DTLA AYCE KBBQ — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I was so excited to enjoy the DTLA AYCE KBBQ and it was my first time to visit this place without going to KTOWN! Honestly, I was attracted by its snacks through yelp pictures. Off course, its price is another attraction since it is only $26.95 for all day no matter weekend or weekdays. If I only want some good quality meat to enjoy at night, I might just take the $26.95 level. However, I took the highest-level $39.95 per person since it has more choices of meat including a limited order of rib eye steak and unlimited delicious snacks and sides.

When we sat down, they provide us a house salad, macaroni and spicy tomato chip. They did not provide kimchi like other KBBQ no matter what level. I ordered fried calamari, rose ddukbokki, miso soup, seafood ramen, steamed egg and corn cheese as my snacks while I waited for the meat. Highly recommend ROSE DDUKBOKKI and CORN CHEESE especially the rose ddukbokki. It was hard to decried its sauce, um, like a rich, creamy spicy tomato sauce with butter. It contains sausage, rice cake, bacon and sheet jelly?(I guessed). Anyway, both my partner and me agreed it is delicious. Corn cheese is not only corn with cheese. We could felt that the restaurant add some favor inside and it is tasty. Other snacks are good too but not outstanding as rose ddukbokki. I was so sad that I could not order other snacks such as cup ramen fried rice, kimchi jjigae, Korean fried chicken bites etc.. I was too full to enjoy other snacks.

For meat, I highly recommend its rib eye steak that was soft and juicy. Also, their beef belly series are outstanding. I could feel the fat melt in my mouth and the beef belly was fresh(sometimes in other AYCE KBBQ, I could feel the beef belly was not that fresh and the taste was odd). Pork jowl was thick cut!!! It was al dente and tender. Trust me, I thought it is better than pork belly (its price should be higher than pork belly in supermarket). Beef brisket was tasty too but I would mix it with beef belly since I thought it was not tender enough. Rib finger and LA galbi were common and not as my expectation. However, I highly suggest the owner of DTLA KBBQ add beef tongue into the menu. I was a little sad that the menu does not contain beef tongue for the highest-level.

Its environment is special and the whole restaurant inside is hallway. Natural draft makes so little greasy dirt. I did not feel hot even without air conditioner. It has TVs in front of tables and I think it is a nice place to enjoy sport game night with friends. Its employees are nice but busy. Btw, street parking is $4 per hour, and nearby there is a parking lot shows $15. At the end of the meal, we can choose one ice cream per person as happy ending lol.

All in all, I will come again but next time I might take the $26.95 level since I think this level is good enough to enjoy most of meat under a...

Pops wanted to try this place for his bday after seeing so many YouTube influencers hyping this place up.

Overall I think this place is like an entry level type of spot to the world of kbbq. It seems to be catered to those that don’t really know the scene all that well here and frankly with Ktown so close by it seems kind of crazy to end up here instead.

The food itself; let’s start with the banchan or lack there of. You’re greeted with a sad plate of fish cakes that have a weirdly dry texture despite it being coated in sauce and a salad. Nothing else. You have to ask for kimchi, what??! In a Korean restaurant! You’re also limited to one kalbi per person and 1 ribeye per 2 people. So it’s AYCE with an asterisk. The quality of the kalbi was good and it was seasoned well. The ribeye was like the cheap ribeye you get when ordering steak and eggs at a diner. The bulgogi wasn’t marinated and seasoned properly. The pork belly was good though as was the thin sliced spicy one. The spicy chicken was solid as well. The steamed egg dish was seasoned well but had the consistency of a hard scrambled egg. The kimchi fried rice needed a harder fry on it.

Service: you can tell the waiters/waitresses are new overall and didn’t seem familiar with their own rule sets. We also had to repeat orders multiple times and kept having to call people over. To their credit though, when they actually got an order in their system the meat would come out fast.

Grill: they use individual butane cans. I just can’t imagine that being more cost effective or more efficient than a propane tank. At the very least it made for an annoying experience as they had to change out the butane on one grill in our party and restart ours.

Ventilation: it’s partially outdoor so decent ventilation but still smelled like kbbq regardless but that’s to be expected.

Overall value: for $40 you can go to a better spot in Ktown without anywhere near as many limits as they place on you here. But if you do come here you can at least get your money’s worth and be satisfied. From a standpoint of having had a good amount of kbbq in Ktown, I’d say this doesn’t compare but if you’re local and just want AYCE meat at a fair price,...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at DTLA KBBQ, and I can confidently say that it exceeded all my expectations. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was inviting and energetic, setting the perfect tone for a memorable dining experience.

The selection of meats was outstanding, offering a wide variety of cuts and marinations. Each piece was incredibly fresh, and the staff was more than happy to guide us through the options, ensuring we got the most out of our meal. The grilling stations were clean and efficient, allowing us to cook our meats to perfection.

What truly stood out was the attention to detail in the side dishes. The banchan spread was not only diverse but also bursting with flavor. The kimchi was a standout, offering a perfect balance of spicy and tangy notes. The quality of the ingredients was evident, and it elevated the entire dining experience.

The service was exceptional. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about ensuring we had a fantastic time. They were quick to refill our waters, sodas, and provide assistance when needed, making us feel valued and well taken care of.

To top it all off, the value for money at DTLA KBBQ is impressive. The portions were generous, and the prices were incredibly reasonable considering the high quality of the food and service.

In conclusion, DTLA KBBQ has quickly become my go-to spot for Korean BBQ in the area. Whether you're a seasoned KBBQ enthusiast or new to the experience, this place is a must-visit. Prepare for a sizzling, flavorful adventure that will leave you coming back for more.

Thank you, DTLA KBBQ, for providing such a fantastic dining experience. I can't wait to return for another round of...