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    Woowa

    5.0 (333 reviews)
    Closed 11:45 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated a few days ago

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    WOOWA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Woowa

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    Spicy cucumber arugula salad
    Joy C.

    A hole in the wall restaurant that is 100% worth trying in the Gardena area. Met up with friends and went as soon as they opened. They have a lot in the back where you can park. The food was AMAZING. The server/cook, Joon, was so helpful when we were trying to decide what to order. Love that they have a page of their recommended food items. The spicy cucumber arugula salad was definitely one of the best I've had. Nice and refreshing! I also enjoyed their seafood pajeon and pork belly dish. I wish I lived closer because this would be a great place to go to for drinks too! Highly recommend!

    chapaghetti with pork belly
    Johnny T.

    Woowa is an extremely charming late-night spot nested on Western Ave, the legendary street that spans from Hollywood all the way down to PV. I highly recommend making a visit as they do Korean-Italian fusion in a very interesting way that you can't find anywhere else. I've been here about three times now -- earlier into the restaurant's opening and have been pleased to see its growth in such a short amount of time. Let's start with the appetizers; the rice paper-wrapped boneless fried chicken was very surprising. It's unlike other fried chicken, with a lighter texture that doesn't sacrifice the juice. It's a great snack throughout the night. I wasn't a big fan of the arugula salad as it was way too acidic (too much vinegar) and hope that gets adjusted. I do wish they'd add soy garlic WINGS... we are severely lacking in quality wings in Gardena and think Woowa would kill it. CM chicken across the street does not pass my bar, nor does Love Letter a few blocks down. There's also the kimchi pancake, which was very sizable and perfect for a group of 4. They fortunately provide a "top hits" menu, so I recommend you order from that last on your first visit. The top one is the bulgogi meatball, served with a killer gochujang salad. The salad needs to be a side option! The meatball was juicy and well-balanced; the rice was impeccably soft and paired well. You did order alcohol, right...? Because there's more to discuss. The N Pork Belly was INCREDIBLE. It's the highest quality pork belly in Korea and the dish was served on a cast-iron skillet, making every bite juicy and crispy all at once. It's a nice "side dish" as it doesn't come with rice or pasta. The brisket set is no longer on the menu as of writing but I quite enjoyed that one! Next top dish would be the carbonara and risotto - very creamy, yet the Korean flavors shine through to make every bite nostalgic and playful. I thoroughly enjoyed the chapaghetti - I ordered it with pork belly but they should add a steak option to reference the dish in the Parasite film...! I would probably pass on the smoke bulgogi next time around as it didn't wow me enough; the chicken noodle soup was very heartwarming and I think it'd be perfect after tons of alcohol. I've even been to Woowa during the world cup game and it was the perfect atmosphere. The owners and staff are so friendly and welcoming and you can tell every detail has been treated with care. I will say, between the dishes and drinking, the bill can run you up. I believe my average check is ~$120. I wished there were smaller plates with smaller prices so that groups of 2 can budget better, or groups can try more options. During the daytime, they do sell Korean-inspired sandwiches, so that's also another way to get a cheaper bite. Reminds me of The Bear... :) Overall, I am always a champion for late-night eats in Gardena; we always need more! Woowa is the perfect destination spot or even a companion spot to Donna's bar nextdoor. Give them a try!!! I'll see you there.

    Hyun A L.

    술 좋아하시는 분들께 강력 추천합니다. 안주가 하나같이 맛있어서 술이 술술 들어가고, 분위기도 편안해서 오래 머물기 좋았어요. 직원분들도 친절해서 더 만족스러운 시간이었습니다. This is definitely a great spot for drinks! The cocktails were excellent, the food paired perfectly with the drinks, and the service was friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back!

    Lyle O.

    Woowa is a nice Korean/Italian located in a small strip building on the corner of Marine and Western Ave. Street parking is available and also about 8 parking stalls around back. The owner is a nice fellow and tonight when we for dinner, he was a one man show. Hosting, waiting and cooking and did everything really well. He took the time to explain the menu and even gave great recommendations. We made a reservation and highly recommend that as they get pretty busy even other yelpers suggested it. Overall a great dining experience!

    Interior
    Nichole T.

    Always passed by here, looked mysterious and wanted to give it a shot! Came here on a Thursday night with some friends. There's a few parking spots in the back and street parking. Inside there's a couple of tables and bar seating. We shared: Pancake: (3/5) least favorite dish. Feel like it wasn't very hot, flavor was decent though Fries with beef (5/5) beef was so tender, sauces were good and it was good ole crispy fries Rose pasta with meatball (4/5): wish the sauce was more flavorful, was definitely more garlic forward. the meatball was more like a patty and was slightly sweet which was good. Beef with salad/rice (5/5): beef was nice and tender. Same beef they used on the fries. Nice it came with their salad too. Service was really friendly, it was one guy who I think may be the manager or owner. Would come back to try the other dishes!

    Clay pot gochujang carbonara pasta
    Ingrid K.

    The food was unique with flavors I've never tasted before. It was so delicious! It was very easy to share family style with our party 5. Completely recommend this place for the food, service and ambiance. It also doesn't hurt that the server and chef looked like Kdrama stars.

    Alexander L.

    Friendly service and good food ~ Excited for a place that stays open late in Southbay. Would recommend coming with a group to try multiple things and their portions are big

    너무 맛있었어요! 한국에 있는 식당 느낌 나서 좋았어요. 직원분이랑 사장님 너무 친절하시고 잘해주세요. 오일수제비랑 떡갈비 시켜서 먹었는데 양도 많고 엄청 맛있었어요. 추천해요!

    Inside

    This place is a must-visit! They serve amazing Korean food with a creative Italian twist, making the menu incredibly fun and diverse. We tried the Tteokgalbi, Soy Garlic Chicken, and the Spicy Cucumber Arugula Salad, and the combination was absolute perfection. The flavors were bold and uniquely executed, keeping every bite exciting. ​What truly blew us away, though, was the exceptional hospitality. The owner was incredibly sweet and friendly--noticing we had a baby with us, he thoughtfully brought out some baby snacks, rice, and seaweed before our food even arrived! It was such a warm, touching gesture that made our dining experience so comfortable. With phenomenal food, unique menu choices, and genuinely caring service, this spot is a total must-visit. We'll definitely be back!

    Bar area
    Samantha L.

    This place was amazing! My husband and I ordered the rose ttokbokki (with beef belly and corn cheese!) and pork belly- both dishes were packed with flavor and so delicious. The staff was also super friendly and made the whole experience even better. The atmosphere was cozy, clean, and perfect for hanging out with friends or family. I can't wait to come back and try even more from the menu!

    Great Sunday lunch! We had the woowa chicken, ramyeon risotto, and pork belly.
    Erin H.

    A nice little gem in Gardena! My hubby just found out about this place and brought us here for lunch! It's small and cozy on the inside and there's a decent amount of seating. It wasn't too busy when we got there for Sunday lunch. We ordered: - woowa chicken: very light and crispy on the outside, super juicy on the inside - ramyeon risotto: it even had a little presentation by the chef! Tasted great! Savory and def a little kick - pork belly: came with cooked onions and kimchi. Meat was a little on the saltier side but with the onions and kimchi, very good! Unfortunately, we were starving and didn't take pics until we were done eating Will def come back to try some other dishes! Oh, I can't write a review without talking about parking. There's a small lot in the back and also residential parking.

    Maruko X.

    Ambiance: it's a cozy restaurant like a hole in the wall, private parking in the rear, limited seating inside, good for late night hangout Service: super friendly and attentive, patient with requests, cleaned table and refilled water adequately Food & Drink: classic Korean bar food with some creative ideas Ttoek Galbi Meal Set - ***** mix of Korean style salad, beef cube, and rice, very tasty, highly recommend Redondo Seafood Pancake - **** crispy squid pancake, good with dipping sauce, recommend Terra - *** light bottled bear Price: moderate portions and reasonable prices, expect $30~$35 per person

    Oil sujebi

    I sat at the bar and had the best experience! The owner was incredibly friendly, and the fusion dishes were so unique and delicious. Especially the Oil Sujebi, the broth had the perfect spicy kick, and the clams were perfectly cleaned with absolutely no grit. The vibe totally captures that trendy, emotional Korean bar style, making me feel like I was actually drinking back in Korea. Everything felt so fresh that I kept saying "Woowa" (Wow) without even realizing it--the name of the place is just perfect! I'm so glad Gardena finally has a spot like this that stays open late. Definitely coming back!

    Sujebi

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    12 days ago

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    21 days ago

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    3 months ago

    Came here for the first time and was delicious! Highly recommend the tteok galbi and the rosé sujebi!! Great service from the owner too

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    Page 3 of 9

    Woowa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Woowa

    Total Wine & More

    Total Wine & More

    3.8
    (469 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Budget friendly
    Family-owned & operated

    The wine class was dope. The instructors were very knowledgeable of the wines. The class was…read moreexciting and fun learning about the different regions of Italy and where the wines are produced. Had the pleasure of tasting 8 different types of wines. Accidentally knocked one of my glasses on the floor, splattering into many pieces lol. It's was cool tho. We all laughed it off and several minutes later a gentleman was there to sweep it up haha. The material was very informative and I suggest anyone that's looking for a wine tasting experience to enroll in a class. Wine bars are cool too but it's 2 different types of experiences in my opinion. I look forward to enrolling in some more future classes also.

    Wow! This place has been here for a while, yet this was the first time I had ever been in the…read morestore. I used to drive by often, seeing the store sign from the street. Walking in the store, I was a little thrown off because I've never been in a store that's set up like a grocery store, but only sells liquor. I went straight to the back to look at kegs. They have large kegs in the back refrigerator. It's self service, so you can walk through the door, into the cooler, and grab your own. The store is overwhelming. The different types of wines are separated by category. Ie. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir. Beers are separated by country. Ie. German, American. They also have an expansive mini liquor bottle collection near the front of the store, average price $3.99 each. You can sign up for the rewards with your phone number and email address. They also sell snacks to go with all that liquor. There aren't as many staff as you would expect. There were only two people checking people out, which slowed down the process because they were addressing issues at the register. Parking: This store has its own parking lot. I noticed people like to hang out in their cars in the parking lot.

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    Total Wine & More
    Total Wine & More
    Total Wine & More

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    Caps & Corks

    Caps & Corks

    4.3
    (507 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    (In the voice of George Takei) Oh my! This place is awesome!…read more You walk in to get some coffee and a breakfast burrito and, at first, think maybe you went in the wrong place. It's a super clean looking liquor store at first glance - genuinely nice place! But then you smell and see the magic happening to your left. Greeted with a friendly face and offered a nice cup of coffee then I ordered a Philthy Philly Breakfast Burrito and HOLY COW! This thing must have weighed in at about 2-3 lbs easy! And it was just as delicious as it was heavy. Super cool, simple little spot to grab a coffee and a good breakfast burrito!

    Stopped by Caps and Cork recently to grab food. It's more of a convenience store with a food…read morecounter inside, and honestly the food is usually pretty good. I especially like their breakfast burritos and have had good experiences here before. Unfortunately, this visit didn't quite go as planned. I ordered the ham and sausage burrito, which costs extra as a two-meat option, but when I got home it only had ham and no sausage. The burrito itself still tasted good, so this felt more like an order mistake than a quality issue. One thing to note is they charge a fee for credit card purchases, so cash might save you a little if you come often. Overall, still a solid local spot for a quick bite, especially breakfast, and I'll probably still come back.

    Photos
    Ordering counter (Jan 2026)
    Ordering counter (Jan 2026)
    Super Wakey (scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, american cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo on a grilled texas toast)
    Super Wakey (scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, american cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo on a grilled texas toast)
    Storefront (Jan 2026)

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    Storefront (Jan 2026)
    Twilight Liquors

    Twilight Liquors

    3.8
    (10 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    I was enjoying some lunch at Pitburger and decided to cross the street and buy our office pool…read moreLottery tickets. The store has free parking available on the side next to the RxR tracks. The cashier was friendly and took care of my transactions rather quickly. This is a popular store as customers kept coming and going while I was there.

    NEGATIVE (HUNDREDS OF!!!) STARS…read more And I'm never EVER coming back here again. Decades. DECADES friends, family as well as myself have been coming through here because it's the most convenient to get easy quickie stuff: chips, soda, but for me personally, lotto tickets. Plus we are all about supporting local businesses. Now I've seen this place exchange hands/owners/names many times, and up until TODAY, the service and staff were above decent. I came through to exchange some winning scratchers and tickets. I walked in and greeted the front person. Other than a hard stare, no response. I thought, "Okay... maybe he's just having an off day..." and handed him my tickets, "$35" he says. Instead of getting the cash, I exchanged them all for more scratchers. I thanked him and he responded with nothing but a smug look. Like dang, who crapped on your breakfast this morning. I began to walk but called an audible and decided to get regular lotto tix. There was another customer behind me and I didn't wanna hold the line to search through my bag for my pre-filled lotto sheets. So, I got out of the cashier as well as the customers' way and tried to find a spot where I can put my bag down to search for them. The closest is on a couple of stocked boxes in an aisle. Note: that spot was close enough to the front. So, I started digging in, trying to find those sheets in all my pockets, but was unsuccessful. Decided to just take cash out and just do quick picks. I look up and that same cashier, now with a convicting look and tone, told me to open up my bag. That's right: HE'S ACCUSING ME OF SHOPLIFTING. That didn't feel real, and for a second, I thought I may have been hallucinating, so I ignored it. I asked him, "Are you done with him?" As I pointed at the customer who was behind me earlier. And then it got real, "Open your bag, what do you have in your bag?!" Needless to say, this incrimination sent me fuming, and just to embarrass him, I immediately and willingly opened it all up and asked him, "Are you accusing me of stealing?!?" While looking into my bag and pockets like he was the highest being of every airport's TSA, he responded with, "Well, why were you hiding?!?" I told him I wasn't hiding, I was trying to find my lotto sheets and take out cash because I wanted to get tickets. He found nothing, of course, and he had that dumbfounded look. I told him I changed my mind about buying anything, "Accuse me of stealing, that is messed up!" and walked out. He has clearly judged me soon as I walked in - evidenced by his lack of positive interaction from the very beginning. I have never felt so humiliated in my life! For those who wanna know: he's the slim, around 5'8" tall bearded guy. I will be making phone calls and texts to ALL friends and family members and save them the trouble of getting possibly profiled and accused of stealing should they decide to come through here. I may even take it further and file complaints if and where I can. I would never wish local businesses any ill will, but after today, I do not wish this place any success. If this is how they treat loyal customers, and even more especially after this experience, their business failure is inevitable. That guy is going to be the main cause of this business' demise. Never EVER again!

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    Twilight Liquors
    Gambling habit JUN2026
    Gambling habit JUN2026
    Twilight Liquors

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    Woowa - korean - Updated July 2026

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