Tag Archives: Hanjip

December 23, 2017 · 12:21 pm

10 Best Korean BBQ Joints in LA

There are few things in the world that I love more than Korean BBQ. Nothing beats gathering around a fiery tabletop grill with your friends while marinated meats are cooked to perfection right in front of you. Grab a hot piece of caramelized short rib with your chopsticks and pop it in your mouth followed by a swig of cold Korean beer. Yes, life is good.

After years of extensive research, here are my 10 favorite Korean BBQ restaurants in LA:

Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong

1. Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong (3465 W 6th St, Los Angeles) Part of a chain from Seoul owned by a comedian/wrestler, this place has everything you want in a Korean BBQ joint: a super fun and bustling atmosphere, fantastic service and incredible food. The only downside: they don’t take reservations and there is always a long wait.

Chosun Galbee

2. Chosun Galbee (3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles) While the food here is authentic and traditional (and absolutely amazing), I’ve found Chosun Galbee to be very accessible for Korean BBQ novices and it’s where I usually bring first-timers. Everything here is big — the menu, the restaurant (including a large patio) and the flavors. There are private rooms in the back which are perfect for parties. My favorites here are the chadol (thiny sliced brisket), spicy pork bulgogi and marinated galbi.

Magal BBQ

3. Magal BBQ (3460 W 8th St, Los Angeles) Magal is the cool new kid in town. It’s a recent import from a successful chain in Korea and has a party-like atmosphere. Make sure to check out their signature Beef Sushi and Volcano Fried Rice.

Genwa Korean BBQ

4. Genwa Korean BBQ (5115 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles and 170 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills) The big draw here is the banchan, the little side dishes of kimchi and other fermented vegetables, sliced pancakes, potato salad, boiled peanuts, braised beef and other Korean delicacies. While most Korean BBQ places give you between 4 and 7 different kinds of banchan, Genwa gives you around twenty different varieties and, as with virtually all Korean restaurants, they’re all refillable upon request.

Park’s BBQ

5. Park’s BBQ (955 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles) This joint is the top choice for ballers and foodies who demand the highest quality meats and don’t mind paying the highest prices. Their heavily marbelized Wagyu beef may ruin you for all other Korean BBQ.

Soowan Galbi

6. Soowan Galbi (856 S Vermont Ave B, Los Angeles) While the decor of this small strip mall eatery is a bit plain and the atmosphere is a bit staid, the BBQ is anything but dull. The quality of the food here is incredible and their marinated meats are among the best in town.

Hanjip

7. Hanjip (3829 Main St, Culver City) Owned by celebrity chef Chris Oh and LA restaurant maven Stephane Bombet, Hanjip is one of the few great LA Korean BBQ places outside of Koreantown. It’s also my favorite of the all-you-can-eat joints. In addition to the meats, make sure to order their incredible Kimchi Fried Rice, Uni Steamed Egg and Bone Marrow Corn Cheese. For extra fun, enjoy Soju poured into your mouth through a marrow bone “luge.”

Quarters Korean BBQ

8. Quarters Korean BBQ (3465 W 6th St, Los Angeles) Located in historic Chapman Plaza in the center of K-town, this is where I usually wind up when the line is too long at neighbor restaurant Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. It’s fun and modern and they have great banchan and excellent bulgogi.

Soot Bull Jeep

9. Soot Bull Jeep (3136 W 8th St, Los Angeles) The pork baby back ribs here are insanely good. All of the meat is cooked at your table on charcoal grills, which adds a great smokey flavor to your food. The charcoal smoke fills up the restaurant and creates a magical atmosphere on a cold wintery night. The fact that the smokey smell remains in your clothes and hair when you leave is a small price to pay for all of that charcoal grilled goodness.

Chung Ki Wa

10. Chung Ki Wa (3545 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles) This traditional looking joint has old school charm and solid BBQ. The galbi is especially good here. Make sure to also order their famous cold buckwheat noodles.

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2 Comments

Filed under Beverly Hills, Culver City, Koreatown, Mid-City

April 7, 2016 · 7:32 am

The Great Blogiversary Giveaway

Consuming LA is celebrating its fifth blogiversary! As a thank you to my readers who have made Consuming LA one of the top food blogs in Los Angeles, I am giving away gift certificates to many of the places that I’ve written about and recommended. There are ten prizes in all.

Here’s how to enter to win: If you do not already subscribe to Consuming LA, you can enter simply by subscribing (which is free). If you are already a subscriber, you can enter by simply emailing me at Howard@ConsumingLA.com. Once you become a subscriber or if you have already been one, you can enter additional times by referring new subscribers. You will receive one entry for each referral and you can enter as many times as you want. The deadline to enter is April 20, 2016. Click here to see the official rules. Here are the prizes:

Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly

$100 Gift Certificate from Hanjip. Favorite dishes include Kimchi Fried Rice Sauteed in Brown Butter, Bone Marrow Corn Cheese with Shaved Parmesan and Bonito Flakes, and Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly.

Skirt Steak with Oregano Chimichurri and Sea Urchin Butter

$100 Gift Certificate from Maré Favorite dishes include Branzino with Fig Pomegranate Sauce, Skirt Steak with Oregano Chimichurri and Sea Urchin Butter, and Blood Orange "Trifolo" with Semolina Cake and Fruit Compote.

Albacore Poké with Mango on Jasmine Rice

$100 Gift Certificate from Sweetfin Poké Favorite Dishes include Spicy Tuna Poké on Kelp Noodles, Mango Albacore Poké on Jasmine Rice, and Sriracha Tuna on Citrus-Kale Salad.

Cheeseburger from Cassell’s Hamburgers with House Ground Prime Beef Patty and Cheddar Cheese on a Parker House Bun.

$50 Gift Certificate from Cassell’s Hamburgers This is my favorite burger joint in the city! Favorite dishes include the Cheese Burger, the Patty Melt and the Dulce de Leche Pie.

The best popcorn ever!

$50 Gift Certificate to California Mad Poppers Favorite items: “South of the Border” Cheese Popcorn with Jalapeños and Cheddar, "Bacon on the Brain" Caramel Corn with Maple and Bacon, and “Elvis” Caramel Corn with Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon.

Maple Bacon Doughnut

$50 Gift Certificate from Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee This is my favorite donut shop in LA! Favorite donuts include the Butter & Salt Doughnut, the Huckleberry Doughnut, and the Breakfast Doughnut with sliced country ham and a poached egg inside.

Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

$50 Gift Certificate from The Independence Favorite dishes include Ricotta Gnudi with Asparagus, Bacon and Parmesan Cheese, Angus Burger with French Onions, Gruyere and Herb Aioli on an Onion Bun, and Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce.

Aussie Pie Tiger Stack

Lunch or Dinner for Two at Aussie Pie Kitchen Favorite Dishes include Ground Beef and Shiraz Pie, Chicken and Tarragon Pie, and any pie served “Tiger Style,” which means it’s served on a pile of Garlic Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and topped with a scoop of bacon-laced Mushy Minty Peas and a ladleful of Creamy Thyme Gravy.

Blue Crab Hand Roll

Lunch or Dinner for Two at KazuNori Favorite dishes include Blue Crab Hand Roll, Bay Scallop Hand Roll, Toro Hand Roll and Lobster Hand Roll.

Figueroa Philly

Lunch or Dinner for Two at Figueroa Philly This is my favorite cheesesteak place in Los Angeles. Favorite dishes: Cheesesteaks and Hot Pastrami Sandwiches.

Good luck!

I Like Your Gold Grillz

Featuring a mohawk-sporting badass chef, gold grills (not the kind that were an unfortunate hip hop fashion trend several years ago, but the ones you cook on), and bone marrow luges, Hanjip is the new cool kid on the block. Chef Chris Oh of Seoul Sausage fame, along with top LA restauranteur Stephane Bombet, have created something very unusual with Hanjip: a top notch Korean BBQ joint which is traditional, yet also super hip and modern, and located not in Koreatown, but on the Westside.

A meal at this Korean house of hedonism should start with some of their decadent appetizers. The Seafood Pancake and the Kimchi Fried Rice Sauteed in Brown Butter are great choices, and the Bone Marrow Corn Cheese with Shaved Parmesan and Bonito Flakes is an absolute must-have. After eating the marrow, you can order soju, which your server will gladly pour into your mouth by way of a “luge” created with the bone.

Then it’s on to the grilling action! The Tomahawk Steak with Foie Gras Butter is as excellent as it sounds. The Carabineros Prawns are also amazing. But my favorite thing to cook here is the Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly. It’s sweet and savory and truly exceptional.

Hanjip is located at 3829 Main St in Culver City.