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    JJAN

    4.4 (335 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Order JJAN Takeout or Delivery

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    JJAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Divey
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - JJAN

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    Appetizers with drinks
    Jae C.

    Local Korean bar. Kind of a small place with maybe 12-15ish tables. Free parking, kind of hidden if you don't know where it is. The appetizers were good, service is good, can get pretty loud since the space is small. The only complaint I had was the potato pancake was not crispy but rather chewy. Kind of disappointing, but the vibe was great. The other appetizers were awesome!

    Dominic A.

    one of my fav ktown spots to go to!! i get the large beef intestine every time its spicy, flavorful, and sooo good. The fish jerky is fire and the frozen beer is crazy experience haha. Love the atmosphere kinda makes u feel like you're in a hidden bar in seoul. Service is always great and quick.

    Gabe P.

    friend I was with recommended going here for drinks and food. glad we came because the ambiance was chill and everything was good the service and food

    Chicken skewers
    Melanie O.

    First time trying this place and I loved the vibe ! It has nice dark lighting and tv's for the people that like sports. The workers attended my partner and I super quick and if you need anything there's call buttons on the table so you could call your server. The server told me that the spicy rose chicken was good and boy was he right ! As soon as I saw it my mouth dropped, it was HUGE. Thankfully I wasn't eating alone and had backup haha but it was indeed really good. It had a perfect ratio of spicy and sweet at the same time. I want to come back !!!

    Michelle H.

    Initially, I wanted to come because i saw Lisa Blackpink ever came here! Not sugarcoating but it is not overhyped at all!!! SO GOOODD ! ambiance is supportive Food tastes delicious ! We ordered the beer & makgeolli ( free pretzels) -- we played a bit of fun games to see who will drink the most lol. But anyway, i had a good time. Just be prepared to wait for 30 mins at least to get seated . Price is affordable too Will come back

    frozen apple beer
    Christine D.

    this is such a good place to go with friends late night to grab some drinks and food! we came at around 9pm on a saturday night and got seated immediately. we ubered here but a friend drove and said the parking does cost money. the vibes of this place are so cozy and the food is genuinely amazing. the rose tteokbokki was my favorite thing here. i always love udon with these dishes and it was the perfect amount of spicy for me with a good variety of toppings - fish cake, rice cakes, sausages! there was a lot of us so we finished it quick and asked for a side of ramen noodles to eat with the leftover sauce :P we also got the corn cheese and tried the frozen apple beer and makgeolli! the beer was fun to try even though i don't usually prefer beer and the makgeolli was soooo sweet i loved it.

    Shake shake chicken!
    Ahlennah B.

    Holy moly, this place is excellent, from the food to the vibes to the service. A++, no notes. Just kidding, this site's all about notes, so I have some notes for you: Cheese corn: maybe the best cheese corn I've had in LA. And that includes for the elote man. The spices they add to it are amazing. And they have a hot Cheetos (420) version, is that's your bag. Perfect corn to cheese ratio. Perilla oil fried eggs: served as 3 eggs sunny side up on a plate...just delicious. Dip the cheese corn in the yolks and die of happiness! Crispy fried large intestines: phenomenal. Slightly spicy, so much flavor, lots of great veggies. Phenomenal with the cheese corn! Shake shake chicken: delicious spice blend, and only slightly spicy. Shaken table side for some extra entertainment! Both the chicken and the fries were great. The bredin head a great texture and labor and the chicken was so juicy and tasty. Bar/club lighting, but not so dark that you can't see! Quite nice, actually. It's homey and cozy and feels kind of like a backyard hangout. Our server was great - fabulous recommendations, great energy, super friendly. The food came out so quick! This is the *spot*. We will definitely be back, hopefully many times.

    top quality pocha food
    Hanna L.

    Honestly a really underrated pocha place... The food quality is so different from all the other pocha places I've tried. It's so good and you can tell the effort them put into each dish. Also, there is HUGE FREE PARKING, which is so hard to find in ktown. The vibes were cozy and smaller and the service was great. There was barely a wait, which I'm so surprised about. I loved everything I tried. Better than misoolkwan, hanshin, and other pubs...

    Matt D.

    My friends Collin & Riley introduced me to Jjan and I have been going to Jjan the last 5 years. I am truly impressed with how great their food and service is. Jjan is the best spot to hit if you want to grab some drinks or delicious food before karaoke or a club. We love the Shake Shake chicken and Pork Belly dishes! The ambiance also reminds me of Korea! It's definitely a vibe. The owners and servers are also super nice and accommodating

    Eddie K.

    Great food, great vibes, extremely LARGE portions. Great pocha house to hit up with friends and catch up. Outside does look a bit sketchy but don't let that dissuade you--inside is where all the fun happens. Alcohol is also on the cheaper side here. Definitely worth checking out if you're are a frequent k-town visitor for pochas

    Kimchee rice
    Brenda C.

    Wow wow wow! One of theee best pork bellys i have tried(chefs kiss) ! I kid you not ....everything i tried was verrryyy tasty ! Def must get: 420 fries+ corn cheese + pork belly + Kimchee fried rice and the pretzels are just something i really enjoyed while you wait for your meals to come! Wait: highly suggest to get there early as wait can be 45mins-1.5 hrs depending the day. Parking : parking lot/ street parking.

    Cheese Bath Spicy Chicken BBQ, Corn Cheese, Frozen Apple Beer, Kimchee Pancake, rose tteokbokki
    Kelly W.

    Good drinks, good eats, long line. Be prepared to wait for this place after it blew up on TikTok. Favorited in order were BBQ chicken cheese bath, rose tteokbokki, kimchi pancake, corn cheese, then skewers. The skewers were the only thing I would skip out on next time, but washed it all down with a frozen apple beer. Sounds interesting but it was surprisingly good, like a slushie

    frozen apple beer
    Natalia J.

    JJAN exceeded my expectations in every way. There's plentiful free parking in Koreatown which is unheard of. Happy hour is EVERY DAY. They have these phenomenal frozen beers that are slushy and refreshing and prevent your beer from getting warm and disgusting. They also had the very best corn cheese I've ever had, like when you think about corn cheese this is what you're hoping it'll taste like. The pork bokkum (stir fry) with cheese was also amazing, a great dish for sharing. Had absolutely a blast with our friends. Service was fantastic, very friendly server who even remembered my friend who came the night before. This is a great spot to hang with friends and share a few drinks. Very fun place.

    Corn cheese

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    15 days ago

    The frozen beer is so good. The wait kinda sucks. I think food is overpriced but it tastes good and is open really late.

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    Page 1 of 9

    JJAN Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - JJAN

    Do they take reservations?

    yes for party of 6 or more only

    Is this place closed? went here friday 8pm and it was gated?

    Open 7 days a week till 2am. Def not closed :). The entrance and parking is in the back - behind 8th st.

    When is happy hour?

    5 pm to 8 pm. There is a small menu at the bottom right corner. But the food is still good.

    Are there any vegetarian/vegan food options? (No fish sauce either)

    im sorry that we dont have many vegan food options but… Read more

    Does kimchi used in kimchi pancakes here have anchovies or shrimp or any other seafood? thanks!

    not real anchovies but it contains a little anchovy sauce and fish sauce

    Is there an age limit for entry after 12 midnight even if you arent going to drink?

    you dont have to be over 21 for entry. but you cant drink.

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    You might also consider

    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!

    Photos
    Hangari Kalguksu - Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Hangari Kalguksu - Bossam jowl combo

    Bossam jowl combo

    Hangari Kalguksu - (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

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    (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

    Anju House - covered patio seating

    Anju House

    4.4(695 reviews)
    1.0 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

    Photos
    Anju House
    Anju House - Inside

    Inside

    Anju House

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    Danbi - Wagyu zabuton

    Danbi

    4.5(383 reviews)
    0.5 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.

    Photos
    Danbi - Inside bar

    Inside bar

    Danbi - Perilla Cild Noodle

    Perilla Cild Noodle

    Danbi - Pork cheek

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    Pork cheek

    Kobawoo House - Kimchi Jjigae

    Kobawoo House

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    0.6 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

    Kobawoo House - Jangban Guksoo Vegan

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    Jangban Guksoo Vegan

    Borit Gogae - Dwenjang

    Borit Gogae

    4.4(511 reviews)
    0.3 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)
    0.5 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.

    Photos
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park

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    JJAN - gastropubs - Updated May 2026

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