Daedo Sikdang

Daedo, Seoul’s Best Barbecue Restaurant, Opens in LA’s K-Town | Eater LA

"Founded in Seoul in 1964 near a butcher shop in Majang‑Dong, this restaurant opened its first U.S. location on July 8 and already feels like one of the most impressive places to eat Korean barbecue in the country. Daedo modernized the experience into a steakhouse by narrowing its menu to the best cut of beef—ribeye sliced into three primary cuts (eye, cap, and strip)—then searing those pieces on a specialized cast‑iron pan greased with a white knob of kidney fat; the choice and treatment of beef are the restaurant’s biggest selling points. Because hanu is rarely exported, the LA outpost uses Certified Angus Beef prime grade, wet‑aged on site, as the closest analogue to the Korean product. The arresting interior—a standalone former room salon on 6th Street with high ceilings, a semi‑industrial vibe, sleek LED hanging lights, built‑in grills on Querkuswood tabletops, exposed brick, and brass finishes—mixes the conviviality of classic Korean barbecue with the refinement of a modern steakhouse. At the table, meats are accompanied by a range of flavorings (a sweet soy dip, a spicier briny pickled shrimp sauce, roasted sea salt), a deeply umami soybean paste from Chiri mountain in Korea, and diced kakdugi that is flown in and used later to make a crispy fried rice; that crunchy, refreshing radish replaces the more familiar baechu kimchi here. Other offerings designed to punctuate the barbecue include a tangy yeolmu cold noodle bowl (less sweet and more well‑rounded than some versions, and—despite the fermentation—really delicious and approachable), an excellent yukgaejang spicy beef soup, butane flame‑seared bulgogi, a chewier myungpoom cut, comforting doenjang porridge, and a beef consomme; beef is the only protein offered for the grill. Cocktails (including Amazon 1964 and Haeundae Sunset) and a solid wine list round out the meal, and the only dessert is a refreshing milk‑based soft serve with a crispy rice cracker. Owner Jonathan Lee and partner Jiman Park assembled a team including executive chef Sangkyun Han, chef de cuisine Eunsook Choi, GM Miyoung Chong, and meat director Taeyoon Oh; servers do most of the table cooking (kidney fat washes, cast‑iron changes, fried rice prep, slicing, and grill cleaning), which helps make the whole experience feel special—so far it’s drawing long waits because reservations are not yet accepted. Daedo is currently open daily from 5 to 11 p.m., with eventual lunch service." - Matthew Kang