A hidden little Korean spot right before entering Joshua Tree National Park and honestly one of the most unexpected finds in the desert. From the outside it looks like a total hole-in-the-wall, but the food tasted very authentic and home style, like something comforting you'd eat at someone's house rather than a commercial restaurant. Everything tasted clean, fresh, and not overly salty or greasy. The owner was extremely kind and even brought out complimentary appetizers for us, which made the whole experience feel warm and personal. Service overall was genuinely friendly and welcoming. What made the place even more memorable was the interior filled with plants everywhere inside the restaurant. Kind of ironic and funny considering you're literally about to enter the desert at Joshua Tree, but somehow it made the place feel cozy and relaxing. Definitely one of those random travel food stops that ends up being more memorable than expected. read more

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Super clean restaurant . Toilet also very clean & Japanese bidet washlet First time I show washlet in the toilet in USA We oder sea food tofu soup, kalubi beef. Bibimba , taste fine read more

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We love their spicy pork bulgogi. It's enough for two people if you add an extra side of rice. It's delicious and tender. We come all the way from the valley to get god quality Korean bbq. This last time we called in our order, they reported they don't serve the fried chicken on days they are busy, so eventhough we had been really wanting to try it, we can't say if it's any good. They did also inform us they no longer serve any of the teas they have in the previous reviews and photos, so that should be noted. We also have tried their breaded fried shrimp and the fried dumplings. Both pretty good. read more

Food is good, place is clean, ambiance and service is nice. The portions are extremely small, the prices are extremely high, they couldn't make the ice cream. We left still slightly hungry after a high price meal. It's the only Korean food in the area. read more

If you're looking for Korean food after a long day at Joshua Tree, this is the location to come to. The restaurant is very clean, and you can tell that the owner takes pride in their space. There is parking at the front so it was very convenient to not have to worry about that. You have to go up to the counter to order your food, and then it is brought to you. The person that was working at the counter was extremely nice. I would definitely give them 5/5 for the service. I ordered bibimbap, short ribs, beef bulgogi, and fried chicken. The short ribs were my favorite. They were very flavorful and well cooked. The bulgogi was also very solid- you can never go wrong with this order. I expected the fried chicken to be more Korean style fried chicken, but it was regular. I would probably stick to the traditional dishes. read more

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This is where you want to go if you're looking for no-hype Korean food. We stopped by 15 minutes before closing, and they were gracious enough to offer takeout options. We ordered galbi (plenty of meat with a delicious, tender marinade), bibimbap (five different namul and a nicely fried egg), and seafood sundubu (somewhat mild, but more of a homemade flavor with real seafood broth rather than MSG or premade broth). Everything tasted great, and the flavors weren't overpowering, which isn't always the case with many post-K-pop wave restaurants. We really enjoyed our meal, and this place deserves a true five-star rating. From what we could see, the kitchen was very clean and well organized, and the husband-and-wife team worked hard to prepare everything fresh rather than cooking in batches and reheating. My family loved the food, and the cashier was very pleasant--friendly and enthusiastic about explaining Korean terms on the menu. We hope to visit this lovely hidden gem again the next time we're in Palm Springs/Joshua Tree. read more

8 Star K - Kalbi, 12. Bibimbap / 비빔밥, 6. Seafood Soft Tofu Soup / 해물 순두부 - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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1st of all yelp only allows 140characters..BS!! This place is awesome, great service & the food is DELICIOUS. Price is below what they should be charging. Total hidden gem in Yucca!! read more

8 Star K - 28. Japchae - Stir-Fried Glass Noodle with Veggies / 잡채) 20. Spicy Stir-Fried Squid with Veggies / 오징어 볶음 - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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This experience was PHENOMENAL!!! When you walk in you're immediately acknowledged by the wonderful Crystal who was so friendly and knowledgeable about everything. The food was fantastic. The Japchae was incredible. We had the dumplings which were also cooked to perfection. We also had the tofu soup and even the cucumber radish and kimchi were absolutely amazing. You can tell that everything is homemade and made with love!! This place deserves so much more business!! Please support your local business. She is fantastic. I would take this over Aki sushi any day!! This was the best meal we have had in forever! I would recommend them being on Upside to get more business!!! You will not be disappointed ever!!!! read more

8 Star K - 7. Kimchi Soft Tofu Soup / 김치 순두부. This came with rice - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Very poor service and disappointing experience. We came in for lunch around 12:48 PM as two families with triplets, so we had three infant car seats. The restaurant was nearly empty, but we were immediately told we couldn't use the adjacent table to make room for the car seats. The staff, especially the older lady and gentleman (looks like the owners!), were not welcoming, and we felt like we were an inconvenience. We lost our appetite and left without eating. A little kindness and accommodation would have made a big difference. read more

8 Star K - Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

was driving through yucca and was super excited to see the sign for a Korean restaurant. About 7 tables inside, clear menu and super nice staff. Koreans in the kitchen doing the cooking (yeah, it matters). I had the Bibimbop and it was delicious. I do wish they had hot pots to get that crunchy rice but they just don't have the space for it but fortunately this was delicious and served hot. All the ingredients tasted Super Fresh and very authentic. Looking forward to coming back and trying more items like the short ribs or some of the other barbecue offerings. read more

8 Star K - bibimbop... it was prettier before I got too excited and dug into the egg right away - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Good hole in the wall eatery in the middle of Yucca Valley if you are craving Korean food. Wonderful owner who has the most amazing assortment of succulents and cactus as well a good food! Need to support these small family businesses!! read more

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We stopped by for lunch on our way home from Joshua Tree. We ordered Bulgogi, Japchae, and Cucumber Salad. Th service was great, very quick. We sat at the restaurant so there was a little bit of banchan served too. Bulgogi: 7.5 out of 10. Served with rice, the taste was good, the meat came out almost like chopped beef though. Japchae: 9.5 of our 10, the only ding is that the onions were close to raw but fantastic dish in general Cucumber Salad: 8 out of 10. Served in a take home jar which is cool. The cucumbers weren't super crispy but think that's b/c it as previously frozen. Will be back next time we go to J-Tree and try other dishes! read more

8 Star K - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Not for a MED-LARGE group. For context there was 10 of us, we went on a saturday lunch time. The place was empty. However they only want us to use 2 table which is very cramped. The owner would not let us use another 2 person table. We opted to just leaving as this kind of service makes your appetite go away real quick. read more

This is a fast food Korean option in Joshua Tree. A little surprising to see this out in the middle of the desert. Near both a Japanese and Thai restaurant, we decided to give it a try. I ordered the Kimchi Soft tofu soup. Nice and spicy/tart and lots of tofu. The obvious missing ingredient at the table is hot sauce or hot spices or even a bottle of sriracha. 6-piece Korean fried chicken. The thin double layered batter is light and crispy. Stop thinking about how much this is going to disrupt your arterial blood flow and just eat it. Service is great and the Asian lady behind the counter gave us extra Kimchee bon chon (which by volume, is quite less than normal) Watch out for the 3% surcharge on credit cards. Nobody said anything to us. That's all. read more

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Highly recommend 8 Star Korean Restaurant in Yucca. The Kimchi Fried rice is a 10/10!! Everything we got was fresh, hot and delicious. Definitely going back. read more

I stopped in for dinner after hiking in Joshua Tree and ordered it to go. I got the seafood tofu soup which comes with white rice and a 3 types of banchan. They did a great job with packing my to-go order by placing a cardboard underneath the soup. It hit the spot after a hard day bouldering in Joshua Tree. The staff was great and I didn't have to wait too long for my order. read more

8 Star K - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

what an amazing place! currently on a road trip to Joshua tree but saw a sign that said Korean restaurant as a Korean I had to go and try it. The restaurant was really cute and cozy and our server was super nice and made conversation with me. The food was delicious. I got the japchae, kimchi fried rice, and the rice cake and dumpling soup. Everything tasted authentic even the side dishes and reminded me of my parents cooking. I think it is owned by a mom and dad seeing how they were the only ones in the kitchen so I really appreciate their hard work since it got pretty busy after we walked in, but the food was delicious and we ate all three dishes without leftovers. Not to be dramatic but I would drive from orange county to here again! read more

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decided to stop by for lunch on New Years since we'd been here before during summer for japchae and a jar of kimchi. We tried different foods, fried shrimp to share, I ordered the dumpling tofu soup and my friends ordered the pork cutlet and the seafood tofu soup. All the food was tasty and I enjoyed the flavor of their pickled veggies. We also took home 2 jars of the cabbage kimchi although their radish and cucumber salads are also good. The cutlet I was told was tasty and as expected for a fried pork cutlet. The tofu soup had a different flavor compared to the tofu soups in LA. It seems like they use a chicken(?) broth base and a portion of the flavor/heat profile is black pepper instead of the Korean chili peppers. It wasn't bad, but the style is different if you've had it at your typical tofu soup places in LA. I would happily order it again. We did ask for the spiciness of 'how it comes' just to see what the default heat is, I'd say this was probably a mild to what I'm used to. The food came out at a reasonable amount of time and we had a chance to make it through half the shrimp before the soup showed up, granted for a bit we were the only people there around 2p. Sadly, the server recommended the rice cake & dumpling soup after we had finished and said that was a typical New Year's soup :( The BBQ options are a bit pricey but the soup is reasonable and look forward to coming back! read more

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This is second time I visited. Food was amazing and portion of food is very generous. The side dishes are so good that we bought some togo. They sell it in mason jars which is a plus for us. Our server was friendly and attentive. She realized we couldn't finish our food and even offered us togo boxes. read more

Very unassuming restaurant, but their menu speaks volumes. In addition to the usual grilled meat options (galbi, bulgogi, spicy pork, etc.), they had fried fish entrees (corvina and mackerel), various Korean pancakes, comforting soups, taiyakis, and delicious homemade kimchi, which can be purchased by the jar. My girl friends and I ordered the Galbi, kimchi fried rice, and kimchi soon dobu. Everything was wonderful with authentic flavors. Generous portions. Asian restaurants are slim pickings in this area so this was a delight to see next to a sushi restaurant. P.S. Do yourself a favor and buy the radish kimchi salad! It's soooo good! read more

8 Star K - Outside - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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Service was awesome and food was delicious. I will definitely be back!!!!! It was inviting and the food was amazing and I love the plants!!! read more

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Whoever thought you'd find some of the best Korean food in a small town like Joshua Tree? I was blown away! Even though the prices are a bit higher, the food quality more than makes up for it. The seafood tofu soup was, without a doubt, one of the best I've ever had. Its flavors were perfectly balanced, and I loved every spoonful. The beef short ribs were also incredible--so flavorful and tender, just perfectly cooked! My only wish was for more sides, which would have been the icing on the cake. Overall, the owners were so kind, and the customer service was fantastic. I highly recommend it! read more

Holy crap, you guys NEED to try this place!!! I only write yelp reviews if I think there's something that needs to be said, and this place definitely deserves this 5 star rating. Seems like a really small family owned shop with three people running the whole restaurant. We ordered the kimchi fried rice, tofu soup, and seafood pancake which of course came with bonchan and each dish was a 10/10. Everything was homemade with perfect flavors that I have not had outside of Korea. Definitely the best korean food I have had in the states by far. Go here to support small businesses and have some great eats! read more

I came here when it was owned by someone else, was happy to see it here but sad the previous owner wasn't there anymore. Didn't interact with the new owners, but service was friendly. We came in after a hike in Jtree and needed to get our calories back. Parking: Super easy, it shares a lot with other businesses Pay the counter, find a seat. Although later I saw them sitting people and providing menus, just depends. I can tell they're working through their process during busy times, so just have a little patience if they are busy. :) Food: ban chan - little light on that front jap chae - yep still delish and flavorful kalbi - would get this again and again tofu soup - lacked depth of flavor, and I love when it's spicy & garlicky, this wasn't the case friend chicken - it's just battered lightly and fried with like a spicy dipping sauce. I would pass on this. All in all I did enjoy and would come back. read more

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The best galbi in the country! Do not walk, RUN!!! They seriously need to be in the city with the flavorful dishes they offer. This place gives a homey feel, a nice and quick sit down. The service felt like I was in Asia, the older lady can be a little harsh but I'm sure she means well. Lol. read more

8 Star K - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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The food was authentic. It was a pleasant surprise in a small town in the way to Joshua Tree National Park. We did not expect much from such a remote location far away from LA Koreatown. But the food was just as good. It turns out it's because the owner goes to LA to get fresh ingredients twice a week! We ordered Chicken Teriyaki and Bibimbap and they were both authentic! Service was excellent and the many plants like small cactus bonsai trees added to the ambiance! read more

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I was super excited to see that there was some type of Asian cuisine out here in the desert, but honestly this place was pretty mediocre. I ordered kimchee tofu soup and an iced barley tea. The food was ok, but the service definitely contributes to my rating. Just within the first 2 things I attempted to order, the cashier shot me down with "we don't have that." I understand if you don't have certain menu items available due to the season, but an indicator of which items weren't available before I got up to order would have been nice. Even though it's casual dining, just a bit more customer service would have lightened the ambience in my opinion. I want to give this place another try, but I don't think it's actually worth it given how limited the menu and service seems to be. read more

8 Star K - Kimchee tofu soup with banchan - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Came here on a Monday for lunch and had a pretty good experience! We called in the order ahead of time because we were on a time crunch, and they were happy to accommodate. Food was ready in less than 5min when we got there, and it was delicious. We tried the kimchi fried rice, yakisoba, and vegetable pancake - all very good. The yakisoba had great salty flavor, but not too salty. Nice chew on the noodles, and the toppings were well-cooked. The kimchi fried rice has a good amount of heat - just enough to taste it without overwhelming the rest of the flavors. Probably the best dish we tried. The vegetable pancake was also pretty good, though we all agreed that a little more crisp would have made it better. They also sell boba and taiyaki, which we will probably try next time we dine there. read more

8 Star K - Yakisoba - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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Visited Yucca Valley with my fiancé this weekend to celebrate our birthdays and ran into this gem while we were up there-- and I'm so glad we tried it out! For our birthdays, we typically have a tradition of having noodles on birthdays, but because the nearest Filipino restaurant was over 30+ mins, we opted to have the next best thing, Japchae! We ordered to-go since we wanted to spend the day in our Airbnb, the worker over the phone quoted us about 15 mins. We then entered the building and the place was exceptionally clean! The staff were friendly and the food was absolutely delicious. We can't wait to make this a normal place to visit whenever we're up there :) read more

8 Star K - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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I reviewed this restaurant several years ago, and am not sure what happened to it, so apologies if I end up repeating myself. The restaurant serves several soft tofu soup options, including kimchi, vegetable and dumpling. I've had both of them, and they both are tasty, and come with small sides, which taste good with the soup (or you can eat them on their own). I have also ordered japchae, which is a stir-fried glass noodle dish with vegetables. I like this, but prefer the soft tofu dishes, which to me are a real stand-out. A while back, one of the ladies who worked there helped me with "mixing" the japchae the traditional way, which I appreciated. So far, the people have been friendly, and I love the fact that there is a Korean restaurant up here. By the way, although I have not tried them, they also serve non-Korean dishes such as ramen, tonkatsu, and yaki soba. They also have generally Asian fare, such as pan-fried dumplings, which appeal to almost anyone. And of course, they have boba. And there's also Korean Fried Chicken, which I have not tried, but should... Hmmmmm....I think I need to return.... read more

Amazing food! We ordered the chicken fried rice and Korean bbq spicy pork. Would recommend to anyone and would visit again! read more

8 Star K - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

The food is amazing, especially the jars with kimchi and radish. Pork bulgogi was divine. The service was pleasant, the food was ready quickly and the whole place had a very relaxed and friendly vibe. Will definitely be back read more

8 Star K - 21. Tteok-Bokki / 떡볶이 3. Spicy Pork Bulgogi BBQ / 돼지불고기17. Rice Bowl -Beef / 소고기 덮밥 - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

They updated their menu, so I had to try their bibimbap. It was super yummy and definitely a huge portion! read more

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So good. Some of the freshest food in the high desert. Everything i eat here is delicious!! Unique menu with great food. read more

8 Star K - Kimchi fried rice - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Food here is SO good! Got home from our trip and can't stop thinking about the kimchi fried rice and bulgogi, making this a go-to every time I visit the area! Customer service is great, good selection of drinks, and most definitely worth it. read more

I recently had the pleasure of visiting for the very first time with my wife, and we found the food to be absolutely delectable, leaving us thoroughly impressed. The service was nothing short of top-notch, exceeding our expectations in every way. The ambiance is further enhanced by the presence of beautiful plants, which are lovingly taken care of by the owner, adding a delightful and serene touch to the environment. Our experience was so enjoyable that we're eagerly looking forward to returning in the near future. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience. read more

It's Friday evening, you've just pulled up to Joshua Tree with your friends for an absolute RATCHET WEEKEND W DA BOIIIIIS, and you hear your stomach grumble. Another homie's stomach growls. Pretty soon, like a Newton's Cradle (that toy on usually on a teacher's desk with the balls clanging) the hunger transfers from friend to friend. To satiate your hunger you have a couple options, you can have some mid kale salads and soggy soaked sandwiches... OR why not have some authentic Korean grub! Upon walking into 8 Star K our entire gang was greeted with smiles and a contagious warm energy. There was some playful ribbing and roasting of one of our friends (dw we roast him daily/hourly/per minute, it's kind of his role in the group) - lots of laughs to be had; absolute stellar service where we felt taken care of throughout our meal. The star of the show was the Spicy Pork BBQ, the tteokbokki - oh my the sauce/marinade was EXCELLENT - and the fried chicken as well. I think my heart may have skipped a beat just typing that out, or maybe that's my new anxiety meds kicking in. The only area for improvement / cons we felt were that the lack of presence of alcohol - no alcoholic drinks means no Soju or Makgeolli! Alc would hit the spot... BUT they do make it up by having a great selection of sodas and other drinks like Milkis and Chilsung cider. Another small critique would be that the banchan (aka 'side dishes' as Google Translate taught me in 2017) was a bit watery. If you ever find yourself and DA BOISSSS finally makin it outta the group chat and headin out to Joshua Tree for an unforgettable weekend under the stars, make the trek over to 8-Star K Restaurant and you'll have a hell of a time my boy! read more

8 Star K - The 21. Tteok-Bokki / 떡볶이 along with the 3. Spicy Pork Bulgogi BBQ / 돼지불고기 - if I could bathe in this marinade sauce I would. - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

Best Korean food in town The server was very nice and friendly Hope they bring back the Boba and dessert soon read more

Stopped in on a Friday night for dinner and am now kicking myself for living here this long and sleeping on one of the best restaurants in town. I LOVE Asian food, It's always the thing I'll miss most about NYC. From dim sum in Sunset Park, to authentic northern Thai in Queens, to Szechuan in Hell's Kitchen, to Korean BBQ & soju-drunk karaoke in K-Town, good Asian food is something I'm willing to go out of my way for, which is typically what I have to do ever since moving to the desert 4 years ago. Finally, I've found an actually yummy local fix! My husband and I shared: - Spicy Pork Bulgogi (came with white rice): spicy in a good way and delish! extremely flavorful and tender - Kimchi Fried Rice: one of the better versions I've ever had. They make their own kimchi in-house (you can also buy jars of it there for a very reasonable price) and mix plenty in so the rice is fully coated, and I loved all the other veggie bits mixed in (edamame, corn, etc.) - Brown rice tea (a favorite, I love that they have this, along with quite a few other teas & various beverage options) Portions are generous, we took some home and have enough left for a lunch for both of us. Ambiance could use slight improvements. Lighting is very bright and they had no music playing. But the abundance of healthy plants certainly helps improve the vibe. Staff is incredibly friendly. I'm so glad to add K to my regular local roster. read more

8 Star K - kimchi fried rice / spicy pork bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Yucca Valley, California

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Love this place. Have never had a bad experience here! Especially love the tteokbokki and spicy pork