Dak & Bop’s Museum District location was one of the first restaurants to bring extra-crispy Korean-style fried chicken into the Loop of Houston. That restaurant closed in 2020, but the Heights location carries on the tradition, with juicy double-fried wings and tenders, bulgogi fries, kimchi bisque, and creative cocktails.

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? Try the kimchi jigae stew or kimchi pajeon.

Open in Houston for more than three decades, Korea Garden serves a wide-ranging menu that includes sizzling barbecue, short rib jjigae, and snacks like tteokbokki and oyster tempura.

Hit this noodle shop up for mul naengmyeon, a chilly, savory soup made with buckwheat noodles and thinly-sliced beef, and topped with daikon, boiled egg, cucumber, and matchsticked watermelon or Asian pear. It’s the perfect lunch for a sweltering Houston summer.

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 housemade kimchi, pickled daikon and other banchan.

As the name indicates, this Montrose newcomer is focused on dumplings, filled with everything gyoza, cheesy katsu, and potato croquettes. The menu is simple but satisfying, perfect for a snack or to share with a friend.

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, neon lights and long lines outside, perfectly fit the Midtown vibe.

This longtime Houston food truck melds Korean and Tex-Mex food, with dishes like the Gogi melt, served on Texas toast and topped with colby jack cheese and grilled onions, kimchi quesadillas, and the ramen burger, topped with an impressive house-made ramen bun.

The Korean corn dog trend has officially landed in Houston, and at Two Hands, diners can find everything from mozzarella or squid ink-stuffed hot dogs to those coasted in crispy fried potato, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dust or rice puffs.

Soho focuses on chicken dishes, with entrees like buldak, spicy chicken thigs pan-friend then smothered in gooey, melty mozzerella; and fried chicken wings in four flavors — spicy, sweet and sour, garlic, and plain. They also serve up drinking snacks like Army stew and gimpap.

This popular barbecue joint dishes out impressive combination meals, including several meat and soup pairings, plus a full menu of bibimbap. Try the rice with spicy beef tofu or fried japchae dumplings.