50 Best Korean Restaurants near Lake Forest

“Been coming here recently. Their combo portions are really generous. You can get a bunch of protein and four side orders! And there area bunch of sides to choose from including kimchi, chapchae, fish cake and macaroni salad. Service is fast and friendly. It's been part of our regular rotation for a while now. Always a treat to come to Ummas!“

“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!“

“This is my new favorite restaurant hands down no questions asked. The price of the food is more than just fair and the quality is even better. If I really had to nitpick it would be the size of the restaurant but come on let’s be real, small places like this always serve the best food“

“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.“

“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“

“Ordered: Calbi bento, chicken cutlet bento & calbi bibimbap bowl.

The food was great, chicken cutlet was tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. The calbi meat was tender and all the side banchan was delicious. We ate everything! Prices were reasonable and the service was nice. There was only two small tables inside so just head on outside where there is a community outdoor seating area.“

“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“

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

“Just hit up the I Can Barbecue at Tustin Marketplace and it’s legit! Their $23.99 weekday lunch AYCE is an insane steal. The meat quality is top-tier (definitely get the beef tongue), and I love that you can order half portions. The robot servers are a fun touch. Massive space with a huge patio, perfect to grab food before shopping!“

“I recently dined at Chan Chan in Irvine, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. If you are looking for authentic Korean comfort food with a modern twist, this is the place to go.
What We Ordered:
Chan Chan Wings (Garlic Crunch): These were the highlight of the meal! Perfectly crispy on the outside with a delicious garlic crunch that wasn't too overpowering. A must-try for wing lovers.
Spicy Seafood Noodles & White Beef Brisket Noodles: We opted for the fresh noodles, and you can really taste the difference in texture. The seafood noodles had a great kick, while the brisket noodles were savory, comforting, and packed with flavor.
Spicy Squid Fried Rice: This had the perfect amount of heat and a generous portion of squid. It’s a great dish if you want something hearty.
Half & Half Kimbap (Grilled Beef & Spam): I love that they offer a half-and-half option. Both the beef and the spam were seasoned perfectly—great for sharing!“

“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。“

“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.“

“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!“

“Spicy chicken feet is at the right level of spiciness. They don’t have boneless option, so you have to do your work. And if you decided to order spicy chicken feet, order with diy rice ball. Not because it’s fiery hot, but the portion of one order is def not enough for two people. So if you are hungry, combo menu will be the best. Me and my friend got combo A, and we got enough of various dishes ( chicken feet+diy rice ball+steamed egg+fried chicken). Also this place didn’t seemed to be overly busy even in the Friday night. No need for reservation.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“my husband and I get lunch here weekly, on our way back from the gym. This is the best FB store that we've been to - from the friendly employee at the counter to the consistently delicious & healthy-tasting food that gets prepared super fast. It's our favorite FB location because of the people who work here and the food quality.“

“Good food and very friendly environment“

“Great service! We've been here before and like it a lot! We both got bowls with the purple rice and a side of the Korean street fries! The toppings in the bowl went so well with everything and is a good amount of food! Everything was so good and the rest of the menu with the kimchi burgers looks great! Will definitely be back to try everything on the menu“

“We came here as a party of six, and my Korean girlfriend treated us to dinner, we had an amazing time from start to finish. She thoughtfully curated the menu so there was something for everyone, and every dish was excellent.

The restaurant was packed, yet the service remained attentive and smooth throughout the night. Every staff member we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful, which made the experience even better. The energy was lively and fun, exactly what you want at Korean BBQ.

The highlight of the night was how they ended the meal with the kimchi fried rice. OMG it was sooo delicious and the perfect way to wrap everything up.

We’ll absolutely be coming back to this Irvine location again.“

“Ordered the beef short rib yuk gae Jang. It was delicious! Beef was super tender and fell off the bone. The only negative is they don't offer a lot of side dishes. Only 3..kimchi, chives and fish cakes. Other than that it was good. I'll be back when I'm on vacation again.“

“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“

“I recently visited this local business and had a great experience from start to finish. The staff was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely interested in helping me find exactly what I needed. The space was clean, well-organized, and had a comfortable atmosphere that made browsing enjoyable. Prices were fair for the quality offered, and everything felt thoughtfully curated. It’s clear they care about their customers and take pride in what they do. I’ll definitely be coming back and recommending this place to friends and family.“

“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 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!“

“I came here with my dad for their lunch special. Our server Paul was great. Very fast and good service. Food is tasty, lots of different banchan. They offer a ramen at the end of the meal that is very tasty! Shin Ramen. I highly recommend for an affordable lunch spot.“

“We had a wonderful experience at IT’S TOFU in Irvine. The food was delicious, comforting, and full of flavor—everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared. What really made our visit special was our server, Jenny. She was absolutely excellent: attentive, kind, and genuinely caring about our experience. Her service made us feel very welcome and well taken care of. We’ll definitely be coming back, and we hope to have Jenny as our server again. Highly recommended!“

“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“

“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.“

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

“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 🥰“

“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!“

“Yuchun can be found inside the food court at H Mart Irvine WestPark. There are a good number of Korean food options within the food hall, but we decided on Yuchun and it was the right choice. I went with the Yuchun Signature Set which included a variety of banchan, rice, soup and bulgogi for $25.99. I paid an upcharge to substitute kalbi as my choice of protein and it did not disappoint. Simply order at the kiosk and they’ll call your number when your order is ready, but be forewarned that the tray can be on the heavier side when you pickup. The Signature Set is not the most affordable menu option, but it provides a balanced meal of Korean dishes and the portion size is hearty enough for leftovers. I’ll def be back!“

“I literally LOVE katsu bar!!

I have been here over 6 times in the past year, and it's my go-to place for a katsu sando! I always bring my friends here when they visit, and they're never disappointed 🫶

I HIGHLY recommend the pork katsu sando (it's actually juicier than the chicken; I ordered the chicken once and was kinda sad it wasn't as juicy as I was expecting). I've had every variety of the katsu sando, and they're all delicious !!!

🥚 My other go-to is the the egg sando! The eggs are perfectly seasoned, and the combination of mashed and sliced eggs come together for the perfect variety of textures in an egg sando 🥪

🍔The katsu sandwich (cutlet on an artisanal burger bun rather than white bread) is my friend's go-to order and also really good! There's a higher carb-to-meat ratio, so it's good for when you want more carbs or are really hungry! The bread is perfectly toasted yet pillowy, and balances out the cutlet fantastically 🤤

🐓 I also love their gangjang chicken (you can tell by how many times it's featured) which reheats really well in both the microwave and the oven/airfyer!

🍓 Their strawberry sando is also DELICIOUS--a bit of a messy eat since the sandwiches are cut horizontally and not diagonally, but the cream is so thick and luscious, and the strawberries are somehow always perfectly ripe and just sweet yet tart enough to balance out the cream. An absolute must-try!!

The only item I don't absolutely love is the tteokbokki--it's on the sweeter side, which isn't my personal preference, but the texture is really chewy and has a slight crisp from being fried.

Overall, I REALLY recommend this place for anyone who loves katsu sandos !!“

“Nice place to hang out with friends“

“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!“

“VOKO is one of the few places where I can get really loose and have a lot of fun. Nothing beats a fun karekoke experience with amazing service in between. My favorite person to run into is Carlton at the front desk because he treats me and my friends with the upmost care and attention. Tip this man well and you will be taken care of and have an amazing nite. Go Carlton!“

“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.“

“Fantastisk spisested. Kunne være fedt at have i Danmark �“

“Went the other night and food and service was amazing. Everything tasted super fresh and they even finished the meal with a scoop of green tea ice cream. I was surprised to see it empty on a Saturday night cause it was one of the best times ive had at a sushi place :]“

“The second flame broiler I have been to. The food is simple and decently healthy. Just meat, rice, and veggies. The flavor is good and does not leave you feeling bloated. The staff are very friendly but the food comes out slowly. Seems like they are not sustainable, only 2 people working and not that busy. The interior is large and clean.“

“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!“