Mom & Pop restaurants

"Ethnic" Los Angeles

Comparative Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality

Anne Cong-Huyen, Thania Lucero, Joyce Park, Constance Cheeks, Charlie Kim, Sophia Cole, Julio Damian Rodriguez, Andrea Mora, Jazz Kiang, Samantha Tran, Katie Nak, Authors

Food & Entertainment, page 1 of 3

Previous page on path Next page on path

You appear to be using an older verion of Internet Explorer. For the best experience please upgrade your IE version or switch to a another web browser.

Mom & Pop restaurants

Where are Mom & Pop restaurants in L.A Koreatown?

Since 1992, Koreatown has shifted from traditional “hole-in-the-wall” style Korean cuisines to luxury, young, and late night spots to attract younger crowds who crave Korean style barbecue, Korean tacos, and Korean anju (bar food) lounges. Despite of chain restaurants, mom and pop restaurants are still competitive along the 6^th and 8^th street between Western Ave. and Vermont Ave. According to Los Angeles Times “The L.A Riot: 20 years later” explains the transformation that has been happening since the 92 L.A Riot in Koreatown. Today, Koreatown is “a new hip Koreatown: A towering glass condominium selling million-dollar units and the sleek nightclub around the corner where bottle service easily runs close to $1,000. The numerous supermarkets, restaurants, bars and coffee shops constantly cropping up in an area not quite three square miles, drawing bustling, young crowds”. On the other hand, many Korean owner grocer and liquor stores serve new immigrants mostly from Latin America who are working-class family. The major threat for sustaining Mom & Pop stores are corporate funding and a new urban planning in Koreatown. Since the riot, many Korean residents relocated to Orange Country for a social security. The most popular areas are Irvine, Buena Park, and Fullerton where major South Korean corporation shops and restaurants invested in and will expand more chains to attract diverse customers.

Small business in Koreatown (on Vermont Ave.)

Yelp list for most traditional Korean restaurants and non-Korean restaurants in Koreatown:

Seongbookdong: If you are looking for something very authentic and fancy style Korean food, this is the place for you. Since this place have great Yelp reviews you should expected to wait times around 30 to 45 minutes. Personally, I only been here twice because most of menus here I can actually cook or eat at home.

Chunju Han-il kwan: "Chunju" is the name of city in South Korea. It is located in southern part of Korean peninsula. Every regions in Korea offer different recipes and style of Korean food, which makes very unique and interesting. This restaurant offers home-made style menus. They have plenty and variety options of banchan (Korean side dishes) and every few weeks they change their lists of banchan, My experience at this place was GOOD, I had phenomenal Budae Jjigae (Military soup), it's spicy and salty so please beware.

Beer Belly: It's literally one of the 'HOT' spot in Ktown. It's Korean American style Gastropubs in Ktown and they serve amazing beer selections and Anju (bar food).