Soowon Galbi
Korean barbecue restaurant · Koreatown
856 Vermont Ave B, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Highlights
Marinated short ribs, pork belly, and brisket grilled perfectly
Marinated short ribs, pork belly, and brisket grilled perfectly
"Short wait times, a party atmosphere, or great food. Usually, when it comes to Korean BBQ, you have to pick two. But Soowon Galbi is that rare place where you can have all three. Come on any random night, and you’ll see people in suits hosting meetings next to UCLA kids having a study break with a few Hite pitchers. Everyone’s having fun, and there are some great combinations. The best deal is Combo B, which easily feeds four people for $160 (even if the menu only says two). The staff grills each course for you, including rolls of foot-long beef ribs marinated with soy and garlic. If you want something heartier than banchan to go with your meats, get the scallion pancake that’s thick, golden brown, and so big it gets sliced like a frittata." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Classic Korean barbecue Soowon might get a little overshadowed by its neighbor Park’s BBQ down the street, but the longtime restaurant still excels with high-quality beef and attentive service. A reliable star in the galaxy of Koreatown barbecue." - Matthew Kang, Cathy Park
"Classic Korean barbecue Soowon might get a little overshadowed by its neighbor Park’s BBQ down the street, but the longtime restaurant still excels with high-quality beef and attentive service. A reliable star in the galaxy of Koreatown barbecue." - Matthew Kang
"Specialties: BBQ If you want a Korean BBQ spot with high-quality meat and a party atmosphere, but shorter wait times than Park’s or Baekjeong, go to Soowon Galbi. On a Friday night, you’ll see business dinners that involve multiple bottles of soju (per person), birthday celebrations, and going-away parties that probably result in some missed flights. It’s also more affordable than other places with meat this good—the Combo B is $160 and comes with enough beef and pork to feed a group of four." - Brant Cox, Nikko Duren, Sylvio Martins
"Soowon Galbi is right beside a laundromat, so this tidy little destination may not be a top pick among interior design divas. However, it is an authentic spot with two decades of always delivering on flavor under its belt. Pancakes, steamed eggs and banchan start things off, but like all good Korean barbecue joints, it’s all about the charbroiled and gas-grilled meat. Soowon is a cattle town in South Korea, so know that the beef combo is an absolute winner, with a variety of cuts offering especially good value at lunch and hitting all the marks in terms of flavor and texture. Whether indulging in straightforward ribeye or garlicky soy-marinated galbi, each morsel is charred perfectly on the grill and will melt in your mouth." - Michelin Inspector
