Best Korean Restaurants in Sydney
Korean food is more than just barbequed meat, bibimbap and kimchi – it’s incredibly diverse, both in terms of ingredients and regional cooking styles. Sydney mightn’t have the same range as downtown Seoul, but we do have high-quality ingredients, great chefs and an audience ready to eat.
Here’s where to get the best barbeque, fried chicken, hotpot and banchan (the side dishes that come free with every Korean meal) in town.
Restaurant
Sang by Mabasa
It may not look traditional thanks to a modern fit-out and some of the best gimmick-free plating in Sydney, but the recipes here are strictly traditional – so much so that it's hard to find anything like it anywhere else in Sydney. Easily Sydney’s best Korean restaurant.
Restaurant
Red Pepper Bistro
A Korean fried-chicken diner hidden in a Strathfield sports club. Do as the locals do and ask for chimaek, the Korean portmanteau for fried chicken and beer.
Restaurant
Myeong Dong
You can eat an entire meal here just on banchan. The minimum number of side dishes available is eight, some days it goes up 13 – all of them homemade. To get them you’ll need to order something else – the lamb hotpot is a speciality, and the big pork-rib soup is a better option for solo diners.
Restaurant
678 Korean BBQ
A massive barbeque chain founded by famous Korean comedian Kang Ho Dong. Pricier than most of its competitors, but with far better quality meat and non-barbeque dishes that actually resemble what you might find in Korea.
Restaurant
Hansang
A buzzing Strathfield eatery serving homestyle Korean fare. Sure, you’ll find familiar Korean staples such as bibimbap here. But the focus is on traditional soups served with rice and side plates filled with pickles, kimchi and Korean snacks.
Restaurant
Danjee
A slightly fancier Korean restaurant with a preposterously long and varied menu. You can get barbeque, fried chicken, hotpot, a simple bibimbap, hangover soup and traditional Korean New Year specialities. Most of it is great, all of it is at least solid.
Restaurant
Jang Ta Bal
Korean barbeque for people who want to party (go to its Campsie outpost for a more relaxed, old-school vibe). The meat is marbled and fresh, and if you come on the right day you might even get a free dish of chilli-marinated raw crab.
Restaurant
Matkim
With just eight seats, Matkim is one of the smallest chef's table experiences in Sydney. But this tiny counter by the Tokki team is also a leader in the city’s Korean fine-dining revolution, and serves an 18-course spectacle you won’t soon forget.
Restaurant
Soul Dining
Soul Dining puts modern spins on classic Korean dishes like tteokbokki and sundae. It also brings the fun of eating out in Seoul to a sleek space that’s primed for both casual and special occasion dinners.
Restaurant
Allta
Chef Jung-su Chang brings Michelin Star cred to Sydney’s Korean dining scene with this degustation-only diner. Come for an intimate, 15-course experience that’ll change the way you think about Korean food.
