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    Sookdal

    4.5 (562 reviews)
    PriceyKorean, Barbeque
    Closed 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Sookdal Photos

    Business Info

    SOOKDAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Sookdal

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    Reviews With Photos - Sookdal

    Dulce M.

    I'm a little disappointed in myself for not reviewing this place sooner because it was honestly so good and i think about it often! One thing about me is I'm a W H O R E for pork belly. Like pork belly is amazing and it's sooo good but i don't have a gallbladder so it's not something i eat often My husband and I were in the area for a convention and decided to meet here with a friend for early dinner! We got a combo and i believe we ordered a side of pork jowl if im not mistaken and maybe a soup? The combos come with a bean sprout soup that's honestly very yummy for how simple it was and the combo we got came with cheese. Let me tell ya, order more cheese. It was soo good grilled and when you eat it the pork belly it just hits. The whole experience was great as they cook the meat for you and you get to chat with friends and just focus on eating. The service was great but so take in mind we came just as they had opened for the day on a Saturday.. the location was a little hot but they did have a fan running and that helps keep it manageable in there. Overall i had a great time and the food was spectacular so i will 100% be making the drive from Ontario to here for some great pork!!

    Colette N.

    Sookdal is my favorite KBBQ spot when I wanna splurge or celebrate a special occasion! If you like pork belly, you will love this place. Their pork dishes are DELISHHHH (i recommend skipping the beef brisket) and I love that they cook the meat for you so you can just DIG IN. Their meat is high quality which I think justifies the price. Combo A/B will feed 2 people and C/D/E is just enough for 3-4 people! I love the lil extra goodies they include like the pineapple, mushroom, and cheese... so yum.... For the combos, I prefer the kimchi stew over the soybean stew since the soybean is a little salty for me. Make sure to order the cold noodles too - they complement the meat SO WELL.

    Aged pork belly
    Josie K.

    I love Sookdal. I feel like with the AYCE culture, there has been an indulgence in binge eating. With Sookdal, though there is a set, that is the appeal of this place. I still want my KBBQ but within reason of limitation and price. Sookdal is affordable and reasonably price. KBBQ's that charge per set are typically super expensive. I feel as if Sookdal is reasonable and the prices are NOT a scam. Their pork belly and banchan is worth it. The service is amazing as well. The server would help us cook the meat when he was free.

    Pork Belly
    Tiffany P.

    Is this what dreams are made of? Intoxicating aroma of caramelized pork, umami flavor, juicy meat, and perfectly charred edges? Must be! The pork jowl and pork belly are DIVINE - clearly high quality. Workers hand us a sticker with specs about the preparation and aging process, which is oddly charming and shows how much pride they take in their meat. The staff even cooks everything for us, so we can sit back and stuff our faces. The sides are great too. Tangy pickled or fermented veggies, sweet pineapple, mushrooms, and soups help cut through all that richness from the fat. The pork and kimchi soup especially hits - it's super comforting and balances out the meal. This is also a great alternative if you're craving BBQ but don't have the stomach space for AYCE. These portions leave us full and satisfied every time. Overall, an amazing spot for a casual, pork-centric feast!

    Wina G.

    We're visiting friends and they took us out to dinner to this place in Garden Grove. It's located in a small strip mall with some parking along the front. There's several combo options as well as other kinds of meat. The food came with banchan which was freely replenished and two kinds of soup. The meats were first class and the aged pork was sooo flavorful. I've never had pork jowl before and it was deliciously fatty. Our hosts ordered the cheese risotto- at first it sounded kinda strange to have it in a Korean Bbq place but wow!! It was so good. You MUST order this! The meat is cooked for you by the staff which is a nice touch and my clothes didn't get smoky. They must have good fan and ventilation. The staff was very nice despite the place being super busy. Recommend this place for quality Korean bbq!

    Sharona R.

    They specialize on bbq pork. If you want to try a pork bbq where each section of the pork is grill...give this a try at least once. Their side dish of picked cabbages, cucumbers, etc...with couple of different sauces really elevate the taste of the pork with each bite. This isn't for those seeking All You Can Eat....it's for quality here! Service was pleasant- a server helps grill the meat.

    Cody L.

    First samgyeopsal spot I've tried in the US and Sookdal really did a great job. Sookdal focuses heavily on pork, and you can tell that's their specialty, though they also offer some beef options. The menu is set up with different sets you can choose from, each giving you a variety of cuts. Once you order, the servers handle the grilling for you, which makes the whole experience super smooth and relaxed. What stood out most to me was the huge selection of banchan (sides) and sauces they bring out. It's not just a side detail - it genuinely elevates the meal. You can mix and match different sauces and sides with each bite of pork or beef, which keeps every bite feeling different and prevents the meal from getting repetitive. That's especially important with kbbq, where things can sometimes start to taste the same halfway through. Special note: order the risotto - phenomenal.

    banchan (sides) top to bottom -- pickled garlic leaves, pickled cabbage, pickled cucumber, pickled radish
    Criss N.

    Sookdal is a great spot if you're trying to upgrade out of AYCE and into a higher quality option for meat. Sookdal is also great if you're trying to understand premium pork belly, compared to your standard pork belly. The meat here is aged, flavorful, and tender. I think what makes this place especially good is the variety of banchan, or side dishes. Pickled garlic leaves were my absolute favorite! There are so many combinations that you can make throughout your meal to make it interesting and fun. The servers are also very attentive about cooking the meat for you so that you don't have to worry about anything other than enjoying yourself. Wash everything down with an ice cold beer and you're in for a good time! Parking is plentiful in the plaza, and wait times are pretty manageable without a reservation, even on weekends for dinner.

    Kimchi Soup
    Sydney C.

    Came here with a group and ordered Combo B and Combo D, which gave us a great variety of pork cuts including pork belly and pork shoulder, along with bean paste soup and kimchi stew. While we waited for the grill to get going, we snacked on the banchan. The pickled dishes and spring greens were especially refreshing and did a great job balancing out all the rich flavors to come. The highlight was definitely the meat. Everything was grilled perfectly and came out incredibly juicy, tender, and flavorful. What I loved most was how many different ways there were to enjoy each bite. You can dip the pork into the garlic oil sauce, add a little wasabi, pair it with the melted grilled cheese, wrap it with myeong yi, sprinkle on some salt, or simply enjoy the quality of the meat on its own. Every combination brought out a different flavor profile, so the meal never got repetitive. The soups were comforting and packed with flavor, making them a great complement to the barbecue. Overall, this was a really satisfying KBBQ experience. The quality of the pork stood out, the variety of accompaniments made every bite interesting, and the meal felt thoughtfully put together from start to finish. The restaurant was lively!

    Cydia N.

    We came to Sookdal with a larger group and we ordered two combos, I believe it was combo c and e. It ended up being just enough food for everyone, which worked out perfectly for our party size. One of our combos included ribeye, and it was so delicious. It was so tender and definitely the highlight of the meal for me. The meat quality of this restaurant is excellent. I would definitely come back for

    Risotto with Cream Sauce
    Bach V.

    Sookdal has been on my saved list for awhile, and I've finally got a chance to visit during special occasion. I'm usually a bit skeptical about having just pork BBQ, but high quality pork does make a big difference. The store is clean with strong smoke fan. The staff here are really nice and intentive, always cook the meat to perfection. We got ourselves a pork combo along with Risotto with Cream Sauce and Grilled Cheese. Though aged pork could be really fatty, the fat was firm and didn't feel too much. Besides the high quality and tasty pork, the risotto was also surprisingly good and not too creamy. And you can't go wrong with pieces of cheese grilled to perfection. One of the side dishes we loved the most was the pickled garlic leaves which went so well with pork, or any cut of fatty meat. Overall, my experience here was really good with lots of delicious food. High quality, aged pork really made such big differences. Can't wait to visit again!

    combo d
    Karen N.

    there are so many kbbq places in garden grove, so i hadn't had the chance to try sookdal before, but i wish i had tried it sooner bc the meat quality is so good !! my friends and i came here on a saturday night, and the wait was about 1 1/2 hr since the restaurant is pretty small and doesn't have many tables. when we finally got in tho, the servers were super efficient and attentive to us for our entire meal. they also cook the meats for you and display it nicely on the grill, so it's one less thing to stress about while dining! my group of 4 decided to split combo D, which comes with pork belly, pork collar, beef brisket, choice of stew between kimchi or bean paste, and cheese to eat with the meat. this was plenty of food for all of us, and we left pretty stuffed and satisfied! my favorite meats were definitely the pork belly and collar, which had the perfect amount of fat without tasting too greasy. it is probably my favorite bite of pork belly of all time! i also love how sookdal has a "tutorial" to show you the 7 best ways to enjoy the meat with all of the side dishes and sauces, and my personal favorite way was with the garlic oil sauce! it was a pretty unique and fun experience, and i would definitely come back!

    combo C
    Brittany E.

    I recently visited Sookdal Garden Grove and it was definitely worth the wait! We put our name down on the old-school pen-and-paper waitlist and waited about 45 minutes, but it went by pretty quickly. Once seated, they started us off with a great selection of banchan, including kimchi, pickled radish paper, and fresh collard greens. We ordered Combo C, which they said feeds 3-4 people, and it was the perfect amount for our group. It came with pork collar, pork belly, jowl, stew, and cheese--we chose the kimchi soup for our stew option. Everything was delicious. The meats were juicy, tender, and full of flavor, especially paired with the bean paste and the variety of sauces they provided. Service was attentive throughout our meal, and the bathrooms were clean, which is always a plus. Overall, a great KBBQ experience. I'd definitely come back!

    Combo B

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    Sookdal Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sookdal

    Do you cook your own food?

    no, the servers cook for you because the pieces are thick so they know the right time of cooking so it wont be raw when you eat it.

    Does the combos come with the wet age pork or just regular pork?

    all of their pork is wet-aged i believe, as that is their specialty!

    Are gift certificates available?

    Not full on certificates, unless you asked (i havent) but there is little papers telling you what cut the pork is and how long its aged.

    Can i make a reservation?

    The don't take reservation.

    Cool your own food?

    wat do you mean

    Open on memorial day?

    ALWAYS OPEN except thanksgiving christmas nd new year :)

    Is outdoor seating still available?

    No, They don't offer outdoor

    Hi! Are you guys open on labor day?

    They open everyday like there is no today

    Do they offer lettuce wraps?

    no lettuce or rice wraps. GARLIC LEAF WRAP is outstanding that u wont need such things. radish wrap yes

    On average, how many adults could a combo feed? 2? 3?

    Portions are on the smaller side so I'd say 2, unless you have adults who don't need a lot then 3 is possible.

    How is the portion size? How big are the combos?

    The portion is small, not allot like other bbq places.

    Is this place all you can eat?

    No. Kinda expensive place but worth it to try.

    Does this place only serve pork? Is there beef? Is their beef good?

    Yes they have beef brisket and ribeye as alternative options

    View All 14 Questions

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