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    Goopojib

    4.8 (73 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Chueotang - Korean Loach Soup / 泥鳅汤, 추어탕

    I'm a native Korean and this place felt like the motherland. The food, the interior, and the service were simply perfect. The chueotang was hearty yet light and easy to digest. Not too strong yet flavorful. The side dishes and kimchi were delicious as well. The owner told us the recipe is his mother in law's aunt's straight from Busan. Highly recommend this historical spot!

    Menu from 5/2/26

    Returned again. Got the 2 combo and 1 whole loach soup. Whole loach soup is the same as menu 2 but with actual whole loaches too. Food was delicious again love their tofu side dish!

    We ordered two combos!
    Andrew P.

    Back here again! This is my go to place when I am either already under the weather or feel a cold is coming on. I also come here when I have that craving for authentic Korean food! There banchan offering is classic and similar to what we used to have at our home growing up. I miss those days!

    Mudfish bulgogi combo

    Foods and services are excellent! I usually order the mudfish bulgogi combo and it never disappoints me.

    Abalone Mudfish Soup / 鲍鱼泥鳅汤 , 전복추어탕
    Micky A.

    The owners have been at this location selling the same 4 items on the menu for 20 years! I can't believe that I just found out about this place. They are super nice, guided me through my first mudfish soup experience. It was the most delicious thing. I never eat rice and I ate my entire bowl of rice! The bean sprout side dish just brings it all together. It has a distinct smoky taste that I have never have from other Korean bean sprouts side dishes before. Even the side dish tofu is fresh and done well. I got the combo soup and grilled mudfish. I'm not sure of the is just how mudfish taste like or they are doing a very good job handling the fish, it has zero fishy taste. Taste like a very good quality eel. Highly recommended. It's super nutritious too! A happy and full pregnant lady here!

    Menu
    Sarah A.

    물론이죠! 아래는 자연스럽고 따뜻한 느낌의 영어 리뷰입니다: --- This is one of the best restaurants in LA for traditional-style Chueotang (Korean loach soup). I tried the abalone Chueotang and the Chueo bulgogi, and both dishes were absolutely satisfying. It's the perfect nourishing meal to boost your immune system. The side dishes were delicious as well, and the owner was very kind and welcoming. Highly recommended!

    Chueo-Bulgogi Combo
    Aeric T.

    Was a pleasant surprise and such hidden gem! I got the combo and it was delicious. The side dishes were well balanced and good. Seasoning was on point. I finished everything by myself and feel more than satisfied. 10/10

    Loach Soup & BBQ Combo and regular Loach Soup
    나현

    I finally get to leave a review for this place. The top five Korean restaurants in LA! Please, please, please try their Loach Soup & BBQ Combo. The Loach soup is full of flavor, and the Loach BBQ is a unique menu item that tastes AMAZING. I've tried many other loach soup places, but this place is a hidden gem for real. If I crave loach soup, I would never go to any other place but this one. Not only that, the owners always try their best to comfort the customers with a nice and big smile. I feel like I'm at my homeland family's house, eating comfort food. I wish all the best and luck for this place and the owners. I just LOVE this place! 사장님 부부께서 항상 온화하신 미소로 맞아주시고, 모든 손님들께 늘 친절하게 대해주십니다. 숙취 때문에 네 발로 들어와서 나갈땐 두 발로 멀쩡히 걸어나가게 되는 신기한 곳입니다! 제가 추어탕을 너무 좋아해서 웬만한 추어탕집들은 다 가봤는데 여기만큼 제대로 된 곳 없습니다. 밑반찬들도 하나하나 다 맛있구요... 타주에서 친구들 놀러오면 무조건 여기 데려옵니다. 다들 맛있다고 난리예요! 특히 추어불고기가 별미인데, 혹시 안드셔보셨으면 다음에 한 번 도전해보심이 어떨까요? :)

    Delicious
    Susan S.

    A hidden gem in K town. They specialize in Loach soup, and in fact, they only have like 5 items on the menu. Regular loach soup, loach soup with abalone, flame cooked loach bulgogi, loach bulgogi with soup combo and soondubu soup for non-loach eaters. Loach soup is not a common dish although every Korean person knows about it. In fact, this was the first time I've had it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. When you get the soup, I recommend adding a LOT of perilla powder that you will see on your table. If you want, you can add some schezuan peppercorn powder, but do NOT add a lot of this, just a minuscule amount is fine because it is very overpowering (or skip completely). You can also add minced garlic and chopped chili peppers into the soup along with salt or the marinated chives. You can pretty much make the soup your own, my only recommendation is be generous with the perilla powder. The banchan is excellent, they give you delicious kimchi and marinated soybean sprouts. I LOVE their kimchi, so good. Lastly, the reason why I give them full 5 stars is because they have excellent service! It is a very small restaurant run by husband and wife. They're both so sweet and attentive, and you can tell they're very proud of the food they serve. If you're not sure what to order, go with the combo. Their loach bulgogi is very good and it is very good wrapped in lettuce/perilla leaves. Recommend for the adventurous eater that wants something different from the usual K food fare you can get anywhere. Enjoy!

    It was my first time at this restaurant, and my Korean friend brought me here. We ordered two set meals -- the food was plentiful and delicious. The owner, a beautiful Korean lady, was so warm and friendly. I forgot to take photos of the food this time, but I'll make sure to do it next time. We'll definitely be coming back often! 第一次来这家餐馆,是韩国朋友带我过来的。我们点了2个套餐,食物丰富又美味。老板娘是位美丽的韩国姐姐,非常的热情友善。忘记拍食物的照片了,下次过来再拍照,以后会经常来的。

    Daye N.

    If you're a fan of chueotang (Korean loach soup), this is hands down the best place in LA! The flavors are even better than what I had back home in Korea - it's rich yet light, and perfectly balanced. The owner is so kind and welcoming; their warm smile always brightens my day. Highly recommend it for anyone craving authentic and comforting Korean flavors!

    밑반찬도 맛있고 추어탕 국물이 깔끔하고 담백합니다. 사장님도 친절하셔서 맛있게 먹었습니다
    Chloe J.

    밑반찬도 맛있고 추어탕은 깔끔하고 담백합니다. 간만에 몸보신 됐네요. 콤보 추천해요. 추어불고기도 쌈싸먹어서 푸짐하게 먹었어요. 사장님 너무 친절하세요.

    Combo set loach soup and loach bbq

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Jay P.

    추어불고기로 즐거운 한 끼 식사 되신거 같아 다행입니다. 좋은 리뷰 감사드립니다.

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    좋은 리뷰 감사드립니다! 변함없는 음식으로 보답하겠습니다.

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    Jay P.

    Thank you for leaving an awesome review! We hope you visit us again~

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    1 year ago

    Best food ever! *^^*. You can't not have this kind of flavor anywhere, not even in Korea. What a great place!

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    1 year ago

    This was a cozy place to enjoy some loach soup and BBQ at. The owner was really nice and attentive!

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    Jay P.

    Thank you so much for your kind review! I hope you visit us again :))

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    1 year ago

    Awesome food. This is hardcore k-food. But I never taste this is hardcore which means so delicious k-food.

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    Hangari Kalguksu - (LARGE) Hangari Bossam

    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4(3.2k reviews)
    0.4 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    10 years in business

    Visited Hangari on Saturday evening to try their renown Kalguksu with some friends. I've known that…read morespecific parking lot/strip mall to be a nightmare parking wise, so I bit the bullet and used the on-site valet. There is sometimes street parking but the availability is rough, it's tough to park, and even one of the meters we ended up at just didn't work. They only charge a $5 cash service charge though, which isn't bad. We were lucky to be seated right away, even in a packed restaurant. The restaurant has a surprisingly modern design, and is comfortable for as small as it is. We were quickly served their signature kimchis and barley rice. The kimchi, particularly the yeolmu (young summer radish) kimchi, has a unique flavor profile well suited to their food. We ordered 2 bowls of their plain kalgooksu, 1 bibim milmyun, and 1 tteokbokki. The food came out fairly quickly. The kalgooksu was as expected the star of the show. The anchovy broth brings a savory complexity that seems impossible for a soup made from just dried fish and a few other ingredients. It even has a rich, almost thick, quality to it that is surprising for a fish broth. Their noodles, the titular kalgooksu, have the signature irregularity and chew of knife cut noodles. I appreciate the vegetables that always come in kalgooksu, like potato, pumpkin, and zucchini, which offer an earthy heartiness to the light soup. My only complaint is that the potato is in huge irregular chunks, and is barely cooked, though I feel like I have had this issue with many of the kalgooksu bowls I've had over the years. The bibim milmyun was solid. I think that I prefer the texture and flavor of naengmyeon buckwheat noodles, but the milmyun, which are made with mostly wheat flour, still provide a satisfying chew. The sauce tasted bright and fresh, especially with a splash of added vinegar. It also came with a small side portion of spicy pork and some rice paper to wrap. The tteokbokki was the one let down of the meal. To be fair, I wasn't expecting much out of tteokbokki at all restaurant like this whose specialty is essentially the opposite. I ordered the tteokbokki as a "safe pick" for a picky eater in the group. It turned out to be a bit mediocre in our opinion, and that friend ended up enjoying their kalgooksu anyways. If you're looking to try this dish, it's definitely one of if not the best I've had in Southern California, so I'd totally recommend it. I'll also warn to steer clear of the Garden Grove restaurant of the same name and specialty. I think it's a disappointing mimicry of this place.

    Heard great things about this restaurant so I was very excited to try it while I was in town. Came…read moreon Sunday night at 7pm, and was very pleasantly surprised they had plenty of open tables to seat our party of 3 immediately. What we ordered: - Clam Kalguksu (5/5): this was sooo good! The noodle texture and broth favor was amazing. I would definitely order this again if I come back! - Large Bossam (4.5/5): I absolutely love bossam and this was exactly what I expect when I order bossam. Only reason it's not 5/5 is it's not really any different from bossam elsewhere. Overall, this place is definitely worth the hype and I will be come back when I'm in the ktown area again!

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    Hangari Kalguksu - Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Hangari Kalguksu - Bossam jowl combo

    Bossam jowl combo

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    Anju House - covered patio seating

    Anju House

    4.4(695 reviews)
    1.1 miKoreatown
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    It was my first time here. The place is very nice and love the decor…read more The parking is valet or street parking. The service was very good. The chicken was a little in the dry side but overall all the food was good. We will be back!

    I'll start with the positives. The location is very nice. Designed with an elegant, but…read moreminimalistic vibe. I love that, traditional mixed modern social dining feel. I had placed a phone order, for pick up; upon arrival, I found the service was prompt. I saw my food ready to go, just past the main walk-in area. Almost immediately after that, I was taken care of by the host and on my way. I've been waiting to try this place for ages so on the drive back to work I was excited to steal a piece of meat from the bag. Initial bite flavor was good, meat was tender just a bit on the chewy side.. I wasn't bothered by it too much as I'd have to leave it in an oven warmer at work. Trying to keep food warm, in doing so, I knew there'd be only two possible outcomes, melting tender or either tough & dry. So, the dish of meat and rice sat in the warmer for almost an hour hour and a half. The downhill slope.... Set the "meat " on the veggies and began to eat. Meat after meat, I kept experiencing the same exact texture. It was the same exact rubbery chew, I initially tasted. Each and every piece was the same exact flavor. There was no peak, there was no pitfall. If you cook or grill, you know this is a red flag. Normally, consistency would be a good thing, a Master craftsman type experience, but this was NOT it. As go on, I get the sinking feeling, this can't be real meat. I lock in, the deeper I dig, each piece looks the same, broken apart the same, tastes the same, just various shapes. They can call me crazy for this one - I'll stand by it. Something is not right here. I'm not even going to throw it away. I'm going to study it for the next few days and post an updated review. I hope I'm wrong but as of right now, I'll never revisit this place. Too freaky of an experience. We

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    Anju House
    Anju House - Inside

    Inside

    Anju House

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    Danbi - Wagyu zabuton

    Danbi

    4.5(383 reviews)
    0.4 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    We went shortly after they opened and it got busier as the night went on. The Honey butter chips…read moreare dripping with the honey butter sauce & I wished I had a whole bowl of that. The Grilled jowl was thinly sliced & one of my favorite dishes of the night! The Zabuton came out still sizzling on a bed of onions- I absolutely loved this & it is definitely shareable between 2 or more people. The Scallop pancake had baby scallops cooked in to it- very fluffy & filling, another shareable dish between 2 or more people. The Mushroom bibimbap mixed with the sauce is a great vegetarian dish! Parking- $10 self park in the plaza

    Food Seaweed salad…read more Elevated and the best I've had, easily. The only issue is I can't really eat too much of it. The cherry tomatoes bursted with acidity and umami. 4.7/5 Honey butter chips. I've eaten an alarming amount of chips in my life and I will say these are solid but nothing noteworthy. The chips had no warmth to them and were slathered with decently flavorful honey butter that pooled to the bottom. 4.2/5 Mushroom bimibap - A very balanced dish with cohesive elements. Wish there were more mushrooms as they of course were the best part. The chili sauce was solid but the dish benefitted when we added another half portion of it and mixed it in. 4.4/5 Waygu - A decent flavor (definitely needed the flakey salt), portion and a nice medium rare cook, wall to wall. The steak was not as tender as I hoped it would be and some extra chewing was required. The banchan was all solid. It reminded me of Cote's but actually edible. 4.5/5 Yuzu popsicle - Definitely the best popsicle I've ever had. Refreshing and light. Balanced sweet to sour flavor. 4.7/5 Service A decent job. Good hostess. The steak took longer than expected to come out? Perhaps the kitchen messed it up and had to start over. Either that or maybe the waiters were busy. Or maybe it just takes a while to make it. Not sure. The waitress did the job competently but nothing above that. Overall, definitely not Michelin level service. 4.4/5 Ambiance A little too loud and it affected the entire vibe because I had to raise my voice to speak with the waitress. It became easier to just use nods and thumbs up. Like Cobis, a very modern and upscale restaurant that is hampered by lighting that is too dark. Pictures turned out good because I used another phone's flash. Just a little more light would be so much of an improvement without losing the romantic intent. Bathroom was average. 4.5/5 Overall, I had a solid meal that left my mood elevated. The service or food weren't as good as Cobis, Barsha, Ammatoli, or even Sonoratown - all top LA restaurants, but still worthy of a experience and I may return. 4.5/5 I would highly recommend Chois in San Diego as an extremely similar modern Korean fusion restaurant that also had better food, service, and ambiance. That place was 5/5 in every way.

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    Danbi - Inside bar

    Inside bar

    Danbi - Perilla Cild Noodle

    Perilla Cild Noodle

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    Kobawoo House - Kimchi Jjigae

    Kobawoo House

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    0.2 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$

    What more can I say? This K-town staple consistently delivers when you're craving Korean cuisine…read more We started our meal with a generous portion of Haemool Pajeon (Seafood Pancake), which arrived sizzling on a hot plate reminiscent of a Chili's Fajita Plate. Next came the main attraction: the Bossam Plate, featuring simmered and cooled pork belly sliced to perfection. When you wrap all the other ingredients together, they create the perfect bite. Just after the Bossam Plate hits the table, a bubbling cauldron of Kimchi JJigae (Kimchi Stew) follows behind just in time to help wash down the delectable bites of bossam. Don't forget to order some rice because you'll need something to soak up the stew which turns the rice into a whole meal by itself. The service was jovial and welcoming, and like other Korean establishments, they have a handy-dandy button that jolts the attention of every server working whenever you're in need of service. The small space is very cozy, just the way I like it when I'm visiting with my loved ones. They don't have an extensive menu, just the OG staple items, but I feel the taste has improved over the years. I wish Kobawoo were closer to where I live, or I would be here this weekend, but perhaps it's a good thing we're so far apart.

    This place has been here for so long, I haven't been here in yrs! I was in the area so I decide to…read moredo a take out for lunch to take home for me and my family, such a disappointment! $76.80 for 3 dishes and what a puny portions these are, like a kid's portion. Very small kimchi maybe one or two bites. Three orders that I'm surprised that they give such a small amount of banchan. How can establishment justify this high priced meal for such small portions? God and I drove all the way from South Bay, stuck in traffic for almost 1 1/2 hrs of this. Maybe this is the type of place you should dine in only?? Do not ever do take out here! The food in general was just ok. Nothing special and Kimchi soup was very salty. Threw all 3. Wow, what a waste of money. Very disappointing... I guess I won't be coming here ever again.

    Photos
    Kobawoo House - Popular place. Had to wait 30 minutes for a table for 6 on a weekday at 6:15pm which is not bad!

    Popular place. Had to wait 30 minutes for a table for 6 on a weekday at 6:15pm which is not bad!

    Kobawoo House - Lunch Jangban Guksoo

    Lunch Jangban Guksoo

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    Borit Gogae - Dwenjang

    Borit Gogae

    4.4(511 reviews)
    0.7 miKoreatown
    $$$

    Be prepared to walk away feeling very full. We got the set meal here, which came served with…read moreappetizers, barley rice, a lot of banchan (and by that I meant a LOT), soup, congee, dessert, etc. It was definitely more than enough food. We also got an additional order of LA kalbi for some protein. The meat quality was good but I felt like the meat was not marinated long enough and so the flavor was a little bit lacking. If only it just sat in the marinade for a couple more hours, I think this would have been perfect. The tofu soup was not my favorite, to be very honest. There was some flavor in there that made it smell like a stinky towel. Very different from other soondubu soup places and unfortunately not for me. Everything else we had was excellent and I would definitely come back again just for the barley rice and banchan. Service was quick and servers were nice. We also came at 3pm on Saturday so there was no wait. Recommended!

    Across the street from the new Zion market is this wonderful and unique Korean eatery. Unlike most…read moreof the run-of-the-mill Korean restaurants in Koreatown this restaurant serves unique appetizers and a multi-course set menu that gives you a taste of a variety of authentic Korean village food - like pumpkin porridge and acorn jelly salad. It's a lot of food for the price ($35 pp at this writing). While the minimum order is for 2 people, we've tried sharing the 2-people order among 3 and it worked for us, with addition of a couple of other items from the menu. The Korean BBQ beef is at par with most other nice restaurants in K town; their marinated crab was delicious! Service is okay - given how busy they are! Most servers are not very conversant in English so a little patience would help you get the right things you need. Nice and unique vibe with Korean handicraft items and art work on display (and for sale, I believe).

    Photos
    Borit Gogae - Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Borit Gogae - Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Borit Gogae - Grilled spareribs

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    Grilled spareribs

    Ham Ji Park

    Ham Ji Park

    4.2(1.8k reviews)
    0.4 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    Really sad that Ham Ji Park is closing down permanently. For years, this place has been our…read morefamily's go-to place for pork spare ribs - the best in town. In fact, we regularly brought visitors here. They raved about how good the spare ribs were and even insisted that their last meal before LA should be at Ham Ji Park.  Here's my belated review of what I consider the best spare ribs in LA. From the moment the Korean-style spare ribs arrived at the table, it was clear this was a dish worth savoring. Each rib bore a beautifully charred exterior--deeply caramelized without a hint of bitterness--offering that irresistible smoky aroma the moment it was placed before us. The glaze was nothing short of spectacular. A perfect balance of sweet and spicy, it clung to the meat with a glossy sheen that promised flavor in every bite. There was just enough heat to make your taste buds sit up and pay attention, but it never overwhelmed the deeper, richer notes of the sweet components. But what truly set these ribs apart was the texture. Beneath the charred surface lay meat so tender it practically fell off the bone with the gentlest tug of a fork. Each bite was juicy and succulent, the result of careful cooking and a respect for quality ingredients. Ham Ji Park, you will be missed. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the food.

    tl;dr the delectable pork ribs overshadow the otherwise authentic but standard lineup at this…read morenow-shuttered Korean stalwart Los Angeles Koreatown is home to restaurants that specialize in every facet of Korean cuisine. If you're searching for some of the city's best pork, then those in the know will bring up Ham Ji Park. For 2 decades, generous platters of pork ribs and pork neck stew decked every table. Now, our Korean friends lament the loss of their favorite pork joint in the city. The Koreatown proper location is located in the Royal Plaza mini-mall, just a few blocks off bustling Wilshire. Discounted parking is available in a lot across the street from the Chevron gas station. From the street, the entrance is flanked by potted plants and an enclosed street-ery. Inside, stainless steel chairs are pressed up against wooden tables, each outfitted with a metal grill. Oppressive fluorescent lighting shines down on the stone grey walls, which are left undecorated apart from a few flatscreens. Multi-lingual chatter blends with the sizzle of platters. I visited with some friends for a weeknight dinner, and about half of the tables were occupied. We shared a spread of grilled platters and sizzling soups. The meal began with a carafe of barley tea and a mostly standard spread of banchan. Across our food, the best dish was the signature Charbroiled Pork Spare Rib. The ribs were flavorful without feeling gamey, and the meat was complemented by sweet caramelized onions. The pork ribs handily outdid the good-not-great Charbroiled Beef Short Rib. Lastly, the Milt and Cod Rose with Vegetables stew was fishy and briny, appropriately flavored for the Korean palate. The service was appropriately attentive, although I would've appreciated more intentional refills of our banchan ramikens. The rib plates cost upward of $35 each, while the soup was just under $30. The portions were hearty; a single entree platter could reasonably feed 2 moderately hungry bellies. It's a shame to hear that Ham Ji Park has closed; I'm kicking myself for not trying their pork neck stew earlier.

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    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park

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    Goopojib - korean - Updated May 2026

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