K-Team BBQ

The cheerful orange-and-white checkered tile tables are the first thing you’ll see at K-Team BBQ. They set the tone for the whole place, which is a lively, energetic nod to 1970s and 80s Korea, usually with K-pop playing over the speakers. From the same team behind the acclaimed Park’s BBQ, this is its more casual, pork-focused counterpart in Koreatown, built to deliver high-quality meat in a straightforward setting. The restaurant occupies a corner spot on Vermont Avenue, with a small valet lot right out front. The menu is built around choice cuts of pork. The thinly sliced frozen pork belly, or naengsam, is the main event – a cut that’s become popular in South Korea and cooks up quickly on the grill. Other key pork options include rich, tender jowl (hangjungsal), thick-cut belly (samgyeopsal), and pork collar (moksal). While pork is the focus, a few prime beef cuts like brisket, beef tongue, and ribeye are also available. For a supplemental flavor, a side of myeonglan paste, or pollack roe, pairs well with the grilled meat. All the grilling is handled by the staff right at your table. Alongside the meat, they’ll cook down bean sprouts, seasoned scallions, and kimchi. A bubbling dish of steamed egg and a plate of spicy tteokbokki usually arrive as complimentary sides with any meat order. Once the grilling is done, it’s common to get an order of kimchi fried rice, which is prepared on the same grill to soak up the leftover flavor. A minimum order of two meat portions is required, and reservations are highly recommended as it gets busy. The valet parking is cash only.