How to Get Your Korean BBQ Fix

Diverse City Tours CAC
Nov 14, 2020
2 min read

Stopping for Korean barbecue was perhaps the only aspect missing from an otherwise fantastic DCT Koreatown tour. There’s nothing quite like a KBBQ experience; the smoky fumes of different meats and seafood cooking on the grill, the bang for your buck of AYCE, and the unbuttoned pants hidden under a belly full of KBBQ afterwards. While it wasn’t possible for us to sit down inside and have dinner together on our tour, there are still ways to satisfy your KBBQ craving.

As more restaurants pivot towards distanced outdoor dining, KBBQ restaurants have transformed their parking lots into temporary dining setups that are starting to resemble Seoul’s iconic tented street food stalls. Using portable tabletop butane grills, many KBBQ restaurants have reopened for business and are providing the same excellent quality of meat and side dishes. Eater LA put together a list of some KBBQ places open for outdoor dining around the Los Angeles and OC area. Just make sure to verify hours of operation.

If you would rather avoid restaurants, the Thrillist has a weekend project for you: KBBQ at home. Head to the Galleria Market, one of our Koreatown highlights, to pick up some authentic ingredients, meats, and even a tabletop grill. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Equipment:

Food processor or blender (to blend all the ingredients for marinade)
A way to cook the meat (best to do this outdoors so your house doesn’t get smokey, you can use:
- Tabletop grill or burner
- Outdoor grill
- Camping stove
- Classic stove and frying pan combo

Easy Korean BBQ Marinade:

1 medium onion, halved
1 garlic bulb, peeled
1 cup pineapple or tart apple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar, Korean malt syrup (mool yeot), honey, agave, or whatever sweetener you like
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon black pepper