excellent meal. April 2026. Brian is so friendly and his food is amazing. Very seafood heavy dishes. I've tried their popup in chinatown before and it's not TOO different from that. I had such a good meal here. would come back! My favorite was probably the first bite with the ebi! read more

I came in planning to "just grab a quick roll," and somehow ended up staying way longer than expected ,in the best way possible. The sushi here tastes incredibly fresh, like the fish decided to be amazing today just for this restaurant. Every roll looked like a little piece of art, and somehow tasted even better than it looked. The staff was warm, relaxed, and made the whole place feel welcoming without being over the top. You know that rare feeling when a restaurant just gets everything right ,good food, good vibe, and you leave already thinking about what you'll order next time? That was this place. If you're the kind of person who says "let's just share one roll" and then secretly hopes no one touches it... this is your spot. I'll definitely be back. read more

Visit: December 2025 It is an extremely challenging task to review a restaurant of someone you already know. You want to be unbiased in your review (while ignoring potential freebies or other perks that could cloud your judgment), but also don't want any part of your review to negatively affect the relationship with the person. My wife Jun has known Brian Baik for a while since New York City. After working at Eleven Madison Park, the Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare and Sushi Noz (where we last saw him in 2019), Brian moved back to LA where his family runs the K-town institution Kobawoo House. After operating pop-up dinners at Kobawoo, he recently opened a permanent restaurant Corridor 109 in the fall of 2025 (there is also Bar 109 at the front part of the restaurant). As we were planning the restaurants for our LA trip, Jun said she really wanted to check out the restaurant and say hi to Brian so on our last day in LA (which happened to be a Tuesday, more on this later), we visited Corridor 109. We had a truly wonderful time, dazzled by Brian's creative and well-executed cooking. Corridor 109 is a small chef's table counter featuring mostly seafood, many of them sourced directly from Japan (one staff member told us the restaurant is closing during the parts of the year when the seafood market in Japan where many of the products comes from closes). While Brian had a couple of support staffs on the kitchen, it was really mostly a one-man show. His personal touch evolved from all the training at some of the best restaurants in New York stood out throughout the meal, starting with a spiny lobster tartlet (with all its wonderfully crunchy texture of the Santa Barbara lobster) that already made a statement. One of Jun's favorite dishes of the night was a surprise; even though mackerel is probably the last fish she would eat on Earth, she was stunned by how delicious the horse mackerel toast (inspired by pintxos from Spain's Basque Country) was. My favorite, on the other hand, was monkfish liver accompanied by flounder (with cucumber and marmalade) on top of seaweed sheet. The soft and creamy texture of the monkfish liver was already delicious on its own, but the flavor combination after I put some of it on the seaweed wrap was unlike anything I had experienced before! Another thing that impressed me was how Brian so skillfully used side ingredients to maximize the flavor of the main seafood ingredient, like the way mountain yam (yamaimo) sauce superbly complemented the Spanish mackerel (sawara), or the way ginger played an essential role in neutralizing a potentially heavy flavor of pesto spaghetti with skipjack tuna on top. Jun, who is a fan of Korean seaweed soup miyeok-guk, was very moved by Brian's playful take on the bowl with red tilefish. There was no forgettable dish throughout the dinner, with other dishes such as fried blowfish (fugu) cooked Karaage style (this was a bonus course off the menu), scallop with aromatic clam broth and risotto (also made with clam broth) with amberjack (buri) making strong impressions. The savory course wrapped up with NY strip cut of wagyu (on the chewier side but nonetheless delicious), and the dessert ended with Asian pear sorbet with champagne gelee. At the end of the meal, we saw that Brian started to grill burger patties. It turned out that on Tuesdays after 10 p.m., the restaurant serves burgers for the diners as well as guests at the bar. Even though we were pretty full by then, we decided to share one burger and neither of us regretted it, with juicy patty more or less perfectly grilled. We secured our reservation directly through Brian; given that there is only one shift on Thursday and Friday (and two on Saturday), getting a reservation will require advance planning. The minimalistic aesthetics of the dining room worked very well together with the overall character of the dishes coming out of the open kitchen. The wine and sake lists looked also pretty impressive, although as a wine aficionado I would've loved to see a pairing menu dedicated just to wine, not just a mix of wine and sake. You can of course also get cocktails and spirits directly from Bar 109. At the end of our meal, we had a chance to speak to Brian for a while. Jun told him how proud she was to see him open his own project with some truly memorable dishes. I couldn't agree more than Corridor 109 is a special restaurant and am glad that both Jun and I are able to wholeheartedly endorse it without any potential bias from our relationship with Brian. We will certainly visit again next time when we are in LA, and can't wait to see what he has in store for us then. read more

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In the last month Corridor 109 opened its doors back up. I hadn't been to the initial opening so I can't speak to any comparisons, but I was blown away by my experience here. TLDR book your reservation here asap before they get any accolades. I had generally high expectations for Corridor 109 especially as Chef Brian had previously worked at very respected establishments like Eleven Madison Park. It would be an understatement to say my expectations were exceeded. Corridor 109 is a somewhat unique establishment where the restaurant itself serves as almost a "speakeasy" to the front bar, Bar 109. When you walk in, you immediately see Bar 109 in the front, and there is a backdoor to Corridor 109. Either way, the lighting, ambiance, and decor are modern and beautiful. The menu is expertly crafted, seafood focused, and beautiful. Sometimes during a tasting menu you'll have one or two dishes that miss the mark - absent here in all the best ways. Chef Brian is executing at a ridiculously high caliber and the quality and flavors are truly spectacular. The ikura, uni, mackerel, fugu, a4 Australian waygu, even the nori. Everything looks so simple but the flavors are so loud and bold. My favorite uni is Santa Barbara but the Hokkaido uni I had here was so ridiculously good I may have to change my mind. I've had Hokkaido uni many times from establishments all over the world, I have no idea what they did or where they sourced their uni but it was by far the best Hokkaido uni I have ever had, and it was only one component of the second dish. The only real drawback I thought was reflected more in the service and beverage options. The service here is solid but it could just be refined more. It felt like some of the servers were either a little uncomfortable or a little worried while still being attentive. The other thing is there is no beverage pairing option, reminisent of The French Laundry. You can ask the server to recommend some pairings so it's not a big deal, just the lack of a formal one made me wonder if it's an active choice or if they're still trying to find a dedicated somelier. Either way the one nice thing is they have sake, and with how seafood forward the menu is imo it's the best option available if you're going to get a bottle. Overall I can't recommend Corridor 109 enough. At a base $325pp I think it's very reasonable priced and I wouldn't expect it to always be this affordable. If they continue to operate at this high caliber, once the Michelin guide gets updated this place is an easy 1-2* imo. read more

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It was a dark and stormy night when I entered the black box that is Corridor 109. It was like stepping into the special effects at The Sphere. There is just enough soft light to see who you brought or who you bought a drink for. Outside, you in the hood, with the hoodies and the hoods. Inside it's adult, calm and sophisticated. The Bar: Quirky, curated offerings. A little bit of a lot you've never had before and now you can enjoy as much as you want. The Bar also offers nibbles to keep the cool cocktails company and keep your hunger at bay. The Fish Sandwich had it's eye on me, for sure. I enjoyed a perfect Whiskey Sour in a Nick and Nora Coupe. Lusty Bourbon was forward, but balanced with the Simple Syrup and just the right amount of Lemon Juice. Worth a second, third, and fourth round. Who mentions the bathroom in a Yelp review? Today, I do. The Toto Commodo was oh so civilized. The all gender welcome Bathrooms are surgical suite spotless. So, if you need an Orchidectomy you can tie one on and tie one off at the same time, or at least until you're discreetly ushered into the 11 seat Chef's Counter Dining Room. Now you're settled in the speakeasy where serious dining awaits you. The room is dramatic in a subdued way. Amazing what one can with Black Matte Paint and laser focused lighting. Who goes here? 11 very lucky diners and those who simply gave up trying to get into Hayato. The Staff: Chef Brain Baik was as enthusiastic to have us as we were to be had. The Prep cooks were efficient and friendly and the two Servers were charming, graceful as Ballerinas, and top professionals. The Food; Magnificent. Period. Imaginative, creative and innovative. The kitchen has soul and passion which shows up in every dish. All the fish is flown in from Japan in small batches. And so, now let us begin our culinary adventure. 1. Ikura, a Salmon Roe Tartlet had a creamy custard base topped with the freshest barely salty Salmon Roe with just enough flavor of the Sea to wake up your palate. 2. Tai, Sea Bream with Ensui Uni (Uni preserved in saltwater). This came with Shiso Buds, Dashi and a Briny Gelatin. 3. Aji. Horse Mackerel. In less capable kitchens this can be tough as a Horse's Saddle. Not here. It's as soft as Silken Tofu. the Mackerel lay on top of Texas size slice of Texas Toast with micro diced Red Chilies and a Chimichurri. This dish was spectacular. 4. Ankimo, Ground Monkfish Liver in a short splash of Soy Sauce. This was next to some lovely Flounder topped with tiny diced Chives. 5. Hotate, a Scallop from Hokkaido was cured in Kelp and served in a Clam Broth along with a sliver of Halibut on a Toasted Nori Square. Make a handroll out of this wannabe Burrito. Either way eat it, you'll shovel it in and wish for several more. 6. Sawara, Spanish Mackerel lay in a puddle of brilliant Coconut Cream and a construction project of Yamaimo (Mountain Yam). A Hokkaido Scallop sits proudly in a pool of four different Herb Oils in Dashi. It all presents as a dome. Touch it and it separates into 20 pieces. Very clever and dashing. 7. Katsuo, Skipjack Tuna stacked on a coil of Pesto Spaghetti. While simple, this was magisterial. A little Ginger added dimension. I would have been thrilled just to enjoy a large soulful bowl full of this homage to Genoa's most remarkable invention...Pesto. 8. Kinki, Channel Rockfish roasted over Binchotan coals and served in a perfect Fish Broth. Chef Brian made the best use out of both elements. 9. Clam and Uni, Buri (adolescent Yellowtail) came on a mound of delicate toothy Sushi Rice Risotto laced with Uni. Totally terrific. 10. Wagyu, yes, it's time to wag your beef with joy. Two squares of Prime Beef devoid of any trace of fat, served in Oxtail Jus and a Shiso Sauce Reduction. Wagyu wow factor. While I am currently off Beef I was all over this exquisite creation. 11. Dessert, a Larousse Gastronomique level Quenelle of Asian Pear Sorbet was just the right way to cap off this incredible dining adventure. I want to wander down this corridor to my rented room so I can dine here as often as I wish. I'm all for this Corridor and definitely returning for more. read more

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The food here is amazing! The ingredients are fresh and are the star of each dish. Everything is well balanced, and I left felling full but not stuffed. The ambience is great too. The tasting menu room is intimate and refined, and you get to watch the staff prepare each dish. Pace of each course for the tasting menu was perfect. Absolutely coming back soon! read more

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Soon to be Michelin starred restaurant Corridor 109 is a must visit. Chef Brian Baik's tasting menu is thoughtful, refined and very well executed... It reminded me of 2 star Hayato in Los Angeles. Each dish is unique and flavorful. The menu is primarily focused on seafood. Standout dishes were the aji toast and the pesto spaghetti. Ambiance is very sleek and cool, really enjoyed the music selection in the background. Service is amazing, including Chef Brian's lovely wife who went above and beyond to run us down on crazy Western Blvd. to give my niece her purse that we had left behind accidentally. Get to Corridor 109 before it gets it a Michelin star or even possibly two. As it will be a much harder reservation once that happens. read more

Reminding me of Kato when they first started out, the small 8 seater restaurant is located in a shopping center of Howlin' Rays. It's on the 2nd floor without any signage. Chef Brian Balik came by and greeted everyone prior to service. 1. Hon mash tartlet: the onion and citrus cuts through the salty trout roe. A tasty combination. 2. Isaki with ensui uni: The fish was flavorful with the tarte gelee bringing out the sweetness of the uni 3. Kasugodai toast: nicely toasted milk bread with aioli but it slightly overpowers. Still so good. 4. Hotate: the scallop is very light and gets overpowered by the potato. Good but not sure if they go together. 5. Kinki with nagaimo: The sauce was really good. Dish reminded me of a more concentrated version of steamed fish you get at Chinese restaurants 6. Katsuo with pesto: pasta cooked perfectly al dente. Katsuo is great fish that pairs well with them stronger pesto and ginger 7. Aka amadai: soup was a bit salty for me and the radish didn't have much flavor. 8. Abalone risotto: the risotto was a bit too soft but had good umami. The abalone was nice and tender. 9. Mango sorbet: creamy pure mango. Can't go wrong here. Will be interesting if they can expand the desserts beyond sorbet in the future. Service was good. The restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere. Dinner took about 2 hours which is pretty good for the quality of the dishes. They are currently looking for a more permanent location and I for sure will be coming back again. I see great things in the future Chef Brian and his restaurant. read more

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I was here about a year ago and got super lucky to go recently again. This place was still as amazing as I remembered. The menu is all seafood so if you are not a huge seafood person this might be not the right place. However, if you don't mind seafood or love seafood, this place will be your dream. Every bite you have here will blow your mind. In my humble opinion, this place has so much potential to get a Michelin star easily once they find the permanent location and get the beverage license. They only have 4 tables that can only accommodate 2 people per table so it's hard to get a reservation now. But I would highly recommend to all the foodies to give it a try since they will not be disappointed once they try the food. read more

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Love Chef Brian Baik and his team!! I've been here twice now and I can't stop raving about how amazing it is. They only opened up in Jan 2023 and are quickly working to expand the restaurant. If you're a foodie in Los Angeles, you MUST absolutely eat at Corridor 109. Chef Brian's work is a masterpiece. He has experience in so many different types of restaurants and he brings it all together in his unique dishes at this restaurant. There is seafood, Korean, Japanese, and Italian ingredients all fused together to give you the purest taste with complex ingredients and flavors. I won't spoil the tasting menu for you because its just so much more fun to experience it in person for yourself (it does rotate!). Good luck trying to decide which dish is your favorite because they will ask you! :D Other than the amazing food and ambience, I have to give it to Chef Brian and his team for being absolutely delightful people. They are so welcoming and accommodating even though they have such a small team and they go above and beyond to give it their best. They always engage with their patrons and try to get to know them. If you have small requests for your reservation, you can email them ahead and if given plenty of time then they do their best to help you out but its not guaranteed, you have to understand that they are a very very small team. I'm a super fan after my experience and I'm rooting for them all the way!!! read more

I write this as I sit in the restaurant after finishing this amazing meal. 8 savory courses of bliss with 2 amazing dessert courses to finish off probably the best meal I've ever had. I knew going in it was going to be good but really really blown away by just how good it was. I would come back in a heartbeat, assuming I can capture another reservation. This truly was the most amazing culinary experience. Simple, clean, amazing, delicious!! read more