The Hojokban LA opening brings Hojokban, a fusion Korean restaurant that began in Seoul’s Cheongdam neighborhood, to Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first step onto the West Coast.
According to food publication Eater LA, the restaurant began service on November 20 in the LA Arts District, following its expansion to New York in 2023.
The name Hojokban refers to a curved yet sturdy table used during the Joseon era and also carries the meaning of “food for good people.” The Hojokban LA location is operated by GFFG, a Seoul-based group that also runs the popular Korean donut brand Knotted, which has a branch in Century City.
The opening was led by Amber Koh, chief strategy officer at GFFG. She said that as generations change, Korean food has naturally evolved, describing the menu as “not traditional, but very Korean.”
Representative dishes include Perilla Oil Noodle with house-blend soy sauce, Hojok Galbi with chili and peanuts, and Beef Tartare served with crispy lotus root chips. Other menu items that modernize traditional Korean flavors include yellowtail mulhoe made with concentrated doenjang broth, budaejeon inspired by budaejjigae, truffle potato pancakes, and Hojok fried chicken.
Other main dishes feature thinly sliced boiled pork belly, spicy stew enhanced with monkfish liver, gochujang-glazed nurungji chicken, and rosé curry pork cutlet, all built on flavors deeply familiar to Korean diners but presented in a refined way. Menu items include salmon ssambap topped with salmon, sea urchin, and caviar, and ramyun fried rice.
The drink menu also highlights creativity rooted in Korean flavors. Signature options include “Strawberry Moon,” made with barley soju and strawberry shrub, and the “Kim-let,” a cocktail using toasted sesame–infused soju and gim (roasted seaweed) liqueur. A selection of makgeolli and cheongju is also available, offering familiar choices for guests who enjoy Korean alcoholic beverages.
The interior emphasizes a dark, sophisticated mood. Past the tiled entrance, guests encounter a stone bar, while a large black-and-white artwork evoking Korean landscape painting serves as a focal point on the wall.
Ko said the space is intended to host many different moments, “from dates to birthday parties,” adding that while the cooking is serious, she hopes the atmosphere remains fun and relaxed.
On December 1, a second Knotted LA location is scheduled to open in the same building. Hojokban operates Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Address: 734 E. 3rd St.
BY HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]
