Jincook - Authentic Korean Soul Food — Restaurant in Yorba Linda

Bottom Line Up Front: Jincook has what you want, if what you want is generous portions of top-quality authentic Korean food in Northern Orange County.

The Food: This Asian eatery has a wide range of Korean offerings, both authentic and hybrid — from comfort foods like beef soups to hot stone dishes. I ordered the seafood pancake, kal guk soo, sweet potato cheese curry katsu, and hotteok.

The seafood pancake had quality ingredients and was enjoyable overall. The only knock was that it was a little too soft. The texture was more like an egg omelet, whereas I prefer a slight crispiness to it.

The kal guk soo is a seafood-based soup that comes with brisket and pork dumplings. Everything was delicious, delivering a comfy and homemade quality.

The sweet potato cheese curry katsu was delicious. The outer breading was nice and crispy, the pork was perfectly seasoned, and the cheese was nice and stringy. I only wish there was more sweet potato evenly distributed throughout the katsu. Meanwhile, the rice and Japanese-style curry provided a perfect thick saucy contrast.

Last but not least, the hotteok, a Korean street food that features brown sugar, cinnamon, and seeds stuffed in a fried pancake. They are relatively small (about 4 inches in diameter), but offer a mildly sweet treat.

The Prices: You get what you pay for, which means you can expect to pay slightly more here for the high-quality food.

The Service: Our servers and the entire staff provided superior hospitality and knowledge in a polite manner. Every one of them was fast and friendly.

The Setting: Jincook is a medium-sized restaurant, but it’s located in a busy strip mall with plenty of other restaurants nestled on either side of a Smart & Final, so finding parking might be troublesome — especially during peak times. Inside the restaurant has a throwback aesthetic, mixing traditional Korean decorations and artwork with modern dishware and seating. Overall, it’s clean and neatly organized, but we did get a rusty pair of scissors and a bowl that was stained (both of which was quickly replaced).

The Conclusion: This is now our go-to Korean restaurant outside of Buena Park, Garden Grove, and Irvine. Jincook might be a tad more expensive than other Korean places but it delivers delicious food with excellent service in a...

This cozy Korean restaurant is run by a mother 👩‍🍳 and son 👦 duo! The mom personally goes shopping early every morning for the freshest ingredients and cooks every dish herself, while the son takes care of the guests — it truly feels like dining at home. They also have a branch in Buena Park!

Here’s what we ordered:

🔸 Beef Short Rib Stew $58.95 (+$3 for cheese) A huge pot with generous portions! The beef was tender and flavorful, and the onion aroma was amazing. We forgot to add cheese this time — make sure to add it if you love cheese! 🧀

🔸 Pork Cutlet Curry Rice $26.95 Thick and crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside — and surprise, there’s melted cheese inside! The curry was rich and smooth, super satisfying.

🔸 Garlic SuYuk (Boiled Pork) $38.95 Slow-cooked to perfection — incredibly tender! Even kids loved it. Pair it with the garlic cream sauce or spicy sauce plus chives for an extra flavor kick.

🔸 Chogye Cold Noodle (Chicken Broth Cold Noodles) $18.95 Refreshing and flavorful with real chicken broth, tangy and icy cold! The portion is huge — perfect for summer.

🔸 Garlic Soy Chicken $23.95 The owner said this is their kid’s favorite dish — tender chicken coated in a savory garlic soy glaze that gets more addictive with every bite!

🔸 Bulgogi Pancake $28.95 We usually order seafood pancake, but this bulgogi version was just as delicious! 👍

🏠 Atmosphere The right side of the restaurant looks like a mini art gallery, with Korean-style photos on the wall. The ceiling is decorated with roof tile accents — it feels like stepping into a K-drama scene! 📸 Warm and cozy vibes, perfect for photos and casual dining.

💡 Tips: 🔹 Located in Yorba Linda — finally, great Korean food without driving all the way to LA! 🔹 Huge portions — you definitely won’t leave hungry (and leftovers are great to take home). 🔹 Friendly service with a Chinese-speaking manager. 🔹 Spacious seating — perfect for families, group dinners, or date nights. 🔹 Gets busy on weekends, so weekdays are a...

🌟 Just discovered this amazing new Korean spot in Yorba Linda! So excited to finally have an authentic, landmark Korean restaurant in the area—they’re pretty rare around here.

The place just opened last month, and it’s already super popular. Weekends are packed, so I went on a weekday lunch—still pretty busy! Nice touch: they offer lemonade for people waiting in line. Inside, it’s spacious with a real Korean drama vibe—traditional tile ceilings, lots of Korean-style photos and lit displays on the walls.

They even have a Chinese-speaking manager, which made everything easy. He mentioned that this is a family-run place by a mother and son (they also have a branch in Buena Park). Fresh ingredients are prepared every morning. The food is made just like mom’s cooking.

📌 Must-tries:

🍖 Braised Beef Short Rib with Cheese A must for cheese lovers! They heat it tableside with charcoal. The beef is incredibly tender, juicy, and so flavorful. Comes with pumpkin, potato, carrot, and rice cakes—all soaked in that rich sauce.

🍠 Sweet Potato Cheese Curry Katsu I thought it’d be just regular curry cutlet… but wow. Served sizzling in a stone pot, the curry is bubbling hot. The cutlet is perfectly crispy, with sweet potato inside and melty cheese that flows out with every bite. Absolute heaven!

🧄 Garlic Suyuk Well-balanced meat with chives, garlic, and their special sauce. So good!

🍜 Chogye Cold Noodle Loaded with shredded chicken, cucumber, egg, onion—refreshing, tangy, and super appetizing.

🍗 Garlic Soy Chicken Served on a hot plate, sizzling away. The chicken was super tender with scallions and sesame—so perfect with rice.

🍙 Kimbap Jeon First time trying fried kimbap! Stuffed with crab meat and tuna—such a tasty surprise.

Portions here are NO JOKE. We had to take leftovers home—enough for two more meals! You really can’t go wrong with anything...