Soh Grill House

"Soh is a Korean BBQ spot in Pasadena with plenty of parking, reservations, and a menu section dedicated entirely to sorbets. Besides all of these perks, the quality of the meat makes Soh stand out (so does its location, frankly). Order one of the combinations, which can easily feed two, four, or six people. These include our two favorite cuts: beef belly—a lesser-seen cut with a buttery texture—and pork jowl that tastes like a slab of cured bacon hot off the grill. If you’re going to add one thing to your meats and banchan, make it the kimchi fried rice topped with bacon and a fried egg." - Brant Cox, Nikko Duren, Sylvio Martins

"Korean BBQ spot Soh Grill House has reopened with outdoor dining on the sidewalk, serving grilled bulgogi, kalbi, and pork belly jaeyuk, along with a bunch of great banchan. Call for a reservation - (626) 714-7760." - brett keating

"Though KJ is more on the side of gentrified, circa-1990s Korean food, that’s precisely what makes it great. I can take all my relatives here, including the ones who won’t touch soondae (blood sausage) or gopchang (grilled intestines). If I put a plate of bulgogi or spicy fried pork in front of my cousin, and a donkatsu (fried pork cutlet) or bulgogi kids meal in front of his kid, they’re happy to finish it all. Whenever I bring people here who typically don’t like Korean food, they’re all singing a new tune of how much they love big hearty bowls of galbitang (beef short rib soup) and samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup) before I know it. And the banchan is well-done, which is always a marker of how much to love a Korean spot - from crunchy coins of cucumber kimchi to soft-to-the-bite gamja jorim (braised potatoes)." - dakota kim

"Soh is a Korean BBQ spot built for Pasadena, which means it’s all very easy - there’s plenty of parking, you can make a reservation, and it’s full of local families. It’s also very good. Order one of the combinations (for two, four, or six people, although they can feed a bit more than whatever they say). They all include our two favorite cuts: Beef belly - an unusual cut that’s usually not served even though it’s tender, flavorful, and great, and pork jowl, which is also fantastic. The banchan is fresh-tasting, bright, and plentiful, and if you’re going to add one thing on, make it the kimchi fried rice, topped with a fried egg and bacon." - Brett Keating

"As Korean barbecues go for keto, most of them are A-OK; between the steamed egg, various cuts of beef and pork (without marinade, of course), any Korean barbecue experience is generally keto safe. With that said, Soh Grill House makes the list for a couple reasons: The unmarinated meats are some of the best in the city, and their mostly-vegetable banchan spread (especially their spinach) is exceptionally keto-friendly." - Euno Lee