KingChang-La - Koreatown

"After years of packed nights at their Buena Park location, King Chang opened a second KBBQ restaurant in the middle of Koreatown. This place specializes in gopchang—you'll see golden-brown offal served over bowls of udon or sizzling next to chopped veggies on a steel grill. If you're looking to streamline your order with a combo, the beef set comes with plenty of banchan, gyeranjjim, and three rounds of slightly sweet bulgogi, juicy boneless kalbi, and our favorite of the bunch, the god-tier marinated short ribs. You'll likely have to wait 30-ish minutes for a table on weekends, but that still makes this a great backup option when you don't brave the longer lines at Ahgassi Gopchang next door. " - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins

"Crispy Octopus  The crispy octopus is the only optional dish at Kinn, a grown-and-sexy Korean tasting menu spot in the heart of Koreatown, but you should consider it mandatory. This $21 add-on offers a rare moment of bliss in which we feel like we finally did something right. Each plump tentacle is braised in its own juices until tender, then flash-seared and slathered in a nutty gochujang sauce. The result is crispy skin that's so crunchy, we thought it was battered and fried. It’s remained on the rotating menu at Kinn since day one, and we pray that it never comes off." - nikko duren, garrett snyder, brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore

"After years of packed nights at their Buena Park location, King Chang opened a second KBBQ restaurant right in the middle of Koreatown. This place specializes in gopchang—you'll see golden-brown offal served over bowls of udon or sizzling next to a medley of chopped veggies on a steel table grill. If you're looking to streamline your order with a combo, get the $89 beef set that comes with plenty of banchan, gyeranjjim, and three rounds of slightly sweet bulgogi, juicy boneless kalbi, and our favorite of the bunch, the god-tier marinated short ribs. You'll likely have to wait 30-ish minutes for a table on the weekends. But that still makes this a great backup option when you can't get into Ahgassi Gopchang next door (it's been jam-packed since BTS grabbed dinner there in 2022)." - Nikko Duren

"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

"This legendary spot right on 6th St. has long been a mecca for drunk college kids, rowdy birthday parties, and every other big-group gathering in the neighborhood. And for that reason alone, wait times in pre-pandemic times could go longer than Gone With The Wind. Be warned that the lines here still aren’t short, but they’ve reopened for outdoor grilling, and their massive meat and pork combo platters make any wait worth it." - kat hong