Looking for authentic Korean food in Vancouver? The city is packed with options. You’ll find sizzling pork belly on tabletop grills, bubbling kimchi jjigae, and fresh seafood pancakes. Some restaurants serve recipes that haven’t changed for decades. Others reinvent the classics with bold, modern flavours. This guide covers my top 10 Korean restaurants in Vancouver. A few picks are outside the city, but they’re worth the short drive for unforgettable meals.
1. Zoomak Korean Tavern – Gastown
Tucked into the heart of Gastown, Zoomak Korean Tavern brings the lively, late-night energy of a Seoul drinking house to Vancouver. Specializing in anju, flavour-packed Korean dishes made to pair with drinks, this spot is perfect for soju-fueled catch-ups or casual date nights. The menu covers all the essentials: extra-crispy Korean fried chicken, spicy tteokbokki with chewy rice cakes and more. With its upbeat vibe, and shareable plates, Zoomak makes for one of the most fun and flavourful Korean food experiences in Vancouver.
What to Order: Galbi Ssam (Korean lettuce wraps with grilled soy marinated short rib), Hang Jeong Ssam (Korean lettuce wraps with grilled pork cheek), Jeon The Korean Pancake, Spicy Seafood Stew, Kimchi Mul Kooksoo
Zoomak Korean Tavern
Address: 52 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1B4
Website: http://zoomakyvr.com/
2. SURA Korean Cuisine – Robson Street and Richmond (Aberdeen Centre)
Located in the heart of downtown, SURA Korean Cuisine offers a polished take on traditional Korean dining. The atmosphere is refined but welcoming, making it a great choice for both casual lunches and special occasions. Their extensive menu includes beautifully presented classics, with a strong focus on balance and authentic flavours. From tender short ribs to bubbling hotpots, every dish feels like it’s been prepared with care and time. The Richmond location is my personal favourite because they have table grills that you can do your own Korean bbq on.
One of the biggest draws at SURA Korean Cuisine is their $25 Korean lunch special a full tasting menu of Korean favourites. You’ll start with a lineup of banchan before moving into hearty mains like sizzling bulgogi, spicy pork, or soft tofu stew. Each table also gets rice, soup, and side dishes that seem to keep appearing until you wonder how it all fits in the price. It’s generous, flavourful, and one of the best value lunches in downtown Vancouver if you’re looking to try a variety of authentic Korean dishes in one sitting.
What to Order: Galbi Jjim (braised short ribs), Seafood Pancake, Spicy Soft Tofu Stew, Japchae, Bossam (boiled pork with cabbage wraps)
SURA Korean Cuisine
Address: 1518 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C3
Website: www.surakoreancuisine.com
3. Kook Korean BBQ – East Vancouver
Located on 1st Avenue in East Vancouver, Kook Korean BBQ is famous for its impressive circle of banchan. A full spread of side dishes arranged around your grill so you can graze while your meat sizzles. The variety is incredible: kimchi, pickled vegetables, seasoned greens, sweet potatoes, and more, all freshly prepared and endlessly refillable. The meats are just as memorable, from thick-cut pork belly to marinated short ribs, all cooked right at your table. With its sleek interior, attentive service, and that signature banchan presentation, Kook offers one of the most fun and flavour-packed Korean BBQ experiences in Vancouver.
What to Order: Pork Belly, LA Galbi (marinated beef short rib), Marinated Pork Collar, Kimchi Stew
Kook Korean BBQ
Address: 2800 E 1st Ave, Vancouver, BC V5M 4N8
Website: www.kookbbq.ca
4. NUI – Main Street
NUI brings modern sensibility to comforting Korean classics, creating dishes that feel both familiar and new. Known for their rich broths this new to the scene Main Street favourite is perfect for cozy dinners. The gomtang here is particularly memorable, silky, savoury, and packed with depth. It features rice and barley in seasoned pork broth, sliced pork, chive oil, served with a side of house-made kimchi & chili shrimp paste.
What to Order: Gomtang, Pork Jowl Sooyuk, Vinegared Mackerel and Goguma & Ice Cream
NUI
Address: 3367 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3M6
Website: www.nuivancouver.com
5. Jinmi Korean Restaurant – Cambie Street (Downtown)
Formerly located at the West End and recently relocating to a refreshed space on Cambie Street, Jinmi Korean Restaurant brings a modern take on Korean soul food. Their specialty? Raw‑marinated seafood, led by cult‑favorite ganjang‑gejang (soy‑marinated crab), served in elegantly plated bansang sets. Each tray arrives with fragrant marinated crab, rice, soup, and rotating banchan. This is the best spot for raw marinated crabs in Vancouver. The yangnyeom-gejang (spicy marinated raw crabs) is also excellent here. The sauce is spicy but with a hint of sweetness. The crabs here are filled with roe and flown in fresh from Korea.
What to Order: Soy-Marinated Crab Bansang (Ganjang-Gejang), Spicy Marinated Crab Bansang (Yangnyeom-Gejang), Soy-Marinated Shrimp Set, Gejang Makguksu (Marinated Crab with Buckwheat Noodles)
Jinmi Korean Restaurant
Address: 782 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2R5
Website: https://www.jinmi.ca/
6. Jejudo Korean Restaurant – Burnaby
Tucked into a busy North Road plaza, Jejudo Korean Restaurant brings the hearty, seafood-forward flavours of Jeju Island to Burnaby. Seafood is the star here, from bubbling hot pots loaded with crab, clams, and squid, to perfectly grilled mackerel with crisp skin and tender flesh. Their soondubu (soft tofu stew) is deeply savoury, with a broth enriched by briny shellfish, and the banchan lineup is generous enough to feel like a meal on its own. It’s casual, unfussy, and exactly the kind of spot you bring friends to when you want to share everything on the table.
What to Order: Seafood lunch combos, Spicy Chewy Cold Noodle With Raw Fish, Spicy Clam Bibimbap, Soy Marinated Salmon Donburi
Jejudo Burnaby
Address: 4501 North Rd #220, Burnaby, BC V3N 4M8
Website: https://jejudo.menu11.com/burnaby/order
7. NomNom Seoul – West End / Robson Street
Bright and packed with personality, NomNom Seoul delivers Korean snack bar vibes right in the heart of the West End. Located at 1660 Robson Street, it is my go-to destination for quick Korean bites. The menu is a love letter to Korean street food. Think richly stuffed kimbap rolls, perfectly chewy tteokbokki, and a variety of ramyun and noodle soups. This spot is casual and is perfect for lunch, a late day snack, picnic or light dinner. The highlight here is their jam packed gimbaps that are heavy on the filling and light on rice.
What to Order: Regular Kimbap, Sausage Kimbap, Bibim Guksu, Janchi Guksu
NomNom Seoul
Address: 1660 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7
Website: https://www.nomnomseoul.ca/
8. Keumsan – Marpole
New to Vancouver’s Korean food scene, Keumsan has quickly built a reputation for two specialties: Soondubu (spicy soft tofu stew) and Sot Bap (Korean rice cooked in a sizzling stone pot). The soondubu arrives still bubbling, rich with flavour and customizable in spice level. Their sot bap delivers perfectly cooked, slightly crispy rice that’s served with a variety of toppings and sides. It’s a casual spot that works just as well for a quick solo meal as it does for a comforting dinner with friends.
What to Order: Seafood Soondubu, Beef Soondubu, Abalone Sot Bap, BBQ Eel Sot Bap
Keumsan
Address: 7971 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6P 4Z5
Website: https://www.instagram.com/keumsanrestaurant
9. Bbong Korean Restaurant – Burnaby (North Road)
For a taste of Chinese-Korean comfort food, Bbong Korean Restaurant in Burnaby is the place to go. Their menu focuses on the dishes you’d find in Korean-Chinese eateries back in Seoul, hearty, saucy, and built for sharing. The star is jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), with thick, chewy noodles coated in a rich, savoury black bean sauce. Not far behind is their jjamppong, a fiery seafood noodle soup with a deep, smoky broth. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the casual, family-friendly setting makes it perfect for group meals.
What to Order: Jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), Jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), Fried Dumplings, Combination Platters
Bbong Korean Restaurant
Address: 260-329 North Rd, Coquitlam, British Columbia V3K 3V8
Website: https://www.instagram.com/bbongkoreanrestaurant/
10. NeNe Chicken – Multiple Locations
No Korean restaurant list is complete without at least one Korean fried chicken spot. Straight from South Korea’s fried chicken scene, NeNe Chicken has brought its signature crispy, saucy goodness to Vancouver. Known for its ultra-crunchy coating and bold flavours, the chicken here is fried to order and stays crisp even under their sticky, addictive sauces. Options range from sweet and garlicky to fiery hot, with the cheese snow variety, showered in a savoury powdered cheese being a cult favourite. Whether you dine in or take it to-go, NeNe delivers on the irresistible combo of juicy meat and satisfying crunch that defines great Korean fried chicken.
What to Order: Snowing Cheese Chicken, Soy Garlic Chicken, Swicy Fried Chicken, CreamyOn Fried Chicken, Rose Tteokbokki, NeNe Kimchi Hot Pot
Address: 1231 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1N3
Website: https://nenechicken.ca
