The best morning-to-night food crawl in Koreatown
Park once, eat everywhere. That's the move in Koreatown. Drop your car in the structure at 3600 Wilshire Blvd (validated at most spots) and don't touch it again until midnight. Here's how the day goes.
8:30am, Coffee at Hanok
Start at Hanok (3550 W 6th St). It's small, it's calm, and the pour-over situation here is genuinely special. Get the single-origin if you want to wake up slowly, or the Korean-style latte if you want something a little sweet and a little roasty. Either way, grab a seat and take a breath. The day is long and good.
10:00am, Brunch at Cassell's
Walk two blocks east to Cassell's Hamburgers (3600 W 6th St). Yes, they do brunch. Yes, the patio is perfect at this hour. Order the burger, don't overthink it, just order the burger, and maybe a bloody mary if the morning calls for it. This place has been here since 1948 and it shows in the best way.
12:30pm, Bossam at Kobawoo
Grab an Uber four minutes south to Kobawoo House (698 S Vermont Ave). Lunch here is a ritual. The bossam, boiled pork belly with cabbage wraps, kimchi, and fresh oysters, is the whole reason to come. It's communal and a little messy and completely worth it. Order the jokbal too if you have anyone to split it with.
3:00pm, Afternoon walk + kalguksu
Head back north on Vermont and stop into Hangari Bajirak Kalguksoo (3470 W 6th St) for a mid-afternoon bowl of clam knife-cut noodle soup. Yes, you just had lunch. This is different. It's brothy and gentle and exactly what you need to pace yourself for what's coming tonight.
5:30pm, First drink at Dan Sung Sa
A block away at Dan Sung Sa (3317 W 6th St), the vibe shifts. This is a Korean pojangmacha bar, dim, wood-paneled, menu items scrawled on paper bags stapled to the walls. Order a soju cocktail and some anju (bar snacks). It opens early and fills up fast. Get there before the rush.
7:00pm, Galbi at Soowon Galbi
This is the centerpiece of the night. Head to Soowon Galbi (856 S Vermont Ave) and sit down for the LA-style galbi. Thick-cut, marinated short ribs, grilled right at your table over charcoal. They cut the ribs fresh. You will smell amazing and also like smoke. It's worth it. Order two rounds.
9:00pm, Craft cocktails at Normandie Club
Walk or rideshare to Normandie Club (3719 W 6th St) and settle in for the late part of the evening. The cocktails here are the kind where you can taste that someone actually cared, house-made ingredients, classic riffs done right. Get one you've never heard of and trust it.
10:30pm, Late night at HMS Bounty
End the night two blocks east at HMS Bounty (3357 Wilshire Blvd). It's a proper old-school dive bar, dark wood, stiff pours, cheap prices, no pretense. The perfect landing spot after a day like this. Stay as long as you want. Nobody's rushing you out.
That's Koreatown in a day. One neighborhood, one car park, about a dozen blocks, and more good eating than most cities manage in a week.