Dak & Bop’s Museum District location was one of the first restaurants to bring extra-crispy Korean-style fried chicken to the inner loop, but since it shuttered in 2020, the Heights location carries on the tradition. Find juicy, double-fried wings and tenders, bulgogi fries, kimchi bisque, and pair your meal with beer or booze — Dad & Bop has a full bar.

This longstanding Korean barbecue joint serves up meaty classics like bulgogi, galbi, and samgyeopsal (three-layered pork belly), made to be shared table-wide. Eating alone? Order the kimchi jigae stew or kimchi pajeon, and keep it all to yourself.

Open in Houston for more than three decades, Korea Garden is a reliable choice to feed your Korean food fix. The restaurant offers a hefty menu that includes sizzling barbecue, short rib jjigae, and shareable snacks like tteokbokki and oyster tempura.

Hit this noodle shop up for mul naengmyeon — a savory chilled soup made with buckwheat noodles and thinly-sliced beef, topped with daikon, boiled egg, cucumber, and matchsticked watermelon or Asian pear. The refreshing dish makes an ideal meal on a sweltering Houston day.

In addition to noodle dishes like spicy seafood jjamppong and jajjangmyun (black bean noodles) — which can be ordered in a split dish, so you can have the best of both worlds — diners rave about this mom-and-pop shop’s house-made kimchi, pickled daikon, and other banchan.

This Midtown restaurant is a carnivore’s paradise, with all-you-can-eat barbecue, and dishes like Cajun shrimp, tofu stew, marinated short rib, and spicy pork belly. The club-like interior, complete with loud music and neon lights, is a favorite for groups looking to make a night of it in the hip neighborhood.

This longtime Houston food truck melds Korean and Tex-Mex flavors and offers its unique menu into the wee hours of the night. Dishes like the Gogi melt combine meat with cheese and grilled onions on Texas toast, while kimchi quesadillas and a ramen burger built with a house-made ramen bun aren't commonly found elsewhere around town.

Founded by Korean immigrant Micky Kim in Annandale, Virginia in 2007, this Asiatown restaurant is best-known for its menu of affordable grilled meats. Located in Diho Square, the restaurant has a colorful and kitschy interior and blasts K-Pop on the speakers.

Soho Chicken puts the spotlight on poultry with entrees like buldak, a platter of spicy pan-fried chicken with cheese, and fried chicken wings in a variety of flavors, but the menu features hot pot, Korean barbecue, and beefy noodle dishes too.

Karne offers premium cuts of in-house dry aged beef and reserve-cut Japanese wagyu grilled table-side alongside stunning plates of seafood, raw bar offerings, and caviar service. The appetizers are not worth skipping — from the yellowtail crudo with scallops and shrimp in a yuzu dressing to the rice wine poached mussels with toasted milk bread. Going for a more luxurious experience? Reserve the multi-course chef’s tasting for an immersive deep dive into Korean flavors. With an extensive 100-plus bottle wine list and a diverse cocktail menu, the drink options are equally up to par with the food.

Head to this Heights newbie for an elevated take on Korean barbecue. Find dry-aged meats and house-made banchan, alongside a worthy beverage program including cocktails like the soju cosmo and Asian pear martini.

This hole-in-the-wall specializes in hearty Korean soups and stews like budae chigae and daeji bulgogi dolsot. Add the seafood pancake to your order, and for a truly epic feast, finish off with Korean barbecue or a platter of fried chicken.