Baroo was exactly what i hoped for, as the choice of my wife and I for our wedding anniversary dinner. If you like polished Asian food, don't miss it. They have a single fixed menu with exactly one spot to make a choice, unless you want to go a vegetarian route, but the food is amazing: 1st course - an elegant corn soup, and a couple of small bites including a Korean terrine amd a savory black sesame garnished bread. These were definitely nice and pleasing, but a bit small. 2nd course - Korean sashimi with sauce and lettuce garnish - sublime, would fit in nicely at a fancy fusion-y sushi place. 3rd course - lightly fried lobster and a lobster stew, this was quite a nice complementary way to serve lobster two ways. Both were very carefully done and delicious, my favorite course of the evening. 4th course - black cod in broth with garnish, this was a nice hit of unami, perhaps the most familiar dish I had here. 5th course - your choice of pork and beef cutlet with sauce, we tried one of each. The pork had a bit more punch, while the beef was more like Korean beef dishes I've tried before. Dessert - a memorably tasty banana kiwi hazelnut sorbet type thing. For drinks, they graciously gave us some sparkling wine up front for the occasion. I had the Korean sool paring which were various rice and barley alcohol types - actually very good and very different from the ususal sake/soju. My wife had the non alcohol paring, which was a series of homemade kombucha type.drinks which she liked very much. Service was beyond reproach, even the valet was seamless. $500 for all of the above - worth it. read more

See all

Baroo is special. We have followed Kwang and Mina from Baroo Canteen to Shiku now to Baroo 2.0. I failed in never making it to Baroo 1.0 (regrets forever!) so cannot speak with the benefit of knowing all of its iterations, but still Baroo 2.0 feels like such a fitting celebration of Kwang and Mina's talents. The restaurant is just stunning and elegant but still cozy. And the menu blows us away every time we go. Every dish has so many layers of flavor (lots of times thanks to fermentation) without being too noisy or disjointed. It all works together and tastes better than the sum of its parts. My current favorite is the maemil guksu, which has a super savory dressing from different kinds of seaweed and perilla seeds. I also love the little tartelette and the rice dish, and in the past they had a crispy ssam with fish and herbs that was just crazy. Finally, they have the best NA pairing I've ever had at any restaurant. Lots of kombucha but just like the menu it's not "in your face"--it works with everything else in the cocktail to create a taste that makes you feel like you're having a red or a rose, including in the mouthfeel, but even better than the alcohol version. I've never enjoyed wine and their NA wines taste the way I always wanted them to in my head--lol. I haven't been back to try the newest menu but cannot wait. Baroo is our special occasion dinner for the big milestones in our lives because it is that singular and that unique. Nobody does it like them. read more

I really enjoyed our experience at Baroo. I am so glad that they were able to offer a vegan tasting menu to my husband. Everything was presented so beautifully that I didn't even want to ruin it by eating it. The space was cozy with an openish kitchen, and the service was attentive. I thought everything tasted delicious, especially the beef short rib ssam with seaweed rice! My husband, on the other hand, felt his dishes lacked flavor. Oh well, you can't please everyone, but I'll take it since they offer a vegan option for him. Can't wait to return for our next celebratory dinner. read more

See all

It's hard to describe in words how incredible of a dining experience I had at Baroo. From the moment we entered to the moment we left, every interaction with the staff was nothing short of pleasant. The food is without a doubt, Michelin star worthy. If you consider yourself a foodie, you would be doing yourself a huge disservice by not visiting Baroo before it becomes the next impossible-to-book spot. Before diving into the food, I want to take a moment to call out the spectacular cocktails that they have on their menu. Albeit the cocktail menu is a bit shorter than your typical New American restaurant, the three out of four (alcoholic) cocktails we tried from the menu were all innovative, well-balanced and drinks we would gladly enjoy time and time again. Moving on to the food, the Korean menu takes you on a journey with dishes from land and sea in a creative and cohesive manner. In one course, you get to enjoy the best piece of fried lobster you've ever had in your life, and in the next, you get to try the flakiest cod, that bests even the famous Nobu's miso-marinated black cod. The base protein for your main is a succulent piece of pork jowl, but you can optionally upgrade to a rib eye for an additional charge. On my visit, they actually had a strip loin as a substitute protein as well. Since my wife and I were celebrating a special occasion with our meal at Baroo, we decided to splurge and get all the proteins. The deep-fried potato pinwheel that came with the strip loin dish was one of our favorite bites of the evening. I cannot recommend it enough if it's on the menu during your visit. In terms of execution, every piece of protein was cooked to perfection, plating was aesthetically a 10 out of 10, and many dishes had layers upon layers of hidden flavors and texture with each additional bite. I've dined at many Michelin starred restaurants before and Baroo is right there among the greats. I highly encourage you to book a reservation before Baroo to celebrate your next special occasion. read more

See all

Super refreshing take on traditional korean flavors, filling course menu with a good atmosphere and great service. Particular liked the 80s-90s korean music playing.Favorite dishes were the pork collar course and the scallop course, both amazing and unlike anything I've had before. A must go, but only once. read more

See all

Baroo right now is a premier restaurant where you can get a quality tasting menu for a solid (for LA) price. It returns to LA with a beautiful modern Korean menu of 7 courses for $115. Each course is wonderfully put together - great flavors and textural contrasts. Stands for me include the sool bang (great flavor and chew), scallop (soft buttery delicious), lobster tuigim (amazing light batter and perfectly cooked lobster), and the short rib. The bingsoo is a nice finish as well. Glad they included rice bowl as a final course alongside the meat course - you'll walk out hungry, but a little less thanks to the rice. Parking can be tough but some valets to tap into. Service is amazing. read more

Came here to celebrate our anniversary and it was an amazing meal. The service was so attentive and the chef even wrote a handwritten note congratulating us on our milestone and for dining at their restaurant. It's a really nice atmosphere and not too stuffy, which we appreciated. The meal was elevated Korean dining. There were so many different flavors and textures throughout the meal, with our favorites being the Saeng, a seafood soup with fried fish, and the Dae, an amazing piece of black cod that was cooked to perfection. They have a very extensive list of different Korean alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to go along with your meal. All in all, it was one of the better meals we've had in LA and we'll be sure to come back in the future. read more

We had heard amazing things about Baroo and so we decided to finally check it out recently after seeing that it made 2024 LA Times Restraurant of the Year. Overall it was a solid dinner, but it fell far short of our expectations, and it just wasn't next level good like we were hoping for. One problem with Baroo is that it's positioned itself in a awkward spot between upscale casual and fine dining. Baroo is nice, but not quite fine dining. All the dishes ranged from decent to good but nothing was truly exceptional. The plating and presentation were sloppy or lazy at times, and the service was fairly mediocre. Also, another big problem I had with Baroo is that the dishes just were neither avante garde nor traditional--just an unfamiliar mish mosh of Korean ingredients and techniques. To be fair though, I guess Baroo is accordingly priced relatively low, and to their credit they could probably get away with charging much more... I've been to many restaurants that charge a lot more for a far shittier dinner and experience. I know I'm probably being harsher than I normally would be, but it's just so disappointing to see yet another unexceptional attempt at Korean fine dining. I've seen chatter about Baroo being Michelin caliber/potential Michelin star etc, but I just don't see that happening anytime soon unless they make some radical changes to their menu and drastically improve their service. If Baroo hadn't been so overhyped, I'm confident that I would've have enjoyed dinner here far more. Temper your expectations and you'll have a good dinner. read more

See all

Food - 5/5 The food was solid good. There wasn't an item on the menu that I didn't love. Very well thought out. I walked out feeling so full. Next time I go, I'll definitely want to try the drink pairing. Service - 4/5 Super attentive staff. Warm and welcoming and ensured that we were taken care of the whole meal. Ambiance - 4.5/5 I absolutely adored the décore and dishware and space. read more

See all

AMAZING service. The service itself was fine dining itself in my opinion. We went to Baroo to celebrate special birthday and it was a great choice. Their drinks are great. As Korean, food was interesting to me. It tastes familiar but also texture was somewhat new. Every dish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. It was a good experience for me but not so sure if I will try it again due to the price. The service was amazing again. After the meal, they gifted me a handwritten note and tea. It's a great place to celebrate a special day. read more

See all

Wow! We're do I begin? Calling this Korean food only begins to describe it! Everything was delicious and none of it was anything you could make at home. One of the best meals I've had in awhile. read more

Baroo - Delicious desert - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

It was just ok. The service was great but the food was underwhelming and SUUUPEEERRR overpriced. Some flavors were unique, but youd have to have a palate for seafood. The short ribs & the dish with the rice were my favorite (can't recall the names but were the 4 dish or so) The corn soup was off putting and the others were pretty lackluster with similar flavoring. Alot of them had citrus based flavoring so it all seemed to run together after a while. Soju was also overpriced at 12.00 a shot (at minimum) and the cocktails left you wondering...why tho? Overall I think this place tried really hard to be "unique" but the decor doth not 125.00 pp maketh. The service was top notch, and the wine recs were on point. I wouldn't go back though. Anything over 75.00 for this experience was overkill and while we tipped well (almost 200 a pop) the overall mediocrity definitely made me cry tears of wasted money. I've had more for less and more for more. This missed the mark, but it's niche enough to feel bougie. If you have A LOT of extra money to spare in THIS economy, have at it...but if you're deciding between spending $200 here or elsewhere, you'll get more bang for your buck in about 10 other places with a full bar and a 12.00 BOTTLE of Soju. The glasses were beautiful tho...I think thats what we paid for... read more

Baroo - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Been wanting to try this spot for a bit and wasn't disappointed. We made a reservation and ordered the tasting menu with the sool pairing. Each dish had a distinct flavor profile and complemented once another every course. The black cod was my favorite dish. Soft, delicate, savory with the perfect amount of umami. The sools had a nice variety as well. From sweet and fizzy, to more mild and refined. We tried riding the banana drink as well but they were sold out. They were one enough to give us what little of the drink they had left on the house. The interior was dim, moody, and had a romantic date night vibe. Service was great and our waitress was very kind. Portions were a bit small for the price but still delicious nonetheless. Will come back if the menu ever changes. Food: 8.8/10 Service: 10/10 Ambience: 9/10 read more

See all

After a year, I finally returned to Baroo. I went in with very high expectations from last time, which may have affected my review. Vibes and staff were still stellar. I will definitely be back again to give it another try. The food was delicious as before, except the corn soup which I think had a very offputting cucumber taste. I substituted the soy-braised black cod for their jjapaguri version for $10 additional fee and I highly recommend doing so as it was worth it. There were a few small details I think could be improved: there were two dishes with ssam, the radish pieces were too long to eat in a single bite, and the dubai chocolate was too hard to break. I came in very hungry, and felt that the timing of the dishes were very off and sometimes way too long. For reference, I had paid for 2 hour parking but I had to scarf down dessert and rush to leave on time. Also, two tables next to me came in later than me and I felt that our dishes were served sometimes at the same time, sometimes before, giving me the feeling that there was no consistent pace. I was pretty full by the end, but felt more like the rice dish at the end was the attempt to make sure I didn't leave feeling hungry. I ordered the "Red light, green light" drink and unfortunately I do not recommend it. I saw a girl at another table who had also left barely touching the drink. I saw a lot of tables with the "winter and spring" drink with more success which I may try next time. Parking: we parked in the building next door again for $8 for two hours. There is some street parking available but we went on a Tuesday night and there were still no spots. read more

See all

Lovely family dinner at Baroo tonight! Service was warm, and pacing was excellent. My parents enjoyed the experience and also enjoyed the unique spin on traditional Korean foods! It was a memorable way to celebrate my father's 88th birthday! read more

See all

Amazing. Incredibly unique in flavors. This restaurant definitely prides itself in novelty flavor combinations as opposed to soul food. Dubu drink was one of my favorite chef's kiss menu items. Such unique and delicious layer of flavors in succession. Cod was another one of my favorite chef's kiss menu items. Delicate, unique in flavor combinations. The sage rice was so fresh but herb smoked paired beautifully with the starchy sweet white rice. Service was nice. Servers painted a beautiful story and explanation with each dish. Servers were always available and checked in at the table multiple times. Ambiance was nice except for this really bright bar line that's directly at eye level so if you're in a seat that faces towards that side of the restaurant then your eyes will start to hurt. read more

See all

An excellent culinary experience. Friends and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves trying their tasting menus and respective pairings. Each of us ordered a different tasting menu (regular, vegetarian, and vegan) and pairing, and we all agreed that the soul and the non-alcoholic options excelled over the wine option--which was still good. Service was impecable and the ambiance still felt calm despite how busy it was. Definitely one of the best (and worth your money) tasting menus in LA. read more

Baroo is an inspired modern‑Korean tasting experience tucked away in the Arts District. It's focused, thoughtful, and full of creative twists Intimate and minimalist, the space feels calm and curated, with small communal seating and an almost zen-like energy .Staff are warm, knowledgable, and happy to guide you through the tasting journey. The non alcoholic pairing was interesting. Let's get into food. I would say it's really interesting for the chef to mix flavors around . Not only Korean cuisine but I can see that the menu has some other interesting ingredients, such as coconut milk and lemongrass. But anyways , start with 3 small bites , different flavors,texture and temperature. Really enjoyed it The sashimi was also really good, probably I favorite of the meal. The fish , sauce and vegetables were going well together. Only thing I would say that they sliced too thin and not as clean cut as it should . Lobster dish was just ok , the broth was flavorful with Korean soybean but the color not too appealing, the claw on the side was not as crispy as I would like and the meat inside feel dry and salty. Next up we have fish dish, great cooked for the fish , curry sauce and everything kind of compliments each other but feel too heavy with the sauce on such delicate fish. The main you get to pick between beef and pork and I would say definitely the beef was better, tender and flavorful but on the other hand with the pork was good but the sauce was way too salty without the white kimchi it would be difficult to enjoy when the rice on the side was nice and lots of textured but also salty. But in the end, love the dessert, it was delicious, sweet and sour . Like a banana smoothie. Baroo delivers a unique, fermentation-forward spin on Korean-inspired small plates in a cozy, thoughtful setting. The price also very good for tasting menu Korean inspired that not too many here in LA and I would come back here with friends or recommend to someone that want to try Korean tasting menu. read more

See all

Very delicious and great service! There's only like 7 ish courses? Around that much but it was actually very filling! At first I was worried we would leave hungry since the portions look small but I was wrong. We left here absolutely stuffed. For the main entree, I recommend the beef short rib. They also have a steak option, I got that one but I liked my boyfriend's beef short rib dish a little more! My boyfriend loved the hokkaido scallop dish. My favorite dish (other than the main entree) was the black cod. Absolutely delicious!! The dessert was a great finish to our meal. Loved it! We also got the non-alcoholic pairing and it was great. All the drinks tasted different and I felt it was good with the food. I do think the non-alcoholic pairing is a bit pricy for something that is non-alcoholic. I also tried the banana milk punch (alcoholic) and it tasted like candy. The banana was not as strong as I would have preferred but it was sweet. Service was very friendly and attentive. I do wish the servers spoke a little louder since the place was packed and I could not hear some of the dishes being explained. Highly recommend this place for a nice night out for an anniversary or birthday! My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and we both loved it. read more

See all

this is not home cooking, but that's not what you come here for. come for the chef's artful and creative take on korean food with well-sourced ingredients that works. they only do prix fixe, but i fully enjoyed the ride. they accommodated my pesca diet and swapped the meat dish with a vegetarian that did not disappoint. they have vegan prix fixe too. for the effort that goes into each course, i think the price point is reasonable. i liked that they had a makkeoli made in fullerton that has naturally formed carbonation. i miss the housemade stuff at kobawoo. service was professional and friendly. the vibe is low key. the space is minimal but comfy. the star here is the food. i can't believe it took me so long to check it out. i used to go to the original spot in the minimall a LOT. highly recommend! read more

See all

With LA's food scene, it's always hard figuring out whether a place lives up to the hype. Baroo definitely does. The ambience felt warm and intimate without feeling overly fancy. The service was spot on. Our waiter Jason was so helpful with answering our questions. We learned that he developed the beverage pairings.. so creative! | f o o d | The set menu felt like just enough food. I left feeling very satisfied but not uncomfortably full. One of our friends did the non-alcohol pairings which is a great selection if you don't want to drink alcohol. Next time, I'd be open to try the sool pairings. My favorite dishes from the set menu: - soy braised cod - beef short rib (pork collar is a close second, but I just like beef more) - peach sorbet dessert The amount of detail put into every dish is amazing. I was in awe of the presentation and flavors. | t l ; d r | Worth the hype! Set menu is soooo worth. read more

See all

Best meal of the year! Depth of flavors , profiles were interpretive. Truly enjoyable meal. Outstanding service read more

See all

Like many I went with in with very high expectation and while I liked Baroo, it's not a spot I'd go back on my own. Tasting menu so no issues with ordering anxiety here! To me, everything we had were good and executed very well, but some we did wish there was a bit more of oomph. On the night we went, the Saeng, which was this lobster tempura dish (lobster tuigim and lobster doenjang), was probably my favorite. Extremely delicate flavors with all the different ingredients, and it was just executed beautifully. That was the dish that stood out to me the most, while the others, again, while good, ended up being not as memorable. I did the wine pairing and all the wines were great. Our server took the time to explain each pairing. She was great and checked in on us constantly as well. I actually wish that food runners had the same attention to detail with the food served. When the different food runners brought the food out for the first few dishes, they just listed the ingredients and didn't really talk about the dish and I had to stop one of them to ask more in detail about it. 7 courses took over 2 hours, so be prepared to have some down time in between! If you are normally a big eater, it might not be enough food. Just know that Father's Office's next door if you want some more! read more

I've been coming to Baroo since the first location on Santa Monica and was blown away from the get-go. I still wish I had had the chance to try the sous vide egg dish that was perpetually sold out. Many people have talked about the food, so I will just mention that I came again recently to celebrate my engagement and the care and consideration towards us was so wonderful. Could not recommend this restaurant more. My only wish is that the dishes were explained a bit slower by the server and/or more in-depth on the menu. There are many elements to each dish, and it was a bit hard to catch everything as it was listed. read more

Baroo woo hoo! It's former iteration was located in a seedy strip mall next to a laundromat where your clothes came out dirtier than they went in. Baroo 1.0 looked like an underfunded Middle School Science project with bare rack of decomposing things in plastic tubs. Fermented decomposing Dust Bunnies and/or Celeriac Peels festering in blistering Listerine Aioli. Baroo 2.0 is all grown up now and tucked into charming space in the Arts District and fine art describes what the Kitchen is up to. Baroo meets and exceeds all the Buzzaroo. The decor is all concrete from floor to unfinished open ceiling and yet the room is warm and inviting. Thanks to the platoon of servers who could all be equity holders in the enterprise based on their passion and enthusiasm for what they're doing and where they're doing it. The music loop is muted and thankfully no BTS or some wild child running amok and shrieking as if he'd been let loose on Omaha Beach. The Bar Program: The Kitchen pays as much attention to the cocktails as the food. Sake, Soju, Beer, and Wine are all curated and measure up to the glorious food. My kkaenp (Catnip?) had Green Plum Soju, Perilla, Apricot, Pistachio, Lemon and Wild Blueberries. It made me wild with delight and is one of the very best liquid concoctions to be found anywhere in the City. Forget driving home. I was happy to get to the WC and back to the table without assistance. The Food: Brilliant. It is Prix Fixe only for a reasonable per person price point. There is Protein Menu and a Vegetarian Menu (which must be pre-odered). The menus change based on the season and the colors on Chef Un's Mood Ring. The flavors on all the dishes are well conceived, bold, yet subtle and layered. Short Ribs? I can make those all day long at home on my head. Grilled Lotus Root with Fermented Tofu, Chrysanthemum Oil, Cold Korean Thistle Noodles and layers of Gamtae (translucent barely hair thick Crisp Seaweed). Did I say the food was brilliant? I did. Who thinks of such a recipe? The Noods Dudes in the kitchen do, that's who. The team works without a net, fearlessly. So, don't try this at home as these dishes are prepared by trained professionals in a closed Kitchen. Both Menus begin with an Amuse Bouche to get this fabulous food fete going. Quaff the Watermelon, Lemon Verbena, Kombucha in one swallow and wallow in the joy of the other half which was Sesame Sool Bang, (think spongy bread ala K-Injera?) topped with Nduja, Gouda and Pichuberry versus Black Sesame Sool Bang, topped with Fermented Moo, (Radish) and a tiny wedge of Gooseberry depending on if you are a P. or a V. Onto a Hokkaido Scallop, Minari (Water Celery), and Gim (Seaweed) or is that Smoked Hearts of Palm, Curry and Puffed Rice you want? This is where the Menus split. The Protein Menu was better than terrific and the Vegetarian Menu was better than better than terrific. Did I enjoy the Seaweed Battered Sole. Sold! The Vegetarian version was up to the task of equaling that Sole with some Seoul soul. Seasonal Vegetables with pared Seaweeds. But wait, Oh my God, here comes the Cod. Soy braised and served with Dongchimni (Creamy Radish Water Kimchee) along with Lemongrass, Buttermilk and Green Papaya which was marvelous but eclipsed by the aforementioned Lotus Root dish. (See above). The Center Fold Out of both Menus is either a Pork Collar or for a small up-charge ($12) you can step up to the Short Ribs. Six perfect Batons of Beef glistening with that "Come, eat me, baby" look. But by now you've gone and gone Vegetarian, so have the glorious Banchan on a large tray, hooray. Seven little bowls of spectacular tastes and textures. Dried Acorn Jelly? I'll eat as much they can crank out. When no one was lookin' I was lickin' that cup up. Does that make me squirrelly? The last course was a Rice Pot, as it should be. Wild Mountain Greens Rice, Lotus Sunchoke, Pickled Perilla Leaves, XO Sauce, and Unseasoned Seaweed or maybe it's Shepherd's Purse Rice, Mu Radish, Zucchini, and Perilla Seeds. Even though the Vegetarian Rice Pot had recognizable ingredients it was truly a home run. The Finale was a serious Tea Bowl of Peach Sorbet, Peach Snow (shave) Ice, Almond Sikhye (Fermented Malt and Rice Cream) and Black Sesame Crumble. I'd eat this by the gallon...naked. The takeaway, as a card carrying carnivore, is that I found the Vegetarian Menu most complex and creative. Winner, winner, Lotus Root Dinner. Baroo is a heroic edgy enterprise that really rocks. The Kitchen delivers as no one else could or should. Noma, no mo fo me so it's gotta be Baroo for you. read more

See all

Reputation precedes itself. Baroo lives up to the hype. A really special restaurant that is perfect for celebratory occasions. Sea bass and beef short rib were world class. Lobster tempura was unlike anything I've had before. Servers were top notch. The mood accents the night in a fun and memorable way. read more

See all

I don't eat at all the fanciest restaurants all the time, but I do eat out enough to know a good meal when I have one. Baroo was my favorite meal. I can't wait to go again. read more

Baroo - This is part of their vegetarian offering - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I first heard about this restaurant through the LA Times, which has applauded this place from its first iteration in Hollywood to its resurrection in the Arts District and 2024 Restaurant of the Year accolade. The northern Arts District where Baroo is located is more easily walkable from Little Tokyo than the southern Arts District, if you're staying in the area. Camphor and Manuela are other restaurants of note nearby, and I visited them all. Baroo offers a very reasonably priced 7-course Korean tasting menu for $115, with wine ($70), Korean sool ($55) or alcohol-free ($40) pairings available. Vegetarian/vegan menus are available with advance notice. The dining room is lovely but compact, with tables, chef's counter (facing the open kitchen) and bar seating offered. I chose the standard menu and non-alcoholic pairing. The menu changes frequently, but mine included hokkaido scallop, sole, black cod and pork collar. Courses all have cute names ("a bridge over field and paddy", "a lotus flower in the mud") and of course many Korean ingredients/preparations. The alcohol-free beverage pairings had depth and variety. The service is quick--about 90 minutes for the full menu. Service is friendly and instructional in terms of what a dish contains and how to eat it. Overall a unique and fairly economic gastronomic treat. read more

See all

If you're looking for a hip, locally sourced Korean food with a modern twist, this place is it. It's such a cute ambiance with Korean decor, and the food is absolutely fantastic. Their tasting menu is definitely a winner for me. $115 for 7 course - vegitarian and non vegetarian option. Wine paring is $70 or you can always order tastings al-a-cart and get any bottles you wish to try. Overall, every dish was carefully prepared and so delicious! I'm from South Korea myself and I'm beyond impressed with the depth of the flavors in each dish. For meat options you can choose pork belly or the galbijjim. Both options were seared perfectly and cooked to perfection. Out of 7 dishes I loved 6/7 - now that's a tasting you want to do. The banana dessert I expected it to be more creamy but it was more on the tart side! Still, Yummy and delicious. Chef Kwang Uh and Mina Park are both so kind and respected chef's and I believe that is what resembles this restaurant all together. I can't wait to come back! read more

See all

Late review, but we had such a lovely experience here. The service was great, the food was amazing. We enjoyed the drinks, and they let us order an extra serving of the rice to go. The restaurant was busy, but never too loud; just a nice vibe. read more

See all

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a world class experience. Baroo is a contemporary Korean restaurant located in the trendy Arts district and featured in the Michelin guide. Parking is available on the street, or in nearby garages. Dining is available indoors exclusively in the dining room, at the bar, or at a seat facing the slightly messy open kitchen. Service throughout the evening was extremely hospitable and cordial. Staff were wearing the uniform apron and some opted to wear a mask. Menu is a tasting menu with a pork collar as the standard main course or an option for the short rib with a $12 add-on. During our visit, there was an option for a $39 Prime ribeye cooked to a perfect medium rare. Meal started off with the first course featuring the dan hobak, ssanghwacha cappuccino, seed puff. The soup was a perfect tiny portion. The flavors and textures had a phenomenal contrast. The bite sized black sesame sool bang, nduja, gouda, pichuberry was also excellent being bite sized. The hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, wild rice puff course was also a delight although an even larger scallop would be phenomenal. The parae battered sole, gim gochunaengi, gooseberry, ssam was excellent. I loved the contrast between the lean, perfectly lightly fried sole, wrapped in vegetables. The soy-braised wild black cod, dongchimi, lemongrass, buttermilk, green papaya was excellent. The black cod was very fatty and melted in my mouth. The cod was cooked to perfection. The 8 oz rib eye was cooked to a perfect medium rare. 8 oz was more than sufficient. In fact, a 4 oz portion would be even better! I loved the marbling from the ribeye! The wild mountain greens rice, lotus sunchoke gaennip jangajji, xo sauce, gamtae bugak was gigantic. The contrast from the xo sauce and the seaweed crisps were fantastic. As I was getting full, I was only barely able to make a dent in the rice course. Meal ended off with the guava panna cotta, sweet potato & doenjang ice cream, sujeongwa bingsu, omija, rose, candied walnuts which was gigantic. I wasn't a big fan of the bingsu although I found the panna cotta and ice cream to be the highlights of the dessert. ~$185/head after tax and gratuity for dinner. read more

See all

Absolutely in awe of what the Baroo team has done. While I really miss the old Baroo in a lil' strip mall of Hollywood, I am HERE for their growth, progression and elevating Korean food to a different stratosphere than I've ever had. Tasting menu only -- love that they also have a vegetarian and vegan version of their tasting menu. My friend had the vegetarian one! While we had some similar dishes (1-2 courses at most), it was pretty unique! I also am SO glad I tried their housemade soba from her vegetarian tasting menu because that was probably my favorite bite!!! Honestly, I think they would stand out quite a bit if they just went FULL SEND on Vegetarian & Vegan tasting menu. That completely aligns with their Taoism and Confucianism inspiration (read up on the Eater LA article on their inspiration & flow of the passages thru phases of life, from the time before birth, to youth, through later years, and eventual rebirth.) I know that may sound pretentious at first read but while eating there, I didn't feel an over emphasis on it - just a functional way to organize the menu almost like Keiseki does! The cocktails were super unique and always based in Korean spirits - love it! They were pretty boozy for me as I don't have rice-based spirits very often. so even though I wanted to try multiple, I could only have 1 - ha. read more

My boyfriend took me here for our anniversary and we had a nice dinner. Cocktails (4/5): we enjoyed most of the cocktails, tried 5 of them. The banana milk punch was my favorite. Dinner (3/5): good meal, but nothing really wowed me besides the braised cod. Overall I would give it a 3.5, the ambiance was nice and we really appreciated the celebratory card and champagne! However, I didn't think the dinner was worth the $115 price tag. read more

Baroo - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Came for the July $110 tasting menu, so impressed! I loved that everything tasted amazing, flavors were well balanced in each dish, and you could pair the sauces/accoutrements in different ways to come up with different flavors. It's hard to choose a favorite plate, as all the proteins (scallop, cod, pork) were cooked to perfection and delicious. We did upgrade to 1 beef short rib, but pork collar was already plenty good. The dessert was lick your plate good. I would definitely come back for future iterations of this great tasting menu! Service was prompt and great, parking on side streets available. read more

Los Angeles, Arts District. May 2024. Baroo is dead. Long live Baroo! If you missed Baroo 1.0, in an unmarked spot on Santa Monica and Wilton, w just a chalkboard menu, then rejoice in Baroo 2.0 on a residential part of E 2nd St. Their new place, in their own words, is "known for its experimental spirit and focus on fermentation". As part of the new Los Angeles Korean wave of high quailty restaurants, owners Chef Kwang Uh and his wife and partner, Mina Park, emphasize being accessible and affordable, recognizing that their customers work hard for the money they spend at Baroo. In addition to value, Baroo is inclusive in it's community of employees and patrons. In a city with more than enough self-promoting restauranters who seek stardom, this couple treats you like a guest in their home. Kwang Uh and Mina Park met at a South Korean buddhist temple, Baegyangsu. There, chef and nun, Jeong Kwan, gathers, ferments, and cooks exceptional vegan meals that keep to tradition but are willing to breaks the rules. The prix fixe menu at Baroo reflects an ethos thoughtfully introducing courses with simple words that mean one thing but are used to evoke a different feeling. The current menu opens with a pair. A rice cake or bread made using makgeolli, sool bang, topped with a mildly spicy nduja paste and wispy slivers of gouda. The partner is a sweet kabocha porridge, dan hobak, topped with a cappucino foam of dark brown, bitter, medicinal ssangwha tea, and accompanied by a seed cracker. Hiding in the depths of the juk are delightful cubes of nutrional powerhouse pichuberry. There is a piece of sole battered with parae (aka Japanese aonori powder), topped with an aioli of gochu and naengi ( a Korean spring green). This is served on a piece of butter lettuce and eaten by hand as ssam. Another fish, Eun daegu (aka black cod or butterfish), is soy braised. Instead of being a sweet red jorim it maintains a light color. It sits in a lemongrass and buttermilk butter sauce accompanied by crunchy deep fried green papaya sticks, a water kimchi dongchimi, and micro shiso. The single dessert is a bingsu. This starts with a guava panna cotta base, an ice cream of goguma (sweet potato) and doenjang (Korean miso) in the middle, with a final sprinkle of bingsu made from sujeongwa (a sweet cinnamon and ginger dessert drink) and rose omija. The garnishes are candied walnuts and petals of blood sorrel. One cocktail to try is the Negroni Shilsu. With a purple grey color from makgeolli made with black forbidden rice, bitterness from Apertivo Cappelletti, and a thin consistency, this doesn't look or taste like a Negroni. Shilsu! It's a mistake. Shilsu! Most people will not understand the playful name. A colorful and flavorful blend of traditional Korean and the bounty of California. Wildly playful and experimental. Try not to let your head spin listening to the dish descriptions using English and Korean - just look, appreciate, and eat. Baroo just shoves. read more

See all

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday, and it was the best dining experience I've ever had. Unique dishes are so risky but everything was really delicious, especially considering I'm not the biggest fan of seafood. The cocktails were also unique and unforgettable, and as expected, service was impeccable. For my birthday, they also got my birth information and were able to give me a Korean horoscope. I definitely recommend coming here for a special occasion (or just cause) read more

See all

Came for our anniversary dinner. Ambiance was great, service was great and food was good. It was an overall great experience and I'm glad we went. There wasn't a dish that really stood out to me and makes me want to go back - which is why I deducted a star. read more

See all

Loved it. I'm grading slightly downward on a curve, because at this price point, it's not as tremendous of a value as HLAY which is almost as inventive (though not as balanced) at about 60% of the price. At $115 prix fixe, you won't leave hungry, the ingredients will be top-notch, and the combinations will be inventive. But some odd notes: my meal didn't feel rushed, but because of the volume, the servers spoke rushed and quiet, not really explaining the ingredients or thought behind the dishes. One server made a joke that I could snort my wild rice puff which was meant to add levity but felt awkward. Some plates were bold in flavor, especially near the beginning (with a splendid black sesame sool bang presented alongside a celeriac/apple soup), and others were bland/subtle (scallop, rice), without a real progression. The pork collar was expectedly chewy but came with a delightful goulash jjigae, and the short rib with burdock jus was the best item but was a $12 add-on. Overall a great meal, meeting but not exceeding expectations. The cocktails were happily inventive, and I recommend the radish drink (better as it's cold, but loses a little of its charm as it warms). read more

Wow, I haven't felt this excited about a restaurant or a chef in a long time. My husband made a reservation for an early Valentines dinner this past Saturday. We had the prix fix menu. It's about $115 pp but additional charge if you change the protein for the saam course. From the ambiance, service, and food, everything was exceptional. The star is of course the food. Overall, I think what excited us is in the execution of each course. Flavors were familiar yet unique, complex but still delicious. I think what chef Kwang does very well is his use of acidity from fermented foods to add umami and layer flavors to otherwise savory and or sweet elements. Each protein from the scallops to the pork collar were also cooked to perfection. Our favorites of the night were the cod and the pork ssam, but tbh each progressive course just got better and better. I can't wait to go back. This place lives up to the hype of being named LA Times restaurant of the year 2024! This is modernizing and elevating Asian cuisine done right. Kudos! read more

See all

Finally got the chance to try out this spot ! The ambience was great, really nice for date night ! The service was amazing ! Our main server thoroughly explained the menu and drinks for us and all the servers that brought out our dishes also explained each dish again in detail. The food was absolutely INCREDIBLE ! Everything tasted amazing and was very well done in terms of taste and presentation. Defs recommend trying this place out if you can snag a resy ! read more

See all