50 Best Korean Restaurants near El Monte

“I had an amazing experience at Flame Broiler thanks to Eaton and Brayen! From the moment I walked in, their customer service was outstanding. I asked for family meal recommendations, and they were quick to provide helpful suggestions. They went above and beyond by bringing the food directly to my table, instead of calling out my name or number. Their attentiveness and effort made the visit so much more enjoyable.“

“I went here for the first time on a Monday evening. The service was really good and on point on this day. Staff was always checking on us, always making sure our stove was clean or removing finished dishes. I got us the Deluxe meal. The spicy baby octopus was good. The gyōza dumplings and egg rolls were really good. They have sushi as well. Their menu can be accessed by QR code or you can ask for a physical menu.“

“🙂👍 Jin does a great job!“

“I had an outstanding experience at this Korean BBQ restaurant. The service was excellent and the staff were attentive, friendly, and quick to help with grilling and recommendations. The quality of the meats was truly impressive: fresh, flavorful, and beautifully marbled, making every bite memorable. The side dishes were equally delicious, with a great variety and perfect seasoning that complemented the meal perfectly.
Overall, this spot delivers a top-tier Korean BBQ experience. Highly recommended!“

“The first time we came here was about 20+ years ago. We love their food, especially their authentic Korean tofu. I also love their condiments as an appetizer. We moved out of state and came back to visit. This restaurant is on our to-go list. The service was excellent; the waitress always checked in to make sure we had everything we needed. The food and service are still outstanding after 20+ years. Yes, I would recommend this restaurant for authentic Korean tofu soup!“

“Great experience and reasonable price“

“Came from San Fernando Valley, was in the area with family looking for a place to have lunch. Stopped by and the service was amazing, as well as the food. Really recommend coming to eat here. I will definitely bring my family again, and I won't mind driving an hour.“

“Well, love at first sight on their packaging!!! They do the business seriously here 👏

The chicken katsu was juicy, tofu katsu was good. Chicken sando was delish. If anything to improve, they could offer hot sauce/some chili powder(togarashi). Sit outside get the view“

“There wasn't a lot of Korean options I could find in SGV for a weekend lunch that included the regular tofu house kind of fare and that wasn't a place that BF and I were not returning to anymore. What caught my eye at Omma Tofu House was their cold buckwheat noodles, a perfect item to order on a hot summer day.

I knew I didn't have enough appetite to finish their combo of galbi and cold buckwheat noodles, so I opted for the cold buckwheat noodles only ($14.99). BF ordered the bulgogi and beef tofu soup combo ($22.99). Everything really hit the spot.

We've been back multiple times to try other things on their menu like their dolsot bibimbap, jajangmyeon, galbi, spicy pork, spicy grilled chicken, and seafood pancake. All were pretty solid. Our usual go-to now would be a solo order of tofu soup and a tofu soup combo with whatever protein we are in the mood for that meal. They refill banchan, so just bring back the empty plate to the counter for some more. The counter also has a self-serving water/tea machine so you can refill your cup too.

Plenty of parking in the plaza. They close at 8 pm for all 7 days of business, so don't stop by too late, as the food court also tends to shut down around that time.“

“I ordered two types of kimbap—bulgogi and katsu. They were both delicious and fresh. I loved the packaging that the kimbap came in and the service was kind. Very cute, tiny place and yummy food. Can’t wait to come back and try other items on the menu.“

“Didn't know they had more than one restaurant in the L.A. area. This is the second one we tried and it didn't disappoint, it was just as good as the first time and second times we visited the Koreatown location. The service, the food, everything is great.“

“I recently visited Jang Ga Nae for gamjatang, and as expected from a place specializing in it, the gamjatang was excellent. But what really surprised me was how good their bossam and Squid Stir-Fry are — it’s definitely another standout dish. If you come here, I highly recommend ordering both the gamjatang, the bossam and Squid.

The flavors are very clean, and you can really feel the care and home-style quality in the cooking. This is one of my top Korean restaurant recommendations in the Lorena Heights area — highly recommended!

One last thing: I hope to see the owner smile a little more often — it would make the experience even better.“

“Got seated around 16:50, wanted to get the Lunch special but I was worried since it was getting close to 5pm. However, the lady was really nice and let me get the lunch special so I was quite pleased. Great service! The food also tasted great and was of great quality. I would definitely recommend others to come dine here, especially during the weekday lunch special (11am-5pm).“

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

“Excellent food and friendly staff!!“

“This location has a special place for me, as it was my favorite spot years ago when it was a different establishment. After a fire, I honestly never expected to see it come back. Last year, I discovered that it had been rebuilt as 88Q and decided to give it a shot.

I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised. The quality of the food is top notch, and the service is friendly, efficient, and fast. Everyone smiles and truly makes you feel welcomed from the moment you walk in.

Because of the overall experience, 88Q has become my go to KBBQ spot. I will definitely be visiting frequently and recommending it to others.“

“Excellent service ! We ordered the large beef combo for 2 and it was more than enough. Very good quality.“

“They were not joking when they called this comfort food. I was sick, and it was raining, so I wanted something warm and hearty. This place seemed like the obvious choice, and far exceeded my expectations. Food came out fast and blistering hot, but still perfect temperature to eat right away. It was somehow nostalgic, even though it was my first time trying this dish. The tofu was extremely soft, but held its shape well, and very flavorful from absorbing the liquid. It really felt like it cured by illness.

Portion size was also very generous, which is always important. The menu was also pretty varied, I could imagine coming back multiple times and trying something new each time.“

“I ordered chicken teriyaki bowl . It was flavorful and tasty .Side Salad was spicy and tasted good. Receptionist was very welcoming and helpful. Food quality was also good . If you like teriyaki flavor with reasonable price in Pasadena, you can try this .“

“I am not Korean but I love this restaurant. They serve true comfort food. The galbi tang is so tasty as well as the braised beef. Now that they started serving rice cake soup with dumpling, all of my Korean comfort food is in one place. Yay!“

“Great service, accommodating servers even with a packed place of people“

“I was craving Korean bbq but bowl style and this spot was nearby.

I ordered their marinated short rib bowl and I added extra proteins of spam, an egg and chicken with no rice, all salad. It was a phenomenal lunch overall. The flavor was definitely there. It was definitely pricey after I added all the extras, but still worth it.

I’d definitely come back here again to try their other menu items.“

“Came here recently and really enjoyed the hearty, flavorful soup—it had the perfect amount of spice and richness, with fresh ingredients like tofu, green onions, and tender shredded meat. It felt like true comfort food and was definitely the highlight of the meal for me.

I also tried the bossam (steamed pork with tofu and veggies). While it was presented beautifully and came with generous portions, the pork itself was on the dry side for my taste, so it didn’t quite hit the same level as the soup.

Service was friendly and attentive, and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting. I’d definitely come back for the soup again!“

“Absolutely phenomenal ! And the food is absolutely delicious I couldn't believe I spent under $20 for such a wonderful design of takeout box it was beyond expectation like seriously, the only problem is probably the portion is not as much as I want . But overall it is worth it ! I would definitely coming back soon“

“The staff was so incredibly kind! We had such a lovely time dining here. The bossam was fresh, the samgyeopsal was perfectly crisp, and the lettuce was crispy!!

I would definitely recommend for a nice week night dinner because it's super affordable!“

“Stopped by after the farmers market, had their honey something wings and a beer. Wings were crispy and tasteful, however I prefer american style wings over this Korean version. Ambience is balance with good lighting and some k-pop music. Overall its a good spot to hangout after after the farmers market.“

“Eat there only if you want to be treated like dirt. I am sick and tired of their way of treating their customers. They don't do reservations and their wait system is unforgiving and insane. 1. Long wait times like 1.5 hours 2. But with that long wait time, they only give you 10 minutes to "all be there" when they tell you table is ready. 3. That's not even the worst. They put a "wait time" estimate near their check in table. So you would think that is a solid guideline right? But no. The REAL wait time can swing a good 30 minutes both ways. Say they put "Current Wait time is 1.5 hours" you could get a call at 1 hour mark. And then they give you 10 minutes to get your party to be there. And they give you hell if your party can't make it like it's your fault that you don't have crystal ball to tell that your table will be ready in one hour’s time. I have tolerated it coz their food is actually really good. Meat quality is good etc etc. What broke the camels back today is. I checked in at 5:45 today. Wait time is 1.5 hours. So estimate sit time is 7:15 right? When I get the text that table is ready at 7:05 I thought all is awesome. AND THEN they told me that are actually having a staff party tonight and last call is at 8. That leaves my party less than an hour to do an AYCE dinner. I was furious. So I question them, “Why didn't you tell your customer that when they checked in?” "Well, we put the notice on the door. You didn't see it! So… 🤷🏻‍♀️” 1. There are a bunch of white and black notices all over the door and check in area. 2. And yes. My eye sight is not awesome. I didn't see it. But shouldn't it be THEIR JOB to let customer know VERBALLY when they check in that they are shifting the last call time an hour early? That’s basic decency. I wasted almost 2 hours there and by then it’s like lines all over the place for any place. I am never going back again for a restaurant that treats their customer like dirt so they can make money off me any more.“

“We have cravings for Korean food, but not the typical Korean BBQ. So we checked out Hanshin Pocha for the first time. Very down to earth setting. In the middle there's a big article and picture of the famous Korean chef (Chef Jong Won Paik) who also founded this chain of restaurants.

We told the server this is our first time so he was very helpful to explain the tradition and the type of food and what are their specialties.

We listened and ordered the whole fried chicken, the whole octopus, and the chicken feet stew!

We had such a good time! The food were exceptional! So tasty and fresh! You really have to try this place out and get the chicken!

Parking was very tigh as there are so many businesses and restaurants in this complex.“

“My partner and I enjoyed this place a lot!! It’s a great Korean restaurant to enjoy without going to LA K-town. We were very much satisfied with all of our recent visits, with a kind service from the server named Billy. They were so friendly to us even during the rush hours. We sat on a seat nearby the door, it was very windy and cold due to the half-opened door, and they kept it closed every time people go in and out. Not only that, Billy checked regularly to make sure everything is good and asked if we needed anything else. We enjoyed the food, but it wouldn’t have been such satisfaction without their great service. Thank you.“

“Just my daughter-in-law and me, spent our quality time well and satisfied. They were so delicious, except the pickles. We both planned to be back again.“

“Popped in because its always time for meat. Loved tge atmosphere, and the language lessons in the bathroom. The food was great. The only downside was lack of my favorite banchan and the high prices of solutions. I'll be back.

With my own bottles. ;)“

“Complex, authentic Korean flavors made with traditional p ingredients. A humble porridge could become a pleasantly enjoyable experience. I ordered bulnakji porridge today and instead of using ground beef or cheap meat, they used a good quality meat and then they sautéed the marinated bulgogi in butter. mmm. Chives/buchu they used were fresh and green. So was the octopus. Often times you taste the fishiness but this octopus or nakji had a very clean flavor. The venue and the food they served were very clean. I highly recommend this place.“

“I had stopped by when they had their grand opening in 2021, but didn't get to order since they were out of what I wanted. They were set up as a pick up and to-go spot, and given the very small parking lot to jostle for a spot, I didn't return until my friend suggested catching up at Soonheene for dinner.

They now have several tables for dine in and I was super happy to see that they used bowls and plates for your order if you dine in (though they use disposable utensils when bringing you your order). They also have a self-service area for iced water and iced barley tea and they use metal cups! Yay!

I came on a weekday at 6 pm and there was a lull as there was no wait. As it got closer to 6:30 pm - 7 pm, all the tables filled up! Lots of orders coming in for pick-up though, so if you don't want to wait for a table, order to go.

Since it's my first time here, I got almost everything, haha! The order included:

* shrimp mung bean pancake ($14.99)
* #15 combo of rose tteokbokki and mayak gimbap ($23.99)
* oden fish cake soup ($9.99)
* 5 pc wings soy garlic ($8.99)
* diet coke with Yelp check-in

If not for the Yelp check-in offer, I would've placed the order on their self-service kiosk.

Luckily, since we beat the rush, the food came out at a consistent pace. I had really wanted the mayak gimbap and the fish cake soup but since there was no combo for both, price-wise it made sense to do the combo with the rose tteokbokki. And it is heavenly to get all three! The mayak gimbap comes with a dipping sauce, but it's just as good if not better to dip it in the tteokbokki. If you don't want the usual spice of regular tteokbokki, the rose tteokbokki has been my go-to instead as it has the hint of spice without the usual burn. Soonheene's tteokbokki had very generous amounts of fish cake and sausage suporting the rice cakes, so it's my favorite iteration of this dish thus far. The oden fish cake soup came with three skewers of fish cake and fish cake tofu in a bowl of hot yummy soup and that was pretty solid.

I've never had anything like the mung bean pancake and it was good to have a protein in it for additional texture and flavor. It's best eaten when hot and crisp, otherwise, it's a bit dense the next day. The soy garlic wings were crisp and hot and full of flavor.

Obviously, the order was enough for two people to get a variety of options, but that did leave no room for some sides nor dessert. Maybe some gimmari and taiyaki next time!“

“All you can eat for $40👏🏽👏🏽“

“Good kbbq spot. Inside is simple and clean with tables and booths for seating. The classic ayce menu is good.

Service was ok. Kinda slow but staff is friendly. There's a small parking lot in back or street parking but you might have to walk a block or two.“

“Another Korean rice dog place in Arcadia, this time at the mall's food court!

While also picking up food at the other spots, I got a squid ink mozza and hot dog. Not all Korean rice dog spots have squid ink so I was excited to try this one. I asked what sauce is recommended with it and was told sweet chili sauce. I got that and also had it sprinkled with sugar (never say no to sugar on a Korean rice dog, it makes a difference!). Took it home to eat with the other things I ordered in the food court and enjoyed my quick and easy dinner at home. Good amount of melty mozzarella cheese with the hot dog.

Would come back for another!“

“This restaurant stands out from the rest of the plaza. It feels as if you are transported to an entirely different space when you walk in. Its warm atmosphere is very inviting and the staff make you feel very comfortable and welcomed. Everyone is so nice and the food is amazing. The portions are filling and the drinks are amazing.. I recommend coming during a weekday or for early breakfast/brunch on the weekends before eleven because parking is really hard to find.“

“I just want to say that not only the food is good here, but also their customer service. There was only one gentleman working today. He was the cashier and the cook. He had so many customers, yet as busy as he was, he was efficient, friendly, and acknowledged each person as they walked in. This guy needs a raise for all his hard work. Thank you“

“Our family loves to eat Korean foods. This place is a good one because you have many choices to choose from. The portion is pretty big so you can share it. Good service, very clean and most of all the foods are delicious. I highly recommend it.“

“My plant friends shared a birthday lunch here at Young Dong Tofu. The food was delicious. The staff was friendly and helpful. The location was great lots of parking. We will come back again. We highly recommend this place.“

“Great Korean restaurant that serves authentic food. The bossam are their specialty and they also have lots of different soups. The side dishes are kimchi, radish, and fishcake. They could be benefit with more staff since there was just one lady running around helping everyone so it took a while to put in our order, but the food was great.“

“The food was very delicious and fresh . They are a lot more accommodating than the previous owner . They recently changed management and their customer service is amazing now and I'm her to stay for it ! Jennifer and her crew were extremely helpful in helping me choose an item off the menu and I ended up choosing an amazing hot Cheeto corn dog that came out amazing and hot . THE CHEESE PULL GOT MEEE! 100% Recommended coming. The spot is also very clean as well as the bathroom they keep it real clean .“

“Came here on a Tuesday night for some dinner with family since we've been wanting to try this place for a while. Its located in a small plaza that is a bit hard to see unless you look carefully when driving by. But this is the only restaurant here so there's plenty of parking. It was pretty empty when we came so we got seated right away. They have a good amount of tables and the interior is nice.

Their menu is not that big so it's wasn't too hard to decide what to order. They do have some pricey items here though. We got the Galbi Seolleongtang (25.99), Bulgogi Bibimbap (21.99), Tonkatsu (19.99), and Yangji Seolleongtang (17.99). They were served pretty quick and they also gave side dishes. The side dishes were actually pretty good and has free refills. The bibimbap was alright, tasted like other bibimbap places. The Galbi seolleongtang has two large galbi in it and the soup and meat are nicely seasoned. As for the regular seolleongtang, it is on the bland side since you need to add your own salt and pepper. It also has some vermicelli with it. But the seolleongtang was pretty mid. The tonkatsu had some good sauce on it and was crispy and not too dry or hard to chew. But I have had better tonkatsu before. The portions are all reasonable for this price and economy though and we enjoyed it. I just thought the seolleongtang would have come with rice but I guess this place doesn't do that.

I think this is an authentic Korean place to try since they do have a good assortment of soups and other entres to order. The only thing was I did notice some small gnats flying around while we were eating. It wasn't a lot but it did bother me a bit. This isn't a spectacular place I would crave but it is a decent spot.“

“Great date spot, sure to impress! The katsu has a rich flavor and superior texture, melt in your mouth with a layer of crunch. The Matcha Yuzu Ade was so good my partner and I started making our own at home. Kind staff as well, we sat at the booth and it was fun watching the kitchen. I live far away from this place but otherwise would be a regular.“

“분위기짱 안주맛도 일품 ...“

“Delicious soups and recommend here hot pot“

“Great place for Korean BBQ“

“The food is good. They serve your order pretty fast. Maximum 5 items per order but no limit (cuz all you can eat). Minus 1 star because the inside is too smoky. The exhaust hood is not strong enough to get all the smoke out. Overall, I still recommend this place with such value and quality of the food.“

“🌟 Oakobing – Pasadena, CA
If you’re craving a sweet escape, Oakobing delivers a frosty dream in every spoonful. I tried the black sesame and strawberry shaved ice—each one a cloud of flavor, delicately layered with mochi and a drizzle of condensed milk. The texture? Feather-light and refreshingly crisp. Seating’s limited, so grab your treat and head to the cozy outdoor nook out back. Pro tip: skip the garage and snag metered parking nearby. A must-visit for Korean dessert lovers looking to chill in style.“

“I’ve been to the La Habra location and it’s nice to know that the Rowland Heights location is just as yummy and has the same amazing deals like their lunch specials at $22.99. I do really enjoy that I can instantly eat because the marinated meats are the meat buffet . So no waiting involved except for the grill to be heated!!! There are over 7 different types of proteins at the meat bar and other set menu of items you can order with your server like beef belly and brisket or thin sliced pork belly. Their higher priced sets include LA Galbi, Seafood, Steamed Egg and so much more. I love how I can end my meal with a JIN RAMEN . If you never had Ramen at the end, you need to. It’s 10/10!“