It has been about 20 or 21 years since the wife and I went here together. NOTE: put on the GLOVE as the first thing you do. "Best practices" apply outside of work my friends. I learned the hard way with photo taking, chatting, hand sani on hands, multi-tasking etc. Avoid the burn. Some tasty stuff we "sniffed in" on: -- baby octopus -- abalone -- cheese corn -- grilled shrimp -- clams -- scallops -- squid -- eel The game changer winner was the EEL. It was as pretty as it was tasty. We did the early bird special arrival on a Saturday and won the game. They have a tiny parking lot, and I am not sure about street parking. read more

Combo C (4/5): See picture for composition. The seafood was very fresh. For the most part unseasoned. What this place really has going for it is the wood charcoal grill and the freshness of the seafood. I love the smell of the burnt wood and the smokey-woody flavor imparted to the seafood. Overall. I liked the experience. The Combo C feeds 4-5. For the most part once stuff stops opening or its boiled its done. This place is a very grim reminder that the things we eat were once alive. Perhaps alive when we placed it onto the grill. While eating here I almost puked like 5 times. Watching the intestines of the eel pop out of the cut up eel pieces was a bit unsettling. Eating it nearly raw was gross (get the marinated option the natural flavors of the eel left much to be desired and the texture was rubbery and crunchy. The eels texture waa nothing like the eel I had at sushi and Chinese restaurants). I unknowingly injested the poop sack of the abalone... and almost vomited as a result of it. I had to spit it out. The flavor was too intense and rich for me. I liked the food. The experience was just a little mixed for me. No fault of the restaurant. I think the next time around I can avoid a lot of the incidents that made me nauseated. This place was a mixture of pleasure and guilt, possibly like the way I like leading my life. A life filled with guilty pleasures. This place is definitely worth a try. read more

My go to every time we visit LA~ the Hagfish is what we are looking forward to. Friendly staffs. We had 4 of us and ordered a 4 people combo and finished every single items!! read more

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We came here during weekend peak hour but there are only 1-2 tables which seems low popularity. The space feels crowded but is lively from another perspective. This restaurant offers live cooking dining experience on charcoal fired fresh seafood. The service is exceptional and timely. We didn't have to cook anything and kept getting served on freshly cooked seafood which feels satisfying. We ordered seafood combo for 2-3 people and the variety is extensive. Majority of seafood is on the bland side and the level of umami and savory from fish is not as adequate as I anticipated and is heavily relying on the dipping sauce. However other appetizers and noodles really complement the overall dining experience. read more

Jae Bu Do - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is a small but super authentic and very fresh spot to get Korean Seafood. The selection and kindness from the manager and server during the weekday and for lunch (we were the only people there early for lunch on a Tuesday) but the service was fantastic. The clams were so fresh, the live octopus tasty and fresh, the whitefish amazing and even the bean curd sauce was tasty. This is a must visit! read more

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Came in on a Tuesday night around 8 PM and got seated right away. The vibe here is super casual- it feels like you're paying for fine dining quality without the upscale ambiance BUT you definitely get your money's worth when it comes to the quality of the food!! The seafood is incredibly fresh, and the service is top-notch. One thing I really appreciated was how attentive the staff was: if they noticed any seafood that wasn't up to par, they'd immediately swap it out for you. We started with a table full of banchan, followed by our meal sets. The steamed egg and corn were also really good. The seafood was the star of the show. The clams, shrimp, abalone, and squid were all grilled to perfection--absolutely 10/10. Our meal wrapped up with a light and hearty noodle soup. Parking here is on the more difficult end. The lot is super small, so we didn't even bother trying to park there. Street parking is free, but you might have to walk a little bit if it's busy. Overall, if you're in the mood to splurge on some high-quality seafood, I'd definitely recommend this place. read more

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The owner was nice but her employee was rude. Their side dishes was very light and only provided one side dish. The food was fresh and tasty. What I didn't like was The crab it was frozen and not enjoyable. read more

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I came out smelling like a deep-sea god and didn't care. This place doesn't serve food -- it serves fire, chaos, and oceanic redemption. Jae Bu Do isn't a restaurant; it's a full-contact seafood experience. You don't come here for a quiet meal -- you come here to watch the ocean get its revenge in real time. There's smoke, there's sizzling, there's enough garlic to scare off every vampire from Koreatown to Glendale. You sit down, and within seconds, someone drops an entire tray of shellfish onto your grill like Poseidon just signed your death warrant. Clams, oysters, shrimp, scallops -- all of them still sizzling, still judging you. It's primal. It's delicious. It's the kind of meal that makes you feel like you're earning your dinner through sheer willpower and smoke inhalation. The air inside? A glorious fog of grilled butter, chili, and mild panic. The sound of sizzling shellfish mixes with laughter, K-pop, and the occasional table cheer when someone flips an oyster perfectly. It's chaotic excellence, the kind of place that laughs in the face of fine dining. Somewhere between the sizzling clams and my fourth soju, I achieved enlightenment. Jae Bu Do has been holding it down on Western Ave for years, keeping the flame alive (literally) for Korean-style grilled seafood, one of the great unsung treasures of Los Angeles cuisine. In a city full of fusion food and avocado toast, this place still believes in the holy trinity: fire, shellfish, and attitude. Jae Bu Do is what happens when Neptune opens a restaurant and hands the tongs to your Korean uncle. You'll leave full, smoky, happy, and slightly changed as a person. Bring friends, bring Febreze, bring a hunger for chaos -- because this place doesn't serve dinner, it serves legend. You don't eat here. You battle here. read more

Tried Jaebudo recently and it was such a good experience. The seafood was super fresh and everything we ordered tasted amazing. The service was honestly one of the best parts -- the lady who was working was super friendly, attentive, and made the whole meal feel easy and enjoyable. She was working alone cause someone had called off, but her service was up to par. Everything was so good, the food came out fast, and you can tell she really cares for the customers. Definitely beats the other competing restaurants and I recommend to anyone craving good seafood on the grill. read more

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This seafood place is legit! It brings together everything that you would crave from a Korean seafood place, including fresh grills, soju, good stews, and more. I highly recommend balancing the casserole/stew with something spicy as it will nourish the soul and palate. The ambiance is pretty chill with people dining all hours of the day. One side tip - the parking attendant is quite rude in the parking lot so be aware. Don't let it damper the mood for your dinner/evening outing. read more

Jae Bu Do - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A bit costy but overall it was a good food to feel korean style seafood bbq vibe. We couldn't finish the food (2 females)

Came here to try the seafood BBQ Korean style and left with satisfied full bellies. Inside is very clean and the servers are very sweet and attentive. It can get smoky inside bc of all the grilling so keep that in mind...I wouldn't want to wear nice clothes when coming here bc I noticed my clothes smelled so much like seafood bbq and even the inside of the car smelled like it the next day! The price was decent for the type of food and service we got since the ladies were grilling everything for us. They included automatic 18% gratuity fee bc there was 5 of us...it's written in their menu so we were expecting it. Surprisingly my favorite was the hagfish dabbed in salted sesame oil inside sesame leaf with garlic. Highly recommend! The parking lot is tiny and they use valet service which was $5. Overall, i recommend this place and I will return when craving grilled seafood. read more

Jae Bu Do - Combo C side dishes - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food was absolutely amazing. It's kind of pricey, but it's worth the quality service and quite healthy food. That's good for digestion too. read more

Jae Bu Do - It was my friend's birthday and this was the spread. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came here for Saturday lunch. There was no wait at all and parking was free. We got the combo A for two people and it was plenty of food. They give you some gloves so that it's easier to handle the seafood after it comes off the hot grill. It starts out with the spicy cold seafood bowl which has some cabbage, shrimp, and fish. This is really refreshing on a hot day. They also bring out the banchan, pancake, steamed egg, and corn cheese. We had a server with us the whole time who cooked everything for us and let us know when it was ready. The seafood was all so fresh and delicious. None of the seafood had any grit or sand. My favorites were the large clams and oysters. They finish off the meal with kalguksu which was a nice way to end the meal. It also had a lot of black pepper. read more

Jae Bu Do - Cold spicy seafood bowl - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Okay this is my honest review. The exterior looks kind of run down tbh but I know from an experience those are the best places. I ordered combo B and we were full to the top! If you think going to these other generic seafood Korean BBQ is good enough, please try this place. They are so kind and attentive. Check it out! read more

We wanted an adventure and we got one. Pure seafood goodness! It was our friend's birthday and we descended upon Jae Bu Do. Thursday night around 7:30pm, we sat down for serious eating business. Thank you to the staff who cooked for us while answering all our questions about the gorgeous shell fish. We ate, (large combo) drank beer and soju and danced on the floor to the back ground beats of KPop. Don't take my word for it, look at the pictures. Oh, the hagfish grill was out of this world. Wrap it with garlic, sesame oil and the Parilla leaves, red sauce recommended for a kick! read more

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Service was great but food was ok. seafood tasted a bit fishy compared to other grilled seafood joint we went before.

My family had dinner here tonight. We've been here many times before. One of the more unique style of restaurants you'll find, a seafood (specifically more shellfish) grill, where the food is charcoal grilled right at your table. Think of the traditional Korean BBQ but instead of meat, it's clams, shrimps, mussels, scallops, abalone, oysters...you get the picture. People typically order one of the "combos" based on number of people in your party. We had the combo B plus an order of lice octopus plus an extra order of manilla clams. Be warned, due to the real charcoal and a ventilation system that's not quite up to snuff, it can get quite smoky inside, and you'll definitely smell like smoke after your meal. But it's so worth it! We love this place and will definitely be back! read more

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I got the combo A for lunch. I ate the small clam first and immediately heard a crunching sound. Not sure why there was a small piece of shell inside when the shells were not open before cooking. I was impressed by the size of the big clam and oyster. I like that the mussels did not have seaweed inside the meat. The two different bowls of scallop were both too spicy for me to eat. Also, I didn't expect the noodle soup to be spicy. Only the cold seafood bowl was labeled spicy on the menu. I like that the servers cooked everything on the grill in front of us. The glove they provided was helpful in touching the hot seashells. The restaurant was empty since no other customers were there. There were plenty of parking spots available and it was free. read more

Koreatown features no shortage of KBBQ restaurants but how many of them can you say exclusively feature seafood? That's what makes Jae Bu Do a standout and a must-try staple of this foodie town. I had this restaurant on my bookmarks for years but hadn't tried it until recently while celebrating a friend's birthday. We came right at opening time which was a smart choice because the restaurant filled out pretty quickly. We ordered the Combo C which came at the perfect size for our group of four. For Combo C, you'll get clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus, oysters, fish, hagfish, abalone as well as a couple of soups, corn cheese, steamed egg, a seafood pancake, finished by noodle soup. Everything is grilled to perfection over a wood charcoal fire, which makes it reminiscent of a true seafood BBQ in South Korea. Heat resistant gloves are provided so you can eat everything fresh off the grill without burning your hands (those shells are hot!). Plus, the waiters will frequently come by and help you cook the seafood and alert you when it's ready to eat. We were all pretty stuffed by the end of our meal. I enjoyed most of the items we tried with the exception being the hagfish which definitely had an unexpected flavor and texture. It wasn't my favorite but you should make the judgement yourself. Other than that, a solidly good experience where I would return another day for a treat-yourself type of experience. read more

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Really great authentic Korean seafood! Seafood soup, marinated crab and grilled seafood! Best of the best in the us!

Hands down my go-to Korean seafood grill in Los Angeles. Everything's delicious -- fresh seafood, great service, and awesome vibes.

Jae bu do good Korean charcoal seafood bbq spot every thing is fresh and alive they got tank of live seafood every thing is made to order catch to order the waiter waitress are every attention to u cook seafood for u perfect and it not cheap it about 100 dollar a person but it a cool spot to put on your to do list check them out Jae bu do good eats Yelp on yelper !!! read more

This was my first time here and me and my friend loved it! We came to celebrate her birthday and the staff there was very attentive and caring. The seafood was so fresh and delicious :9 They had so many choices of soju! We had their grape and plum soju! The sweetness combined well with the seafood :) Thank you for a great experience! read more

Jae Bu Do - Combo A - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The indispensable hole-in-the-wall hidden gem that may turn away some of the less adventurous but will greatly reward those who step into the gates of charcoal seafood feast heaven! The combos are absolutely amazing and you'll definitely find yourself struggling to finish things by the end but more importantly - the quality of the food is top notch. The dishes keep coming and the next seems to always be even better than the last, constantly outdoing itself. The distinct char from the charcoal makes every bite that much more flavorful. The service is top notch despite seemingly being always busy and always moving. The ambience may be a bit of a turn off for some, but this is often exactly what I'm looking for - unashamedly dingy and grimy with amazing and honest food. read more

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Hole in the wall heaven! Three words ~ fresh seafood feast! Just like we remembered, the cramped divey corner for charcoal grilled seafood. Service ~ excellent. Explanations, light hearted jokes, constant attending attention. 5 stars. Seafood excellent. Fresh, fit for a king and queen, charcoal char makes every bite hot & divine. Scene ~ anywhere from t-shirt cashz like us to ready for the club swank. Everyone gorging on grillin. *Pro tip ~ the food keeps coming out. Do not over load on the appetizers. Save room for the grill! There will always be a finishing soup which we could never finish. A must stop when in K-town! read more

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Jae Bu Do is a great KBBQ place...for seafood! If you're a seafood lover, this is the place to be! Jae Bu Do is located in a very small plaza that has valet parking only. There's some local parking nearby but be careful of parking rules and times. This is a pretty small location and my girlfriend and I came here early on Friday night around 5PM. There were still a couple seats open but upon leaving, it was full. I'd suggest getting here earlier to secure seats, especially on weekends. Seafood is super good here, not to mention super fresh! The menu is pretty small, not much to choose from but the combos made it easy to choose anyways. We ordered the Combo B which included enough to stuff both of our bellies. You get a combination of clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus, scallop, an abalone, and fish. Of course, there's side dishes, some soup, a pancake, steamed egg, and all the yummy Korean food goodies you can expect from a KBBQ spot! They also cook everything over a wood charcoal fire which is pretty awesome; makes everything taste that much better! As with other KBBQ places that I've been to in LA, this place also cooks everything for you and they are also very attentive. All the seafood we had was delicious and tasted so fresh. One more great thing is that they supply you with some heat resistant gloves, just enough resistance to bring the shells to your plate. Overall, the servers were very attentive and packaged our leftovers with care. Shucking oysters and opening shellfish is not an easy feat, at the table too with whatever tools they had. We thank everyone at Jae Bu Do for the wonderful service and the delicious food! Definitely a spot to visit if you're in Ktown! read more

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4 stars if you are a seafood lover. Unfortunately I am not, however still 4 stars for good service (they cook for you on the table). Not a lot to pick on, but seems a bit pricey, the abalone seems to be the only one that's value for the money, the eel was a disappointment and so was the fish (need some flavor or different way to cook). My favorite was the seafood crispy cake. (did I say I am not a seafood lover?) read more

Jae Bu Do - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Arrived here around 6:30pm and was seated right away during a weekday. Careful what you wear and don't over dress unless u don't care about smelling like smoke after..Barely any ventilation and it's quite stuffy in here from the charcoal they use. Business started to pick up around 7pm and it got crowded very quickly. Great place for a quick fix! I'm Went with the Combo A option and should be enough for a party 2 minimum..I personally think the Combo A option by itself will not fill anyone up with a party of 3-4. Combo A was very satisfying. Items that stood out were Variety of clams, in house ceviche, corn cheese, vegetable pancake, grilled croaker, noodle soup, etc. Service was nothing but amazing! Briefed us how everything work for first timers. Staff always helping us with the grill majority of the time, serving the food, and clearing out the empty trays. read more

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Still as tasty as ever. Check out the picture... mmmm.

If you are ok with eating insect, go ahead. My friends and I went to Jae Bu Do a couple months ago to celebrate family event. We were pretty happy before we saw a big tray that has live inspect. Instantly we lost all the appetite. We told the staff and their reaction is this is normal, not a big deal. No apologies. They change the plate but we found more insect. I wonder if health inspector will be ok with this type of cleanness. Again, I will not recommend you go there to experience what we had experienced. read more

Jae Bu Do - the inside of a restaurant - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If I can give zero star that's the score I will give. We found bugs in the tray of seafood they brought to the table. The server's reaction to the bug situation was like: oh another bug. Normal. They brushed off the situation and tried to convince us that it's okay. We asked them to get a new plate of seafood. The new plate came out like the same. They just repositioned the seafood. And then what we found - another two bugs!!! We completely lost the appetite. There was no apology from the restaurant. They literally made us feel that it's normal to have bugs. We were overreacted. People, avoid this place unless you don't care to stay in bathroom for hours. That's what I'm going through right now. read more

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This is my third time coming here but first time post covid. Indoor and patio dining available. We ordered the combo A for 3 people (but they kept on reminding us that combo A was for 2 people). The combo came with a seafood bowl, grilled cheese corn, Korean pancake, banchan, small and big clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, fish, squid, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and noodles at the end. They grill everything in charcoal giving the seafood a smokey flavor. All the seafood was fresh and tasty. They did all the cooking for us so that was nice. The charcoal did pop on us a bit so that was a bit scary. The noodles at the end were a peppery flavor, liked it. Oh and the seafood bowl was a little too spicy for my friend but ok for me. Service was definitely meh. When we arrived they told us to put our name down and wait outside but there was no pen available. After about 15 minutes they seated us. One of the staff that was cooking for us got a bit annoyed at us cause we were eating too slow. He was like the scallops are getting cold. And at the end of the meal he said you guys devoured everything basically saying we didn't order enough. Parking is valet for $3. read more

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This place was a very cool experience. Small mom and pop Korean seafood joint. We ordered combo c (not ayce) was a lot of food for 4 people. Came with all kinds of good and fresh fish we loved the giant oysters and the sides ayce. Service was good and kept the water coming. The staff cooked it for us at the table over COAL burners. So cool. We would not have been able to know when things were done. They also explained everything as there were unique fish served. Great for groups large tables. No decorations and very mom and pop. Would recommend if you like seafood. read more

Jae Bu Do - Combo c - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is incredible! The staff was super friendly and helpful. My friend had a small incident at the restaurant. Several staff came and tried to help. Thank you! Oh my ... and the seafood, where should I start with? I just wish the restaurant is a little bigger and the parking is easier. read more

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The reviews are accurate, this restraint serves awesome Korean seafood bbq meals that are a unique experience for seafood lovers. We ordered Combo A which was more than enough food for two people. Delicious clams, marinated octopus, oysters, big shrimp and fish are roasted over a bed of hot charcoal. Also included are appetizers like cheese corn, Korean pancake, kimchi and fresh vegetables with gochujang dipping sauce. The meal ends with a baked sweet and regular potato which has been cooking in the coals the entire meal, and a delicious noodle soup. It was truly something different than the usual Korean bbq and equally as delicious! read more

PSA ALL SEAFOOD LOVERS THIS ONES FOR YOU!! This spot is literally amazing!!! We ordered one of the combos and it came with soo many goods. We had one whole lobster, shrimps, spicy octopus, oyster, clams, other shellfishes, fish, tteobokki, shrimp salad, creamed corn, sweet potato, sides, noodle soup, and more. My first time having kbbq seafood in LA and would def be back again. The combos are pretty big. I'd say it was the perfect amount for our group of four. Must try! read more

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Way too expensive I was robbed, for the amount and quality,,, They don't look fresh they don't taste fresh read more

Overall experience was okay, and this was mainly to the ambience. Restaurant is in serious need of a remodel, and that's why it's 3 stars. This place would be the quintessential hole in the wall, but has issues with cleanliness of bathroom. The food itself was great, and the service was great. The server explained everything while doing ask of the grilling. Parking itself is challenging, and the valet cost $5. read more

Jae Bu Do - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Yes to grilled seafood! I try to have dinner here whenever I'm in LA. Been here multiple times and everything we tried here is so fresh and delicious. I love how they provide gloves so you can grab the clams without burning your hand. Don't wanna overcook the squid? No worries because they do the grilling for you. Service has always been great here. Highly recommend this spot if you love seafood. read more