50 Best Korean Restaurants near Lake Forest

“Love this place! I am gluten free and always looking for new places to try. So happy I found this place super close to my work. Lots of GF options and it actually tastes good too! Owners are very friendly too. Not much room to sit inside but plenty of shared tables outside.“

“This is my new favorite Korean spot in Lake forest. The owner is very kind and the food is exceptionally fresh and tasty. I ordered the bibimbap with grilled pork and it was certainly the right decision. I will definitely be back and I will be recommending this to my friends as well. I did not grow up in Korea but I imagine this is what home-cooked Korean food tastes like.“

“This spot is great for hungry teens or adults to grab an after school snack, dine in, or get a meal to go. \n‘Twas hard to believe the perfectly cooked brown rice and generous portions of my “half and half” bowl—beef n chicken with veggies topped by their Magic Sauce—-totally delicious!“

“I tried Haesintang for the first time, and it was such a revitalizing experience that I can confidently say this will now be my go-to nourishing dish. The flavors were vibrant and energizing, truly awakening both my senses and appetite.

The generous combination of octopus, abalone, short ribs, chicken, and mushrooms was impressive from the moment it arrived. Each ingredient tasted exceptionally fresh. The octopus was tender and pleasantly chewy, the abalone delicately cooked, and the short ribs and chicken were simmered until the meat fell effortlessly off the bone.

What stood out most was the broth. Rather than relying on heavy seasoning, it seemed to be crafted from natural ingredients, creating a deep yet clean flavor that beautifully tied everything together from start to finish.

The staff were warm and attentive, kindly refilling side dishes throughout the meal.

The highlight came at the end — rice cooked in the remaining broth to create a rich, comforting porridge. Even though I was already full, I couldn’t stop eating. Paired with crisp kimchi, it was the perfect finish. Despite the generous portions, the meal felt wholesome and easy to digest.

In every aspect — quality, flavor, and service — it was outstanding. I would gladly return and enjoy this dish with my family again.“

“We had such a great lunch at Annie’s Table in Irvine! It’s one of those hidden local spots that feels warm and welcoming the minute you walk in. The atmosphere is clean and relaxed — a perfect place to grab a delicious meal without any fuss.

The staff was friendly and made us feel right at home, which made the whole experience even better. Everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. From the comforting bowls to the tasty sides and drinks, it all hit the spot.

It’s also cool that they have fun drinks like boba, and smoothies if you want something extra with your meal.

Annie’s Table is definitely worth checking out — we’ll be back!“

“This Korean BBQ is seriously one of the best I’ve ever tried. The meat quality is amazing—juicy, flavorful, and perfectly marinated. Every bite tastes fresh and smoky in the best way, especially when wrapped with lettuce, garlic, and spicy sauce. The side dishes are also on point, and you can tell everything is made with care. The staff is super friendly and helps cook the meat just right, so you don’t have to worry about anything. The vibe is cozy, lively, and perfect for hanging out with friends. 10/10 would come again!“

“Our family loves Kaju food.“

“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“

“The galbi beef here is excellent. Presentation also well done. Fast casual Korean food that really hits the mark.

Looks like it may be family owned or run. Authentic Korean food prepared by authentic Korean ladies. Not too much seating inside though and the chairs are hard, not comfortable.“

“I love this ZIP BBQ in Tustin, Its small placed but it well management the store are very clean the services are great and fast the foods are excellence. Thanks will coming back and recomend“

“People probably come to this restaurant for the donkatsu, but they absolutely have one of the best chicken bowls here! Crispy yet tender, it’s perfectly done. The owner is also incredibly nice and welcoming with a warm smile. We tried the spicy rice cake skewer, and it tasted just like the ones I had in Korea. I highly recommend their handmade matcha ice cream — it’s rich, sweet, and absolutely delicious! 사장님이 친절하시고 모든음식이 양도 많고 맛있어요!“

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

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

“This was my first time visiting I Can BBQ, a Korean all-you-can-eat BBQ restaurant. The location is great, the restaurant is very clean, and the interior design is really nice. The price is reasonable, but the quality of the meat is excellent. On top of that, the service was very good. I would definitely come back!“

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

“Chan Chan is THE place to go for good service, amazing Korean food, and to have a good time. The food is spectacular with the perfect flavor as well as atmosphere. You won’t regret coming here. We enjoyed the food so much that we did their catering service which was just as perfect. Highly recommended!!“

“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 friend brought me to this place and I was excited to try. I ordered the tonkatsu and rice cake/dumpling soup. Not gonna lie, my expectations were shattered. I can't go back to my usual spot to enjoy the soup and tonkatsu anymore. Soup was so flavorful and tasty, the dumpling was massive, the tonkatsu is enormous. For the price, it was worth it. Would come back 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。“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“This has been my go to flame broiler for the last year, I’ve always had a wonderful experience specially when Ashley is there! Ashley gives great customer service, though a little shy at first she is very sweet and polite. As soon as I get through the door she is so welcoming. Looking at the most recent review I hope that is not the reason why she will no longer be working here, knowing Ash for the last year there is no way that review can be about her and I am so sad to hear she will no longer be working here, she was a bright light to this establishment :(
Also, the person who posted the one star review about horrible customer service leaves one star reviews everywhere she goes. I have received nothing but great customer service here, but maybe it’s time I go somewhere else.“

“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.“

“Good food and very friendly environment“

“Ever had a 3 star Michelin chef that’s a judge on Masterchef Korea cook you dinner? I know you wanna see what Chef Hoon Song served up. His special for the 3 day pop up at Yukdaejang in Irvine included his creative take of Korean Short rib patties, charcoal grilled, sauced up, and served with soybean soup & a ton of his favorite side dishes. 10/10 and it’s the next best thing to a fine dining experience I’ve had. I also tried Yuldaejang’s most popular eats like this savory kimchi and pork steamed mandu. Not to be outdone by their premium bossam in house special soy sauce. So much more flavor than others I’ve had. Finally the creamy brisket sullungtang soup with glass noodles to complete the feast for the night. One of the best solo dining experiences I’ve had“

“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.“

“We ordered the signature set ($37.99) which came with a dumpling sampler, cold noodle, rose toekpokki (mild), and we did a tonkatsu add on. The only thing we didn't like was the add on, it was overpriced at $5.00 and only tasted ok. But the rest was SUPER DELICIOUS. Everything has such great flavors. Service was amazing, he was very friendly and even walked our food to us at our table. Would definitely come back for more.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“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“

“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 😁😁😁“

“I went to another KBBQ spot down the street and noticed it was not AYCE so I called this place and because we had a huge party, they had no problem setting up the table for us before we got there. I really appreciate the staff being so nice to us and having everything ready for us! 10/10 for the service. As for the food, side dishes are amazing and the kimchi was so fresh mmm! I loved the meat selections that they had to offer and the bangchan side dishes. I appreciate the atmosphere and the vibe too, I feel like more common kbbq spots have minimal lighting in the restaurant but this one was perfect!! I could see all my friends! Left with a full stomach! will definitely come here again!“

“Burning X really surprised me. Lately I have been eating AYCE KBBQ too many times that the flavor and meat quality has been just okay and these spots claimed to be really top tier kbbq spots has been a let down. It's good but not OMG, I want to go back again vibes.

BUT!!! Burning X's LA Galbi, is absolutely delicious. I am soooo in LOVE. To the point we stopped eating the marinated boneless short rib, rib finger, wagyu beef belly, premium short ribs, pork jowls and just focused on LA Galbi with the 3 bones. We order 5 orders. It comes in a set of two. It really has a great balance of flavor not being too salty or sweet or bland and the tenderness, amazing . Honestly all the pieces were excellent!

Next time, I'm gonna ignore all the meats and just get the LA Galbi Short Rib ( with the bones)!!!

I also enjoyed their kimchi bar, the pickled soy onions & radish and their salad with all of my LA Galbi Short Rib pieces. Absolute heaven and the service was amazing!“

“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.“

“voko never fails to amaze and delight! my friends and i were celebrating tonight and CALEB was the highlight! he was so kind and helpful, we are so thankful to always come to the best karaoke spot in town when we are in need of some fun! thank you endlessly CALEB for the best night ever!“

“Nice place to hang out with friends“

“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“

“Service was friendly and quick, and i got food.“

“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!“

“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“

“It is a great place that opens till very late. We came at almost midnight and had some cold beer and authentic food. Some of the food is very authentic such as the blood sausage. We tried that and some fried whole chicken, fried tofu, and squid. It was nice you can just ordered thru the pad and they served quick. They gave us some free orange slices too.“

“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 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.“

“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 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!“

“Food is really high quality and very generous!! crispy chicken always fresh and delicious! 🥰 very friendly and helpful staff! 🥰 the space is not wheelchair accessible really tight but they return it back for there friendly staff and quality of food. Highly recommend bbq chicken tustin 🥰“

“Everything was genuinely wonderful! All the food was fresh, served warm, and everyone was welcoming. The server was very attentive, their lunch specials are good deals. There was not much wait around 1:30. Good, quiet place to enjoy lunch. This place is definitely part of my weekly rotation now.“

“Well originally I didn’t like going to this place because the front person was not very friendly. However we decided to give this place another chance when they introduced their new spicy flavor. Now we either order it online or subversive will go and pick up our order because the new flavor is delicious. It has become our new work favorite.“

“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!“

“The meat was delicious. Two meat servings was enough for three people. The staff was attentive from the beginning and cut the meat and cooked it for us very well. Lots of sides were included with the meal including kimchi, cold and hot vegetables, and whole uncooked shrimp. I noticed the meat quality was superior to meat at other KBBQ restaurants. Additionally, the restaurant was very spacious, so it didn’t get too loud and we could hear each other talk.“

“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!“