New twist on Korean favs at Michellin-rated Danbi in Korea Town.

By Jongho Lee –

Located in Los Angeles Koreatown, Danbi is a restaurant that reinterprets traditional Korean food in a modern way.

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Danbi was featured in the 2025 Michelin Guide.

The restaurant's name, "Danbi," means "welcome rain after a long drought." Like its name suggests, the restaurant tries to bring puts a surprising twist on familiar Korean dishes.

During my visit, I ordered scallop pancakes, sea urchin bibimbap and wagyu beef.

My favorite dish was the sea urchin bibimbap.

It had a creamy texture and a slightly sweet flavor that worked well together.

The scallop pancake was crispy on the outside and had plenty of scallops on top, which gave it a nice texture and flavor.

The wagyu beef also stood out because of the vegetables and young radish kimchi served with it, as the Korean side dishes went well with the rich flavor of the beef.

However, after eating all three dishes, I felt that the food was a little rich and heavy overall.

Before visiting, I thought Danbi would be a casual family restaurant, but the interior had dark lighting and a modern design.

The service was satisfying because the staff were friendly and the food arrived quickly.

This made the dining experience more enjoyable, and the service left a good impression along with the food.

The biggest downsides were the price and parking. The meal cost around $200 for three people, and I had to pay another $10 for parking, which was more expensive than I expected.
However, Danbi is worth considering for a special date night.

Danbi is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Mondays.

Related content: Sonia's cafe. About this writer: Jongho Lee studies as a Korean student at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica.