My wife is Korean, and we have dined in all the top Korean places in Los Angeles and Seoul for over 20 years. AB Steak delivers high end versions of traditional Korean classics. The quality of the meat is superior to that of most Korean restaurants, from the melt in your mouth A5 like kkotsal to the marinated short ribs. The egg “soufflé” gyeranjjim has a light cheese sauce and more flavor than typical. Moving perfectly cooked medium rare meat from the grill to a cast iron warmer keeps the meat warm while preventing over cooking is a great idea. Service is capable and friendly.
Karl F.
WORTH IT! WORTH IT!Wasn't sure expensive Korean BBQ was going to be better than an average K-town BBQ but it was. Totally worth the trip and price.The restaurant is very classy and the service is impeccable. However, go there for the food.The drinks are great, I had a Roku gin martini with blue cheese olives.The banchan (side dishes) are delicious: pickled daikon, green salad, bean sprouts, deep fried tofu.Start with the egg soufflé, a fluffy and generous portion. Just a few bites so you don't fill up.But go there for the meat! Aged Wagyu brisket is a must. After grilling, it sits on a warming plate so it does not overcook. They dress it with garlic barley sauce and a toasted sliver of garlic--pure heaven. Marinated galbi also grilled at the table can be enjoyed without any additional sauce~~wow! Only sampled a small portion of the menu. Will have to return and try other meats.
Kevin Delaney
They over cooked our meat on a few dishes and under cooked on a few. Pork was delicious though. The music was so loud I couldn't hear my wife from across the table.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Joey Medeiros
Phenomenal experience! The best Korean BBQ I’ve ever had by a long shot. This coupled with the attentive and friendly service makes it a must try in my book. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kimchi Fried Rice, Australian Wagyu
Sparkelina
We had never been, nothing was explained to us. It was a guessing game. When we ordered a plate of vegetables the server told us that it's going to hold up and our meats would take longer .. ok... I ordered a Jack and coke. It came out neat with a tiny baby craft of coke. No ice. I asked for 2 glasses of ice for our 2 drinks , a tiny 1/2 cup with 1/2 ice cubes came - not even enough for a normal jack and coke. The back servers were great and then we sat with empty water glasses for a very long time. I had to get up and ask for water twice. We were celebrating a marriage. We wanted to start out with drinks then champagne and then wine with our courses. We did not. After not being asked if we had ever been there or had any questions and the drinks came out like that .. we decided to celebrate the next night at Boa In BH. Front desk staff was efficient and very nice.
BradleyB
Everyone in our party of four agreed that this was an awesome restaurant all around. The server was very friendly and super helpful; she answered our many enthusiastic questions about the food and made some really great, thoughtful suggestions. Ambience is dark, intimate, and loungey. Speaking of the food - every single dish was just so well done. The banchan included the best kimchi I've ever had. The pajeon had the perfect outer crunch contrasting with tender scallops and other seafood inside. Kimchi fried rice with pork belly was savory with just the right amount of acid and hint of heat. For the meats, we tried brisket, American Wagyu ribeye, and boneless kalbi short ribs. All of those were excellent quality and prepared perfectly by the server; she even cooked the ribeye at different levels of doneness for different preferences around the table. One miss for me was with the truffles we had shaved onto the ribeye; not sure if they were overpowered by the meat or if I just wasn't firing on all cylinders but I couldn't really taste or smell them. I'd skip that expensive add-on next time. The crispy garlic chips placed onto the meat were a great touch though. The rice ball dessert was a delight; warm deep fried rice balls made of similar rice cake as taekbokki if you've ever had that, but with a sweet floral infused whipped cream on each ball. Those were unique and delicious; just right at the end of a hearty but not coma-inducing meal. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience.
JenniferK
The beef is very high quality, very tender and delicious. I also liked the salad and banchan, egg souffle and seafood pancake. Everything was really tasty. It's a bit pricey but this is a higher end Korean BBQ restaurant and you don't leave smelling like smoke.
Leilani P.
came here to celebrate my birthday with some friends & the restaurant was really packed this time around! As always, the staff is always quick and attentive. and at the end they even brought out a dessert for the table, which was a nice surprise :) - Spicy tofu jjigae- Galbi fried rice - Wagyu Chadol- Snow flower kkotsal-sik hye sorbet
Kristie H.
I really enjoyed my meal here. There wasn't one dish that I didn't like. I thoroughly enjoyed the new AB pizza, which is a starter cold dish appetizer with truffle oil on a tortilla-like chip. The egg soufflé is always perfectly fluffy and jiggly.Meats were exceptional, as always, but I really need to highlight the new Pyongyang inspired cold noodle dish. Some may find the broth on the plainer side, especially when you compare it with its South Korean equivalent that you can find in Ktown, but I absolutely loved it. I drank every single drop of soup in that bowl.The soup is for over six hours, and for someone that collagen and bone broth, I really appreciated it and it is honestly one of the best noodle dishes I've had all year.
Recently tried this newly opened Korean BBQ spot situated conveniently on the ground floor of Beverly Center. Parking was a breeze, right within Beverly Center with easy access to the restaurant. Being new, it wasn't crowded when we visited to celebrate a friend's birthday and explore a fresh dining spot.The Korean BBQ experience here comes with a relatively higher price tag, but the service truly stood out - the staff was exceptionally professional and polite, earning a solid 100 points in service. However, the fried rice leaned a bit too much on the sweet side, resulting in a sticky texture. Similarly, the steamed egg was slightly overcooked and lacked the desired tenderness.Yet, the star of the show was undeniably the quality of the meat. Cooked to perfection by our waiter, it deserves applause. The cake arrangement for the birthday celebration was also flawlessly executed by the attentive staff. Though it was disappointing to hear that some menu items were unavailable, leaving the menu feeling incomplete.One standout feature: despite indulging in a BBQ feast, there was no lingering barbecue smell on our clothes post-meal - a remarkable feat worth praising! Perfect for a date night, as you need not worry about leaving with a barbecue scent clinging to your attire. Overall, a highly satisfying experience that I truly enjoyed.
Sarah Thmys
A fan of Akira Back. I had high expectations. Maybe too high. It’s a nice bbq place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Kimberly H.
Beautiful ambiance and some of the best mixed drinks I've ever had at a Korean or Korean inspired restaurant. The meats were also very tender and delicious, and the servers did a spectacular job preparing it. The salad was also seasoned well and tasted wonderful. Unfortunately, I did not especially enjoy the other side dishes and felt the service could have been a bit better. There were several times throughout the night we were looking for our server to ask for additional drinks or other help, and the wait tiime was quite a bit even when not all the tables at the restaurant were full.The raw meat appetizer was pretty when it first arrived at our table but very messy when our server mixd the ingredients. I wonder if it can be plated differently so that it is still visually breathtaking but not so messy when put together at the table. It also was not placed on ice or other, and once it reached room temperature, did not taste as good. If you order this dish, eat it and eat it quickly.Most disappointing were the noodles. My friend finished the dish, but I could not muster more than a few bites. The broth tasted literally like water with salt. It had no depth or umami, and I hate to say, I felt it tasted quite awful. It was actually the worst of that particular Korean noodle dish I've ever had. Store bought instant frozen ones I felt actually tasted better. The Egg Souffle was very generous in portion, but not as delicate or smooth as other Korean restaurants I've visited. And from my experience of these two dishes, I opted out of ordering any more side dishes or appetizers.Overall, I'd definitely come again as the meats and cocktails are exceptional, but I'd skip on the appetizers or side dishes and be more vocal when I need help ordering additional items with our server.
Jessica M.
Wow! Decided to bring my husband here for his birthday and we were not disappointed. The staff was on it from the minute we walked through the door. The food was delicious. We ordered the egg souffle, japchae, salmon, galbi fried rice, galbi, and ribeye. All of the dishes were delicious and tasted so fresh. The quality of the meat was fantastic. They brought out a dessert for my husband at the end which was very thoughtful.We'll definitely be coming back here.
Lucy L.
Fancy, high-end kbbq spot but a little overpriced. Kind of confused about how japchae gets to be $20 and there's nothing special to it. I did love how they had a steak tartar option and the meats were well seasoned. I do wish that they had more meat options, as all their choices were extremely fatty. One complaint I had was that they didn't let us know they provided valet parking after we told them we parked in the lot.
If you’re on the fence, get the pork also!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife is Korean, and we have dined in all the top Korean places in Los Angeles and Seoul for over 20 years. AB Steak delivers high end versions of traditional Korean classics. The quality of the meat is superior to that of most Korean restaurants, from the melt in your mouth A5 like kkotsal to the marinated short ribs. The egg “soufflé” gyeranjjim has a light cheese sauce and more flavor than typical. Moving perfectly cooked medium rare meat from the grill to a cast iron warmer keeps the meat warm while preventing over cooking is a great idea. Service is capable and friendly.
WORTH IT! WORTH IT!Wasn't sure expensive Korean BBQ was going to be better than an average K-town BBQ but it was. Totally worth the trip and price.The restaurant is very classy and the service is impeccable. However, go there for the food.The drinks are great, I had a Roku gin martini with blue cheese olives.The banchan (side dishes) are delicious: pickled daikon, green salad, bean sprouts, deep fried tofu.Start with the egg soufflé, a fluffy and generous portion. Just a few bites so you don't fill up.But go there for the meat! Aged Wagyu brisket is a must. After grilling, it sits on a warming plate so it does not overcook. They dress it with garlic barley sauce and a toasted sliver of garlic--pure heaven. Marinated galbi also grilled at the table can be enjoyed without any additional sauce~~wow! Only sampled a small portion of the menu. Will have to return and try other meats.
They over cooked our meat on a few dishes and under cooked on a few. Pork was delicious though. The music was so loud I couldn't hear my wife from across the table.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Phenomenal experience! The best Korean BBQ I’ve ever had by a long shot. This coupled with the attentive and friendly service makes it a must try in my book. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kimchi Fried Rice, Australian Wagyu
We had never been, nothing was explained to us. It was a guessing game. When we ordered a plate of vegetables the server told us that it's going to hold up and our meats would take longer .. ok... I ordered a Jack and coke. It came out neat with a tiny baby craft of coke. No ice. I asked for 2 glasses of ice for our 2 drinks , a tiny 1/2 cup with 1/2 ice cubes came - not even enough for a normal jack and coke. The back servers were great and then we sat with empty water glasses for a very long time. I had to get up and ask for water twice. We were celebrating a marriage. We wanted to start out with drinks then champagne and then wine with our courses. We did not. After not being asked if we had ever been there or had any questions and the drinks came out like that .. we decided to celebrate the next night at Boa In BH. Front desk staff was efficient and very nice.
Everyone in our party of four agreed that this was an awesome restaurant all around. The server was very friendly and super helpful; she answered our many enthusiastic questions about the food and made some really great, thoughtful suggestions. Ambience is dark, intimate, and loungey. Speaking of the food - every single dish was just so well done. The banchan included the best kimchi I've ever had. The pajeon had the perfect outer crunch contrasting with tender scallops and other seafood inside. Kimchi fried rice with pork belly was savory with just the right amount of acid and hint of heat. For the meats, we tried brisket, American Wagyu ribeye, and boneless kalbi short ribs. All of those were excellent quality and prepared perfectly by the server; she even cooked the ribeye at different levels of doneness for different preferences around the table. One miss for me was with the truffles we had shaved onto the ribeye; not sure if they were overpowered by the meat or if I just wasn't firing on all cylinders but I couldn't really taste or smell them. I'd skip that expensive add-on next time. The crispy garlic chips placed onto the meat were a great touch though. The rice ball dessert was a delight; warm deep fried rice balls made of similar rice cake as taekbokki if you've ever had that, but with a sweet floral infused whipped cream on each ball. Those were unique and delicious; just right at the end of a hearty but not coma-inducing meal. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience.
The beef is very high quality, very tender and delicious. I also liked the salad and banchan, egg souffle and seafood pancake. Everything was really tasty. It's a bit pricey but this is a higher end Korean BBQ restaurant and you don't leave smelling like smoke.
came here to celebrate my birthday with some friends & the restaurant was really packed this time around! As always, the staff is always quick and attentive. and at the end they even brought out a dessert for the table, which was a nice surprise :) - Spicy tofu jjigae- Galbi fried rice - Wagyu Chadol- Snow flower kkotsal-sik hye sorbet
I really enjoyed my meal here. There wasn't one dish that I didn't like. I thoroughly enjoyed the new AB pizza, which is a starter cold dish appetizer with truffle oil on a tortilla-like chip. The egg soufflé is always perfectly fluffy and jiggly.Meats were exceptional, as always, but I really need to highlight the new Pyongyang inspired cold noodle dish. Some may find the broth on the plainer side, especially when you compare it with its South Korean equivalent that you can find in Ktown, but I absolutely loved it. I drank every single drop of soup in that bowl.The soup is for over six hours, and for someone that collagen and bone broth, I really appreciated it and it is honestly one of the best noodle dishes I've had all year.
Restaurantji Recommends
Recently tried this newly opened Korean BBQ spot situated conveniently on the ground floor of Beverly Center. Parking was a breeze, right within Beverly Center with easy access to the restaurant. Being new, it wasn't crowded when we visited to celebrate a friend's birthday and explore a fresh dining spot.The Korean BBQ experience here comes with a relatively higher price tag, but the service truly stood out - the staff was exceptionally professional and polite, earning a solid 100 points in service. However, the fried rice leaned a bit too much on the sweet side, resulting in a sticky texture. Similarly, the steamed egg was slightly overcooked and lacked the desired tenderness.Yet, the star of the show was undeniably the quality of the meat. Cooked to perfection by our waiter, it deserves applause. The cake arrangement for the birthday celebration was also flawlessly executed by the attentive staff. Though it was disappointing to hear that some menu items were unavailable, leaving the menu feeling incomplete.One standout feature: despite indulging in a BBQ feast, there was no lingering barbecue smell on our clothes post-meal - a remarkable feat worth praising! Perfect for a date night, as you need not worry about leaving with a barbecue scent clinging to your attire. Overall, a highly satisfying experience that I truly enjoyed.
A fan of Akira Back. I had high expectations. Maybe too high. It’s a nice bbq place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Beautiful ambiance and some of the best mixed drinks I've ever had at a Korean or Korean inspired restaurant. The meats were also very tender and delicious, and the servers did a spectacular job preparing it. The salad was also seasoned well and tasted wonderful. Unfortunately, I did not especially enjoy the other side dishes and felt the service could have been a bit better. There were several times throughout the night we were looking for our server to ask for additional drinks or other help, and the wait tiime was quite a bit even when not all the tables at the restaurant were full.The raw meat appetizer was pretty when it first arrived at our table but very messy when our server mixd the ingredients. I wonder if it can be plated differently so that it is still visually breathtaking but not so messy when put together at the table. It also was not placed on ice or other, and once it reached room temperature, did not taste as good. If you order this dish, eat it and eat it quickly.Most disappointing were the noodles. My friend finished the dish, but I could not muster more than a few bites. The broth tasted literally like water with salt. It had no depth or umami, and I hate to say, I felt it tasted quite awful. It was actually the worst of that particular Korean noodle dish I've ever had. Store bought instant frozen ones I felt actually tasted better. The Egg Souffle was very generous in portion, but not as delicate or smooth as other Korean restaurants I've visited. And from my experience of these two dishes, I opted out of ordering any more side dishes or appetizers.Overall, I'd definitely come again as the meats and cocktails are exceptional, but I'd skip on the appetizers or side dishes and be more vocal when I need help ordering additional items with our server.
Wow! Decided to bring my husband here for his birthday and we were not disappointed. The staff was on it from the minute we walked through the door. The food was delicious. We ordered the egg souffle, japchae, salmon, galbi fried rice, galbi, and ribeye. All of the dishes were delicious and tasted so fresh. The quality of the meat was fantastic. They brought out a dessert for my husband at the end which was very thoughtful.We'll definitely be coming back here.
Fancy, high-end kbbq spot but a little overpriced. Kind of confused about how japchae gets to be $20 and there's nothing special to it. I did love how they had a steak tartar option and the meats were well seasoned. I do wish that they had more meat options, as all their choices were extremely fatty. One complaint I had was that they didn't let us know they provided valet parking after we told them we parked in the lot.