The Ultimate Guide to Korean BBQ in Salt Lake City
Utah is a popular tourist destination with five national parks in the state.
Outdoor sports are another big reason people vacation here, but even repeat visitors may not know Utah’s capital city is a hub for great Asain food.
On my visit, I focused on finding the best Korean BBQ in Salt Lake City.
Several of the best spots for Korean food are located in one place: Salt Lake City Chinatown.
The 5.7-acre establishment houses businesses of all sorts, including many amazing places to eat.
Chinatown isn’t the only good location for Korean food.
There are options around the city and surrounding areas. Let’s take a look at my favorites!
Cupbop – Korean BBQ in a Cup & Ramen930
45 E Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Phone: 385-522-2742
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Cupbop is a Downtown Salt Lake favorite, just a block from Gallivan Center, where events like concerts and exhibits are hosted.
This Korean BBQ spot’s claim to fame is how they serve their food.
Everything here is served in a cup, which adds to Cupbop’s fun, laid-back vibe.
Cups aren’t just for aesthetics. At Cupbop, you pick your protein and spice level, and once your order is customized, you get to shake your cup to mix all those great ingredients.
On my trip to Salt Lake, I tried the Rock Bop. A cup with rice, noodles, mixed greens, and tangy Korean fried chicken.
Korea House BBQ
145 E 1300 S Suite 207, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: 801-487-3900
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A short walk from Smith’s Ballpark, home to the local minor league team, the Bees, Korea House BBQ provides an excellent place for traditional Korean food.
This spot is casual and provides a relaxed dining room with many paper lanterns to draw in customers.
Another draw to Korea House is the tabletop grills where you can cook your food exactly to your preference.
Korean House serves great traditional BBQ with outstanding sides.
I particularly enjoyed the short ribs or galbi.
The other dish I tried was the spicy pan-fried squid served with stir-fry vegetables.
It wasn’t something I’d typically order, but I enjoyed it!
The portions were generous for the price, and I would return to sample more classics from Korean House.
Myung Ga Restaurant
3353 S, Decker Lake Dr, West Valley City, UT 84119
Phone: 801-953-0478
Myun Ga Restaurant provides a contemporary setting to enjoy Korean classics in West Valley City, a suburb of Salt Lake.
The restaurant is in a commercial area with lots of shops and places to eat.
Myun Ga provides a casual and welcoming spot to gather, especially after concerts at the nearby West Valley Performing Arts Center.
If you visit Myung Ga, I highly recommend the Seafood Pancake.
It was full of great seafood but remained fluffy, not soggy.
The other item you’ll want to try is the Gimbap, a Korean dish similar to sushi.
Like the Japanese staple, Gimbap is sticky rice wrapped with seaweed and stuffed with ingredients like kimchi or shrimp.
Stun Cube
2732 S State St, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Phone: 801-419-0082
In South Salt Lake, an unassuming restaurant stands out from its neighbors in the commercial area along State Street.
Stun Cube looks like many other spots along the street, but it sets itself apart, providing tasty Korean food at an affordable price.
The atmosphere is laid back with bright yellow walls that light up the space.
Stun Cube specializes in bento box-style meals, which I highly recommend.
Get your favorite type of Korean BBQ, choice of rice, and daily sides all packaged in a neat little box.
They also offer rice bowls and Korean stew.
Another standout here was dessert!
The shaved ice options were refreshing after a day in the desert heat.
Baek Ri Hyang
3390 S State St #31, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Phone: 801-883-9693
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Baek Ri Hyang shares a venue with several spots to grab the best Korean BBQ in Salt Lake City.
The city’s Chinatown takes up an entire city block with a traditional Chinese Gate at the entrance.
This restaurant is just one of many in the shopping and cultural complex.
Baek Ri Hyang’s storefront in the building blends traditional style with modern aspects, creating a bright and welcoming place to eat.
There are great options for Korean BBQ, with options for chicken, ribs, beef, and pork.
If you stop at this restaurant, consider trying some of the chef’s specials too.
This is a great place to try the classic Korean Japchae, a glass noodle dish with a sweet and savory flavor.
Chick Queen
3390 S State St #14, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Phone: 385-229-4290
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Another option in Chinatown, Chick Queen, is located just outside the Chinatown Supermarket’s inside entrance.
I appreciated the chicken spot’s modern design, especially the large mural on the side wall.
The bright colors pop against the restaurant’s neutral tones, creating a trendy-looking place to grab a bite.
As the name suggests, Chick Queen serves Korean-style fried chicken with various flavors to choose from. My favorite was honey garlic!
Though the shop focuses on delicious crunchy chicken, vegetarians have options here too.
Chick Queen fries veggies to enjoy with the same tasty sauces as their chicken.
KOU-Korean BBQ of Utah
7157 S, State St, Midvale, UT 84047
Phone: 801-996-8415
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The city of Midvale, a part of Salt Lake City’s metropolitan area, has an excellent spot for an all-you-can-eat option.
KOU-Korean BBQ has a fun, modern aesthetic paired with traditional tabletop grills.
These factors created a cozy, casual vibe at the eatery.
Besides the selection of prepared appetizers, all the food served here is raw for you to cook at the table.
Choose familiar cuts like brisket and steak, or sample some beef tongue.
I tried this underlooked cut of meat on my visit.
The meat was thinly sliced and was very tender after grilling!
I recommend trying some of their spicy options, especially the cajun-spiced pork belly.
OMBU Grill
1438 State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: 801-484-4848
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OMBU Grill provides another all-you-can-eat option a few blocks southwest of Smith’s Ballpark.
The interior is flashy, with modern fixtures and cute neon signs perfect for social media posts.
Live plants give the place a cozy feel.
Overall the vibe here is fun, friendly, and on-trend.
OMBU has many options to cook over the grill, including seafood options like herring, shrimp, and calamari.
One of my favorites was the bacon-wrapped enoki, a small mushroom that looks like noodles with a crunchy texture.
The grilled mushrooms have a slightly fruity flavor that paired deliciously with the bacon.
3390 State St #34, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Phone: 801-368-2018
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Back in Salt Lake Chinatown, K-Recipe provides an option for those on the go or just want to enjoy Korean BBQ at home.
This take-out restaurant has premade options laid out neatly on the shelves.
The storefront is no frills, but this simplicity focuses on the food, with many tasty options.
The staff here was friendly and happy to explain anything I had questions about.
K-Recipe offers various types of plates, from Korean BBQ to specialty kimchis.
The selection of appetizers was great as well.
My favorite was Kimchi & Ham Fried rice topped with dried seaweed.
It was the perfect mix of sweet and savory.
The friend egg on top tied everything together and reheated well!
Sanfran Burrito N Korean Hotdog
3390 S State St STE35, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: 801-419-0227
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Another option in Salt Lake’s Chinatown, Sanfran, is an easygoing spot with a modern vibe.
A bright orange accent wall draws the eye from the outside.
You’ll see the wall is covered with interesting art and pictures when you get closer.
The vibe here is modern, funky, and fun. It’s apparent in their food too.
Sanfran has an entirely unique take on Korean BBQ, using the grilled meat in new ways.
They serve fusion food like burritos, tots, and corndogs.
My favorite was the gooey cheese Korean hotdog.
The BBQ burrito is worth trying with tasty Korean seasoned beef and lots of spicy mayo.
Hwa Korean & Japanese Restaurant
5284 Commerce Dr. Ste c-174, Murray, UT 84107
Phone: 801-266-2901
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South of Salt Lake City, Hwa Korean & Japanese Restaurant shares the City of Murray with many parks and green spaces.
Hwa is located just off Veterans Memorial Highway near the Intermountain Medical Center.
The vibe of this spot is relaxed and has a touch of whimsy, as shown in their room dividers decorated with cherry blossoms.
Hwa serves a nice variety of Korean and Japanese dishes.
You can choose from sushi or classic Korean dishes, but you can also split the difference and try Korean-inspired sushi.
The Bulgogi Roll tops a sushi roll stuffed with crab and shrimp with beef Bulgogi for a unique mix of flavors!
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for great places to eat in Utah’s capital city, check out some of the best Korean BBQ in Salt Lake City on this list.
Even though you’ll have to travel outside the city to visit all of these hotspots, it’s well worth the trip, especially if you’re exploring the area anyway!
These were our top choices for Korean classics and contemporary takes on traditional food, but there’s always more to see. If you’re interested in more, check out Salt Lake City’s greatest seafood restaurants!
If we missed one of your favorite Korean eateries in the Salt Lake area, let us know in the comments below.
Best Korean BBQ Spots in Salt Lake City
- Cupbop – Korean BBQ in a Cup & Ramen930
- Korea House BBQ
- Myung Ga Restaurant
- Stun Cube
- Baek Ri Hyang
- Chick Queen
- KOU-Korean BBQ of Utah
- OMBU Grill
- K-Recipe
- Sanfran Burrito N Korean hotdog
- Hwa Korean & Japanese Restaurant
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