Korean in Dallas

2240 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

972-241-1122

At Ajumma, try Jjolmyeon, or cold spicy noodles, the perfect summer dish. A mess of noodles is served chilled and dunked in spicy red pepper sauce, surrounded by small mounds of julienned vegetables. Stir the veggies into your plate and enjoy. Ajumma’s atmosphere is distinctly old-fashioned; the restaurant’s founder recently opened a new spot, Hot Stone, which offers a very similar menu in a more modern setting.

1 article

Ari Korean BBQ

2625 Old Denton Rd. #800 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

469-892-2166

Korean

3 articles

Arirang Korean Kitchen

2625 Old Denton Road, #556 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

972-242-2404

Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of

At Arirang, it’s all about noodles and dumplings. This Korean restaurant in Carrollton is tops for homemade dough, whether you order made-from-scratch noodles or plump, freshly crimped dumplings loaded with chopped kimchi. Be careful around the noodles with spicy eggplant sauce, because the word “spicy” is taken very seriously. Similarly, the noodles in savory sesame broth are such a strong sesame flavor bomb that they’re for tried-and-true members of the sesame fan club.

Top pick: If you can’t decide, grab a bowl of soup No. 4, a noodle soup with dumplings in it, too; if the dumplings tear and meat slips into the broth, the soup only gets better.

1 article

bbbop

2023 Greenville Ave., No. 130 East Dallas & Lakewood

469-941-4297

Korean, Fast Casual, Recommended, Best Of, Slideshow

This fast-casual restaurant puts a Korean spin on Chipotle, with build-your-own-rice bowls that let you choose vegetables, condiments and other toppings. After the bowls spend some time in the kitchen, your pager buzzes and your creation emerges. Enjoy your hard work with a massive bottle of Hite beer and some friends. There are other Korean mainstays such as kalbi and hand-crimped potstickers, but the very best reason for coming to bbbop is the “Not Your Mama’s Fried Chicken.” Order the sweet and spicy version and another jug of Hite and get ready to melt away into a salty, fatty, chicken-flavored bliss. Look for more locations in the future, in DFW and maybe even far beyond.

9 articles

Black Ship Little Katana

665 S Lamar St. Ste 130 Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-760-7200

Modern Japanese, Korean, Sushi, Menu

Brian's Coffee

4109 TX-121 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

469-900-8019

Bakery, French, Korean

Brian’s Coffee Roasters in Carrollton offers house roasted coffee and European pastries. The coffee menu includes a handful espresso-based coffees — cortado, Americano, cappuccino — as well as lattes (including a Spanish and matcha version). The coffee beans at Brian's Coffee are sourced from Guatemala and are roasted in-house. Brian's Coffee is not just a cafe with pastries and coffee, however. There are also few specialty Korean items on the menu, including the omelet rice (omurice) dish made with fried rice and a tornado egg topped with a house demi-glace, kind of like the dish we wrote about at Kyuramen recently.

Carrollton Town Center

2540 Old Denton Rd Carrollton/Farmers Branch

832-768-3722

Chicken Moto

2069 N. Central Expressway Richardson & Vicinity

Korean, Southern

1 article

Chivago

2558 Royal Lane North Dallas

972-685-7309

Korean

This is a Korean fried chicken place foremost, and one orders via a three-step process where you first pick the chicken (wings, boneless or whole), then the batter (crispy which is a lighter brown, or Chivago, which is a darker brown) and finally the sauce (from such choices as soy garlic, bulgogi barbecue, honey garlic, etc.). But the draw here could equally be the snow clouds, which can come in the form of juice or beer. Miller Lite snow cone anyone? The wings were also flavorful, the sweet perhaps overpowering the spicy a bit and garnished with sesame seeds. This might be described as a medium-sized order, but there was plenty, leaving leftovers for us to enjoy the next day.

1 article

Dal Dong Nae

11445 Emerald St. Northwest Dallas

972-484-2994

Asian, Korean

If your parents were Korean and supported your drinking habit by cooking enormous meals for your returns home from long nights out, your house would probably look a lot like Dal Dong Nae. This late-night staple of Dallas Korea Town serves enormous, family-style platters of pork, bowls of raw oyster kimchi, huge simmering pans of stew, fried kimchi pancakes and other excellent ways to blunt the effects of the restaurant’s $12 soju and $4 beer.

Top pick: The seafood pancakes are very good here, as is the bit-of-everything budae jjijae (army stew) served bubbling hot.

Fun fact: Dal Dong Nae is open, and bustling, until 2 a.m. every night but Monday.

1 article

Dal Dong Ne

11445 Emerald St. Northwest Dallas

Korean, Best Of

1 article

Damasita Izakaya

2564 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

469-575-8782

Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Essentials

In its first incarnation, Damasita was a tavern with fried foods and bar drinks. After a change of ownership, the dining room has calmed down and become homier, and the menu focuses on traditional cooking. Grab the city’s best gimbap to go — the two-inch-wide rolls, which resemble extra-large maki sushi but with added vegetables, make a perfect picnic food — or enjoy comforting noodle soups. Excellent chive pancakes have just barely enough batter to hold the veggies together.

Top pick: Choose your gimbap filling from bulgogi, spicy tuna or Spam; no matter what, they’re great, and an incredible bargain.

3 articles

DanSungSa

2540 Old Denton Rd. Carrollton/Farmers Branch

682-888-2552

Korean

DanSungSa

11407 Emerald St. #121 Northwest Dallas

469-522-7399

Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Essentials

People don’t really go to DanSungSa before 8 p.m. The scene picks up late at this classic Korean joint, which on Thursdays and Fridays closes just before sunrise the next day. Grab a karaoke room or a booth in the bar, which have big, dark privacy shields covered in soju advertisements. If the ads inspire you, there’s plenty of soju to be had, along with a list of Korean, Japanese and Okinawan beers (note to the uninitiated: Orion is pronounced “Oh-ree-awn”). The bar snacks, including bulgogi kimchi burritos and huge family-sized platters of crispy fried chicken, make DanSungSa a go to spot for late night food and beverages.

1 article

Ddong Ggo

2625 Old Denton Rd. Carrollton/Farmers Branch

972-810-0803

Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of

Ddong Ggo is in the hands of new ownership, but we’re happy to report the infectious fun and shockingly good food that drew us in to this Korean street-style bar are still very much on display. Put another way: Can you imagine a better night out than a Korean bar with blaring pop music, an angry cartoon chicken mascot, “Nacho Cheetos french fries,” spectacular chicken wings coated in garlicky soy sauce, a whole list of different dishes that involve hot skillets full of gooey melting cheese and a happy hour special of six pints of Deep Ellum beer? Ddong Ggo, with its ultra-crispy seafood scallion pancakes and “volcano kimchi fried rice” topped with a fried egg, is a Korea Town miracle in Carrollton, and what makes it so special is that all of the food, from the everything-goes-in Korean army stew to the ultra-juicy fried chicken, is legitimately outstanding. Just don’t expect any healthy choices.

Top pick: Ordering “Cheese Island,” a skillet full of molten cheese topped with a literal island of fried chicken, should be a mandatory rite of passage for every newcomer to the Dallas area.

The downside: Don’t come here to order your veggies. Indeed, since the portions are gleefully gluttonous, it’s basically impossible to have a balanced meal here. Whatever. You can live a long, boring life or you can live a short life that involves kimchi cheese pizza pancakes.

Fun fact: Oh, we almost forgot to mention: The name is Korean for “Chicken Butthole.”

5 articles

Gen Korean BBQ

2540 Old Denton Road, Suite 134 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

Korean

1 article

Gui Korean Japanese Bistro and Bar

2719 Mckinney Ave. Uptown/Oak Lawn

214-720-9229

Japanese, Korean, Best Of

There is no Korean food here. Well, there are some rice bowls, but they only pay lip service to the complexities of authentic Korean cookery. There’s sushi, though, and lots of it. The sushi bar turns out enough rolls with goofy names to fill the entire side of a one-page menu. That menu is geared for the timid. Want to try sushi but afraid of the seaweed? Have the superman burrito: a sizable tuna crab and salmon roll bound in soft soy paper instead of seaweed. Other items aren’t inventive, but they taste fresh. It’s like better-than-average strip-mall sushi dressed up for the ball and tucked into Uptown right on McKinney Avenue.

2 articles

Happy Day Cafe

2560 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

972-488-2560

Asian, Korean, Recommended

5 p.m.-2 a.m. Sun 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Mon-Sat

Harumama Noodles + Buns

1060 W. Frankford Rd. #200 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

972-492-3622

Korean, Japanese, Fusion

1 article

Hibashi Teppan Grill & Sushi Bar

13465 Inwood Rd., #100 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

972-620-3474

Japanese, Korean, Sushi, Recommended

Massive space near the Galleria still manages to provide both dark, cozy corners and big time entertainment-as well as a cool lounge area. Holding it all together: Japanese dishes with a Texas flair. That's right, sushi fired up with slivers of jalapeno.

1 article

Jubilee Cafe

1060 W. Frankford Rd. Carrollton/Farmers Branch

469-892-5978

Cafe, Korean, Dessert

Jubilee Café in Carrollton is a dessert-forward Korean-owned spot that originated in Palisades Park, NJ, and got our attention via pictures of its teddy bear latte that is trending all over social media.

What started as primarily a chocolatier has become a cute little café that serves brunch, sandwiches, pastas, a full range of coffee drinks as well as shaved ice, bubble teas, more than 20 flavors ofcakes, bonbons, a chocolate fondue, and of course the adorable little teddy bear.

There's also a nice savory menu. Sandwiches ring in a bit on the high side, but they do come with fries, a salad and choice of hot tea or coffee during lunch until 3 p.m. We chose the grilled chicken and avocado sandwich, each half individually wrapped in paper and full of flavorful chicken, crispy lettuce, ripe tomato and avocado on toasted white bread. The fries were good as well, and the salad simply dressed.

The pasta aglio olio, a large bowl of spaghetti in a simple garlic and butter sauce with a plethora of garlic slivers and chunks, as well as onions, all lightly dusted with parsley. It was cooked al dente and not overpowering in the garlic front despite what seemed like an entire head of garlic.

2 articles

Junction Craft Kitchen

2901 Elm St. Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-377-0757

Southern, Asian Fusion, Korean, Recommended, Menu, Slideshow

Just about every street corner in Dallas harbors a Southern fare kitchen offering deviled eggs, pork belly, burgers and the inevitable shrimp and grits. Many of them are good; some are excellent; most are forgettable. All, even the good ones, sort of run together. Except for the most daring of them all: Junction Craft Kitchen. The name is a mission statement from chef and part-owner Joshua Harmon, who keeps finding creative ways to bring East Asian, especially Korean, flavors to American Southern cooking. Harmon and his crew experiment with housemade pickles and kimchi — like a fantastic, surprisingly mellow, 8-month-old kimchi of black radishes pickled with squid ink. Junction has an ever-changing bao special that’s a reliable must-order. On one visit, it came with excellent if rather upscale housemade boudin (no casing) made from pork liver, thigh and ear, plus a bit of duck liver for good measure. Want to play it safe? There’s always the “double dirty” burger: two thin, griddle-smashed patties with ribbons of pink under warm, oozing blankets of caramelized onion, housemade American cheese and smoky kimchi aioli.

8 articles

Sura Korean Bistro

2240 Royal Lane #106 Northwest Dallas

972-243-5656

Korean, Barbecue, Recommended

With its separate floors for regular dining and barbecue, Sura is a veritable palace of Korean cooking. But, as satisfying as the All You Can Eat Meat Buffet might be, the simpler pleasures of dishes like spicy pork bulgogi and exquisite daily lunch boxes are more than enough to draw us back for more.

4 articles

Koryo Kalbi

2560 Royal Lane, Suite 105 Northwest Dallas

214--272-7486

Korean, Critics' Pick

Koryo Kalbi’s prominence in Dallas’ original Korea Town is thanks in large part to the restaurant’s wide range. Want barbecued short ribs or bulgogi in a sizzling skillet? They’re experts at that. Craving some wintertime bowls of spicy-broth soups? They’ve got those. And, remarkably, it’s all good, across the board; unlike many restaurants, Koryo Kalbi can claim mastery of nearly every trade it’s in. The spread of banchan contains some of the best pre-meal snacks in Dallas, right up there with Gemma’s fig scones, Del Sur Tacos’ tortilla chips and Lucia’s bread. A beef soup filled with overstuffed, 4-inch-wide dumplings is just the thing on a rainy day, and yet another reason Koryo Kalbi reigns as one of Dallas’ Korean institutions.

Top pick: Stop by at lunchtime for “lunch boxes,” which contain diverse samplings of the restaurant’s star dishes. The potstickers aren’t great, but everything else in the box is a delight. Our favorites include grilled mackerel and spicy marinated pork bulgogi.

The downside: Many menu items are marked up to higher prices at dinner.

Fun fact: Unlike our area’s do-it-yourself Korean barbecue joints, Koryo Kalbi prepares many of the grilled meats back in the kitchen.

1 article

K’s House

320 Singleton Blvd., Suite 100 West Dallas

214-238-2606

Korean, Recommended, Menu

K’s House could be a gateway for non-Koreans to learn to love bulgogi or soft tofu soup, which is coming later this fall. On the other hand, it might not be such a gateway. It might instead serve as a substitute, much as sweet bowls of pad Thai have helped conceal the real depth and complexity of Thai food from American audiences.

1 article

LA Burger

10045 N. MacArthur Blvd. Irving/Las Colinas

972-501-9188

Burgers, Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

This chain specializes in burgers and fries loaded with Korean influences from the Los Angeles upbringings of brothers and co-owners Ben and Jon Lee. Kimchi fries and the spicy K Town burger are a must, and the bulgogi-topped hot dogs represent one of the Dallas area’s finest contributions to the world of fast food. This mini-chain opened its sixth location in 2019 in Grapevine, and they’re still growing. Despite the growth, quality control remains high.

Top pick: The K Town burger is one of the best in the ’burbs.

Fun fact: The Lee brothers ended up in Dallas after serving in the military; Ben Lee had been stationed in Abilene and regularly drove to Dallas just to eat. When they opened the first LA Burger, they were just 25 and 23 years old and had never worked in a restaurant before.

3 articles

LA Hanbat

2257 Royal Lane, Suite 101 Northwest Dallas

972-484-2002

Korean, Restaurants, Recommended, Best Of

With Starbucks, Subway and other corporate chains taking over every corner, consumers are given more and more choices every day. But these shops that try to do a little bit of everything often end up doing nothing very well. Sometimes you want a specialist who does one thing very well, and if you’re looking for a shul lung tang specialist, you’ll want to come to LA Han Bat. The ox bone soup is simple, but it’s rich and luxurious, embellished with slices of brisket and thin, glassy rice noodles. There’s chili paste on the table if you want more heat, and aromatic green onions that will help make a bowl your own. Of course there are a few more choices, but the whole menu of noodles, soups and dumplings fits on a single placard placed on every table. Other than that, the only choice you’ll have to make is how soon to return.

6 articles

Naan Sushi

7161 Bishop Rd. Plano

972-943-9288

Asian Fusion, Japanese, Korean, Sushi, Recommended, Menu

This sleek "edgy" restaurant lounge is earnestly hip. But don't let that scare you off. The Korean creations are stellar and the sushi is top-notch, if you don't let the intrusive techno-crud on the sound system spoil your appetite.

1 article

New Start Veggie Garden

2330 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

972-243-0507

Health, Korean, Vegetarian, Best Of

If you’re one of those people who slathers everything in ranch dressing, New Start Veggie Garden is decidedly not for you. If, however, your ears perk up at the words “vegan” and “healthy,” head to this Koreatown spot for a buffet stocked with meatless dishes like sesame “chicken,” broccoli and not-beef, vegetarian sushi, tempura vegetables and a variety of Korean dishes. Wash your cruelty-free meal down with a cup of mountain mushroom tea -- what it lacks in, ahem, magic, it makes up for with supposed anti-cancer properties. Besides a fully stocked lunch buffet (and dinner on Fridays and Sundays), New Start has a retail section at the front that sells everything from vegan jerky and meatless hot dogs to natural cosmetics. Folks looking to get their weekend buffet on, take note: New Start is, oddly enough, closed on Saturdays.

1 article

Nuri Grill

2254 Royal Lane, Suite 100 North Dallas

972-241-3900

Korean

Nuri Grill utilizes community-style dining by featuring a grill at the center of each table where servers cook the meat right in front of them. Guests looking for a more interactive experience can try their hand at cooking themselves. Michelin Guide acknowledged Korean chef Minji Kim and her husband, Ben Lee, developed the menu. Kim owned a renowned restaurant in Seoul, Korea, called Min’s Kitchen; Lee was the head chef. The pair moved to Dallas from Korea in 2020 to help create Nuri Grill. This upscale Korean steakhouse menu features high-quality, Korean ingredients with items such as hand-breaded sweet chicken, kimchi fried rice, tofu salad, marinated calbi short rib and prime ribeye.

4 articles

The Ramyun Library

1060 W Frankford Rd. Carrollton/Farmers Branch

214-536-8528

Korean

When we hear the word “library,” most of us imagine floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. At a curious new spot called The Ramyun Library, however, packets of instant noodles line the walls. Among the offerings are both soup-based and non-soup-based ramyuns, as well as sides including tuna mayo kimbap, fried fish cakes and dumplings, rice, kimchi and more. Impressively, there's also a handful of vegan options. The menu uses charming pixel art depictions of wheat, nuts, shellfish, dairy and other common allergens, giving the Library the potential to become an ideal spot for those with food sensitivities. Fire symbols indicate spice levels on a scale of one to five. For drinks, there are banana, coffee or strawberry-flavored milk, sodas and a few different lemonades, including a cotton candy flavor, which we found the most fun and enticing.

Rice Chicken

2558 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

Fried Chicken, Korean, Best Of

5 articles

Seoul Garden

2502 Royal Lane #103 Northwest Dallas

972-484-6090

Korean, Recommended, Best Of, Readers' Choice

Seoul Garden offers some of the Dallas area’s best Korean barbecue, in part because red-hot coals fire the grills at every table instead of gas. Order simple cuts instead of marinated ones to get the most flavor from this rustic heat source. Open for nearly 20 years now, this restaurant caters to a mostly Korean dining room, and outsiders receive recommendations for what can be the kitchen’s more boring dishes. Diners who assert themselves will be rewarded, though, with big flavors, a memorable meal and some of the area’s best kimchi.

11 articles

Korean in Dallas

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