Best Korean BBQ In Orange County

If you live in Orange County and are looking for the best Korean BBQ in the area. Here is the list of my favorite Korean BBQ places.

Just so you know I base my ratings on not only the meat quality but how good the banchan (Korean side dishes) and the stews (Jjigae) are at the restaurant. I believe the best Korean BBQ in Orange County need not only really great grades of meat but the side dishes and stews need to be as exceptional as well.

Songhak Korean BBQ

Songhak is a buffet-style of Korean BBQ. Compared to other restaurants in Orange County the quality of the meat is not as good, but the taste of the marinated beef steak, spicy pork, and beef bulgogi hit the mark. I think for the price you get great Korean food and the side dishes are not bad.

For a buffet, it is an exceptional Korean bbq outlet. The lunch deal is $19.99 per person. They have two dinner prices. Signature A costs $24.99 and comes with all the normal Korean BBQ selections like beef belly, thinly sliced brisket, pork belly, and the kimchi or bean paste stew.

The Premium B dinner menu costs $36.99 and comes with all the items I listed plus marinated short rib, hot soft tofu soup, steamed egg, Wagyu cuts of beef belly, and prime cuts of beef short rib and steaks.

They do offer combos with just premium cuts of meat and a selection of the traditional offal of beef tongue and intestine. The prices start at $65.99 to $85.99 for each platter. If you have a large party you may need to buy more than one large platter.

Overall it is a great Korean BBQ buffet. If you don’t like being slow-rolled orders like Gen Korean BBQ this is the place for you. You can walk up and get all the marinated meat you like. FYI the premium cuts of meat and the stews will come from the kitchen.

There is a 2-hour limit of seating/eating and there is an 18% gratuity for parties larger than 5 people. They will also charge $8 per person if there are a lot of leftovers and you cannot box food to take home. You can also join a waitlist through Yelp.

Address: 13828 Red Hill Ave. Tustin, Ca. 92780

Hours: Sunday-Saturday 11:30 am- 10:00 pm

Mr. BBQ

Mr. BBQ is more of the cultural cuisine that I and my family grew up eating. When my family would drive to Garden Grove, Buena Park, or Korea Town this is the type of Korean BBQ restaurant we would eat at.

I am happy to see Korean BBQ restaurants exist like Mr. BBQ. Almost all Korean restaurants are changing to the style of Gen Korean barbecue or Baekjeong. Do not get me wrong those places really leveled up the quality and ingredients of Korean food, but I still have the nostalgia for old-school Korean BBQ. You can get a lot of BBQ for a reasonable price.

Mr. BBQ offers beef belly, a great marinated beef steak, marinated short ribs, hot soft tofu soup, pork belly, thinly sliced brisket, and other traditional grilled meats. They also sell premium beef combo packages if you like seafood and Wagyu or Angus-grade cuts.

The banchan are good. I love the potato salad served at Mr. BBQ. The sides are not as loaded with other vegetables I am used to seeing in traditional homestyle Korean cooking, but the flavors are all there. The stews have great flavor but are not loaded with meat and vegetables as well.

Even though the sides and stew do not have the loaded vegetable and meats I am used to the place is still a good Korean barbecue restaurant.

Mr. BBQ has lunch deals that start at $21.99. They have two dinner options. One is $27.99 and the premium is $37.99. The difference between the two options is the finer cuts of meat and seafood you can order. You can join a waitlist with Yelp.

Address: 305 N.State College Blvd Fullerton, Ca 92831

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 am- 9:45 pm

Friday-Saturday: 11 am- 10:45 pm

Baekjeong

Now, this is an absolutely amazing Korean BBQ restaurant. This place does not make good Korean food. It makes great food. Everything from the marinated short rib, brisket, thick-cut pork belly, and traditional sides and stews. You cannot go wrong with any of the food.

The bibimbap, the fried rice, steamed egg, and homemade fried dumplings are to die for. The lunch box is pretty awesome. They prepare the lunchbox at the table side and it is really delicious. You may need to come back another time because it has such a robust menu.

I highly recommend the hot stone bibimbap and seafood pancake. The place is a great and lively place to eat. If you go on nights and weekends it gets really busy. So if you plan to eat at the restaurant make sure you try to get there early or have someone place your name on the waiting list.

Baekajeong is different from other Korean BBQ restaurants. The servers actually grill and cut all the meat for you. It is not all you can eat. You can order individual platters of meats, stews, and Korean dishes.

It is expensive compared to other Korean BBQ places in Orange County, but what you gain is the exceptional quality of meats, sides, stews, and dishes a Korean Auntie (If she cooks really well) can make for you.

Prices for individual meat dishes start from $40-$60. They have combos that start from $66-$120. The stews, appetizers, and other dishes vary from $15-$25. They do not take reservations.

Address: 14160 Culver Dr. Irvine Ca. 92604

Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 am- 10:00 pm

Friday: 11:30am- 12:00am

Saturday: 11:00am-12:00am

Sunday: 11:00am-10:00pm

Mo Ran Gak Restaurant

Mo Ran Gak is located in Garden Grove and is a Korean BBQ restaurant you can’t miss. They have amazing stews, the meat quality is great, and the specialty Korean dishes are awesome. I highly recommend trying the braised or spicy braised short rib. If you love seafood the seafood pancake is pretty amazing.

You will have to come back numerous times to try all the different yummy food. The traditional cold buckwheat noodles are great to eat on a hot day. If you love spicy food the spicy octopus with vegetables in sizzling hot stone is pretty good. They have different meat combos to choose from. My family chooses combination B on the non-marinated meat menu.

You can’t go wrong on any of the combinations of meat. The cuts and quality of the meat are all pretty great. The meat platters can start at $45.99 and up.

It can get pretty busy during dinner and the weekends, but it is worth the wait.

Address: 9651 Garden Grove Blvd Garden Grove Ca. 92844

Hours: Monday Closed

Tuesday-Sunday: 11:00 am- 9:00 pm

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Best Korean BBQ In Orange County

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