From BBQ to bibimbap: The best Korean restaurants in Sydney
Selection of dishes at Sang by Mabasa, Surry Hills
Crispy fried chicken, sizzling meats on the grill, funky fermented flavours – there's a lot to love about Korean cuisine. Sink your teeth into it at these Sydney restaurants.
- 2 min read
Sang by Mabasa
Where: Surry Hills
Sang by Mabasa is all about simplicity. A tiny restaurant and bar in Surry Hills, it aims to give Sydneysiders a different interpretation of Korean cuisine, taking traditional recipes and refining them. Everything from the dining room itself to the cutlery and plating is simple yet stunning. Sang is a family-run affair and you’ll be made to feel like one of the clan as soon as you sit down.
Selection of dishes at Sang by Mabasa, Surry Hills
Janchi Korean Grill
Where: Narellan
The Korean word ‘jan-chi’ means a banquet enjoyed with family and friends, and that’s exactly what you can expect at Janchi Korean Grill, just 10 minutes from Camden. Wagyu, beef short rib, pork ribs, pork belly, lamb loin chop, marinated chicken and scallops are presented raw for you to grill on the traditional Korean barbecue. The sides are just as good: kimchi, shallot salad, corn cheese, radish wraps and seaweed rice balls.
Janchi Korean Grill, Camden
NeNe Chicken
Where: multiple locations
There are more than 1,000 NeNe Chicken stores in South Korea. They brought their beloved recipes to Australia in 2016 and have since expanded across the country, with eight stores in Sydney alone. Crisp batter, saucy sauces and authentic Korean flavours (like bulgogi or snowing cheese) make it some of the best fried chicken you’ll ever eat.
Fried chicken dishes at NeNe Chicken, Sydney - Credit: Griffin Simm
KOGI Korean BBQ
Where: Haymarket
Found in Haymarket’s bustling Market City, generous portions and an ever-changing menu of side dishes (meaning you can try something new each time you visit) make KOGI Korean BBQ a standout Korean barbecue option. That and its fascinating history: Donald Bae, the founder, was the first person to bring the concept of Korean barbecue to Australia in 1992. Highlight dishes include marinated beef ribs, spicy pork bulgogi, topokki and the seafood pancake.
KOGI Korean BBQ, Haymarket
Myeong Dong
Where: Strathfield
Banchan are delicious side dishes served with rice and an essential part of any Korean meal. Myeong Dong makes some of the best banchan in the business. There will be more than a dozen on the menu at a time and they rotate regularly, but expect things like radish kimchi, simmered lotus roots, mung bean jelly, soy bean sprout, fish cake slices and more. It’s cheap and cheerful eating you'll keep coming back for.
