Dining
The 7 Best Korean BBQ in London
London's tabletop Korean BBQ scene now runs from Fitzrovia grill houses to hotel dining rooms in Kensington and a Korean expat strip in New Malden.
In short: our top picks are Koba, YORI Piccadilly Circus and Korean BBQ House Barbican. 7 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Korean barbecue in London used to mean one or two spots on Kingsland Road or a basement in Holborn. Now there is a genuine spread across the city, from Fitzrovia’s veteran grill houses to newer arrivals doing tabletop wagyu inside Kensington hotel dining rooms. The format rewards patience, good ventilation and a decent set of tongs, and the restaurants below have all three. Price and quality vary more than you would expect for a cuisine built on a fairly fixed idea, a tabletop grill, banchan, rice and soju. Some kitchens marinate their bulgogi for days and butcher their own short rib, others lean on volume and an unlimited buffet format that suits a big group more than a quiet dinner for two. Both approaches earn a place here, they just suit different nights out.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Koba | Fitzrovia | ££ |
| YORI Piccadilly Circus | ££ | |
| Korean BBQ House Barbican | Barbican | ££ |
| Hanwoo Village | Islington | £££ |
| Korean Grill Kensington (KGK) | South Kensington | £££ |
| Jumak39 | Piccadilly Circus | ££ |
| Cah-Chi | New Malden | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Koba
Why we pick itKoba has been grilling bulgogi and pork belly on Rathbone Street since 2005, one of the longest running Korean BBQ tables in Fitzrovia. The banchan spread arrives without being asked and the marinated short rib is done properly, not just sweetened.
Fitzrovia institution for tabletop Korean BBQ
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YORI Piccadilly Circus
Why we pick itYORI's Piccadilly Circus branch fits a tabletop grill at every table just off Leicester Square, useful when you want proper Korean BBQ without leaving the West End. Staff will cook the pork belly and beef bulgogi sets table side if you would rather not do it yourself.
West End Korean BBQ grill house
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Korean BBQ House Barbican
Why we pick itThis Whitecross Street restaurant runs a fully halal menu alongside an unlimited BBQ option from around 40 pounds a head. Wagyu is on the grill list too, which is unusual at this price point.
Halal Korean BBQ with unlimited grill option
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Hanwoo Village
Why we pick itHanwoo Village sits just off Upper Street in Angel, a sleek room with industrial fittings and a menu built around wagyu rib eye and mixed seafood platters for the table. It suits a proper sit down dinner more than a quick lunch.
Modern Korean BBQ near Angel
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Korean Grill Kensington (KGK)
Why we pick itInside the Millennium Gloucester Hotel near Gloucester Road station, KGK runs an omakase style Korean BBQ service with a grill fitted into every table. It is a more formal setting than most London Korean BBQ, closer to a hotel dining room than a Kingsland Road grill house.
Hotel based Korean BBQ omakase experience
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Jumak39
Why we pick itJumak39 is two restaurants in one, a casual dining room upstairs near Piccadilly Circus and a late night pocha bar downstairs from 5pm with an all you can eat BBQ buffet. Order the raw marinated crab before the meat arrives.
Korean BBQ restaurant and late night pocha bar
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Cah-Chi
Why we pick itCah-Chi moved into New Malden's Kingston Road in 2023, serving the area's long established Korean community with tabletop grills and a full range of side dishes. It is a trek from central London but the marinated meats are cooked and seasoned properly, not adjusted for a tourist crowd.
Family run Korean BBQ in New Malden
Before you book
Expect to pay from around 25 pounds a head for buffet style Korean BBQ up to 60 pounds or more for a la carte cuts and wagyu at the more polished rooms. Book ahead for Friday and Saturday evenings, groups of four or more should call the smaller restaurants directly rather than rely on online booking. Weekday early evenings, before 7pm, are the easiest time to get a table without waiting.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Koba is our editor's choice: Koba has been grilling bulgogi and pork belly on Rathbone Street since 2005, one of the longest running Korean BBQ tables in Fitzrovia. The banchan spread arrives without being asked and the marinated short rib is done properly, not just sweetened. Koba, YORI Piccadilly Circus and Korean BBQ House Barbican lead the guide, with 7 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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