Baekjeong Irvine
Korean barbecue restaurant · El Camino Real ·
Tableside Korean BBQ with prime beef, pork, stews & combos
Tableside Korean BBQ with prime beef, pork, stews & combos
"Baekjeong’s 2024 disappearance from 6th Street felt like a KBBQ whodunnit, but the beloved chain has returned, just a few blocks away in a shinier, larger space. The setup’s the same: a center grill surrounded by a bubbling moat of corn cheese and steamed egg, solid banchan, and combos with a mix of meats (get Hodong’s Favorite for both beef and pork). While there are higher-quality cuts at other K-town spots, Baekjeong remains a foolproof choice when you’re introducing someone to Korean barbecue or just want a reliably great meal with short ribs, soju, and zero risk of overcooked meat." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"OK, so you’ll drop some cash at Kanghodong Baekjeong, but if you’ve never dined at this world-renowned Korean barbecue spot, now is the time to do it outdoors at one of its two less-crowded locations (there’s a second in Rowland Heights). The quality of meat at Baekjeong, which means butcher, is impressive, but don’t stop at the micro-brisket and the seasoned short rib. Here, you want to try it all - especially the ultra-fatty pork jowl, the fiery red spicy intestine combo, and the yangdaechang, which has both tripe and large intestine. You’ll need kimchi jiigae and gyeran jjim (steamed egg) while you’re at it, of course, even though the banchan are plentiful here. Or if you’re just in for lunch to go, order up the lunchbox, which has steamed white rice with a fried egg and your choice of meat." - dakota kim
"At Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong, a KBBQ spot in K-town, it's never too long before someone comes to your table and starts flipping marinated boneless short ribs or pouring beaten eggs into a moat around a tabletop grill. When you're done eating, you will, in theory, have time to talk. But this place always has a line, and the staff might give you the stink eye if you linger too long, so a "People are waiting, we should go" declaration is a perfect out." - kenny yang
"San Francisco has Chinatown, Miami has Little Havana, and NYC has the entirety of Queens, but we have Koreatown. And at three square miles, it’s one of the largest ethnic enclaves in the country and an integral part in our city’s food (and karaoke) culture. And that means three letters - BBQ. While you could go to a different Korean BBQ spot once a day for three months and not hit them all, our go-to is Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. Nowhere do you get higher quality meats, better service, and the rowdy (re: drunk) environment that one seeks at a Korean BBQ spot better than here. Warning: With no reservations, this might be one of the hardest tables to snag in town. So put your name in early and go get Soju-hammered at Gaam next door." - brant cox, katherine lewin
"Pre-pandemic, the lines here weren’t just long - they were borderline sadistic. We’re talking two hours, minimum. Drunk college students everywhere. And if you came with a group of four, you could guarantee that at least one of you was going to wind up with a parking ticket. So… yeah, we’re taking advantage of this unprecedented time and ordering their massive meat and pork combos to-go. Sue us. Available for takeout and delivery." - brant cox, kat hong
