LA girl here‍. I grew up near Koreatown, and I love Kbbq. I'm very selective and usually not a fan of pork belly. But this place changed everything for me!!! The pork belly alone is so good, and it's even better with salt, garlic oil sauce, or grilled cheese. OMG and the risotto!!!!! It's seriously the best, and we will definitely be back again and again! read more

Sookdal is pork belly heaven. Came here on a Saturday night and it was about a 40 minute wait. There's seating in the front and the time went by pretty quickly. We got a variety of pork belly and cold noodles. Service was quick and they do all the cooking for you. I wish there were more side options, the meat is very much the star here. Would come back! read more

Sookdal - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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Their quality is unmatched. If you don't have the appetite for AYCE and don't mind spending a smidge more for quality cuts, this is THE place. I think I've found my new Kbbq go-to! Food: 5/5 We went with Combo C with Soybean Paste Stew and Chilled Kimchi Noodles. This was some next level meat quality. Everything was juicy and tender with just the right amount of fattiness. The pork belly was everyone's favorite, so we ordered another batch! Also, their variety of banchan was so unique! They included a lot more than the typical spread you see. Keep the veggies comin'! The kimchi noodles were a nice breather in between bites. It was really refreshing and served as a great palette cleanser to cut the greasiness! Service: 5/5 They cook everything for you and place it on the rack when it's ready to eat! Everyone's super attentive, not only to the cooking duties, but also to any refills you might need. Wait: 4/5 Stopped by on a Friday night and was pleasantly surprised to find only a few parties ahead of us. Wait was very minimal. Note: The noise level was pretty high. The music was cranked up a bit louder than we would've liked (I wasn't complaining too much since they were playing a lot of EXO haha) and the conversations around us tended to get rowdy. Had difficulty hearing each other. read more

Amazing food amazing service amazing everything. The meat melts in your mouth and everything is clean

Been here at least 10 times by now so time to leave a review FOOD: This place does pork belly right. I drive out here from Irvine if I'm craving pork belly because it's always been good. Sides are good and recommend getting the risotto always. SERVICE: Friendly and attentive. Never had an issue with the cook times or needing to wait excessively for anything. This place can get pretty busy on the weekends but even then I've never had an issue. OTHER: Parking may be a little tough during busier times and wait times can get up to the 45minute range, but I've only felt that on Friday or Saturday nights. Otherwise this place is largely hassle free. read more

Interesting Kbbq.. first time I didn't cook anything myself, not sure if this is a covid thing??? Food was decent but portions on smaller side for the price. Brisket order especially 27 for maybe a 1/4lb of meat that was a little over cooked and cut up too small (maybe to make it look bigger). The banchan was a little different than what I'm used to and really expected to have more variety and a little more tasty. I did like the Wasabi as a sauce though, something I only have at wagyu places. I wish they had some soondubu in addition to their menu. Also missing lettuce to wrap meat and some good ssamjang Really was going to give 3 but the staff is pretty nice and on it for service. read more

Sookdal - Pork belly and shoulder - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Came at 5:52pm on a Friday night w 4 people. Got seated within 5 mins. Parking lot spots are quite narrow considering it's OC. Combo C: $97 - Definitely some high-quality pork, one of the best, if not the best quality pork I've ever had. - They cook it for you, so great service. - Get the garlic, salt, wasabi, and ssamjang, and just MIX ALL OF IT TOGETHER. The wasabi was surprisingly good haha. - Wish they had lettuce or parilla leaves, but they have the seaweed thing at least. - Dwenjang and kongnamul was good too. - Is it better than pro? Not sure. But prob the best pork belly place in LA/OC Kimchi Mal-E Guksoo: $12 - Noodles were really, really good, but a little too much kimchi for me personally. Diet coke: $2 After the meal, we weren't like exploding full, which is a good thing. Total with 18% tip: $140.69, $35.17, not bad at all. read more

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I was so excited to try this restaurant. We came for Valentines day dinner. No reservations allowed so we called to make sure they had availability. The restaurant is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. We found a parking spot right in front. It wasn't as busy as I thought it would be and we were seated right away. This is not an all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant. You have to order combos or a la carte. There wasn't as much of a selection to choose from. We decided upon the wet aged Pork belly and the Rib eye. The servers cook and cut up the meat for you. They place the cooked meat on the side to keep it warm. The quality of the meat was not bad but it did not blow my mind. I was not content with the food and I quickly got bored with it. I don't think it was anything special and will not be returning. read more

Sookdal - Pork belly - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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Sookdal is complicated for me. On one hand, the food is great. The pork is delicious and I love that they have cheese to eat with the meat. This used to be one of my favorite places to eat KBBQ, but after the new management, the quality of food and service has gone down. Management changed about two? years ago now and the place has lost its charm. Ever since, the workers haven't been up to standard. Coming from someone who eats KBBQ very regularly in the states and in Korea, I can tell their work is just sloppy now. The times I've been recently the workers cook the meat poorly, cut it poorly, and worst of all in my opinion, they rush you by cooking your meat and not letting you take your time. Most recently, one server finished cooking a meat for us and after about 5 minutes, while we were still eating, they started cooking TWO more cuts of meat. You could get indigestion eating here the way they cook your meat with so little downtime. Typically, your meat is cut and you have a lot of time to eat and drink. Then, the server will ask if you're ready for the next cut. This time, we literally had three cuts of meat to eat all at once. The food obviously got cold and we couldn't stop him because he threw all the meats on the grill without even letting us know. On top of that, none of the servers were attentive. They wouldn't check in at all, and it's hard to get their attention. Even when talking to them, they don't even look at you and will only sometimes acknowledge what you said. It's disappointing because I used to adore this place for the food and service. I'm sad to say that the quality of the restaurant as a whole has gone down. PS If you're looking for Saero (the Soju) there's a 99% chance they don't have it. read more

The meat and kimchi were fantastic! Service was great. It's pricey but totally worth it!

This place has good meat and interesting sides, which is pretty different from a standard kbbq place. Got brisket, rib eye, wet aged pork belly. The beef was extremely good - good texture and flavor. Idk if I was super hyped for the pork belly but it was just ok. Certain parts of it was very tender and had a mallow-ey texture, but other parts was kinda rough. I wasn't wowed by their specialty. The side of salt is really good (like it wasnt super salty but had flavor!) And I like that they put minced garlic in the sesame oil. The side dishes were FIAHHHHH. Cheese, creamy risotto, kimchi jjigae, assorted pickles, seasoned green onions, and they give you a cold bean sprout soup (interesting, very different!) Definitely very refreshing and compliments the pork very well. The seasoning on the green onions stood out, a perfect balance of spices and a hint of sweet. Lastly, I'd like to comment on the superb service. Everyone looked super focused, like they were here to get shit DONE. I don't even care about this usually but their work ethic just stood out. They cooked the meat perfectly, refilled side dishes before I asked, and even noticed when I dropped my spoon. Everyone was professional and polite. Might be my new bbq spot (just not for pork belly hehe) :3 read more

Sookdal - Wet aged pork belly - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

(IG OC.SOCAL.EATS) Sometimes, you want to hit up a KBBQ spot for the quality of the meats instead of the quantity, and this is one of those spot for it. I been here a few times already, but I will discuss more on my recent visit. Food 5/5 I LOVE LOVE all their banchan. Like I have said before, this is so important to me when eating at a Korean restaurant. We were also given a beansprout soup that is so refreshing. I loved it. I ate/drank it up all by myself. No one else wanted it. Ordered Combo C for 3 people that includes: Pork Belly, Pork Shoulder, Skirt Steak, and Pork Neck. It also comes with a choice of stew (we chose the soybean paste stew because my nephew can't handle spice well) & cheese. All the proteins was delicious. Got to eat the beef real quick because it cooks up fast (unless you like it well done). The cheese with the meat was perfection. My favorite was definitely the Pork Belly and Pork Neck. The Risotto with Cream Sauce looked interesting and I wanted to try it. I didn't know I had to mix it, but luckily the waiter told me to do so. Overall, it was very flavorful. I would order it again. I asked the waiter would you eat this with the grilled meat and he said no. But don't listen to him. If you want to do it, DO IT. I tried it and all the YUM!!!! Service 5/5 They cook for you...can't beat that! They won't feed it to you...you must know how to do that yourself. Wait 4/5 I have been really lucky about getting a table here without having to wait too long. This place is small and you can be waiting awhile to get a seat. read more

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Best grilled pork belly in town! Cheese on top! Side dishes are good, loved their salad dressing. Small, cozy place. Friendly staff. Will be back for more. read more

Sookdal - Combo B - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Samgyeopsal is my favvvv and this place serves very high quality pork in town. They don't offer any flavors, just lightly salted, which is exactly the way i love it. Get cold noodles to eat with your grilled dish, you dont disappointed I love the pork here better than beef. But they do also have a few beef options to choose. Their pork menu only has 3 cuts, belly, shoulder, and neck. Shoulder is a much dryer compared to the other 2 options. Please try it. They're so good. read more

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Love this place for some juicy, fatty pork cuts! Set menus so they pick out your meats and offer sides that pair well with them. Love their grilled cheese and perilla leaf to eat with the pork. Gets packed so come early. They grill the meat for you! read more

Another KKBQ bop. Overpriced packages A,B,C,D. Most packages won't even make you full and you'll pay over $100. The positives- the meat was good and cooked for you very well damn near perfect. You also don't smell that much like bbq after leaving. The negatives- charge for most everything else and overpriced extra meat in which you will almost always have to pay for. You feel leaving your wallet is now empty as well as your stomach. Also floors were very greasy (I understand a lot of places are) which made it dangerous to walk. The service was OK but could have been better due to the prices they were charging. It amazes me how people are blind to the business side of this as a consumer. (How they are getting over on you) There are plenty of KBBQ places that have way better pricing and great quality along with good service. (Try Thirsty cow, or my favorite Gangnam Station for around $30-$60 AYCE long waits at both places but you'll be 100% satisfied and it's worth the drive) All in all I felt robbed and most likely won't return unless someone else is paying. (One and done) read more

Came here both times to celebrate with friends and family. Food was amazing but the same manager with glasses who was in charge of our tables for both events ruined our experiences. We wanted to try out the seafood soybean soup and misspoke by calling the soup "seafood bean paste soup". Manager stood there for 30 whole seconds, staring at us like we were dumb. He made us read the menu to correctly pronounce the soup and gave us a smirk. Will definitely not be coming back here again! read more

my favorite spot to eat kbbq, it hit all the spots! we got the combo and it was delicious!! the flavors were melting on my tongue and every bite led to a new experience. we also got the cold noodles and those were perfect for a hot day. it was spicy but not too spicy and had so much flavor! i love the sides, the different variations were perfect with each piece of meat! they cook for you which is great to enjoy your food and conversation. they were very attentive as well!! the place is big so we were seated right away, granted we did come right as they opened.. lol safe to say we were excited! definitely did not disappoint and i will be coming back read more

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Food was good but the customer service was really bad. The female server ahjumma with short hair was very unfriendly and didn't explain anything to us and blamed us for doing things. It was her job not to make the food burn!!! Also we ordered 3 risotto and one of them came out super late (took another 30 mins after 2 of them came out). We asked her if she forgot to put in the order and she angrily replied no and it will come out soon. And... that took another 30 mins. Horrible server. Didn't want to tip her srsly. read more

Sookdal - Pork Belly, Spicy Noodle, Risotto - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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My friend recommended this place so we decided to try this resturant. To be honest, I thought it was a little overpriced and I prefer going to an all you can eat kbbq that serves thinly sliced meats. We ordered pork belly so I can only speak for this particular meat, maybe other meats would taste better. It was $38 a person for a bunch of pickled vegetables, rice, soup, kimchi cold noodles, and pork belly. The waitress did a good job seating/cooking the big chunk of pork belly. She also cut each meat very evenly with scissors and it was interesting to look at. Apparently this time (according to my friend) the waitress didn't lock the juice in the meat right, therefore, the meat ended up being a little bit on the drier and tougher side. It didn't have the juicy, tender, and oily texture that I was hoping for. Kimchi noodles were good, chewy noodles in sweet and savory soup. The ambience is nice, came at around 5:30 on Monday so we were seated immediately. Clean and nice facility. Maybe I'm a bit of a money pincher and expected something more out of a $38 meal. read more

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Delicious and great quality! Side dishes were different than what I usually see. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the pickled long green leaf (not sure the name for it). They offer salt, garlic with sesame oil, and wasabi for the seasonings. Surprisingly happy to have kbbq with wasabi. We ordered Combo C (pork belly, pork shoulder, skirt meat, pork neck, stew of your choice, and cheese) - which was perfect for our group of 3. Every cut of meat was so delicious in their own way, and it was nice that they cooked it for us to perfection. We went on a Tuesday night around 9pm - no wait at all. read more

Came here for dinner one night and it wasn't too busy. Quickly seated and our order was quickly taken. We got combo A which came with pork belly and brisket along with bean paste stew and some slices of cheese. Brisket was mid, but the pork belly was phenomenal. We had someone cooking for us and he was very attentive with the meats. The banchan was alright, they all kinda tasted the same, which was some variation of pickled vegetables. This place stood out to me because of the dipping options, which was wasabi, salt, and a garlic and sesame oil dip. It went really well with the pork belly and definitely look forward to coming back. read more

Sookdal - Pork belly - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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I absolutely love the food here. It's good quality meat in a relaxed atmosphere that just can't be beat. The service is fantastic. I love the side dishes just as much as the main course . The pickled garlic leaves and clear broth add a great contrast to the savory flavors of the meat. read more

Service is very fast and I got seated within 10 minutes,It isn't very cheap and is pricy but the delicious food makes up for the price.The pork belly is very good and so is the ribeye . The restaurant is quite loud though but that is the only downside I have encountered. read more

Sookdal - Food - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Really great Korean bbq restaurant. Came here on a Saturday night and it was really busy. The restaurant is kind of small and we waited around 30-40 minutes to be seated. I forgot which meal we got on the menu but overall my experience was great. The food was amazing, the side dishes were all tasty, and the service was quick. No complaints here and would come back. read more

UPDATE: Revising my review because this guy in glasses actually gave us the time of day and was prompt with our needs- the only staff to treat us like a valued customer. The grilled cheese was something different too so I'm giving it a 2. I'm currently sitting at this restaurant- service is super slow. There were two party seated after us and they got their orders way ahead of us. NOBODY GOT BACK TO US TO TAKE OUR ORDER AFTER WE GOT SEATED. It is very frustrating. Other places have bad customer service but nothing tops being IGNORED. I came here with a two year old for dinner- so if you want to eat WITHIN reasonable time especially with kiddos, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Food is not worth the BAD CUSTOMER service and LONG WAIT. I don't complain a lot with customer service and I'm very generous with my reviews. But this time, it's unbelievable read more

Sookdal - This is our grill almost 45 minutes since we were seated - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Great quality meat, banchan. Very impressed by the quality of food. The meat was definitely tasty but the banchan (side dishes) were crisp, clean and super delicious! Due to covid the meat comes precooked before being brought out to you, but its a plus since they cooked the meat better than me haha. All in all this place has the best pork in town and the banchan is something to be excited for! read more

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Our go-to pork restaurant has delicious risotto, refreshing kimchi noodles, and incredibly tasty pork belly and pork neck. It's such a great place!" read more

Love this place. Got the combo D, some noodles and some soju for a party of 4. Pork is excellent and service is great. They check on you frequently, cook the meat just right, and have plenty of sides for you while they cook. Nice and rowdy and lively when I got there around 7-8pm. Loved the experience will be coming back! read more

We tried Sookdal because a certain restaurant down the street had a wait that was almost 2h. But we are so glad that we did! The service was attentive, and the bbq and banchan were delicious. Pricing was reasonable and we would eat here again. read more

Wet aged pork belly is absolutely phenomenal.There's no other place like this! They don't accept reservation so be there a bit early and prepare for a wait list. We ordered Set B and all the meat we had was absolutely delicious and meltedin my mouth. They provide variety of side dishes with the meal such as house salad, pickled wild galic (myeongi), pickled radishes, and kimchi. Overall, everything was in great quality, so it justified the price. Service was exceptional as well. read more

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Like a high end a la carte Korean restaurant, a bit on the pricey side. Not AYCE but the portions are big enough to fill you up. Don't dare to touch the grill or cook your meal, they will cook the food for you. When bringing the dishes of meat choices to the table, they give you a meat tag informing customers of the meat's age, cut, preparing chef etc. I like the concept, service and quality. I just wish they had more banchan options, more combo options, and a lower price (BUT you ARE paying for what you're getting here). read more

Sookdal - Combo C - pork belly, pork shoulder, skirt meat, and pork neck - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Went here last night for my birthday with my boyfriend. The food was delicious a small amount, but I always get really full. So the amount was perfect. It was recommended to me by a coworker. So I decided to try something different. Service was great. Everybody helps each other out cooking for the customers. Which is different for a Korean barbecue restaurant. Want to experience that part after a long day of work. The ambience was casual but comfortable. As soon as we got there expected to have to wait at least half an hour to an hour knowing Korean barbecue restaurants. However, the minute we got there we got seated. It was great. I'm used to having other kinds of Korean meat with other seasonings and spices. That didn't quite come with what we had last night. So I was a little bummed. I like a lot of flavor. It was a little bit pricier than I thought it would be. But after being there, I realized it was more premium meat. So all in all the experience was great. read more

One of the best quality of meats at a KBBQ restaurant you will ever find! I always leave here feeling satisfied because everything is so yummy and the servers really take care of you from start to finish. Ordering their wet aged pork is a must. Pork belly, pork jowl, pork shoulder, it's a whole other level. The flavor is deeper and the fatty parts melt in your mouth way better than regular pork. There are different combos with different meat options, some including brisket or ribeye steak, but I'd stick to the pork honestly. The banchan also tastes great, very well seasoned and there is good variety. I especially love that their kimchi stew also has pieces of their pork belly in it! Their menu is not big because they focus on quality and I've been here enough times to try everything. I love it here and I can't wait to visit again! read more

Make sure to eat before you eat from this restaurant. You will bankrupt if you are hungry. My friend and I had a combo for nearly $130 with tips. We ended up going to in n out afterwards. Tip- ask for rice of bowl and eat as much as you can with little bit of a meat. read more

Their pork is off the chart!!! First time trying dry aged pork and has been coming back. Love all the pickled side dishes and the fact that they grill the meats for you. I always go with Combo C and two rice wine read more

Food is good, price is ok. Came in on a sunday afternoon and it wasn't crowded I love the pinnaple so it's a plus point. Been forever since the last time I had pork belly, definitely fulfilling. Service is quick and helpful too! read more

Sookdal - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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Sookdal is by far the best Kbbq restaurant to get pork. The pork is always juicy and tender. Their side dishes are all pickled which go really well with the meat. I knocked off a star because the skirt meat that comes in the combo always has a weird taste to it.. almost like it's been soaked in old water? (Not sure how to express it). Their kimchi stew, kimchi cold noodles, and risotto are all really good as well so be sure to give it a try! The service is average but better than most Korean restaurants I've been to. This doesn't stop me from going though and I encourage you to give this place a try if you love pork! read more

Sookdal - Combo C - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

This place is more authentic than Bakjeong in Irvine. I really like that the banchan isn't pickled in all sugar water - more of an acidic taste to the banchan. The meal goes by pretty quickly since they cook the meal for you. Our server didn't speak English and couldn't explain how to enjoy the meal other than referring to the cue card on the table despite this being our first time. read more

How does this place only have 176 reviews??? This restaurant has easily become one of our regulars we frequent. It always hits the spot and never disappoints. Sookdal has immaculate wet aged pork belly, cooked to perfection. Trust me on this. Ain't no turning back after your first meal. On our very first visit, we ordered the combo, but realized afterwards that we loved the pork belly more than anything else. From that day on, my husband and I always order 2 servings of the wet aged pork belly, kimchi jjigae, soju, and an extra order of the green leaf banchan you wrap the meat in. I was also super excited that they turned a portion of the parking lot into outdoor dining. Tables are spread apart and it's limited capacity. Service is always great and I don't have anything bad to say. I love you, Sookdal. Don't ever change on me. read more

Sookdal - Korean Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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