50 Best Korean Restaurants near El Monte

“Plenty of parking in the plaza. We got the pink lemonade fish bowl and personally I would've liked more alcohol in it because most of my friends and I were completely fine and didn't taste like it had alcohol . We didn't order any food but will definitely come back again to try some. Overall our server was nice and the vibes were great. They had some games to play while drinking and tvs all around playing kpop music videos.“

“Nice little gem we recently found. Place was clean & inviting and one of the cooks did a great job explaining the menu to us. We ordered the cheese Katsu meals and the portions are perfect! Really enjoyed the salad and dressing that topped it. Bowl of miso and rice were the perfect touch to complete the meal. Cheese katsu was amazing and the food was hot and fresh and the service was great. Definitely going to put this on our list of "places to return to"“

“Omma’s is solid for a quick bite. They’re always on point and will throw in the potato salad if you ask. This is a once a week visit for me and my family. If we don’t go in person at Ari Rang Tofu House, this is the place to go when we do takeout.“

“Had an amazing night at Hanshin Pocha, exploring modern twists on Korean street food. The cheesy Mandu and spicy Tteokbokki were highlights, alongside the crispy Yangnyeom chicken. The Tomato Sauce Gyeran Mari, a fluffy omelette in tomato sauce, was a standout. Paired with cold beer and soju, it made for a memorable experience. Definitely a spot worth visiting for a fun and flavorful evening! Join me on IG @hotbuthungryasianguy for more delicious finds! Until next time, cheers!“

“This place was amazing. We came it with a group of 10, and we got set up with a table right away. They got our orders quickly, and then appetizers and food came out just as quick. However, the food was probably the best Korean fried chicken I have had in a long time. The sauce flavors were delicious, chicken was crunchy. Definitely have to try Korean BBQ , Lemon Pepper (dry), and the Sweet Chili Wings. Even the Bulgogi Pizza was great. Great little hole in the wall spot. Will have to come backWheelchair accessibility: It's a dive in location off the strip of the downtown location. Entrance is level with sidewalk, so wheelchair can roll right it, and there are a couple tables that can be set up with wheelchair seating. I can not vouch for the restroom as I did not check.“

“Best Korean Tofu Soup (sundubu-jjigae) in SGV!Tofu Bean is my go-to whenever I'm craving good comfort Korean food! My husband and I usually get the tofu soup combos with galbi. I always get the seafood tofu soup and it comes loaded with shrimp, oysters, and clam! Everything is so delicious here! All the entrees come with the traditional banchan and it's always freshly made! You know a Korean restaurant is good when their banchan is on point!As a Kpop fan I also love how they play Kpop and kdramas on the tvs! They even have RM's autograph displayed in the front of the restaurant as you walk in! Being Army I can't help but fangirl over it whenever I visit!“

“Finally got the chance to try this dessert place after always passing by. I got the pure milk soft serve and 3 pieces of taiyaki in custard and red bean. The soft serve is a nice texture and it's very soft. The milk is a bit too sweet, in my opinion. And you can self serve on several toppings for the soft serve. The taiyaki is very good, just wish that it is a bit more crispy. They give a generous amount of filling inside the taiyaki. Inside is a small place. They only have a bench and a couple of stools. Overall, a great dessert place!“

“I love this place - everything from the 90° seats, to the timeless Christmas decor (cuz they surve ice so it kinda works) . Their shaved ice was NIIIIice to say the least (pun intended). Super funsies texture and the mint on top was extra tasty. Unsure if it was washed but def still top notch. - my friend B3N“

“After success with the jajiang noodles, I had to try the stall right next door. Inside the fantastic Hmart market, is Kazu Mori. I’d say Katsu is there specialty with pork and chicken. I had the pork tonkatsu with curry. Huge portions and so good. I actually thought I was a bit pricey bit after I saw the quality and portions, I reconsider. Also, not a Bricks and mortar saves a bit.I think the key is to get a bunch of people and order two or three items from each stall. The choice are fantastic.“

“This place is so underrated, I've only ever gotten in on doordash, but this place slaps. Spicy pork and the side dishes that come along with it are all you need but you can also venture into the beef short ribs. Won't be disappointed. One of the best things left in Montebello.“

“Great coming back to our new fave KBBQ spot. Prefer it much more than Gen. Love the “butcher style” vibes and how they cook for you. Great cuts of meat!!! Gio, Calvin, Devin were great hosts. Super consistent across diff locations. Highly recommend this place.“

“My opinion, one of the best late night take out food in the area. Ordered the combo Rosé Theokbokki and Mayak Kimbap and it was very yummy. If you grew up loving yupduk Theokbokki but couldn't handle the spice and want to try something more creamy and sweet, this is the place yo. Also, price is not bad so COME ON!“

“I have never had a food spot that I would say is "my favorite" but THIS place I can for sure say is currently my (first) favorite food spot all thanks to this bossam When my friend first took me here back in December 2023, I told her the food was just "okay" but tell me why I couldn't stop thinking about this bossam after that. I took a different friend group here in March 2024 and the bossam satisfied my cravings after months of thinking about it I can't wait for the next time I get to come back here. If this dish wasn't so expensive for a single person, I would be coming back here more frequently until they remember me.“

“Finally came on the recommendation of a K-Town Cowboy Buddy and happy I made it out! Solid Kbbq non-AYCE option in Rowland/Eastern SGV. Went with a college buddy and family and ordered the premium combo with mega galbi! More than enough meat for a party of 4 adults and 4 young kids! Solid value and great quality.“

“My former colleague from Daycare job and I met up here to dine in on Dec/5/23 on my day off. What delish treats these Korean Rice Plates are!!!! Customer service was topnotch and right off the bat when we were having a hard time deciding if we wanted to fetch their Holiday Korean Dumpling deal at $29.99 for a frozen bag and 4 packs of mixed and matched dumplings. I had to get me a set so my mom and I can reduce cooking time this holiday month of Dec/23. Anyways, I ordered their Korean Rice (Beef) plate to go, and that was huge and delish, good enough for 2 meals. I was only able to chow down half of it. This was our first time here, and we both had a fabulous time here. We will meet back here again next time visiting 'Manduyo,' Authentic Korean Cuisine. Even your side salad dish that was included in the plate was all fresh: there was nothing bitter from any piece of salad veggies I ate. I'll be back on my next shift!!!!W2G, 'Manduyo,' of San Gabriel, CA. You had me at Hello.“

“The classic must-order menu at Sun Nong Dan is their Galbi Jjim. This time we try their Koh Galbi Jjim. The only difference from their regular Galbi Jjim is that this one comes with an ox tail.We got the medium size and the portion is big enough for 3 people. You get to choose if you want purple rice or white rice to come with it. You can add cheese and they will do a little show for you to record the cheese being torched in front of you, but we didn’t add any cheese this time.For the sauce, you can choose if you want it not spicy or spicy (there are 5 spiciness levels); we chose level 2 and it’s not too spicy, you can still taste the sweetness. Other than the 3 meat cuts, there are also potatoes, carrots, onion, and rice cake on this side. Overall, just a perfect combination that we can’t get enough of!Follow IG @hangrytrails.us for more OC foods ?️“

“Food was good but heavy! This is a loud restaurant and is good if you're wanting a bar style environment with food and drinks. Hence the name - pocha. One of the owners or managers was walking around checking on customers which was so nice. Overall, I enjoyed the food and service was decent but it was a little too heavy for me so I probably won't return.“

“Hidden gem in Monrovia. If you're looking for some good Korean food in the 626, look no further! KBop is located in a small shopping plaza on Huntington Drive. I recently saw a food blogger on IG post about KBop and I had bookmarked them as a place to try.I've been tricked by IG reviews before, so I decided to do some homework on Yelp before trying it and the reviews were good.So, I placed my order via their website for pick up. I got food for me and my parents. The food was ready when I got there and the staff was friendly. Condiments and utensils were in the bag and ready to go. I ordered 3 KBop bowls with different proteins/rice for each person, an order of the KBop fries with the spicy pork and an a la carte order of the boneless wings (Soy Garlic).The bowls are huge and can pass for multiple meals. The chicken/beef was nicely flavored and very tender. The egg on KBop bowls didn't travel well - the yolk cooked all the way thru by the time I got back home.The fries also didn't travel well. The spicy pork had a nice kick to it, not too spicy, but just enough.A couple days later, my mom asked "Can you go get that Korean Chicken for dinner again?" She must've REALLY liked it to ask for it again. Can't say no to mom right? So this time around, I the 3 KBop bowls and 2 orders of the a la carte wings (Soy Garlic & the Sweet Chile).Both flavors are very good. Will be making this spot a regular on the rotation -“

“AMAZING service!!! The meat was so fresh and delicious! We are visiting from Chicago and this impressed us so much!! Come for the food stay for the service!! Thank you so much SOH Grill house!“

“Came down to Walnut to visit my family...and we were wondering what to eat .. In n out ? Happy wok? Casa Alvarez? McDonald's ? No more Colima Burger :( So I looked on yelp and scrolled down till I came upon Country Chicken & Taco Frank was nice and explained the menu... I would say pre order is best because it takes about 15-20 minutes ... they're delicious , we got the buffalo , garlic sauce, tacos , mozzarella sticks , Fries .. my family loved it all. Fed 5-6 people. Would go again.“

“Food is good. Boba more like less authentic. Everything good just you make sure they don't go wrong on your order. My Boba had a peace of plastic. Hopefully they get better.Parking: It's always almost full because of subway or Dennys but pretty sure you'll find parking .Kid-friendliness: A small place.“

“Great food priced right! One of our favorites places to eat at’“

“Their soy garlic is real good here. We ordered the group meal, which came with wings and drumsticks, and 2 sides. Only the wings come with sauce but you can dip the crispy drumsticks in the extra sauce for more soy garlic goodness.Service is great. Seating is limited inside and outside. There’s free parking in their lot and on the streets.“

“Best teriyaki chicken“

“I can't believe that I didn't write a review for A Ri Rang Tofu House because I've been there many times. It's still my go-to for Korean tofu soup. It's located in a busy strip mall so parking is an issue. Luckily we got a space downstairs at busy dinner time. It was windy and chilly that night so the restaurant was full when we got there. We waited about 10 minutes and we got our table. Their prices are not cheap and they increased a lot in recent years. We ordered the combo C8 (rice with assorted vegetables and beef in the hot stone pot plus a seafood tofu soup ($28.99), S4 Grilled teriyaki chicken ($26.99), and S8 Rabokki (rice cake, fish cake, ramen noodles, vegetables with spicy sauce) for ($18.99). The restaurant also offers side dishes (banchan) for free and you can ask for refills. The banchan was very addictive and we all liked the potato dish, broccoli, seaweed, and kimchi, etc. Service was okay that night maybe they were too busy. The Grilled teriyaki chicken was tender but the portion was smaller than before and the chicken meat was cut into small pieces. I still like my bibimbap hot stone rice but I wish the seaweed was more crispy and the beef was not cut into those tiny pieces though. My daughters like their rice cake dish but they could not finish it. Overall it was delicious and it was satisfying to have hot Korean food on a chilly night.“

“They have so many yummy dishes here! Way more than expected at a cafe.Highlights of the menu:1. Mini hot pot: Mongolia lamb and Satay beef2. Pork belly skewers3. Lamb skewers4. Beef aorta skewers5. Spicy wonton6. Eel bibimbap7. Short rib with quail egg and tofu8. Stirred beef with quail egg and rice9. Beef bulgogiDrinks:10. Mango pomelo sago11. Oreo brulee matcha12. Mango coconut smoothie“

“For the record, this place is not all you can eat. Price is definitely on the higher side of Korean BBQ. However, the food and the service you get are definitely worth the trip. The food is cooked by your server, and they will ask you how you want your meat cooked. The side dishes are delicious. My favorite is the sauce they give you for the BBQ. The only thing that may deter you from going to this restaurant is the long line during peak hours.“

“Service was good but the food was even better. Took some friends and they loved the place too. Normally don't eat too much bossam but their veggie mix for it is killer and my wife is even impressed that I eat more bossam there then any other place.“

“Frequent KBBQgoer. Prices for this place were reasonable (weekends don't offer lunch pricing). The service was good—waitress was very attentive. Their brisket and galbi are the best by far. Some of the other meats were too dry for my taste. They offered free ice cream at the end, which was terrific. The space was clean and they changed grills frequently. Side dishes were good. For the price point and atmosphere, a very good afternoon :)“

“Volcano Bowl is the business! Friendly service in a small restaurant.“

“This place definitely should have over 5 stars! Absolutely delicious and the service by Michelle was way over the top. She was very delightful and very helpful. And my girlfriend and I both had our meals that were way better than any average Korean restaurant. We really enjoyed our experience here and we highly recommend anyone to come try a very tasty Korean food with awesome service. Thank you!“

“This place serves a very decent bowl of protein, rice and veggies. I appreciate that the chicken is not drenched in an overly sweet and goey sauce, instead, it has a light teriyaki flavor that you can accentuate with additional sauce served on the side. There is a charge for veggies, but the broccoli was cooked perfectly al dente and the green onions added a nice fresh crunch. I did wish there had been more green onions. The portion was big enough for me to share with my child. Big plate was around $13. Customer service was polite and service prompt. The place is small, however, it was not crowded during my visit. I will definitely return.“

“We were recommended to try their wings.. We love wings and always looking for some juicy savory wings. WELL THIS IS IT!! The wings are deep fried and that crispy fried OMG! Last week was our first time trying and I tried the Hot wings!!! Omg y'all they were amazing!! The sweat and sour sauce!!! Ohhhhh yes! Well anywho.. you must try them... you will not be disappointed! I see why they kept insisting or us to come. I needed more wings in my life and decided to go today. I had spicy galbi wings! Great flavors and again fresh and crispy!! The Lichee Black Tea is my favorite as well. The service is great, very helpful and very nice service. All is clean and neat. Love it and will continue to visit to keep trying all flavors!! Give them a try they will not disappoint!“

“No frills teriyaki spot. The entrance was confusing. It looks like a glass storefront but it's an automatic sliding door that isn't very sensitive or quick. So you need to stand there and then it will open after a short delay. Service was quick, food was decent. Price is fair for Pasadena.“

“I'm munching on their Crispy Ban Ban chicken with signature sauce as I type this. First time here tonight and Kayla took care of me. The options are many and I was too hungry to make any decisions so I just asked her to hook me up, and she did not disappoint!! Wish I knew of this place sooner, I'll be coming back over and over. Thanks Kayla“

“Food was amazing, it was quiet and mostly empty when I went. There was a moment nearing the end of my meal when a Karen came in and sat herself, and started to hassle the server over mistranslation of words (from Japanese to English) so she yelled at them and stormed out. Either way, dinner and a show. And a complimentary miso soup would go back again for sure. Service 10/10“

“My favorite place to get jjajangmyeon!! I got separate orders of the jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk and the tangsuyuk plate was huge!! I'll stick to the combo next time but it can definitely feed two hungry people and great amount for the price.“

“OMG! Soooo Gooodddd! Don't go anywhere else, this place is legit, and it's tasteful. 100 percent quality teriyaki done right, not over cooked, or undercooked. No scrappy meat, or odd ball rice and noodles. Very good tasting and very delicious from beginning to end.I am definitely saving this spot and will be coming back for many more! Parking is a challenge, so order ahead or plan it right to get your food. Other than that, the lady this morning was extremely helpful and courteous for a 1st time visit that superseded my expectations!Thank you!!“

“As a non-Vegan(I eat everything), I absolutely love this place! The work staff is so kind and they always make me want to come back! Everything is always cooked and seasoned to perfection! 10 out of 10 stars! I had a death in the family and they went out their way to write me a heartfelt note and slipped it my bag along with my order! That was so sweet and I will never forget it!“

“Really, really good food. The pork ribs were amazing.“

“My first time here was not the best because we came around 9:10pm and was able to get a seat without waiting. We ordered our first round and when the meat came my server just dumped all my beef tongue on the grill when the grill was not hot. This caused my beef tongue to be soggy and very tender.. :( We continue cooking other cuts of meat as we order and surprisingly the meat cuts were pretty nice compared to all the other AYCE bbq places out there. Soooooo...We visit Thirsty Cow almost once every two weeks! We come here for friends gathering, dates, and even just regular dining. We came here mostly for the meat cuts cuz to us thats what matters the most! Instead of trying other places we just stick to Thirsty Cow for ayce bbqs now since their meat quality are by far the best and most consistent. Our most recent visit was on April 7th and we noticed that they changed their menu a little bit. They now have wet and dry aged meats for their Premium option which was a plus for us. More options for Wagyu but they removed their Tomahawk :( They give each person 1 Melona ice cream after you pay so that was pretty nice and cute in my opinion. Their service can be a little messy since they do not offer virtual waitlist or phone reservation. You need to check in at the counter to get a place in line and then wait for your number to be called. Lines are unfortunately pretty long most of the time. We tried visiting at 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4pm and even 8pm. Usually there's always a 30 minutes minimum wait time.Service provided by their servers varies a lot depending on how busy they are. Sometimes I see my server running around all tables taking care of more than 7 tables at a time and other times I just never see my server anywhere ever. So it depends a little bit on your luck and the days you visit. Either way, definetly give them a try for their meat!!! I believe they also increased their price slightly from what they used to be.“

“Wow, Bonjuk and Bibimbap is awesome! My only regret is not knowing about this place sooner. I can see why it’s one of the most popular chains from Korea. The restaurant was clean and modern looking inside, and the food was phenomenal. It was a healthy, lighter option compared to some other spots in the area. Our server was also super nice.We ordered the mushroom + bulgogi bibimbap and seafood pancake. Both were absolutely delicious, and I look forward to coming back again soon.The chicken ginseng soup was also very healing and tasty! There was some dates, rice and green beans in it which was a nice touch.“

“I cannot emphasize enough how exceptional the service was for me. The waiter had very helpful answers to my questions (about portion size) on what I should order.I ordered the half green onion, half garlic bossam for $42. I love the garlic sauce here—it's a sweet minced garlic paste that masks any gaminess in the pork. The green onion sauce was more of just a gochujang sauce that had shredded green onion on top. Not my favorite but that's just my personal preference.I didn't think I was waiting particularly long for my food at all. Maybe just 5-10 minutes into placing my order, the waiter came by to let me know my dish would be coming out kind of slow because they were making a fresh batch of the pork. They offered some refreshments on the house and refilled my banchan without me needing to ask. AND THEN they came around like another 5-10 minutes later to offer a plate of freshly fried gyoza for the "inconvenience." I really didn't think the wait was unreasonably long at all, but their dedication to good service brings me to tears. ? ?Parking: The plaza has a large parking lot, but it fills up quickly when busy. The road is also a little narrow, so be cautious and watch out for other cars and pedastrians (as you should anyway).“

“Very good food! After eating millions of Korean barbecue family decided to try something different and it’s totally worth it. Only complaint is the chopsticks, which is very flat and heavy, makes it very hard to use. And I’ve been using chopsticks since I was born ?“

“Parking: easy (parking lot) Wait time: No wait (once during 2PM, another time for 8:30PM dinner) Food ordered: 1. Beef and seafood tofu soup 2. BBQ short ribs, tofu soup combo Best tofu soup in SGV comparing to A Ri Rang and Young Dong. Everything was perfectly seasoned especially their side dishes. Although I've had better kimchi (yukdaejang's), I enjoyed their seaweed salad most. Like many Korean restaurants, they refilled all side dishes. I very much wanted to try new dishes here, but what I've ordered previously were so good I couldn't help but order the same thing my second time. Lunch combo did not come with a salted croaker like dinner combo. 10/10 would recommend and come back. My Recommendation to the restaurant: 1. Offer rice cakes in tofu soup (add-ons?) 2. Make a bibimbab+tofu soup combo“

“Excellent Service and I loved the quality of the meats.Parking: It is a plaza so there are many establishments, of course availability will depend on how busy all the stores are.Kid-friendliness: I think it is a family restaurant...there is a grill on each table; that is where you cook your own food: if you are careful with the children everything will be fine.“

“Solid Korean fried chicken and kimchi fried rice. Order at the counter and they bring the food to the table. Chicken pieces were large and exterior was crispy, soy garlic sauce was good. Shared parking lot with a lot of other interesting restaurants.“

“After losing the 50/50 twice during the HSR collab, I drove here in the hopes that I could guarantee the ticket I wanted. I'm so glad I did.The people here are really nice and the building is clean with a nice atmosphere. There's even a little parking out back. The food, of course, is excellent (Signature sauce gang)“

“Imma get straight to the point if u go here and u ain't in the soup mood this is what you get -- the expensive ass shareable sizzling boiling pot of all sorts of different types of meat that will melt in your mouth layered with seasoned soft potatoes and carrots and onions and most importantly tteotboki and probably more stuff. Cheese is an add on and costs more but worth it! They said it feeds 2-3 ppl but nah there was 5 of us and we still didn't finish it!!! Split amongst 5 people it was like 25 bucks per person worth it! Restaurant is small but cozy and kinda transports you to a village I like it! Service was fast and so friendly totally worth it. Also not to be weird the dude with the tatted arm was hot.“

“I got the Mozz & Potato Corndog. Personally i never like corn dog breading but I love panko bread crumbs which they used and the fried potatoes were delicious and mozzarella and such a big cheese pull. The person that took our order wasn't that nice I think she was just trying to get her work done. The stand looked really cool and colorful.“