I’m taking my extended Korean family out for Korean food Saturday night and need some recommendations.
There will be 8-10 of us, so the place needs to be able to seat large parties or have private rooms.
Not interested in table BBQ. It’s okay if the place has it, and some people in our party will want meat, but we don’t typically do table bbq.
Cleanliness is a priority. In fact, the nicer the restaurant, the better.
Obviously, the size of our party limits our options a bit. My first thought was Genwa. We’ve done the Wilshire location before but I’m curious about their Beverly Hills branch. Another possibility that occurred to me is Jun Won. The new location looks really nice. Has anyone tried it?
I’d love to hear thoughts on those places and recommendations for any others that meet our criteria.
Yongsusan always does brisk business with special occasions and catering. We did the lunch there for my grandfather’s funeral. The place is totally unique when it comes to Korean restaurants in America: palace-style tasting menus with almost all private dining rooms. They simply don’t have a general dining floor there. The decor is starting to get stale, sure, but it’s supported by the Korean community and its events.
Had a truly excellent meal at Jun Won recently. We ordered the braised cod, chicken bulgogi, and galbi jjim. All were excellent, though the standout for me was the chicken bulgogi.
The braised cod was a big hit with mom. I enjoyed the fish itself but the radish was a little too fishy for my taste. If you like seafood, though, this is a must-order.
We also really liked the galbi jjim. I’ve been curious to try Jun Won’s version ever since @nemroz mentioned they were adding it to the menu. It did not disappoint. The portion is enormous (it’s meant for two) and comes with plenty of meat and vegetables to satisfy even the most hearty eater.
What truly amazes me about Jun Won, however, is the quality of the service. This is unusual in Korean restaurants where service can be bit brisk and impersonal at best. But Jun Won is clearly a family-run operation and they take a lot of pride in what they do.
Yes! The people are so sweet and if you bring a kid they make him feel like a star. Since the first time he went there and they introduced him to the Korean kids’ favorite way of eating the food (seaweed wrapping rice and then meat) he can’t stop doing it and we have to go buy seaweed every time before visiting.
Chicken bulgogi is incredible and we always have to get it for the kid but I tear it up too . They frequently run out, as they did last time but fried fish stepped in to pinch hit well. For me the real wow stuff there are the banchan which are on a fermentation level i’m not finding at other places. only Soban comes close… i mean we had 3 different kinds of greens with varied flavors and funk levels last time… his mom is awesome. And how about the rice they serve!!! we go there for over half of family korean meals now. thanks for the Jjim feedback… haven’t had a chance to eat it yet… girl doesn’t care for too much sweet in the meat lately
Jun Won is definitely one of the best in Koreatown. For me easily Top 3. The Son must be extremely happy now since his Dodgers are in the World Series. But isn’t he always happy with customers? Makes you feel like family?
I have to try the chicken bulgogi and galbijim!!
I don’t mind putting up with indifference with ajummas though lol when eating in Koreatown.
Their fermented food does seem a bit “riper” for lack of a better term. Mom wasn’t super impressed with the banchan but I loved the turnip green kimchee and marinated garlic cloves.
I haven’t been to Sun Nong Dan (I know, I know) or Kkini, but I would rate Jun Won’s ahead of Soban and Seongbukdong. The meat, in particular, was trimmed with care so it was tender and flavorful without being overly fatty. I also liked the inclusion of potatoes and carrots in addition to the usual jujubes.
