LA Koreatown sees boom in all-you-can-eat BBQ with over 30 locations

All-you-can-eat restaurants are making a comeback as diners look for value for money.

Recently, a series of all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque restaurants have opened in Los Angeles Koreatown.

“As the price of a single serving of meat at a regular BBQ restaurant is approaching the price of an all-you-can-eat menu, the popularity of cost-effective all-you-can-eat BBQ restaurants has skyrocketed, especially among non-Koreans who are increasingly attracted by the popularity of Korean food,” said an industry insider.

According to the Korea Daily’s research and Yelp, there are more than 30 all-you-can-eat BBQ restaurants in and around the Koreatown neighborhood.

The first generation of all-you-can-eat restaurants includes Cheongwun Buffet, which opened in 1985, as well as Hae Jang Chon, Bak Kung, Oo-kook, and Road to Seoul.

“We’ve been in business for 32 years, and many of our customers have come from three generations,” said Chang Hoon Kang, CEO of Cheongwun Buffet. “Recently, non-Korean customers have come to enjoy not only all-you-can-eat meat but also traditional Korean dishes such as fried food and porridge.”

As all-you-can-eat menus are perceived as value-for-money among younger people, Jjukku Jjukku, Gangnam Station, TGI Korean BBQ, and Pigya are increasingly becoming popular.

Some of the most popular restaurants are Hae Jang Chon, J BBQ, Road to Seoul, All You Can Eat Sushi & BBQ, and Moodaepo. At J BBQ and Road to Seoul, almost all of the customers are non-Koreans.

“Ninety-nine percent of our customers are from non-Korean backgrounds,” said Chris Han, owner of All You Can Eat Sushi & BBQ. “We have a lot of customers looking for both all-you-can-eat barbecue and all-you-can-eat sushi rolls,” he said.

Most all-you-can-eat restaurants differentiate their prices by offering three tiers.

Prices for the menu range from $25 to $56.99, depending on the grade of meat, the variety of options, and the number of servings. Kids’ menu prices are usually half the price of adults.

As the number of all-you-can-eat restaurants has grown, some have tried to differentiate themselves. Moohan and BBQ Chung Dam, which opened last month, announced the upscaling of their food with the addition of wagyu omakase courses.

Moohan is the newest restaurant from On6thAvenue Hospitality, which has been taking the Korean-American restaurant scene with restaurants, including Quarters, Origin, and Lasung House. It offers a premium buffet-style Korean barbecue in an upscale dining atmosphere.

“It features a clean and modern style interior inspired by the Seoul city night view,” said Grace Cho, public relations representative for On6thAvenue. “The ‘Wagyu Omakase’ is a way to enjoy a wagyu course and enjoy the premium all-you-can-eat menu and salad bar.” At Moohan, the menus are priced each by tier, from the cheapest, Essential for $34.99, Elite for $45.99, Prime for $56.99, and Wagyu Omakase for $89.99.

Chungdam is the newest restaurant from Moon Kwon Joo, who has owned more than 20 restaurants over the past 25 years, including Jinsol Gukbap. Chungdam offers four levels of all-you-can-eat menus, from all-day specials to wagyu omakase. The salad bar offers more than 30 additional menu items, including meats and snacks. Prices range from $28.99 to $78.88.

Competition among restaurants has left owners struggling to maintain profit margins amid high prices.

It is important to note that some may have rules such as a two-hour dining time limit, a two-person minimum order, and fines for leftovers.

BY EUNYOUNG LEE, HOONSIK WOO [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]