Korean barbecue was supposed to be a fad that died in the early aughts, a much-appreciated culinary contribution from a country where, until the late 20th century, beef was only afforded to the stupendously privileged. But like the smell of charcoal and soju on your shirt in the morning, Korean barbecue has stuck around and become an integral part of L.A.’s culinary (and cultural) fabric.
Why? There’s just something primal about grilled meat, about watching rosy-red slabs of impossibly well-marbled beef hissing atop coals. Add to that Korean barbecue’s tendency toward beer-and-soju-fueled conviviality, and it’s not hard to see why Korean BBQ has become an enduring part of the Angeleno lifestyle.
Korean BBQ’s sustained popularity in the city (and perhaps the fact that L.A. is home to the single largest Korean population in the nation) has resulted in it becoming home to some of the finest Korean grill restaurants in the world — Seoul included. So, without further ado, here are the 15 best Korean barbecue restaurants in Los Angeles.
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