50 Best Korean Restaurants in Irvine

“Don’t get the hate - rating it for what it’s worth - mall food in a market. I just wish it had a bigger social media presence so I can Yelp it! Salty - sure. Get the solangtang - salt it to your taste. 8/10 at a sit down restaurant = 11/10 at a fast-food food-court. Snobby reviewers out here in Irvine…“

“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.“

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

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

“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!“

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

“Our family loves Kaju food.“

“Annie's Table is a cute little restaurant tucked away in this plaza next to Blizzard. With pre-made Korean sides and packed foods you can take to go or heat up, they offer fast lunch options in a clean, cafe-styled place.

While the place is tailored to the business lunch crowd (they're closed by 6pm and grab and go oriented), but they do serve fresh, made by the order meals and drinks.

I didn't get to try a drink this time, but they looked colorful and delicious. For lunch, I tried a classic - bibimbap. And every vegetable was cooked and seasoned perfectly and the meat was pleasantly sweet and savory but not too sweet like some bulgogi in bibimbap. Um... I accidentally ate the whole bowl by myself so I think that speaks for itself! The staff was so friendly and looked so happy to see me devour my bowl.

I also ordered a few items to go and ate them heated up at home the next day. There are SO many options! Between items like pickled lotus root and even chicken congee, I was tempted to get so many things but landed on mapo tofu, spicy eggplant, and kimchi pajeon.

The mapo tofu was on the sweeter side but very flavorful and a nice change of pace from the numbing spice versions I've had lately. The eggplant was so tender, delicate and bursting with bold flavor. And the pajeon was a nice tasty treat when air fried.

I would definitely be back to try more of Annie's food. For those stopping in for lunch during their work day, I recommend ordering ahead and enjoying their freshly made Korean comfort foods. Enjoy the cozy vibes!“

“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.“

“Korean BBQ is one of my favorite types of meals, and Baekjeong definitely raised the standard. The meats were high quality and the environment was very nice. The side dishes were delicious and could be refilled as well. This is definitely one of my favorite KBBQ places.“

“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 “

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

“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.“

“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。“

“I believe this is a restaurant run by Koreans. The young waitstaff all speak Korean, and the food is authentic. The key point is that the shops in this mall usually close at 9:00 PM, but they dare to stay open until 1:00 AM, and they are often fully booked. I greatly admire their wisdom and courage, highly recommend it.“

“Went to Irvine location since I live in OC. I love Korean food. We ordered Fried Garlic Soy Chicken thigh so flavorful. Also a set of Yup O, it had rice cake, sausages, fish cake, cabbage and cheese. And the set came with seaweed rice and veggies fried tempura. My favorite place to go for this type of Korean food. Staffs were very nice. It’s a hole in the wall restaurant but good food and clean place.“

“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!“

“Gopchang, daechange is what has me coming back for more. I love how it includes rice balls with it. After we eat about two of the rice balls, I regret not saving it and making fried rice with the leftover gopchang and daechange. One day when I'm there I shall remember.
Bossam was really good. I love how it was presented in a wooden box. It says to leave it close so it can steam for a certain amount of time (I forgot), but I suggest not going by the time they say. I would steam it for less because the veggies were overcooked. Other than that, it was really good“

“Honey Pig BBQ is a lively and fun Korean BBQ spot that never disappoints. Their signature tabletop grill setup is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. I love how everything is cooked right in front of you, from the thinly sliced beef brisket to the generously seasoned kimchi and bean sprouts. The sizzling sound and aroma create an experience as much as a meal.

One highlight for me is their post-BBQ fried rice. The staff mixes leftover juices and ingredients from the grill into rice, resulting in a savory, crispy dish that’s worth saving room for. The side dishes are plentiful, fresh, and perfectly complement the main dishes.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is vibrant, though it can get a bit smoky and loud during peak hours, adding to the lively experience. Service is attentive, with staff regularly helping manage the grill and ensuring you’re enjoying your meal.

If you’re in the mood for a casual gathering with friends or family and want to enjoy authentic Korean BBQ with an interactive twist, Honey Pig BBQ is a solid choice.“

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

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

“Nice place to hang out with friends“

“The brisket tteokbokki is delicious. The tteokbokki itself is delicious, the green onion and green onions are delicious, and the brisket is also delicious.
But the taste is really good, but it would be perfect if the soup was a little thicker. Korean youth cafes come with a gas burner to make it a little thicker, but this place doesn't come with a burner, so you have to eat the soup thin.
If it is difficult to serve with a burner, it will be perfect if you add a little more broth.“

“It's the best cold noodles I've had since coming to the US.
There may be a standard of personal taste, but I have never failed when coming here with friends.
Highly recommended when you want to eat cold noodles!!!“

“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.“

“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“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“We stopped by for a quick lunch and were initially hesitant due to the low ratings. However, the experience turned out to be quite good. We ordered the combination and spicy octopus hot stone bibimbap, both of which were excellent. While the food prices are relatively high, it might just be a reflection of current inflation. We enjoyed the ambience, and the service was standard. Overall, we liked this place and would consider stopping by again if we’re in the area.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“We contribute it every time we have a meeting.
It's so delicious and out of the ordinary!
I really recommend the spicy tuna kimbap, bulgogi kimbap, and musubi!!
I recommend it👍

Here is my go to place.
It is a really good place to go for Korean Food😆 They have special taste!
I recommend 'Spicy tuna gimbap' and Musubi.“

“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!“

“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“

“Good food and very friendly environment“

“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 .“

“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!“

“This was my first time visiting this H Mart Northpark in Irvine. I used to live in the area but since have moved away but still have family in the area so when I was visiting decided to try out this new food court. I didn’t know what was good and there was limited information online so I decided to order the squid dolsot bibimbap (squid hot pot mixed rice). I didn’t expect much so I didn’t even bother taking a picture and it was slightly pricy at $20, but boy was I wrong. The food exceeded all my expectations and it was actually one of the best dolsot bibimbap I’ve ever had and I have had plenty over my middle aged life as it’s one of my favorite dishes. The portion was quite large (I’d say it’s about 1.5 servings for a man and maybe 2 for those with small appetites) had about 4 side dishes and a small bowl of tofu soup. All the side dishes (two types of kimchi), bean sprouts, and fish cakes were quite good and the soup was surprisingly good as well. Also we ordered a side of rice as the dish was quite large but the owner (?) actually gave us the rice for free. So not only great service, but fantastic food (better than maybe 90%+ of sit down restaurants) and we all need to support these type of small businesses. I didn’t get to try other dishes, but given this is a soft tofu specialist place and the dolsot bibimbap was not the main dish, I have a feeling it’s going to be good. Highly recommended.“

“I didn't know Portobello katsu curry was a thing. Where has it been all my life? If you love portobello mushrooms like I do, I recommend trying the portobello katsu curry with rice.
I had originally ordered a portobello katsu sandwich. The cashier misunderstood me and brought out the Portobello katsu curry rice plate instead. Oopsy!!! I'm glad that he did, or I wouldn't know how this new dish that I tried for the first time would be so yummy!! He gave me a free iced green tea for bringing the wrong order. The food was great and awesome service!!
As I was sitting out in the patio area to do my devotional, the cashier came out and said, I read your review. Here's a thank you!!
He gave me free tiramisu!! I've been craving a tiramisu, too. God always gives you the desire of your heart when you show kindness, especially to restaurant workers or anyone in the customer service industry. A little kindness goes a long way.“

“Very reasonable price and delicious“

“This was absolutely the best hot pot place ever!!
I’ve just recently started eating at different hot pot places and they haven’t really hit the mark.

But what can I say about this place! The food, staff, entire vibe of this resto and area is amazing!

I got the bulgolgi broth and my wife got the spicy pork broth!
You can also mix, but the broths are tasty just as is too. They give you recommendations on what to try and mix together ie- cold soba noodles with broth and meat ??

Highly recommend the rib eye and top cut. There are a bunch of different sides and you can even get crab and shrimps too!
Wide variety of veggies and selection to make your dipping sauce.

All you can eat for 35$ each for great tasting food and ambiance- 100% worth it and definitely coming back“

“The food here is really good and well worth the price. They give a lot of food and I would highly recommend taking the stacked bowl with spicy pork and kfc. The service is fast and the employees are nice. Will probably come here a lot more in the future.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Friends and I got to celebrate and spend time with a dearly beloved little sister. There is typically a written waitlist to put your name on. We waited for about 10 minutes to get seated. Many Asians gather about here! The service is speedy and diligent.

For a group of three adults and a high school mentee we got three individual dishes and one main to share
1) tangsuyuk - the sauce had a good amount of vegetables and the meat was a good portion that filled our stomachs!!
2) jjang pong and rice - I love the variety of seafood included in here and the vegetables as well
3) jjang pong and noodles
4) jja jjang myeon (black noodles)

The spiciness of the jjang pong wakes up the taste buds in a good way!

We all ate quite happily. I wish service wasn’t too hasty however. For the remaining food, we got to take to-go. I love the side dishes offered - spicy radishes 깍두기 and pickled yellow radishes (takuan) 단무지. It pairs nicely with the dishes we got.

The ambiance reminds me of a fast food restaurant to some extent. The place is great to grab a hearty Chinese-Korean fusion food. God bless you all.“

“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!“

“Great spot with indoor & outdoor seating, walk-up ordering, and friendly service. The food is consistently delicious, and the happy hour deals are a real bonus. Open 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM, it’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or drinks. Relaxed vibe, great value—definitely worth checking out!

The best thing here is both beef and chicken plates or bowls. Excellent rice and the side selection is solid. The sauce is good too.“

“The worker at the cashier (I think it was Mike or Michael) was cheerful, cracking jokes, making it a great experience. The food was also great and affordable for a family, thanks to the deals they offer here. I'll be sure to come back here more often.“

“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“