Bonjuk

"Specialties: Porridge This sleepy porridge spot in Koreatown is a great place for a work lunch when you have the sniffles, a casual weeknight dinner, or tearing up at the adorable elderly couple at the table over. Bon Juk is a quiet spot that serves lots of different types of porridge - including pumpkin, black sesame, and red bean. Our favorites, though, are the ones with ginseng chicken or mixed seafood - filled with abalone, shrimp, and mussels. The porridge itself is thick but never mushy, and particularly good when you amp it up with the marinated beef and kimchi banchan options." - Brant Cox, Nikko Duren, Sylvio Martins

"There are plenty of excellent bars in Koreatown, so it makes sense that there are also plenty of places to nurse a hangover. When we’re really in pain, we prefer porridge, and Bonjuk makes our favorite. It’s thick, hearty, and, according to the menu, healthy, including one bowl that’s supposed to cure weariness, and another that aids in detoxification. So basically, perfect for a hangover. We usually go for the pumpkin, the chicken ginseng, or the beef and mushroom - all of them come pretty unseasoned, which is good if you’re having stomach issues, but you can add in banchan to make them more flavorful. " - kat hong, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"Contrary to popular belief (and your co-worker’s Instagram strategy), sometimes, less is more. Take Bonjuk for example - this quiet spot on Wilshire is as sleepy as they come, but their tremendous bowls of porridge speak for themselves. Our go-tos are the ones made with ginseng chicken and mixed seafood (abalone, shrimp, mussels, etc.). Available for takeout and delivery." - brant cox, kat hong

"Part of a popular Seoul-based chain and located on the ground floor of an office building, Bon Juk is an ode to rice porridge, the ultimate Korean comfort food. Oversize photos of its various types hang on the wall, acting as a kind of communal menu, and feature popular iterations like chicken and ginseng, black sesame, and octopus and kimchi. On those rare chilly LA days, this is the place to come for a warming, satisfying—utterly Korean—meal. "

"This sleepy porridge spot in Koreatown is a great place for a work lunch, a casual weeknight dinner, or tearing up at the adorable elderly couples eating at the table next to you. It’s a quiet spot, serving lots of different types of porridge - including pumpkin, black sesame, and red bean. Our favorites, though, are the ones with ginseng chicken and mixed seafood—filled with abalone, shrimp, and mussels. The porridge itself is thick, not at all mushy, and particularly good when you season it with the marinated beef and kimchi banchan." - Brett Keating