Seoul Michelin Bib Gourmand Okdongsik in Downtown LA

Kyeongjun Kim
By Kyeongjun Kim

Okdongsik, the Seoul Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant known for its Korean pork soup, has opened a nine-month pop-up in Downtown Los Angeles. The pop-up launched on April 1 at the STILE Hotel (929 S Broadway), introducing its acclaimed Dweji-Gomtang to Los Angeles diners for the first time.

Holding pork from Seoul Michelin Bib Gourmand Dweji-Gomtang
Sliced pork lifted from Okdongsik’s signature soup. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]
STILE Hotel exterior with Seoul Michelin Bib Gourmand Okdongsik sign in Downtown LA
STILE Hotel exterior with Okdongsik signage on Broadway. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

Inside, the restaurant offers bar-style wooden seating for up to 20 guests. The entrance is marked by a bold Okdongsik sign on the hotel’s exterior.

Empty bar-style seating at Okdongsik LA pop-up
Minimalist bar seating at Okdongsik’s LA outpost. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]
Wooden seating inside Okdongsik’s LA pop-up restaurant
Inside seating at Okdongsik’s Downtown LA pop-up. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

Dweji-Gomtang Takes Center Stage

Dweji-Gomtang served with kimchi and chili sauce in brass bowl
Dweji-Gomtang, the signature dish at Okdongsik’s pop-up. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

The pop-up’s signature dish is Dweji-Gomtang, pork broth made by simmering the front and hind legs of pork to create a clean, savory broth. The soup is served in a brass bowl with thinly sliced pork, white rice, Seokbakji (radish kimchi), and Gochu-Ji (chili sauce). It costs $16 for a regular bowl and $24 for an extra meat version.

Other menu items include:

  • Haemul Wanja ($5): A single seafood pancake lightly seasoned with soy sauce.

  • Naeng Jeyuk ($10): Chilled, slow-cooked pork slices with chili sauce.

  • Hwanggeum Bori ($4 per glass): A smooth, double-distilled barley soju with 17% ABV.

From Seoul to New York to LA

Okdongsik first opened in Mapo District, Seoul, in 2016. Its minimalist approach and focus on traditional Korean flavors earned it a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide Korea in 2018.

In 2023, the brand expanded to New York, where it now operates two locations. That same year, The New York Times named its Dweji-Gomtang one of the “Top 8 NYC Dishes of 2023,” praising it as “a broth you could happily eat every day.”

Okdongsik chef at Downtown LA pop-up serving Seoul Michelin Bib Gourmand
Chef Ok dong-sik outside the Downtown LA pop-up. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

An exclusive interview with Chef Ok dong-sik will be featured in a follow-up article.

BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
AND YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadailay.com]

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