Korean food is renowned for its complex spicy, salty, bitter, sour and sweet flavours – and the best restaurants go beyond kimchi and barbecue. From casual hangouts serving family style hotpots to upscale restaurants serving refined small plates, here’s our pick of the best Korean restaurants across the US. Due to COVID-19, it’s best to check state travel advisories and individual websites for the latest updates before visiting.
Jang Su Jang, also known as ‘the meeting place’, is an Atlanta staple. There’s a strong emphasis on seasonal ingredients to ensure every dish is fresh and delicious, from the tofu soup to barbecue plates.The restaurant also operates J’s Kitchen, a cookery school and catering business that offers fresh bento boxes.
LA’s Koreatown is an easy champion in the race for some of the country’s best Korean eats. And Dan Sung Sa has been serving up authentic dishes since the 1990s. Named for Korea’s first cinema, the nods to Korean films add a delightful themed touch to the already eye-catching decor. The menu is brimming with small plates and drinks to go alongside. Think spicy octopus, steamed dumplings and soju (a Korean spirit and the country’s national drink).
The words ‘all you can eat’ can spark joy in any foodie's mind, especially when what’s up for grabs is as delish as at this Queen’s hotpot hotspot. Picnic Garden’s buffet involves a variety of bulgogi and traditional Korean BBQ. A sure-fire bonus is that a trip to Picnic Garden won’t break the bank, making it a great budget pick. Be sure to add this one to your NYC hit list.
If the slogan, ‘let’s pig out’ doesn’t get you through the door at Dae Gee, then we don’t know what will. It’s Korean barbecue, executed to an excellent standard. Dae Gee, with its several Colorado restaurants, is highly rated by locals and visitors alike. Guy Fieri has even paid Dae Gee a little visit and the spot is featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Fieri flipped for the bulgogi, plus the enormous list of housemade side dishes on offer.
This family-owned joint in Orlando boasts a wide range of traditional recipes, from barbecue to the delicious broths and stews of Korean cooking. The restaurant’s kimchi soup and juicy beef are top of the long list of must-haves if you're visiting Bee Won, and diners can cook their own bites with tabletop grills for a hands-on experience.
With three branches scattered about the city, BopNgrill has been honourably serving the people of Chicago with Korean-style fast-food since 2009. Think street food-style kimchi burgers and fries that could satisfy any craving, or even cure a hangover. Quick to serve, delicious and ready to fill a hole.
Indianapolis’ Cafe Korea, is the definition of ‘if you know, you know'. And now, you know too. A locally applauded Korean café that has been passed down through three generations, the restaurant is built around good people, hearty traditional food, and secret family recipes. If you find yourself in the area, it would be a mistake to miss it.
With two Korean spots on offer, Gabose and Gabose Pocha, the latter is the pick if you’re looking for a unique night out. You might mistakenly assume that Gabose Pocha is a nightclub with its colourfully lit and eccentric interior. Gabose Pocha’s collision between nightlife and Korean dining should not be overlooked. Korean crowd favourite barbecue dishes and post-meal karaoke are both on the cards at this lively venue.
This family-run joint is a local favourite. It’s the type of spot you might blink and miss if you were just passing by, but this small roadside restaurant houses some delicious secrets. Owned by husband-wife duo Kye and Yon Chon, eating at Manna Wok is a cosy affair. Try the famous kim bab, sometimes explained as Korean-style sushi, and pork bul go kee.
Found on the 39th floor of a building in Manhattan’s Koreatown, Gaonnuri’s stunning skyline views and sharp crisp interiors set the scene for the ideal New York restaurant experience. The main selling point for Gaonnuri is that it offers an interactive tabletop cooking experience. Select your meat and fish, and cook it yourself from your seat. And while you can order fully cooked dishes, this immersive method is typical of traditional Korean dining and is a great way to experience Korean cooking – hands on.
Desserts in Korea are a big hit, particularly well-decorated extravagant pastries, cakes and bingsu (flavoured shaved ice). Located on New Seoul Plaza along with a Korean barbecue restaurant and a soju bar, Myomee Cafe specialises in Korean bubble teas and flavoured shaved ice, ready to swoop in and quench that sweet craving.
Whistle Pig, located in downtown Bozeman is a must-visit for any Montana dwellers. Korean born chef and owner Emma Woods is dedicated to serving deliciously appetising bites for her restaurant. Mandu, or fried dumplings, come highly recommended, and the menu includes a roster of vegan, veggie and gluten-free options.
Mom’s inherited recipes are the heart of Austin’s Oseyo. Women-owned, chic, and visually minimal, dining at Oseyo is a relaxing feast for the senses. Oseyo translates to Korean as ‘welcome to my home,’ and welcome is how you feel surrounded by a menu choice of wood-grilled items, bibimbap and a twist on traditional small plates. The sorbet selection is the perfect end to the meal.
Napal Baji’s startling neon interiors, light up floors and pumping music match the glitz and glamour of Vegas itself. While this 1980s-themed Korean spot certainly wows with the aesthetics, its menu has also earned respect from locals and tourists alike. Pork ribs, corn cheese and crispy sweet chilli wings are just a few crowd favourites.
Lovers of fresh seafood and vegetable sushi assemble, for this Omaha sushi restaurant is the perfect dining treat and is staffed by professional sushi chefs. Diners can choose from the extensive list of colourful and fresh Korean sushi or grill items. The restaurant’s motto speaks for itself: ‘fine dining meets family sit down.’
Ssal is fine dining at its best. Spearheaded by husband-and-wife team, Hyunyoung and Junsoo Bae, Ssal’s tasting menu offers small plates of delicacies to San Francisco’s varied Korean dining scene. The matte black exteriors and minimal interiors match the refined nature of Ssal’s dishes. The lengthy tasting menu is a happy collaboration of traditional flavours, and refined cooking. Some highlights include barbecued eel, beef short ribs and smoked black cod with gochujang broth.
Without knowing anything about Peck Peck Korean Fried Chicken, you might think this small shop front was nothing to shout about, when in fact, its crispy delicious Korean wings will have you dreaming about them for weeks. Peck Peck Chicken is an ideal case study for when food shops focus on one thing, and do it really well.
Hanmi is a modest Alburquerque Korean-Chinese fusion restaurant that serves as both an eat-in and bustling delivery spot. The juicy and tender double-cooked pork is a must-try. Inside is reminiscent of traditional café-style Korean restaurants and would serve as a great spot to fill any Korean craving.
This Madison Avenue restaurant specialises in American and Korean fusion small plates that are as beautifully presented as they are delicious. Tempura eel and yellowtail with Asian pear are just some of the plates on the menu. The restaurant also offers a range of selected natural and organic wines and drinks to tie the whole meal together. The creative premise aims to innovate and go ‘mad’ with its dishes, and is certainly a fine dining occasion.
This spacious restaurant is one of two eateries of the same name in North Carolina and is a popular pick in the local area. Polite waiters, good portion sizes and beautifully executed main courses are what to expect if you find yourself here for dinner. The barbecue tables are also incredibly popular and will likely require booking in advance. Diners looking for date night can book BBQ for two and split a selection of pork, beef or shrimp to toss right on the grill.
Han Oak isn’t just a restaurant to get your fill of hotpot and other traditional delicacies, it’s a great place to grab your phone, and take a snap. It’s Insta and food heaven melted into one! Hotpot is the main attraction but the spot also offers hand pulled noodles and signature dumplings, as well as special events such as tasting menus to wine pairings and dumpling nights.
This New York eatery is definitely not a casual dining experience, reservations well ahead are a must. The restaurant's name is shared with the innovative head chef, as well as the sister restaurant in Seoul. Heralded as one of the most original takes on contemporary Korean cuisine, the restaurant earned two Michelin stars for its ‘New Korean’ dishes, including tuna kimbap and seasonal sea urchin bibimbap.
If you’re trying out Korean food for the first time, a traditional Korean BBQ is a great place to start – those sweet, spicy and smoky bites are totally moreish. Genwa Korean BBQ has three locations in Los Angeles: downtown, Beverly Hills and Wilshire Boulevard near LA’s Koreatown. Genwa gives you a souped-up barbecue experience, regularly winning acclaim as one of LA’s best restaurants. The spicy pork bulgogi is a fan fave, as well as the galbi.
Seorabol is a Philadelphia institution. Not least because of its extensive menu, but because it's the longest-running Korean restaurant in the state. Most areas of the US have their version of Koreatown, and Philly is no different. Philly’s K-town area has been giving locals a little taste of Korea for decades and Seroabol has been operating since 1991. Handed down from father to son (current owner Chris Cho), family is at the core of Seorabol.
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Korean fried chicken is arguably the cuisine's most popular dish. Recognised by its crispy exterior and melt in your mouth meat, finding the best Korean fried chicken is by no means an easy task. However, Dak & Bop’s made to order, twice fried and carefully sauced wings aim to tick all the boxes. If you’re not a fan of wings, Dak & Bop also offers a variety of sandwiches and fried rice to seal the deal.
Classic Korean cooking methods and traditionally crafted flavours are what make people return to To Sok Jip in Annandale. The area is brimming with Korean eats and even beckons nearby Washington DC residents away from their local foodie streets. To Sok Jip stands out with street market style Korean cooking. The samgye tang (chicken soup) and kimchi jeongol (kimchi and pork casserole) are the real main event, and will leave you feeling warm and nourished.
Hyun’s upmarket take on Korean barbecue showcases only the finest selected cuts of meat and ingredients. Expect luxuriously marbled wagyu, butchered on-site and cooked fresh at your table. Caviar and truffles are also a main feature on the tasting menu at this fine-dining New York spot.
Although this Texas spot might look unassuming on the outside, inside is a bubbling local Korean restaurant heralded for its authentic and fresh food, and friendly café-style atmosphere. Eating here feels familiar and warm, with a family oriented vibe. Despite Nak Won Jung being a humble joint, it boasts a plentiful menu of Korean side dishes, and plenty of mains to get stuck into. What’s more, the staff are more than happy to chat you through the menu to make sure you get the most out of this hidden valley gem.
This open plan, airy Korean fusion spot is a must-visit for dinner, but also the signature weekend brunch. Run by husband and wife team Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, the menu is inspired more by Korean flavours than traditional Korean dishes, and the couple is always experimenting. The spicy rice cake and short rib steak are certainly dishes to try.
Korean House is a low-key cash only, go-to lunch spot in the middle of Wyoming’s capital city. Don’t expect to be served straight away, as a slower pace of life is in action here. The food is hearty, and authentic, with soups and stews taking centre stage. Be sure to avoid getting caught out by their sneaky closing times, as weekends are a no-go at Korean House.