.
Yea, the ladies who work here are sorta rude.
Yea, you come out smelling like a smoldering piece of shit.
Suck it up, ya cry baby.
What's that? Its got a "B" ?
When I'm traveling, my eating habits shift. I eat hairs, insects, dirt. I don't really mind too much about that booger hanging off the edge of my glass. I'm a guest in their country after all, and to put up a fuss is something I just consider rude and American of me.
Going to Soot Bull Jeep and being surrounded by Koreans, I feel like I am a guest into another world. A voyeur into the Korean culture, and to work up a fuss over the unidentified piece of floating shit in my water, would be in bad taste.
So, when I found something creepy floating in my water, I just fished it out with my fingernail and flicked it to the floor. The food is just far too delicious to cry about needless things. For fuck's sake, its not gonna kill me. To complain about something so small, has me assume that I am some ultra clean germ free being. If ya met me, you can be pretty sure I'm not.
I think the only reason I get cleaner glasses of water at Western run establishments, is because the waitress gave enough of a shit to fish it out with her own fingernail before bringing it out. And frankly, if anyone is dippin their nails into my water, I'd sorta rather it be me.
Whoa, I've gone off track. Okay, going back to this review now....
FUCK this place is good. Once you take your first bite into that sweet delicious spicy pork, you will understand life, love, the universe... everything.
Definitely one of my top 5 restaurants in LA. Delicious. Try it!
We've been to this restaurant several times and never ordered the short ribs? Why oh why did we never order the short ribs? Good grief, are they ever tasty!
The banchan are fine, no potato salad, but fine. The meat is good quality for sure. The charcoal smell people complain about is to me like a little bonus; a reminder of a truly delicious meal.
The oft reviled K-town poor service was no where to be found. The service here is almost too good; our server kept popping by and putting our meat on the grill faster than we could eat it. It was kind of like speed dating with everyone gorgeous. You want to savor what you've got in front of you, but equally delectable morsels are piling up behind.
Go early, it gets packed. Enjoy.
Had dinner here on a recent trip to LA. Having lived in Korea for many years, I was pleasantly surprised at how authentic this restaurant was.
Service was typical for a Korean restaurant - meaning, if you need something, just shout at the waitresses (it's custom), so don't read too much into reviews that pan the service.
The food, especially the side dishes, was as good as any barbecue place I ate at in Korea. Dinner was little pricey (although I ate a ton of food), and it's very smokey. Don't wear nice clothes to this place.
Next time I'm in Koreatown, I will definitely eat here!
Ok, I'm a fan, but really this is the stinkiest Korean BBQ place there is! I swear I wonder if I have diminished my lung capacity when I leave. Even the insides of my nostrils are black when I leave, BUT the food is great! No complaints, whatsoever about the food; it's freash, high quality, delicious and they have a great variety...even yummy beef tongue! The down sides are of course the bad ventilation as I already mentioned, the parking is scarce, the wait is some times ridiculous, and it can be a bit pricey for the portions you receive.
I really love not showering afterwards and just going straight to bed with meaty-smokey hair. But, that's not all; it all culminates with waking up the next morning with an oily, meaty, and delicately smokey pillow. Finally, and sadly, I shower.
The bannchan are tastey, the greens are choice, and there's plenty of pungent funk to tickle my little ol' fancy. There're no pulled punches.
Here's to you, Beep Boop Beep! Great Job!
It's mandatory that you eat with at LEAST three people. No whining. Hite!!!
I got a beautiful Christmas gift. It was a DVD of our recent trip to L.A./San Francisco, all of our pictures combined put to music. I wanted to yelp about this place but I couldn't remember the name till I saw the picture in the video.
We ate here on October 4th, straight from LAX, our friends took us to their favorite Korean BBQ joint. 25 of us all together. I was hesitant. First thing on my mind off the plane was an In-N-Out Burger, some dirty mexican joint, bacon wrapped hot dogs, Roscoe's chicken or a Randy's donut. How good can Korean BBQ in LA. be? I eat Korean food all the time in Hawaii. Well this BBQ, it was damn tasty. Meat was tender. Perfectly seasoned. The Galbi was delicious.
My recommendations to make your dining experience much more enjoyable.
1. Wear a black t shirt and an old pair of jeans so you can't see the grease or saucy drip stains all over your clothes. Don't sport your stunner duds. You'll smell like smoke, go home or back to the hotel for a shower before heading out.
2. Dining with a large party consisting of kids? Sit with the little ones, small little eaters means more meat for you. I made the mistake of sitting with the men, I did all the cooking, they did all the eating. = (
3. If you go during peak hours, their parking situation can be a bit tight. Don't park illegally on the street, those meter cops take their jobs way too seriously. The Korean joint next door had lots of parking, they were slow, guess that means their food isn't as popular.
4. Service is okay. Definitely flirt with the waitress, tell her how lovely she is. My friend the schmoozing lady's man on the other table did that, she stayed at their table all night, cutting their meat, cooking their food, changing their coals and grill. What a sucker she was.
5. Chicken takes too long to cook. Stick with the meat, any type of meat, they're all good. They also have good spicy soups with pork, tofu, kimchee all the good stuff. Good to munch on while waiting for the BBQ.
Enjoy.
Now that I know a thing or two (I mean literally a thing or two) about Koren BBQ, I feel I can elaborate a little on what sets this place apart from the other Ktown BBQeries. The grills are real charcoal, I believe the only place in town that doesn't use gas grills. This adds a flavor to the meat you just won't get anywhere else. The meat is really, really, really, really, really tasty.
The atmosphere is arguably the worst of the lot- dark, smoky, hard little chairs and cheap plastic plates. Not to mention the B rating. If you want a cheery atmosphere or a piece of eye contact from wait-staff, you might want to try a prettier place. If the meat weren't so good, I wouldn't want to eat here.
The Steak, ribs, and shrimp were all excellent. You definitely want to order at least one plate of meat per person.
I was a korean bbq virgin. Luckily we had a not-so-virgin guiding us. Not so virign told us to order… Read more »
Whenever I go for Korean BBQ.. I am prepared to smell like sweet meat the rest of the evening. In my hair.. on my clothes.. it's a delicious smell. This place will also make you smell like charcoal. It gives you more of an authentic scent.
Parking was free and a breeze right next to the restaurant. Somebody also watches your car and you don't have to tip him!
The wait for this place wasn't too bad.. you grab a ticket when you get in. We got a table before a 5 person table was seated... it was awesome. They give you the salad and soup right away when you sit down. You don't even have to order. The side dishes are a little lacking at this spot.. and yes, the venilation isn't all there.. but the meat is way more tender than the other spot I tried (which was rated higher on Yelp). I ordered the kalbi and the beef tongue. Great place.
You probably also want to know that unlike other Korean spots.. they won't cook for you really. You are more on your own here.. so somebody will have to be on full time cooking duty.
But really.. it's well worth it. Yum!
I had an allright time here. I probably wont come back, though. I really do like the AYCE kbbq concept a lot more than paying 20 bucks or more for ONE plate of meat. Honestly, I prefer Manna, but thats probably because im a fatass white person, haha.
The meat (Spencer steak) was flavorful and tasty, but i was still a little hungry and could've gone for a little more meat and variety. The service is regular ass Korean service, which can be weird if you're not used to it.
I don't want to sound ignorant, like I'm comparing Casa Bianca to Shakeys, but I really would rather try out a new, different, AYCE kbbq for next time.
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Category: Korean
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Korean
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Category: Korean
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Korean
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