9 Korean Restaurants That Pair Perfectly With Squid Game

Writer Sam Nar loves Korean food, and when she complied this list a short while ago, little did she know that South Korea’s Squid Game would become Netflix’s breakout hit of the year. But this list is the perfect road map to the best Korean in town (as is our recent Korean Restaurant Award winners) for when you want to keep the Squid Game dream going even after you’ve run through the episodes. (Photo Credit: So Hyang Korean Cuisine, Facebook)

1. So Hyang Korean Cuisine

Get your K-BBQ fix at this stylish restaurant on Fraser Street. Serving an impressive selection of pork, chicken, beef, and seafood marinated in their signature spicy sauce, this popular joint also offers a taste of traditional Korean dishes and appetizers like the red Kimchi Jeegae (spicy kimchi and pork stew with tofu), Dol Sot Bibimbap (a hot stone bowl of steam rice topped with assorted vegetables, beef, and egg), and Hae Mool Pa Jun (mixed seafood pancake made with green onions and egg). 

2. Sura Korean Cuisine

Aside from the traditional Korean atmosphere, the beautiful, modern decor inside this Robson hotspot is easily one of the most attractive elements of this restaurant. But it’s the authentic-yet-contemporary menu, featuring different flavoured Galbi (grilled ribs; also spelled Kalbi), that keeps people coming back. Have a go at their BBQ house special, the spicy pork belly, but be warned—it’s dangerously delicious (seriously). 

3. Damso Restaurant

If you’re looking for a place to hit up after dark to satisfy your Korean food cravings, this West End restaurant located on Denman Street is perfect for you. A jack-of-all-trades when it comes to Korean cuisine, you can pair their signature Kalbee Osso Buco (AAA beef short ribs slow cooked over 48 hours) with the classic K-BBQ lettuce wrap. Wash down your meal with a fruit-blended soju packed with mixed berries. (Photo Credit: Andamiro Korean Bistro, Facebook)

4. Andamiro Korean Bistro

Whether you want chicken, beef, or pork, Andamiro’s got all the meat you need, starting with their teriyaki sauce-infused beef and chicken bulgogi, juicy pork kalbi, and Jeyuk Bokeum (thinly sliced pieces of tender pork marinated in a spicy house sauce. They also have a variety of Korean soups and drinks to quench your thirst. 

5. YOOK Korean Grilled BBQ & Bistro

Carrying over 20 years of culinary experience in Korea, YOOK dishes out some of the most classic Korean foods in Vancouver. True to its roots, this traditional place offers OG Bibimbap (steamed rice served in a hot stone bowl with a sunnyside egg atop) and Duck Mandu Gook (rice cake and dumplings in beef bone soup), but the best part of the menu is the subtly sweet Samgyupsal (pork belly marinated in red wine and served on a cast iron dish). 

6. Maru Korean Bistro

When looking for a great restaurant experience, there are two points to be considered: customer service and food quality—and this cozy LoLo eatery delivers on both fronts. With an innovative and modern menu like the Korean steak tartar (Asian pears, egg yolk, crispy sunchoke, green onions, sesame oil dust) and Korean Salisbury steak with fermented black garlic, this humble restaurant touts an assertive and fresh take on traditional dishes to create a highly addictive meal. (Photo Credit: Brenda K, Google Maps)

7. Won-Jo BBQ & Noodle Restaurant

Head down to this Coquitlam establishment on Clark Road for huge heaps of beef, chicken, pork, and L.A. short ribs served with a variety of delicious side dishes like kimchi, pickled radish and cubed sweet potatoes. They also have the Chinese-Japanese hybrid, Shabu Shabu (hotpot) for cheap—that is, if you still have any room left in your stomach after chugging down all that meat. (Photo Credit: Hanwoori Korean Restaurant, Facebook)

8. Hanwoori Korean Restaurant

With their table-top grills, meat is right up this restaurant’s alley. Try their BBQ combination menu, featuring wide selections of pork, beef and chicken marinated in a house special BBQ sauce alongside other classic dishes like the vegetable dumpling and stir-fried vermicelli noodles. (Photo Credit: Insadong Korean Restaurant, Facebook)

9. Insadong Korean Restaurant

Ready your table for all things Korean at this East Asian restaurant because Insadong is bringing you marinated pork ribs, sliced pork belly, bulgogi, beef tongue, kalbi, and hangyeonsal (seasoned pork jowl) among a series of other BBQ-inspired meats like shrimp and mussels. They also make a mean kimchi stew to pair with all the flesh.