Korean Restaurants near Lake Forest

“Best Korean food in South OC, in a nice clean restaurant with family vibes. We come here for family meals every couple of months, and get takeout for office lunch as well. For under $20 you can get this incredible bento for lunch, which can't be beat on price or quality when a sandwich nearby is almost $20.“

“Umma’s K-BBQ is a fast casual Korean and Hawaiian influenced restaurant located at the corner of Trabuco Road and Bake Parkway in Lake Forest. The plaza is anchored by a McDonalds and Starbucks and there is plenty of parking available except during peak hours. Their menu is fairly extensive and even though you can dine in the outdoor courtyard, takeout is the way to go.

With a combination plate, you can enjoy 2 proteins with choice of base and 4 side orders. I opted for the kalbi and spicy chicken and they did not disappoint. I also tried the spicy pork but it was unfortunately on the dryer side. White rice was my base and I chose cabbage salad, spicy cucumber and a double order of chapjae glass noodles as my side dishes. I also sampled my wife’s kimchi and mac salad which were just as tasty as the other sides. The best parts of our experience were the generous portion sizes and the exceptional service provided by the young man behind the counter. We’ll def be back!“

“I eat here at least once a week because i love there basic menu and how good their food tastes, it fills me up and the employees know me well enough that they put my order in b4 i walk in. Lol.... Love that kind of service considering i was that type of food worker when i did that type of work for a good portion of my work life. Keep up the tasty food everyone!!!!!“

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

“Best, new family owned place! My first time trying Korean BBQ...had the spicy pork...soooooo good! Environment was very welcoming...and customer service was awesome! Kuddos to owners Maggie and Earl...you’re doing a great job! #customerforlife“

“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!“

“Great service, really premium meat, family friendly, we tried Halal lamb and it was vey delicious, tender and perfectly marinated with great spices.
This place is definitely GoTo when you want to Try Korean BBQ style.
Homemade desserts worth the try“

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

“Our family loves Kaju food.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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 “

“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!“

“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.“

“This place is a hidden gem. 10/10 would eat again. The food is great. The staff are friendly. There are a TON of choices for drinks and sides (bottled drinks and individual chip bags). Large enough menu for both lunch and breakfast and they have rotating daily specials. They will be happy to make you a lunch time sandwich even at 8am.Can’t compliment this place enough. If you are in the area and want a quick and easy breakfast/lunch this is the place!“

“My experience here was very good. I came in a bit later so there weren’t many people there and the service was fast. The food was so good it flew off the table before I could snap a picture. It a very good restaurant with reasonable prices and tasty food. They have dishes designed for 2, which I find very convenient if you come with your significant other.“

“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.“

“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“

“Cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. Always perfectly fresh and tasty for all of the times I have gone over the many years--- Consistently perfect !! And the staff is always amazing and the restaurant is crystal clean! I love this restaurant!! Oh and I love the music too, it is so positive and uplifting that I go away feeling so happy and uplifted - thank you to whoever owns this restaurant for imparting such a wonderful experience, the food, the staff, the atmosphere and the MUSIC!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!“

“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.“

“Nice place to hang out with friends“

“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!!!“

“incredibly fast service, clean, good food

Parking: there's a small parking lot right out front but you can park in the huge lot on the other side and walk around the building as well if needed

Kid-friendliness: people bring kids here all the time. the food is pretty simple (kid friendly) and the restaurant is welcoming“

“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“

“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.“

“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!“

“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 .“

“Delicious and affordable AYCE KBBQ with quality meats. You can order select meats from the server and they also have a self serve meat bar with lots of options. Few of my favorites from the premium menu were: the wagyu beef belly, prime marinated short rib, and prime marinated boneless short rib cut.

They offer 3 menu options~ weekday lunch ($21.99), signature ($29.99) and premium ($38.99), which all include the meat station.

Great service and they came by often to change the grill.“

“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“

“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!“

“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.“

“This is, without a doubt, the best BBQ spot in Tustin. The incredibly friendly staff is a bonus, but let’s be honest—people come here for the food, and the food is AMAZING. I had the brisket and Tri-tip sandwich, and it was fantastic. You won’t be disappointed if you eat here!“

“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“

“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.“

“The chicken is cooked to perfection every time at this location. Customer service is always top tier. I cheated and went to another location and let me just say no comparison what so ever! Anytime I want a 18 piece 😋 😩 Honey Garlic Chicken Wings I'm bringing all family and friends 🧡 to THIS LOCATION! 🤤❤️‍🔥“

“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…“

“I have given my review once before which was my first time visiting there and I had hosted a Mother's Day party there! I had the best experience at that time! This time I was invited by friends for celebrating a friend's birthday and enjoy with all my girlfriends dancing, singing and walk like a Bollywood Star showing off our dress, hair and style!
It was a great experience! Food was yummy as usual and the owners always so sweet and accommodating! The service is excellent and unbeatable ambiance! Young or old, you are guaranteed to enjoy here!“

“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.“

“Very reasonable price and delicious“

“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.“