Over the last 20 years, Korean food has become popular in Bangkok, Thailand. So much so, new Korean restaurants are opening in the city every month. Authenticity is also guaranteed as many of Bangkok’s Korean restaurants are Korean-owned and operated and serve traditional food, much like you’d eat in any city in Korea.
With so many to choose from though, three stand out as some of the best Korean restaurants in Bangkok.
Our Story, Esplanade Mall – One of my favorite Korean restaurants is a small eatery in the basement restaurant area of Esplanade Mall in Bangkok. Not one of the best restaurants for atmosphere, as it’s open to the rest of the mall so a bit bland, it does however serve delicious Korean food and the staff there is lovely.
The menu at Our Story is quite large, with a good selection of typical Korean dishes – bibimbap, fried spring rolls, guksu (noodles), fried pork, kimchi, Korean barbecue, lots of dishes served in stone pots etc. Prices are inexpensive. There’s also various set menus, offering a main dish plus lots of little side dishes like kimchi, pickled vegetables, and seaweed for a set price as low as 145 baht ($4.95)- not expensive at all for good Korean food.
They also serve various soft drinks and beers and, if you get the green tea, it comes with unlimited free refills.
Don’t miss ordering the Sample Platter too. It is a huge platter of four different Korean appetizers (spring rolls, chicken wings, breaded shrimp and vegetables) and, not only is it delicious, it’s lots of food and it’s cheap.
Our Story is at Esplanade Mall on Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok. Take the underground train and get off at Thailand Cultural Center station. Esplanade is a block away.
You Rea Guan Restaurant – One of the nicest Korean restaurants in Bangkok for it’s design alone, You Rea Guan has been listed by Thailand Tatler several times as serving some of Bangkok’s best Korean food too. Situated on a quiet Bangkok soi, You Rea Guan is a large restaurant, located in a complex of traditional Korean buildings. What you want to eat and for what occasion decides which building you eat in.
When you arrive at You Rea Guan, you can choose whether you eat in the formal building – usually for special occasions or business lunches or dinners – or in the main building, with its private rooms upstairs and its
barbecue restaurant downstairs.
Along with all the traditional Korean side dishes that will be served to you as soon as you arrive, You Rea Guan is known for its kimichi soup, marinated pork ribs, beef tenderloin and bibimbap. But, no matter what you choose, you can guarantee the food will be delicious and there will be a lot of it.
Prices at You Rea Guan are not inexpensive, but for the quality and amount of food, they’re good. You can also try their food at the You Rea Guan restaurant on the fifth floor of Emporium mall. They specialize in sets (several dishes served for one price) and prices are cheaper than at the main restaurant.
You’ll find You Rea Guan at 26 Sukhumvit, Soi 59 in Bangkok.
Arirang – Calling themselves “A bite of Korea in Bangkok”, Arirang offers an authentic Korean experience from the moment you walk into the restaurant. Waitresses dressed in full Hanbok and speaking in Korean, and a beautiful Korean design that’s light and open really add to the experience.
At Arirang try their noodles (made from scratch), bibimbap (some of the best in Bangkok) and, of course, the beef barbecue. Their hot pots (kimchi hotpot, seafood hotpot, spicy beef and leek stew) are incredible, and don’t miss their ‘grilled menu’ with a choice of fresh pork, beef, steak, and chicken to choose from.
Their ‘special menu’ offers some true Korean delights, with such things as seafood and green onion pancake (delicious) and stir fried baby octopus.
If you’d like to try Arirang, but don’t want to pay the higher dinner prices (average meal around 500-1,000 baht – $15-30), then stop in at Arirang at lunch time as they serve a large selection of set meals that will give you a wonderful opportunity to try most of Arirang’s menu, yet starting at only 100 baht ($3).
Arirang has two locations. One in Sukhumvit Plaza at Sukhumvit Soi 12. The other is at Sathorn Soi 12, both in downtown Bangkok.