50 Best Korean Restaurants in Irvine

“This restaurant is located inside H Mart Northpark, and this was actually my second time visiting. They serve really good quality food here. On my first visit, I had the spicy octopus stone pot bibimbap, and this time I went with the pork cutlet set. Both dishes were delicious and definitely exceeded my expectations.

One thing I love is that the prices are noticeably more affordable ($12 - $22) compared to other places in the H Mart food court, yet the food quality is just as good — if not better. Since it’s close to my workplace, it’s super convenient for lunch. Plus, I appreciate that there’s less pressure around tipping, which makes the dining experience feel more relaxed.

Overall, it’s a great spot for a quick and satisfying lunch. I’m planning to come back regularly and keep updating my review as I try more dishes!“

“Was in the Irvine area and searched for fried chicken. Found this place, the food was amazing. Korean chicken at its best. We tried the fire fury chicken which was like super spicy but very tasty. The chicken katsu meal and the boneless chicken meal box was also amazing. The sides served were potato salad, pickles, pickled radish, jalapenos, a brownie, and a nice cabbage bed with sauces. Absolutely delicious. The location only has a few tables, restrooms were really clean, plenty of parking available.“

“Stopped by Yup Dduk in Irvine and it was definitely a solid spot. We got the Yup Dduk Tteokbokki, Yup Dduk Chicken Stew, Tuna Mayo Rice, and a Potato Cheese Corndog. The tteokbokki and chicken stew were the real standouts — full of flavor, good heat, and just the right kick to keep things interesting. The tuna mayo rice and corndog were solid sides that paired well without stealing the show. The spot itself is casual and unassuming, and the food definitely delivers. If you’re into Korean street-style dishes with bold spice and flavors that actually hit, this place is worth carving out time for.“

“Annie’s Table feels like a hidden gem with homestyle cooking done right. The dishes tasted fresh and comforting, almost like a home-cooked meal. The staff was warm and welcoming, creating a family-like atmosphere. The desserts were especially good and worth saving room for. A wonderful place for a relaxed meal.“

“Everything is great! Love the food, service & atmosphere! Strongly recommended good restaurants!🙏🥰“

“We ordered the bulgogi and the galbi dosirak boxes which were like large deluxe bento boxes.

Each box included the main meat selection, a large serving of rice (which they graciously offered to split 1/2&1/2 with salad), 2 of their meat/noodle fried dumplings, 3 small servings of banchan/veggie pickles, and a scoop of japchae/glass noodles.

This box was a generous serving of food. As pictured, the fork is extra large... It's lots!

I want to go back to try the Kimpap. We especially liked their dumplings and galbi was tender and delish!“

“Moobongri Soondae is one of those Korean comfort food restaurants that people in the area seem to really like. It offers hearty soups, rich broths, and dishes that are filling and authentic. It’s especially popular among those craving soondae (Korean blood sausage), hotpots, and various soups. It tends to draw a crowd, especially in the evening.“

“Staff are friendly. Place is clean and wait time was very minimal“

“Our family loves Kaju food.“

“I I had the tteokbokki squid and the 1/2 tempura. Was very tasty. Tteokbokki was just the right size for one person and there was a good balance of the ingredients. Next time I would get just the tteokbokki by it self. I didn’t like the tempura.“

“My favorite food is Chan Chan Kimbap. It is the best which I ever had. I would like to recommend a spicy bibim noodle if you like spicy food. It tastes good and comes with lots of fresh vegetables. It would be perfect if the sauce could be a little bit reduced by amount.
Regarding Tteobokki, I wish it has more rice cakes and less less sauce for tastes and environment.
Overall I love Chan Chan because it soothes my nostalgia of Korean snack(street) foods.“

“This place is one of the top and best Korean restaurants in the country and we've been to many, from east to west coast, and all over Korea. Amazing food, great service, very good environment. Japchae was delicious, love thinner noodles they use. Marinated galbee (short ribs) to die for, top quality meat: Beef tongue was excellent. Great portion sizes for price and quality is top notch. Best korean food restaurant hands down from quality of food to service and ambience.“

“Nice Lunch served very fast after waiting for our turn to be seated for 10 minutes. Friendly Host and Waitresses.“

“Very good 🥩 steak. Will come here again ❤️“

“とても美味しいスープがお手頃なお値段でいただけます。“

“Over the weekend, I visited this restaurant, and it was packed with Koreans, which made me think this place must be authentic! According to my Korean friends, eating tteokguk (rice cake soup) is like how we eat longevity noodles — having a bowl adds another year to your life!

✨ Braised Beef Ribs
The braised beef ribs here are different from what I’ve had at other Korean restaurants. Instead of the cheesy style, it’s more like the Gangnam-style soy-braised ribs. The flavor leans sweet, and the ribs are so tender that they fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. The seasoning is absolutely spot-on, and personally, I find it much tastier than the spicy cheesy ribs. The portion is huge — three people could easily have two meals out of it! Plus, this version is totally non-spicy, so even kids can enjoy it to the fullest.

✨ Pork Backbone Potato Soup
This has always been one of my favorite Korean dishes, especially in winter. Sipping the warm broth is so comforting! The soup comes in a hot stone pot, steaming and full of flavor, with around four big chunks of pork backbone. The potatoes are stewed until perfectly soft. Pairing the soup with rice is pure happiness!

✨ Beef Bulgogi Hot Pot
This one was ordered especially for the kids. The broth is on the sweeter side, making it perfect to go with rice. In winter, there’s nothing better than enjoying warm, hearty soups at a Korean restaurant!

There are so many other dishes on the menu that look amazing too. I’ll definitely come back to try more next time!“

“my sister introduced me to Yigah and galbitang here when she first came to UCI. more than a decade later Yigah is still the best on my list for galbitang and the radish kimchi. nothing beats Yigah, esp at the Diamond Jamboree location (the other location in Garden Grove is bigger but i feel like their portion/side dishes are smaller)

we always finish everything whenever we go to Yigah. their seolleong tang is good also, that’s my sister’s favorite“

“Staff were very welcoming with us and checked in frequently to make sure we had water and banchan. We got the pork and chives mandu and the original Yuk Gae Jang with glass noodle / ramyeon. Would happily come back to this restaurant chain and location next time we visit “

“We got the spicy cheese chicken here for $20. The chicken pieces were crispy and not dry, but the flavor was different from what I had expected. It tasted more like a spicy cheese chicken pizza without the pizza dough than spicy cheese chicken from other Korean restaurants. It's missing the gochujang and spice. Still a good meal though.“

“Went here on a weekday to grab dinner.

- jjolmyun was amazing. Portion size was big and it also tasted great.
- surprisingly the cheese katsu that came with it tasted really good. Kinda felt bad for the katsu place next door.
- mix of dumpling was also good. The mandus have really chewy covers, which I really liked. The chili pepper and shrimp mandus were my favorites.

Service was meh. We ordered 3 dishes but they know gave us one napkin. Also they forgot to give us dumpling dipping sauce. I had to go back to the counter to ask for these.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“My sister and I were craving kimbap and this place delivered. Because of the prices we thought the serving sizes would be small but it was very generous and filling. I really liked the beef vegetable and the spicy tuna which definitely had a kick but was tasty. But we also tried the spicy fish cake which we enjoyed more than expected (was not fishy at all which is what we were worried about but also wasn’t really spicy). Overall loved it all and the person who helped us was very kind and quick with the order.
It is in the grocery store and we ate at home but I think there is some places to sit outside. Not much of an atmosphere for this place but the coffee shop next door seemed great too.“

“We took my husband for Father's Day and to b at a unique restaurant like this I wasn't sure how all 6 of us would find something that we all liked to eat and wow this place was perfect. The best fathers day in a very long time and this place was not at all a disappointment. We enjoyed everything and the only problem was how loud it was and a little on the hot side with all the cooking stoves but we didn't care because we had a server that made sure we had everything we needed right at the precise time. I am not usually a big tipper but that day was so great like the planets lined perfectly in the universe 😁😃 good job we r now thinking of thanksgiving at All that bbq. I hope you are open then . Not a 🤣 joke great job .“

“Its been about 2 years since I went here and now they have so much more amazing dishes on their menu. I tried their new arrival dishes such as their bulgogi fries which were crispy with delicious meat. Would have wished for a different type of cheese, but not mad about it! Their stir fried udon was al dente, which I loved and their korean fried chicken had a nice crunch. The service was fantastic and had a dim interior which is great for a late night group gathering.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“Good food and very friendly environment“

“Very traditional Korean Bqq. Restaurant love their variety of meats. My friend comes to Vegas to visit me once a year and we go there at least twice. First when he lands we have to go to eat there and another one before he goes back home. And he is from NY where is plenty of Korean restaurants 😁😁😁“

“Good food Good staff Good owner what more do you want !“

“Really really busy (but you should expect it at an Asian restaurant)
Location: plaza with Zion Market.
We were sat down quickly.
Ordered a mixed tofu soup and galbi combo as well as a hot stone bimbimbap.
Ban chan was bean sprouts, mung bean jelly, fish cakes, kimchi, japchae, and dried anchovy.
Tofu came with a small fried croaker, hot stone rice, and a raw egg. Tofu was absolutely delicious.
It was very busy but we got served about a moderate pace. Enjoyed everything, definitely would visit again.“

“I visited SomiSomi tonight and it was such a great experience! We tried the peach ube flavor with Nutella filling, and it was absolutely fresh, creamy, and delicious. The combination of flavors was unique and really satisfying. At first, the line looked very long, but it moved quickly, so the wait wasn’t bad at all. Definitely worth it for such a fun and tasty treat—I’ll be coming back for more flavors for sure!“

“Nice place to hang out with friends“

“Cho Dang inside H-Mart Irvine hits the spot every time! Located right in the food court — super convenient, lightning-fast service, HUGE portions, and next-level quality. Everything came out hot and came with delicious banchan. Although it was busy during lunch, they managed to get our food out quick! Presentation was on point too. I highly recommend going here on your lunch break!

What we had:
🍚 Hot Stone Eel Rice - so much umami!
🍲 Beef Rib Tofu Soup - super comforting!
🍜 Cold Chicken Noodles - unique and perfect for the summer weather!
🍚 Bulgogi Bibimbap - so much meat and delicious!“

“Their specialty dishes are: 1. Sullungtang: taste amazing and very light. A good meal for winter/ 2. Cold noodle: the best I've tried so far, especially when you get a combo with spicy pork or bulgogi 3. Meat: spicy pork/bulgogi was homemade and were not like other korean restaurants. Taste very delicious!“

“They give you a lot of rice and banchan, which is good, but banchan tasted quite mediocre. It's a nice meal < $20 - that comes with rice, soontofu and the fried fish. But the taste when compared to kaju and bcd, it's slightly subpar. Service was really nice. We got all the extra bowls asked for without any issues. Oh also, we had a 2 yo boy in our group who really enjoyed their bone broth kalgulsoo“

“Super solid cold noodle spot inside a food court. The bowl was big and really hit the spot.

Mul Naengmyeon: Get
This was so refreshing and flavorful. Broth was ice cold, the noodles had a nice chew, and the whole thing just felt super satisfying. Great combo of savory and tangy flavors. Perfect on a hot day or if you just want something light but still filling.

Nothing fancy here, just good food. It’s in a food court so don’t expect much on service or atmosphere, but for what it is, it’s great.

Food: 9/10
Value: 8/10“

“Wow I can't believe I didn't come here sooner. I passed by so many times just thinking it's an ordinary katsu curry place. I ordered the Curry Katsu (spicy) and it was SO GOOD!! The Katsu itself was thin and crispy, and curry flavor was rich (reminds me of Vermont curry, which is my fav Japanese curry sauce), and they paired perfectly together.

The girl that took my order was very friendly. The food also came with macaroni salad and a cabbage salad, and they were both very good as well. I'll definitely be back soon!“

“My review is mainly for food (takeout), that I ordered through ubereats.

The food is quite good, tasty, fresh, and meaty. I got the beef and pork bowl, kpop (protein + cheese). The bowls were organized in a cute way, almost like a stackable bento tray. It must be the standard now.

Recommended. Hopefully I'll dine in person next time.“

“FOOD WAS AMAZING but what really matters was the service! I didn’t get her name but amazing service! Always so nice and smiley! Would def recommend to everyone! The portions are big and I was expecting all of these to be ~$80 since some places in OC charge that much but it was only ~$50!“

“Great food. Meat is fresh and cooked perfectly.
Service is great, staff is attentive to detail. They picked off the burned parts and refill the side dishes quickly when they are low or empty.
Ambience: nice decoration and quiet. Great place to have good meat with conversation with friends and family.“

“My firm has been a tenant here for several years and in two different suites. Office rent and ancillary costs are very reasonable, leasing office staff is always helpful and accommodating, and any needed repairs are addressed promptly. 10/10 would highly recommend!“

“I came here 15 min before closing and I was greeted with not only a happy smile but excellent service! The manager was a sweet kind gentleman who helped comp my 8 cents when I had two $20 (thank you again for not giving me so much change back :) )
My plate was stacked and whatever didn’t fit was given on the side! Not to mention the food was piping hot, which means it was all made fresh, no leftover stuff from the day.
This is my favorite flame broiler!“

“Very reasonable price and delicious“

“Quality meat that’s not frozen. Good ventilation. Prompt service.“

“Always delicious and even at lunch you can order the dinner special (if you pay more of course). Unlike others where you have to wait until a certain time…! 😊

My fav shabu shabu place which says a lot. Stackers are included in both lunch and dinner options and always delicious 😋“

“i like the food, big serving & it’s worth the price, i hope they willnot increase the price or lessen the service.“

“Made a reservation same day for dinner and everything was really good - I live in Ktown in LA and this place has better meat quality than most of the korean KBBQ places in LA. I would come back again!

Our server Ray/Roy was so friendly and nice to us. Grilled the meats perfectly. Man this place is good“

“These guys went above and beyond having known it was a chilly night to be eating outdoor, they provided us with blankets! What a touch of service-golden!“

“Love this place! Food is always great. Made fresh. Staff are always nice and give great service. My favorite thing to get here is the TUNA MELT! I am not a fan of tuna at all until I had theirs. There are times where they will run out because they make a certain amount of tuna salad for the day. Not complaining about that, I just know that it was made fresh that day, so I definitely love it! So order ahead by calling in. If you're not a fan of it at all, give any of their sandwiches a try and ask them to add that chipotle sauce, changes everything, you will thank you me later. If you are in the Irvine area, give them a try!

Kid-friendliness: They have baby seat chairs for dine-in and kid friendly items as well.

Parking: Since this is a small cafe surrounded by business establishments it will be difficult to park but it is fortunate that you do not have to pay for any parking. Usually people come to just pick up and go so parking isn't usually a problem.“

“Kaju Soft Tufu offers an authentic and satisfying Korean soft tofu stew (sundubu-jjigae) experience with rich, flavorful broth, silky tofu, and fresh ingredients like seafood, beef, or vegetables. The well-balanced spice level and generous portion sizes make it a comforting and hearty meal. The complimentary side dishes, including perfectly fermented kimchi and crisp pickled radish, enhance the dining experience. With a cozy atmosphere and attentive service, this restaurant is a great spot for anyone craving a warm and delicious bowl of sundubu-jjigae. Highly recommended!

Vegetarian options: There are many Korean-American types of vegetarian foods- Wonderful and delicous!

Kid-friendliness: There are chairs for baby's, dedicated menus for babys.

Wheelchair accessibility: Very Good wheelchair condition“

“Great owner, great staff at this location I had the pleasure of working with for a few weeks as a kitchen helper...Place is kept clean, open, welcoming...Staff is humble and polite, they do their best to be accomadating, they work hard, together and help each other...Everything made and cooked well, beef, chicken, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, avacados, onions, oranges, salad, white rice, brown rice, tofu, kimchi, sauces, soda fountain, iced teas...Two TV screens, music, inside and outside seating, restroom, take-out, phone orders, catering...Not a huge selection, bit pricey, but healthy, tasty, well worth it...Shout-out to the great Irvine crew: Abid, Abbas, Alex, Juan, Irma, Jovani, Luz, Evelyn...Also locations in Long Beach, El Monte, Diamond Bar, Ximeno... ???????

Vegetarian options: Salad, orange, avocado, rice, tofu, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, onions...“