Koreatown's vibrant neon indicators have invited Angelenos to remain out all night time for many years. One of many solely true 24-hour neighborhoods in Los Angeles, the primary streets of Wilshire, Western, and Vermont are always bustling with employees commuting to and from the workplace, late-night residents escaping karaoke bars , and guests settle in throughout the day. espresso
An ideal day of eating in Koreatown goes far past its late night time choices and even Korean meals. This always evolving neighborhood is residence to a confluence of cultures and cuisines which have given technique to a novel and unmatched eating scene. Right here's tips on how to spend 24 hours wining and eating in LA's Koreatown. – Rebecca Roland
8 a.m. – Espresso and pastries at Doc Espresso Bar
![Outside a minimalist cafe with a red sign reading Document Coffee.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/E-nCHbXHzDxjy-8nbtCA42AteFQ=/0x0:1000x719/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:1000x719):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/14845327/Fullscreen_20capture_209152014_2090434_20AM.0.1500061798.jpg)
Begin the day early at Doc Espresso Bar, a restaurant that may be a favourite amongst locals. The constructing, with its excessive ceilings and abundance of pure mild, was initially meant to be a research for the homeowners, Sojung Kwon and Byoungok Koh, earlier than the cafe opened in 2014. The cafe menu covers all fundamentals in your morning caffeine wants, together with a full vary of espresso drinks, chilly brews, single origin pour-overs, and extra. Doc additionally provides a number of caffeinated and decaffeinated tea choices, plus a choice of specialty Korean teas. Seize a croissant from the pastry case and take a look at the artwork on the partitions. 3850 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. – RR
9 am – Korean breakfast at Han Bat
![A bowl of Korean soup with kimchi.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bNxfqiMdPHzCW6TqwGaqTUEYTmA=/0x0:762x726/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:762x726):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11246989/bonebroth.0.0.0.png)
Anybody who grew up going to Koreatown or consuming Korean meals is aware of in regards to the healthful and restorative results of seolleongtang, a bone marrow-rich soup crammed with tender beef and occasional cuts like tripe and simmered tendons. for hours after which served in stone vessels. Serving Koreatown for many years and now a third-generation proprietor, Han Bat is without doubt one of the space's best-known seolleongtang consultants. Patrons collect within the close by windowless eating room bathed in bluish fluorescent lighting, consuming in close to silence to the hum of air con. These recovering from a hangover or nursing a chilly discover no higher meals. The soup is specifically made, so season it with sea salt and many pepper, then throw in a number of items of well-fermented kkakdugi (radish cubes) and kimchi to spice up the umami. Sprinkle in some slices of inexperienced onions for good measure, and throw a number of spoonfuls of rice into the broth at a time. The mix of scorching soup with carbohydrates makes an ideal begin to daily. 4163 fifth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020. – Matthew Kang, Editor-in-Chief
12:30 pm – Taiwanese lunch at Liu's Cafe
![Two bowls of Taiwanese rice with chicken, pork and egg.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9WemKdscH2NqqGtjkwyyEnc7x-A=/0x0:2000x1333/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2000x1333):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25486828/liuscafe.jpg)
Impressed by the cafes of Hong Kong and Taiwan, this charming daytime spot makes for a satisfying and inexpensive eating choice. Chef Lareine Ko's tight menu provides braised pork stomach rice, Chiayi rooster rice and sesame fried noodles, all for $12 or much less. To enhance the savory dishes, Liu's Cafe introduced in Isabell Manubisan to develop pastries with Hong Kong-style sweets comparable to pineapple buns and egg tarts. Make sure you order the Hong Kong milk tea or an iced tea to finish the meal. 3915 1/2 W. Sixth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020. – RR
3 pm – Mid-afternoon snack at Slurp & Sip
![Optional ramyun wall at Slurp & Sip in Koreatown.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Nl2pOCtpOhySkeKT1bZEzxhdqC4=/0x0:1720x1290/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:1720x1290):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25469528/slurp___sip_wall.jpg)
Once you want a day pick-me-up, there's nothing higher than a ramyun. To meet the craving on the go, look to Slurp & Sip, a Seoul-style comfort retailer that options computerized ramyun machines, pocket drinks paired with ice cups, and extra. You begin by selecting a ramyun from the wall earlier than selecting the toppings and placing it in a bowl within the ramen machines. Watch and marvel because the ramyun is completely cooked and able to slurp down at one of many tables on website. 3448 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. – RR
5 pm – Joyful hour on the Line
![A stylish modern hotel lobby bar with dark counters, mixmatch furniture and greenery.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ihzdyeXesPAFwd5QMJ2Cx8OInCA=/0x0:5000x3335/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:5000x3335):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25486884/Line_Lobby_Bar.jpg)
With flourishing vegetation and many concrete, the foyer bar on the Line is someplace between a brutalist oasis and one thing on the market. Jurassic Park, and is the proper place to settle in for a drink or two at completely happy hour. The spacious bar space provides loads of seating and a powerful low cost on drinks from 3pm to 7pm daily. 3515 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. – RR
7 pm – Korean BBQ at Pigya
![Korean pork barbecue with kimchi on a metal cooking pan.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rZLzJ7GLEUAkCw-2nF-KMo42naI=/0x0:4038x2699/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:4038x2699):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25486218/PXL_20230716_015019218.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL_EDIT.jpg)
In relation to Korean barbecue in Koreatown, there are nearly too many choices to select from. There are dependable favorites like Park's BBQ or Chosun, extra trendy preparations at Daedo or Ok-Staff, and frenetic lounges like Quarters. Pigya, which took over the previous Honey Pig, captures the spirit of its predecessor with a pork-oriented tabletop barbecue expertise. Combo meals are modestly priced beneath $40 per individual and include an absolute feast of sliced beef, pork and fermented kimchi. The servers do many of the cooking on the desk, beginning with fatty beef breast and steak-like cuts earlier than shifting on to the primary star: pork stomach.
Thick slices are grilled within the heart of forged iron pans, the fats and juices dripping into the slow-cooked kimchi, onions and seasoned bean sprouts. Slice the pork simply earlier than mixing every chew with the accompaniments. Korean barbecue tastes finest with ice-cold beer or fruit soju, so make sure you wash down the wealthy meal with these refreshing drinks. 3400 W. eighth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90005. – MK
9 pm – Dessert at Oakobing
![Shaved ice served in a cantaloupe bowl at Oakobing.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ku3724-8t2JJwCmK6GHfe6yQpn4=/0x0:795x795/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:795x795):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25486893/Screenshot_2024_06_11_at_10.21.06_AM.png)
Oakobing makes a speciality of bingsu, a Korean shaved ice dessert usually topped with fruit, purple beans, condensed milk and extra. Machines behind the counter expertly shave the ice into precarious snowy towers out there in flavors like strawberry, melon, inexperienced tea and injeolmi (roasted soybean powder). For one thing much more spectacular, order the mango melon that comes served in a honeydew half. 3300 W. sixth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020. — RR
11 pm — Nightcap on the Normandie Membership
For a stable all-around cocktail bar, head to the Normandie Membership at Lodge Normandie the place bartenders whip up traditional cocktails and pour high-quality spirits in a dimly lit, uniquely enjoyable area. Strive the gimlet made with gin and brandy, then fused with jasmine rice and black plum. 3612 W. sixth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020. – MK
![A dimly lit cocktail lounge in Los Angeles called the Normandie Club.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q775jjpbVjyvK89kmSZZXX8XtlQ=/0x0:2000x1331/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2000x1331):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3367798/2015-01-29-normandie-club-005.0.jpg)
12:30 – Karaoke at Ok-Pop Karaoke
All roads in Koreatown result in karaoke at night time, and Ok-Pop Karaoke is right here to oblige. Positioned within the former area generally known as Gaam, Ok-Pop is a no-frills karaoke lounge comprised of personal rooms of assorted sizes to accommodate giant and small teams. It's the proper place to lose your voice whereas singing via the deep catalog of Korean and English songs between photographs of soju. 3309 W. sixth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020. — RR
2:00 am – Night time get together at BCD Tofu Home
Going to BCD Tofu Home within the wee hours of the morning is virtually a ceremony of passage in Koreatown, and the proper technique to cap off a day of consuming and eating within the neighborhood. Sure, there are technically higher soondubu spots in Koreatown, however none which can be open 24/7. Order some unique BCD tofu quickly, and settle into the steaming scorching bowl of spicy consolation. Keep till daybreak, or don't do it, and do it once more. BCD will all the time be there to welcome diners again once they want it most. 3575 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. – RR