Mapo Dak Galbi — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I probably can't say enough great things about this restaurant. Try it for yourself and see what I'm talking about. Right off the bat, not gonna lie, friend and I decided to check this place out this past weekend and the restaurant...wasn't much to look at. The parking lot is terrible and there was only 1 other customer besides us. I didn't have high hopes that this was gonna be a great place, I was disappointed because I had amazing dak galbi in Korea and I wanted my friend to try it.

Ordered the regular dak galbi and added cheese, veggies and extra deok (rice cake) all 2.50 each. And the dak galbi is 15.99(?) but you have to make a minimum of 2 orders. The lady servicing us was super sweet. Anytime we had questions she was happy to answer them. When I requested the deok she informed me there was enough in the original order and shouldn't waste money on another order. I agreed so I thanked her for her advice. Right off, as soon as the meat started cooking, it smelled DELICIOUS! my friend usually never comments before we've eaten but even she agreed. I was excited. The lady asked us how spicy we wanted it, we said medium which wasn't too bad, then again I was in Korea for a month, so I think I got used to. Wasn't a problem for my friend either.

Restaurant was clean, food was delicious and relatively cheap for how much you get. And the nice ladies are definitely one of other reasons why I'll be coming...

Go here for spicy chicken cooked on your tabletop Korean BBQ style. There are some tasty greens and, later, rice mixed in for some variance. But you’re here to eat spicy chicken — that is, a bowl of raw chicken dumped on a grill with as many spirals of spicy red sauce as you’d like delivered directly from the kitchen squirt bottle to your grill.

It is chicken. It is spicy. And it is good.

The room exists to serve you spicy chicken. There are no adornments. There is no “AHmbiAHnce.” There is a sign-up sheet, there are tables, there is a “kitchen” (more of a storage/prep area for raw chicken and some veggies), and there is a fridge with a glass door containing Korean beer, which you should consume by the gallon.

When asked for your order — just say “chicken,” and hold up on your fingers the number of people in your party (maybe minus one). Don’t even try to order anything else unless you speak Korean. You will have a few moments of awkward confusion, and you’ll end up settling on spicy chicken anyway.

Don’t bring any more expectations than this. Don’t bring your pretense. And definitely don’t bring your fancy friends.

Do bring your appetite, and preferably cash, and you will...

In its previous location, it was known as "Mapo Galbi," but the signage on its new location on St. Andrews place says "Mapo Chicken."

Same food, mainly known for spicy stir fry casseroles called "Dak Galbi" seasoned with Korean gochjang paste. I went in a group of 5 and we shared 4 orders of "Dak Galbi - Spicy Pan Fried Chicken with Vegetables" among the 5 of us and we had leftovers. The pan fried dish is cooked in several stages before it's ready to eat. Afterwards, if they're any leftovers, they'll sauté that in the pan with some cooked rice, spicy sauce and shredded thin seaweed nori. The meal comes with Korean appetizers like sweet and sour clear soup; macaroni salad; Korean pickles, etc.

They're usually only 2 servers working the floor and since this place is small and popular, the ladies are busy, but try to accommodate requests.

Besides chicken, they also offer pork and beef versions of the dish, but you can only stick to one kind in one pan (I think you can order a second pan of 2 orders of a different...