Myung In Dumplings — Restaurant in Los Angeles

3.5 stars rounded up.

I, like many othere, saw Myung In on Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown and wanted to come and try it out. Came here with a group of 5 girls on a Wednesday night. The place wasn't crowded at all, and hungry us ordered WAY too much food!

FOOD: We got 7 dishes for 5 people lol. #1 king dumplings with pork and veggies - oh the bun is SO SOFT and pillowy! Not too flavorful though, I added soy sauce and chili sauce to help it out. #2 king dumplings with pork and kimchi - although it looks redder, I didn't get much kimchi flavor #3 small steam dumplings with pork and shrimp - a different shape, rolled and it was pretty good #4 spicy steam dumpling with shrimp and pork - these came in a bamboo steamer and were yummy! #5 red bean dumplings - I thought these would be like Din Tai Fung's red bean dumplings but these were more like red bean buns. Nothing special about them. #7 - steam dumpling with shrimp and pork - these were more like nuggets, nice and slippery #8 pan fried pork dumplings - nice crispy exterior, like gyoza

We obviously ordered WAY WAY too much food and the flavors definitely started to blend together. Leftovers for everyone!

SERVICE: Very friendly! Food came out quickly, the banchan was delicious and the to-go boxes were on a table we could just grab for ourselves.

VENUE/PARKING: The place isn't super big but it wasn't even half full. Bathrooms are through the kitchen and to the left. A bit dirty and rickety, but I wasn't expecting more. There is a shared parking lot which had plenty of spots.

Thank you Anthony Bourdain for letting us know about this place, it was yummy but I'm not in a rush to come back and...

Probably the best Korean food we've ever had, and we eat Korean food often! We first went to this restaurant with our neighbors on October 30, 2022, on the way stopping to rescue a kitten with a broken leg and broken tail about to be smashed on Olympic Blvd. (we named him Roadie and he is doing great). The steamed dumplings are fluffy, light, and airy, very much like the dumplings my mother made with beef stew. My wife and I ate there today and loved the food. The filing in the dumplings is flavorful and made with a good selection of ingredients. We also had beef short rib soup which was just right, with plenty of lean meat on the bones. Don't miss the Korean radishes. The Kimchi had a nice complex flavor, but was not strongly spiced, as are the poor quality types. It is fun to watch the ladies making dumplings and other things. The only negative is the lack of a restroom, but there is an excellent pastry shop with espresso drinks (and sandwiches) just across the parking lot which has nice restrooms, so no problem. We've been eating for years at the Koreatown Galleria food court, but the center in which this restaurant is located is a much better place for people who...

Rating: 9.0

I think this hole in the wall with aunties and ummas slinging dumplings is great!

I find immigrant family restaurants lean heavily into the bare aesthetic or the walls are just ornate and chock full of details. Myung In Dumplings is lovingly indicative of the former. I wouldn’t be surprised in the evenings this place gets bustling and rowdy. I mean damn good dumplings and soju? I’m in!

I got the pan fried dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, and green onions. It also came with pickled daikon and a soy dipping sauce. Both accompanied the dumplings very well! What is indicative of good dumplings to me is the wrapper integrity after cooking and if the filling is well seasoned. I think both were accomplished excellently here. The dumplings were crisp on the bottom yet silky and tender on the steamed side. The filling was very juicy, think dripping down my beard, and had a toothsome bouncy texture! I also noticed it had loads of ginger which I adore. My breath now smells awful and I love it! :)

I really enjoyed this place and will be back to cherish the good food and homey energy.

Oh also they sell their dumplings frozen so a great way to enjoy their dumplings...