Yangban
Korean restaurant · Downtown Los Angeles ·
Korean-American plates and cocktails in an artsy space
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71625849/Dina_Avila_Eater_Thanksgiving_2022_Twice_Fried_Magic_Myrna_Potatoes_19364.0.jpg "Yangban by Dina Ávila/Eater")
Korean-American plates and cocktails in an artsy space
"After temporarily closing in December 2024, this modern Korean restaurant announced via an Instagram post on April 16 that its Arts District restaurant would be permanently closing. However, via a spokesperson, owners John and Katianna Hong told Eater LA that they are looking for a new location for the restaurant in Los Angeles." - Rebecca Roland
"A modern Korean-American restaurant from a chef couple with Michelin-starred pedigrees, presented in a dramatic black dining room; signature offerings include a pea shoot salad, assorted banchan, double-fried chicken wings, and stone pot rice. The spot earned a James Beard nomination for its distinctive, refined approach to Korean-American flavors and is temporarily closed for renovation." - Becky Duffett
"This Korean deli in the Arts District is just about as casual as a college dining hall, so there’s little to no chance your Val-Day “pal” will get the wrong idea. We recommend grabbing a table and a round of drinks first, and then heading back to the counter to order your food. From spicy kimchi pozole and chilled acorn noodles in shirodashi vinaigrette, to warm, doughy potato bread, the food at Yangban is exceptional and unlike anything you can really find in LA right now." - nikko duren
"Owned by Katianna and John Hong, this restaurant features modern Korean-American cuisine." - Michael He
"In Los Angeles, chef Katianna Hong treats steaming as a precision tool for texture and form, allowing ingredients to remain fully intact and fully cooked. Signature items such as the matzo ball mandu and delicate vegetable preparations benefit from this approach; for example, a banchan of broccoli dressed with a ginger-soy-yuzu vinaigrette is steamed rather than blanched to preserve vivid color, structure, and precise shapes." - ByAmiel Stanek