12 Best Korean Restaurants According To Experts
From fine dining to hole-in-the-wall joints, here’s where to eat Korean food in the city!
We’re still in love with Korean food in all its glorious variations. Where to find the best, most delicious, most delightful Korean dining experiences in the city? We asked 12 experts — chefs, restaurateurs, food chroniclers — to share their bets. Here is where these scintillating food lovers go to get their K-food fix.
Best Korean Restaurants 2023
Best Korean Restaurants 2023
BB.Q Chicken
If this famous Korean fried chicken joint looks familiar, that’s probably because you’ve seen it in popular Kdramas like Crash Landing On You, Goblin, or The King: Eternal Monarch. The fried chicken is deep fried in pure olive so it’s not greasy, heavy or fatty, but flavorful with delicate crunch. “Super yummy,” is the verdict of Chef Jackie Ang Po, award-winning pastry chef who owns iconic Fleur de Lys Patisserie along Morato. BB.Q Chicken is her pick for best new Korean restaurant in the city. Try their basic Golden Fried Chicken, available in original or mild, or the glazed Hot Crispy Chicken. IG: @bbqchicken.ph | FB: @bbqchicken.ph|Address: 2/F Central Square, 5th Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City.
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Daraejeung Korean Kitchen
This is the bet of Emmanuel “Nowie” Potenciano, restaurateur and owner of The Sunny Side Group which owns many Boracay favorites like Sunny Side Café, SpiceBird, and Seaworthy boutique hotel. “Daraejung might be my favorite Korean restaurant in the metro right now. It represents the kind of loud, boisterous, packed-in-a-tight space kind of communal eating that we all missed during the pandemic, making it the perfect antidote to a long week. And you’ll definitely want to bring your friends for their extensive menu of Korean favorites that are ready to be shared, like their flavor-packed galbis and grills. But their sleeper hit is the Black Bean Fried Rice—a beautiful mess of fermented beans on top of freshly tossed, eggy rice. It looks like something you’d want to avoid but it’s definitely a dish you shouldn’t miss because it’s a glorious punch of umami that’ll have you scraping the bottom of your bowl. They’re open 24 hours too, so you can even have this bad boy at 3:30 in the morning when you’re craving for something satisfying in the heart of BGC. IG: @daraejung_bgc FB: @daraejeunghr | Address: 2F, The Fort Strip, 28th Street corner 7th Avenue, BGC, Taguig.
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Jumong
Located in Poblacion’s Little Korea strip, a neighborhood of Korean groceries, eateries and spas, this colorful little restaurant is where to go for K-style comfort eating — unlimited banchan, galbi jim served in stone bowls, and tteokbokki. Food and props stylist Chichi Tullao (@happytummytravels) comes to this restaurant especially for its seafood pajeon, which is pan-fried and generously filled with vegetables and seafood. It’s so huge it can easily serve four! A great place for late night barbecue. Contact: (0981) 243-8882 | FB: @jumongkoreanresto| Address: 5648 Don Pedro Street, Poblacion, Makati.
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Kaya Korean Restaurant
Jackie Ang Po’s consistent favorite. “Walang kupas, consistently masarap,” she says. This low-key casual dining spot opened in 1993 and since then has been making diners happy with its bibimbap, kalbi jim (Korean chosrt ribs), and haemul pajeon (seafood pancakes). Good to know: the main branch along Jupiter Street in Makati has private rooms large enough to accommodate big parties. Contact: (0998) 584-4235|IG: @kayakoreanrestaurant|With branches in Power Plant, Robinsons Magnolia, Glorietta 2, BGC Stopover, Santolan Town Plaza, Jupiter Street in Makati, Alabang Westgate, Tagaytay Highlands.
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Kiwa Express
Chef Nathaniel Uy (@thehungrychef) picks the newly-opened Kiwa Express at Ayala Mall Manila Bay. “They offer premium and authentic Korean cuisine at an affordable price and casual ambiance. Do get their Kiwa Galbitang, or beef soup with potato noodles, Kimchi Jjigue, or kimchi stew with tofu, Jap Chae, and finally, end your meal with their Strawberry Bingsu. IG: @kiwaexpress | Address: 3F KTown, Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
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Korea Garden
Another bet by food and prop stylist Chichi Tullao is Korea Garden. This iconic family-friendly restaurant opened in 1974 when owner Kim Chung Ae married a Filipino soldier. Since then the restaurant has been serving classic, comforting Korean food to Filipinos. The restaurant is famous for their signature dishes like kalbi chim, bibimbap, and pajeon. Good to know: you can ask for meatless options for many of their classic dishes. Contact: (0949) 053-8657 |FB: @koreagardenph | Website: koreagardenph.com | Address: 128 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati.
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Masil Charcoal Grill Restaurant
Masil gets the thumbs up from two chefs. Tina Legarda, chef-owner of Bamba Bistro, loves the overall experience dining here. “I like the quality of meats. The banchan is nice and refreshing. The place is clean. Service is good,” she says. Chef Ed Bugia agrees: “They have enough dishes that showcase the whole plethora of Korean cuisine from cold noodles to beef rib soups. ‘Di basta basta samgyup lang!” Masil specializes in charcoal grill, we love their premium barbecue sets with different cuts of beef and pork, with rice, japchae and banchan. FB: @masilortigas|Branches in SM Megamall, Tiendesitas, Capitol Commons.
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Mi Ga
Chef Tina Legarda discovered this gem in Malate. “I found it very authentic. I liked this steamed pork belly dish with yummy garlic sauce. They also have jok bal (although I'm not a fan of pig trotters) and those marinated crabs. Their seafood pancake is goood! Contact: (0916) 285-6000 |FB: @miga.ph | IG: @miga.ph | Address: Nakpil, Malate.
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Oori
Chichi Tullao recommends Sheraton Manila’s elegant Korean barbecue restaurant for their specialized grill options — “they even have Australian Mulwarra wagyu 9+!” The ambience is classy, and the menu covers a great range of Korean foods from bibimbap to noodles to street food options. Try the deconstructed bibimbap that you can have tailored to your preference. And the ban chan is superb. Private room is available for cozy parties. Contact: (02) 7902-1800 | FB: @sheratonmanila | IG: @sheratonmanila
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Soban K-Town Grill
Chef Jackie Ang Po recommends Soban K-Town Grill for grill-your-own dining. A great place for quality time having fun with family or friends, you can gather round the casual small tables as you grill thick-cut European pork belly aged overnight in six signature marinades. If you don’t want to do your own cooking, enjoy the modern Korean food inspired by the K-cuisine in L.A. and New York like K-tacos, korritos (Korean burritos), or chicken korilog (Korean x Tapsilog). Try the dak ganjeong which is their own spin on crispy Korean fried chicken. IG: @soban.ktown |Website: soban.ph | Branches in SM City North Edsa, Robinsons Place Manila, Greenbelt 3, SM Megamall, One Bonifacio High Street, ATC Corporate Center in Alabang.
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Songdowon Korean Restaurant
“It’s hard to quantify “best Korean,” explains food chronicler JJ Yulo (@nekkidchef). “I have several that I go to for certain things. Specialists. I think an excellent “general store” type is Songdowon. They’re mostly known for really good Korean barbecue—they even sell their meats sliced, like a butcher. I even like their banchan and side dishes. And budaejjigae. But to me what made me a true fan is this spicy chicken stew (I think it’s called Dakdoritang) that’s super flavorful and addictive. FB: @songdowonkoreanrestaurant | IG: songdowonkoreanbbq | Branches at Conrad Manila, Macapagal, Quezon City
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Woori
For Hanwoo options, go to Woori, advises Chichi Tullao. Hanwoo is the highest grade of Korean beef, with amazing marbling and juiciness. Woori is not your usual K-bbq place, everything is top drawer from ingredients to service. Currently in Alabang, they are opening in Green Sun in Makati soon. Contact: (0969) 405-7410 | IG: @woori.seoul | Address: Festival Mall, Alabang, but soon to open in Green Sun Makati.
Photo Credit: RESERVE A TABLE
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