Mapo Galbi is a cozy Koreatown gem specializing in table-side dak galbi, where tender chicken sizzles in spicy gochujang until it's all but irresistible.
"Mapo Galbi is a quiet restaurant on the outskirts of Ktown where you’ll find one of our favorite dishes in the neighborhood, dak galbi. A simple dish of chicken, vegetables, and rice noodles stir-fried in a spicy sauce at your table, the flavors are so intense and complex that you’ll take breaks throughout the meal to permanently ingrain this moment into your mind. Then comes the second course—which involves a heaping pile of nori-topped white rice that’s smashed onto the same grill and cooked until it’s crispy. Correction: Mapo Galbi has two of our favorite dishes in Ktown. " - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins
"Mapo Galbi is a quiet restaurant on the outskirts of Koreatown where everyone orders one thing: dak galbi. A simple dish of chicken, vegetables, and rice noodles stir-fried in a spicy sauce at your table, the flavors are so intense and complex that you’ll take breaks throughout the meal to permanently ingrain this moment into your mind. Then comes the second course—which involves a heaping pile of nori-topped white rice that’s smashed onto the same grill and cooked until it’s crispy. Spoiler: it’s just as good as the first round." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nikko duren, garrett snyder
"With a spartan interior and bustling dining room, Mapo Galbi is a spicy chicken specialist, grilling tender chicken thighs cut into smaller pieces along with cabbage, rice cakes, carrots, and plenty of gochujang sauce. The whole pan simmers and reduces over time, with servers finishing meals with a fried rice loaded up with perilla leaves and seaweed laver." - Matthew Kang, Cathy Park
"With a spartan interior and bustling dining room, Mapo Galbi is a spicy chicken specialist, grilling tender chicken thighs cut into smaller pieces along with cabbage, rice cakes, carrots, and plenty of gochujang sauce. The whole pan simmers and reduces over time, with servers finishing meals with a fried rice loaded up with perilla leaves and seaweed laver." - Matthew Kang
"Mapo Galbi is a run-down restaurant on a boring block of Olympic Blvd., where the staff doesn’t speak much English. Fortunately, all you need to be able to say is DAK GALBI, and you’ll get a chicken stir-fry unlike any other. Each table has an enormous shallow cast-iron pan in the middle, where chicken, rice cakes, cabbage, perilla leaves, slices of sweet potato doused in sauce get cooked together. It’s sweet, spicy, and savory,and a little peppery. It’s also delicious as hell. Give our regards to the fried rice they make with your leftovers." - eric lane
