A first-timer's walking tour of Koreatown
Park once. Walk everywhere. That's the move in Koreatown, and this loop along 6th Street is the perfect introduction to one of LA's most alive neighborhoods.
Start at 10am, Hanok (3550 W 6th St)
Leave your car in the lot at 3500 W 6th St, you'll be within a few blocks of everything all day. Walk straight to Hanok and order the Korean latte. It's subtly sweet, a little nutty, and absolutely nothing like the coffee you're used to. The space is tiny and serene. Ease in.
11am, Start walking west on 6th
Stroll past the shops and signage. Everything is in Korean, the sidewalks smell like grilled meat even before noon, and there's a low hum of activity that feels like a city inside a city. Take it in.
Noon, Mapo Kkak Doo Gee (3611 W 6th St)
Lunch here. It's a classic Korean spot that does the kind of food locals actually eat on a Tuesday. Order the set and let it come to you, banchan, broth, the works. Go with a group if you can; the table fills up fast.
1:30pm, Walk to The Wiltern (3790 Wilshire Blvd)
Head south to Wilshire and walk east. The Wiltern's Art Deco facade will stop you mid-step. Even if there's no show tonight, walk up close. The teal terra cotta tilework is unreal. Check their calendar anyway, catching a show here later is a very good idea.
2:30pm, Head back west on 6th
Stop into whatever catches your eye. This stretch has Korean bakeries, beauty shops, and herbal medicine stores that have been here for decades. No agenda needed.
4pm, Dan Sung Sa (3317 W 6th St)
This is the bar you didn't know you needed. It's a pojangmacha, a traditional Korean street tent bar, except it's indoors and covered in old Korean newspaper clippings and vintage posters. Order a soju cocktail and a snack. The whole place feels like someone's wonderfully chaotic living room. Stay a while.
6pm, Quarters Korean BBQ (3465 W 6th St)
You're steps away. Grab a table and get the spicy marinated pork and the galbi. The meat comes to you well-marinated and you grill it yourself over the flame in the center of the table. Wrap it in lettuce. Order more soju. This is the main event.
8:30pm, Normandie Club (3719 W 6th St)
Walk it off for one block and land here. The Normandie Club is a legitimately great cocktail bar, house-made ingredients, serious technique, zero pretension. Order whatever sounds weird on the menu. It'll be good.
One last thing: If you want to keep the night going, The Prince at 3198 W 7th St is a short walk south. Dark wood booths, cheap drinks, and the feeling that you've stumbled into a noir film. K-town at its best.
The whole loop is under a mile and a half. You'll eat more than you planned and want to come back next weekend. That's exactly right.