Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Gam Ja Gol

    4.2 (578 reviews)
    ModerateKorean, Soup
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Gam Ja Gol Photos

    Business Info

    GAM JA GOL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Gam Ja Gol

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Gamjatang
    Cindy L.

    Had an amazing experience at Gam Ja Gol. My friends and I got the large Gamjatang to share and it was so much food! I will definitely comeback to their lunch special! You will leave feeling so full especially with the kimchi rice they make for you at the end if you save your rice! I really love the purple rice it comes with since I love the texture of it. I usually hate pork since I think most establishments don't prepare it well but and it ends up having a stinky pork taste but you can tell they parboil the pork neck properly to get rid of any impure tastes. The soup was also so flavorful and went perfectly with rice! The pork neck was falll off the bone and extremely tender! I really loved the side dishes it came with and thought the radish kimchi was perfectly prepared. I will say it's a little pricy (25~pp including tip) compared to other places you can get Gamjatang in ktown but the quality and preparation of the Gamjatang is truly worth it. I really recommend supporting locally owned businesses!

    Gamja Tang
    Justin C.

    Solid meal and experience! Hole in the wall Korean restaurant specializing in gamja tang. Delicious savory soup with giant pork bones and potatoes. I came in a group of four and got the large gamja tang as well as an order of bossam. It was really good but honestly too much food for a group of four haha. We wish we got the medium size because we had a ton of leftovers. After you finish the gamja tang, they turn it into a delicious fried rice in the same pot, which is really good because it just soaks up the flavors of the leftover soup. The service is on point. Solid 10/10 experience this morning.

    Timothy L.

    A solid place to get authentic Korean food! Their Gamjatang was delicious, broth tasted great, and can feed up to 4 people + leftovers! Their Bo-Ssam was also delicious.

    The aftermath
    Jenny S.

    Pass by this place all the time and finally stopped in to enjoy a delicious warm meal on a rainy day. You know the place is legit when you see a mix of old Korean ahjussis hanging out and drinking soju along with people of all ages and ethnicities here for the same dish: Gamjatang We ordered the small gamjatang which was more than enough for 2 people, finished it down to the bones, and topped it off with some delicious fried rice with the crispy rice at the bottom. Small old school vibe with friendly and helpful service. Enjoyed it so much I returned with my family a couple weeks later and ordered the large gamjatang for 6 people along with juicy/tender bossam and a ya che jeon (veggie pancake). Highly recommend the ugeoji (cabbage/radish leaves) add on to the soup!

    Gamja tang
    Jonathan W.

    Gamja tang $20.99- pork neck soup. This is an individual serving. But actually enough for 2 people. The meat fall off the pork bones. The soup is a mild. The bottom of the soup has all the seasoning and quite good. It's not that strong If you get the Stew- gamjatang, it's a larger serving and comes with fried rice after Daeji bossam 39.99- pretty good. I like that the meat is boiled then seared. Vegetable pancake (ya che jeon) 12.99- pretty good pancake, soft, Vegetabels, some fake crab meat

    Gamja Tang
    Jenny T.

    I was staying in KTown for a bit so I decided that while I'm here I might as well try out some Korean food. I pass by this place all the time and it was still pretty early on a Saturday, before the lunch rush, so I decided to come in before it gets crowded. I was seated at a table immediately. I ordered the Gamja Tang ($15.99 lunch special), which also came with a bowl of rice and some banchan. The meat was so tender and slid off the bone. The broth was really flavorful and rich. Just one individual size is enough for two people, so I packed the second half of the meal to go. Service was pretty quick. They took my order really quickly and gave me my check as soon as I asked. The dining area is really simple just with chairs and tables and not so much decor, but it's straight forward and to the point. This would be a great meal on a cold winter day so I'll have to come back to warm up. Really glad I tried this place out on a whim!

    Gamjatang (Chongol)
    Winn H.

    On the list? Yup! Stopped by with a friend to get the Gamjatang // (chongol) and it was delicious! There was a sufficient parking in the lot, and there's also spots on the street. This was my first time, and I wasn't sure what to expect... so we got our table for two and were seated fairly quickly. First thing's first, this restaurant really brought me back to Korea from the simple wooden color palette and neutral, earth-toned walls... something about it just screamed traditional - ethnic. We went with the top item: Gamja Chongol, and after devouring our sides, it was out within minutes. Oh no! Looks like pork.. actually I'm not a big fan of pork. But it's the signature, so it's a must try. Delicious it definitely was, though a bit tough. Midway through the meal the soup had evaporated too much, and the staff member stopped by and shocked me by asking in Chinese! Impressed, I responded in both Chinese and Korean... what an experience! Towards the end of the meal, our server packed up the leftovers and fried rice with the leftover sauce in the pot. If you're into nurungi (burnt rice), this was simply a delicious, savory treat. Of course, once you get the crust, make sure to add some cold tea to help loosen it up - crunch crunch!

    Amazing food, great service, and a cozy atmosphere. Everything was fresh and delicious!

    Keren M.

    Came on a Sunday night and was able to get seated quickly, but the restaurant did fill up quickly after. Servers were quick and friendly. Banchan are nothing special but still tasty and abundant. We ordered the gamja tang main dish, it was quick and flavorful. The bowl was overflowing with meat. Also ordered the Mandoo gook, also tasty but nothing special. Will come back next time to try the gamjatang stew, which every table seem to have. Parking is just like every other ktown strip mall.

    Delicious banchan (sides).
    Cindy S.

    Gam Ja Gol is a classic in Koreatown LA! I believe a second location opened up in Buena Park, CA in Orange County. This restaurant serves traditional Korean food and are known for or specializes in Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Neck Stew) and Bossam (Boiled Pork Belly Wrap). Pretty much every table orders it. Their Bossam is out of this world DELICIOUS! Tender pork belly served with sides: like Napa cabbage, spicy radish, raw garlic and jalapeno slices, bossam sauce, salted shrimp sauce or kimchi. The pork belly, Napa cabbage and side dishes are wrapped together for the perfect bite! 5/5 The Gamjatang (Pork neck stew) here is light tasting and clean. Very good but I must say my favorite spot makes a better version for my personal taste. I like a stronger red pepper paste garlicky finish; again the Gamjatang here is great, just a lighter broth profile from what am used to. 4/5. Green chives pancake with faux krab. Soggy -skip. 2/5. Overall, I like it here. It's an absolute hole-in-wall with zero ambience. The dining area is bare-bones;however, that's most places I go to, lol. Good food, good service. Parking: small mini-mall with tight parking. Good luck with parking. No valet.

    Gamjatang
    Millena P.

    Gamjatang was sooo flavorful and mouthwatering that I also had to try their sister restaurant in LA. Parking: They're located in a very small plaza, so finding a spot can be difficult. We visited around 15:30, and got lucky with a spot. Ambiance/Environment: This spot is truly Korean. They have a small indoor space with a decent amount of seating. They weren't as busy when we visited, but it started getting busier closer to dinner time. Service: I didn't catch any of their names, but all the servers were attentive, quick, & efficient! They speak limited English, but they understand enough. Foods: 1) Gamja Tang - The portion size was LARGE! The soup was as flavorful as the gamja tang at their sister location. There were a generous amounts of meat and vegetable. 2) Vegetable Pancake - This tasted as expected. Its thinness and non-crunchiness made it stand out from other pancakes I've had. It was really soft, yet delicious. 3) Fried Rice - One of the servers offered fried rice. She packed the remaining gamja tang in a to-go bowl and took the pan away. When she came back with the pan, there was a thin layer of fried rice mixed in with the flavors of the soup! Yummm! 4) Banchan - I appreciate the amount of banchan they provide. If you want more of a specific side, simply ask. They didn't provide purple rice, so I asked for some hehe. Pricing: Definitely worth it! Dishes can be shared between 2-3 people!

    Isaac C.

    This place has my parents' stamp of approval. Every time I come home, they ask if I want to eat here, and I never say no. I always be spamming the braised potatoes side dish since it's my favorite banchan. The gamjatang is our go-to order and I highly recommend it. The broth is rich from the pork bones, and the perilla leaves add an aromatic balance. They even make kimchi fried rice for you at the end, and the portions are so big that we always leave with leftovers. The only downside is that parking can be tough to find sometimes, but it's definitely worth it.

    Banchans and Gamja-jungol
    Priscilla K.

    My favorite gamjatang spot in K-town! This is one of the oldest of its kind! Gamjatang is Korean style pork bone broth and potato soup. I always order the large here that's enough for 3-4 people because I want to take the leftovers home. The stew really hits the spot every single time and the price is very reasonable for the amount they give you. Service is typical for a Korean restaurant- the waitresses are very straightforward and friendly with you. They'll refill side dishes for you for free at any time, but they charge extra for the soup toppings, but it's worth just getting everything - perilla leaves, perilla seeds, radish leaves, and everything there is to add. Ambiance can seem a bit hole-in-the-wall because it's K-town but there is a parking lot shared with other establishments and the restaurant isn't small, but it fills up pretty quickly. I would come here any day when I'm craving for some comfort food or something meaty and heart

    Banchan

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of David C.
    285
    21
    4

    3 days ago

    WARNING! Do not eat this on a hot day! Ordered gamjatang to dine in and Togo. Both days of eating it I had painful diarrhea! Never again!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 5
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    28 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Keren M.
    1
    50
    250

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff P.
    0
    21
    24

    1 month ago

    Great for classic hang over soup or soul food. Ample food and fast service. Parking is plenty

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 31
    Thanks 16
    Love this 30
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary D.
    187
    413
    1860

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Authentic heart warming potato pork soup. Always the to go place when not sure what to have

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy L.
    208
    184
    1118

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angela D.
    40
    42
    159

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Wow amazing great food and service experience. Will be back soon for this best spot in ktwon

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Very good Korean Gam Ja Tang. Must try it. I have been eating here since 1990 and it been always good.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 15

    Gam Ja Gol Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gam Ja Gol

    What is u-geo ji?

    In Korean cuisine, ugeoji is outer leaves or stems of cabbage, radish, and other greens, which are removed while trimming the vegetables. Ugeoji is often used in soups and stews, including haejang-guk.

    Whats the parking situation?

    They have a free parking lot outside the restaurant. Was just there tonight! Love that place!

    View All 3 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Korean 335,724 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Hangari Kalguksu - (LARGE) Hangari Bossam

    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4(3.3k reviews)
    0.7 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    10 years in business

    I've clearly been sleeping on this place. Finally went with some friends visiting from out of town,…read moreand Hangari Kalguksu did not disappoint -- I see why it's a Ktown staple. The space itself is cute, trendy, and modern, but according to my Korean friends, the food stays true to tradition -- which is exactly what you want from a place like this. There was a line when we got there, but it moved quickly -- and they came around to take our order while we were still waiting, so food came out fast once we sat down. I've had bossam before and always got cold, sliced meat -- not my thing. Here, it comes out hot, and the pork jowl was incredible. I genuinely could not stop eating it, so tender with that perfect grilled edge. They also start you off with a little bowl of barley rice (bori bap) as part of the banchan -- first time trying it and it was such a nice, unexpected touch. We also shared the chicken sujebi and it was pure comfort in a bowl. The hand-torn noodles were perfectly chewy and the broth was seasoned just right -- not too salty, just deeply savory. Heads up on parking: it's tough. I got lucky with street parking but it's only 1-hour limit, so keep an eye on the clock. The lot is valet only and looked chaotic when we pulled up, so budget extra time (and maybe cash) if you go that route. Honestly one of my favorite meals I've had in Koreatown, and a great spot to bring visitors -- my friends loved it too. Already planning my next visit to work through the rest of the menu. Highly recommend, especially if you love Korean comfort food done right.

    They start you off with barley rice and banchan, instructing you to mix the nutty barley rice with…read moregreens, gochujang, and sesame oil for a savory first bite. The service is attentive, even when busy. We arrived shortly after they opened at 10 AM, and by 11:30 AM, there was a line outside. This place truly delivers! We ordered two popular dishes, including the Chicken Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles with chicken, squash, kabocha, potato, and dates in chicken and anchovy broth) and the Hangari Bossam (medium, boiled and tender pork belly with cabbage leaves and kimchi). The Chicken Kalguksu was a highlight with its thick, chewy noodles and creamy broth. The squash was a delicious addition - comforting and warm, a must-order! The Hangari Bossam (medium) was perfect for sharing, and the tender pork belly was amazing with the cabbage and kimchi. I especially enjoyed it with the jalapeños; it's the best of both worlds, melting in your mouth! We left feeling full and happy, already looking forward to our next visit. This is a must-try in Ktown!

    Photos
    Hangari Kalguksu - Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Belly and Jowl & Chicken-KALGUKSU

    Hangari Kalguksu - Bossam jowl combo

    Bossam jowl combo

    Hangari Kalguksu - (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

    See all

    (MEDIUM) Hangari Bossam (Serves 2)

    Danbi - Wagyu zabuton

    Danbi

    4.5(423 reviews)
    0.8 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    Danbi is one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles, and we were very excited to try their Dine…read moreLA menu. Danbi is located in Los Angeles's Koreatown and specializes in modern Korean cuisine. For Dine LA, they offered a $45 tasting menu. We started with their signature honey butter chips. I used to not understand what all the hoopla was about these chips! But today, they were really good... and I think it's the honey butter sauce. The first time I ever had these chips, in 2024, there was no sauce on them. I just thought they were regular chips. And I probably never would have gotten them again if they weren't on a prix fixe menu. These chips were divine! Thinly sliced potatoes fried in house and topped with a decadent honey butter sauce and fresh chives. The sauce really made this appetizer. Thick and creamy, almost like condensed milk. And the touch of freshness from the chives really brought everything together. Although simple, I felt like this dish was very well crafted. Next, we had the corn cheese rolls - sweet corn and mozzarella cheese wrapped in an eggroll-like pastry and served with a sweet, tangy gochujang sauce on the side. These came piping hot and were so fun to eat. The cheese was so stretchy and the sauce really elevated this dish, cutting through that rich cheese and adding a savory, almost smoky element. Then our drinks arrived. I got the hwachae milk punch with milk clarified soju, strawberry, lychee, and lime. This drink was sweet and fruity and tasted just like one of those lychee jellies you would buy at the Asian grocery store. My friends had the kimchi mule, house white kimchi infused soju with ginger and pear - essentially a Moscow mule with fermented notes and a savory umami from the kimchi. Nice and refreshing. Then we had a watermelon kimchi salad. This wasn't my favorite. Compared to everything else we had tonight, this was a bit boring. It was light and refreshing, but I wanted more fermented flavor. But it was still good, and the Hami melon was nice and crisp. You can never really go wrong with watermelon. Then we had the spicy sashimi noodles with sea bream, soba, dropwort, and perilla. This dish was interesting, summery, and cool. Cold soba with a spicy kick. Flavor wise, the ssamjang and perilla stood out to me. And the soba and sashimi added some nice textural contrast. Our last savory course was their grilled pork jowl topped with their house chili crisp and served with a side of garlic rice along with some ssamjang and peppers. The pork jowl was, of course, delicious. The cut is naturally bouncy due to being jam packed with collagen. The grill imparted a nice, smoky charcoal flavor to the meat, which was also infused with that delicious chili oil. Their garlic rice is so good! It's packed with garlic flavor and perfectly fluffy. For dessert, we had a goguma parfait - sweet potato custard with a strawberry and blueberry compote. This dessert was.. interesting. The texture was smooth and creamy, but you could definitely tell that there was a sweet potato in there. I think this dessert could use a little more textural contrast. I definitely would have appreciated a cake layer in the parfait or a more prominent crunchy element rather than just the two pieces of tuile garnish on top. That being said, it was still good. Danbi is one of my favorite restaurants in LA if not my number one favorite. Their menu feels modern, interesting, and creative, innovating on traditional Korean classics while remaining authentic and delicious. I especially liked their Dine LA menu for this season as it felt very fun and summery. I can't wait to come back and see what else they have to offer!

    been wanting to try Danbi for so long but ended up disappointed. the place itself is cute tho and…read moreeveryone was relatively dressed to the occasion, so it definitely has that trendy ktown dinner vibe. honestly tho, food was nothing special. i can see the hype around the uniqueness of some of the dishes, but flavor-wise everything ranged from alright to good. nothing rlly mind blowing or particularly innovative to me. what brought the experience down the most was how they handled their restaurant week prix fixe. it's $45 pp, but multiple courses came as ONE plate for two people to split. like... if we're each paying for a prix fixe, at least put the effort into plating an individual portion? between two people, we shared a bowl of chips, 2 corn cheese rolls, 4 cubes of watermelon, a bowl of rice with the pork jowl, a bowl of noodles, and ONE small parfait. the parfait especially got me bc these are not exactly expensive ingredients lol. if we're splitting, then we'll at least get one parfait ourselves right? same with rice -- at least give each person their own bowl to eat with all that fatty pork jowl. atp i genuinely think we would've gotten better variety and value ordering regularly and eating family style. if these were the intended portion sizes, fine, but individually plating each course would've at least made it feel like an actual prix fixe experience. the "fresh cut potato" chips tasted basically like sour cream & onion chips with honey on them. nothing special. i also saw them being taken from a huge container of chips, so not rlly sure what they mean by fresh cut. corn cheese roll was exactly what the name suggests lol. corn cheese inside a deep fried roll with gochujang to dip. nothing particularly special, but at least it wasn't oily. the watermelon kimchi was interesting; sauce mostly coated the surface without penetrating the watermelon itself, so it was basically sweet watermelon + salty exterior. do what u want with that info lol. spicy sashimi noodle was indeed spicy. idk exactly what they were trying to achieve here -- maybe a take on korean spicy cold noodles? to me it tasted more like soft soba in gochujang with a splash of soy sauce + sashimi. soba lacked chew and the dish overall lacked depth, but it was refreshing and i didn't hate it. pork jowl was p good, although it got RLLYYY fatty toward the end. the chili crisp helped a lot and brought out the flavors while balancing some of that richness. again, would've rlly appreciated my own bowl of rice here and i'm not even a big rice eater lol. as a parfait lover, i instantly did not like the parfait. cream tasted super fatty, like it was just cream cheese + double cream + sugar. instead of that light, airy texture i associate with a lot of asian desserts, this was heavy and over-whipped. compote was fine but couldn't save it from all that cream. took one spoonful of everything and didn't rlly want another. guess it worked out that we only got one parfait for two ppl lol, but i still don't understand the decision. overall, cute place and interesting menu concepts, but the flavors didn't live up to the hype for me. the restaurant week prix fixe especially made the value and experience feel worse than if we had just ordered normally. their uni bibimbap does look promising, but LA has sm good food that i don't rlly feel the need to come back and risk another mediocre meal.

    Photos
    Danbi - Inside bar

    Inside bar

    Danbi - Scallop Pancakes

    Scallop Pancakes

    Danbi - Honey butter chips

    See all

    Honey butter chips

    Borit Gogae - Dwenjang

    Borit Gogae

    4.4(537 reviews)
    0.4 miKoreatown
    $$$

    Korean comfort food. As soon as I walked through the door, I felt the warm sense of hospitality. It…read morefelt like you were going to a family friend's house and you knew you were about to enjoy a great meal. In order to do the 'Set Menu With Barley Rice' you need to have at least 2 people to participate. I dined alone so I wasn't able to order that, but I didn't feel like I missed out at all. I believe you get a comparable amount and variety of banchan when you order any of the proteins on the menu. I myself ordered the dried yellow corvina (fish). The order or set came with some barley, delicious tofu soup, and pretty much more banchan than I can eat myself. Just a wonderful meal and experience.

    Borit Gogae is a great spot if you're looking for traditional Korean food with a mostly plant-based…read moremenu! The interior is beautiful and very traditional, from the decor down to the tableware. We went for lunch, when parking was free. They offer valet during dinner. Service was also great--our waitresses were very attentive and checked on us often. We ordered the set menu, which came out to around $45 per person with tip. You get SO much food: appetizers, the main course, two types of soup, and dessert. You definitely won't leave hungry! The food is mostly plant-based and pretty mildly seasoned, so keep that in mind if you prefer stronger flavors. Nothing particularly stood out to me this time, so I'm not sure I'd come back specifically for the food, but I'd definitely return when I'm craving lots of veggies and traditional Korean flavors. Overall, I'd recommend it if you enjoy Korean food and want something different from the typical Korean BBQ experience!

    Photos
    Borit Gogae - Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Restaurant decor- art work and Korean figurines

    Borit Gogae - Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Barley rice mixed with side dishes

    Borit Gogae - Grilled spareribs

    See all

    Grilled spareribs

    Ham Ji Park

    Ham Ji Park

    4.2(1.8k reviews)
    0.8 miWilshire Center, Koreatown
    $$$

    Great service and Very delicious! Loved it here. Will definitely come back!And will recommend to my…read morefriends n family!

    tl;dr the delectable pork ribs overshadow the otherwise authentic but standard lineup at this…read morenow-shuttered Korean stalwart Los Angeles Koreatown is home to restaurants that specialize in every facet of Korean cuisine. If you're searching for some of the city's best pork, then those in the know will bring up Ham Ji Park. For 2 decades, generous platters of pork ribs and pork neck stew decked every table. Now, our Korean friends lament the loss of their favorite pork joint in the city. The Koreatown proper location is located in the Royal Plaza mini-mall, just a few blocks off bustling Wilshire. Discounted parking is available in a lot across the street from the Chevron gas station. From the street, the entrance is flanked by potted plants and an enclosed street-ery. Inside, stainless steel chairs are pressed up against wooden tables, each outfitted with a metal grill. Oppressive fluorescent lighting shines down on the stone grey walls, which are left undecorated apart from a few flatscreens. Multi-lingual chatter blends with the sizzle of platters. I visited with some friends for a weeknight dinner, and about half of the tables were occupied. We shared a spread of grilled platters and sizzling soups. The meal began with a carafe of barley tea and a mostly standard spread of banchan. Across our food, the best dish was the signature Charbroiled Pork Spare Rib. The ribs were flavorful without feeling gamey, and the meat was complemented by sweet caramelized onions. The pork ribs handily outdid the good-not-great Charbroiled Beef Short Rib. Lastly, the Milt and Cod Rose with Vegetables stew was fishy and briny, appropriately flavored for the Korean palate. The service was appropriately attentive, although I would've appreciated more intentional refills of our banchan ramikens. The rib plates cost upward of $35 each, while the soup was just under $30. The portions were hearty; a single entree platter could reasonably feed 2 moderately hungry bellies. It's a shame to hear that Ham Ji Park has closed; I'm kicking myself for not trying their pork neck stew earlier.

    Photos
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park
    Ham Ji Park

    See all

    Jinsol Gukbap - 3rd St - Cold Noodle (Naengmyeon)

    Jinsol Gukbap - 3rd St

    4.5(886 reviews)
    1.1 miKoreatown
    $$

    my $20 lunch special turned into like 4 meals. GREAT value…read more i was craving korean home-style cooking and found this place. it's got affordable lunch specials under $20. i was really surprised at just how much food i received for just $20... giant plate of sizzinging. perfectly seasoned pork ribs & onions with a really nice char. a big cup of rice, a really great banchan spread with lots of variety, and a massive bowl of broth with such a great mild flavor to balance the spicy banchan and rich pork. it was phenomenal, cured my tummy ache, and immediately took me back to my trip to korea many years ago. i inhaled everything but there was so much food i ended up with a big takeout bag. i kid you not this one $20 meal has turned into like 4 meals for me. pork turned into lettuce wraps, rice fried and mixed with eggs , broth used to elevate a cheap ramen. i WILL be back. i wish i could have bought some of the banchan as an extra charge or something so i could take it home with me because im STILL dreaming of it. the inside has good a/c and a cute homely atmosphere. and the staff was incredibly kind and helped me choose what to eat and helped me pack up the broth once i was done eating. you can see the giant goblet of boiling broth in the kitchen as you eat. easy parking behind the restaurant and in the street.

    Suuper bummed about our experience today. We ordered the cold noodle & LA galbi combo as we always…read moredo, and a leek pancake as we weren't as hungry and the combo usually fills us up. Even when we ordered the food, the server said "that's it?" as if she was offended that we didn't order more food (lower sales?) I'm not sure if we misunderstood her attitude but that's kind of how it felt like. The quality and size went down and it was just... not good. This used to be my #1 spot for cold noodles but our other fav place was closed today so we decided to come here. As you can see, the size of the cold noodles became smaller. Everything was packed in this small bowl which made it harder to eat. I think they changed the noodles they use because it wasn't doing anything texture wise. It used to be chewy and had a good buckwheat flavor. The broth tasted.. like water with a splash of bone broth. The quality of galbi was also a disappointing as I feel like it's became less and the meat was burnt with more fat/chewy bits. The leek pancake was ok but again, comparing it to my picture from January, it was bigger in size and more dough-y. Service was decent previously but it felt a bit cold today. Again, super bummed because we still love this place but I probably won't be ordering their combo again. You can see in my pictures how often we used to order the cold noodles from here and you can compare the quality.

    Photos
    Jinsol Gukbap - 3rd St - Counter area

    Counter area

    Jinsol Gukbap - 3rd St - Never disappointed!!

    Never disappointed!!

    Jinsol Gukbap - 3rd St - Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly

    See all

    Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly

    Gam Ja Gol - korean - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...