Cheap Eats in Koreatown — Best Food Under $15

One of the best things about living in Koreatown is that you can eat extraordinarily well without spending much money. While the rest of LA trends toward $20 entrees and $18 cocktails, K-Town holds the line on affordability. Bubbling tofu stews for $11, hand-cut noodle soups for $10, and Korean street food for under $7 — this is the neighborhood where your dollar stretches the furthest.

At 856 S Gramercy Dr, you are walking distance from dozens of restaurants where a full, satisfying meal costs less than what you would spend on a mediocre salad in Santa Monica. Here are the best cheap eats in Koreatown, organized by price point.

Under $8 — Street Food and Quick Bites

King Yubu — Madang Courtyard, 621 S Western Ave

King Yubu is a small stall in the Madang Courtyard that specializes in yubu chobap — fried tofu pockets stuffed with seasoned rice and various toppings. With 22 unique options priced between $4.95 and $6.95, it is one of the cheapest meals in Koreatown that still feels like a proper lunch. The portions are modest but filling, and ordering three or four different varieties lets you sample the full range.

Best value: The original yubu rice pocket ($4.95) or a mixed plate of three ($13.95).

Seoul Market Eatery — 3301 W Olympic Blvd

Inside Seoul Market, you will find a food counter serving plates of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and Korean fried chicken for around $5-$7. The portions are generous for the price, and the quality is better than it has any right to be given what you are paying. This is the kind of spot you visit twice a week when you live in the neighborhood.

Best value: The tteokbokki and fried chicken combo plate ($6.50).

Paris Baguette — Multiple Koreatown Locations

With four locations in Koreatown, Paris Baguette is the quick, affordable morning or afternoon option. Grab a fresh pastry, a slice of castella cake, or one of their egg tarts for $3-$5, add a coffee, and you have a snack for under $8. The hash brown bread and mochi donuts are addictive.

Best value: The egg tart ($3.50) and a drip coffee ($2.50) — total: $6.

Slurp & Sip — 3563 W Olympic Blvd

Slurp & Sip serves Korean ramyun starting at $5.99, making it one of the cheapest sit-down meals in the neighborhood. The noodles are made to order, and you can customize your spice level and add-ons. The space is casual and quick — perfect for a budget lunch on a busy day.

Best value: The original ramyun ($5.99) with an egg add-on ($1).

Under $12 — Soups, Stews, and Noodles

MDK Noodles (Ma Dang Gook Soo) — 869 S Western Ave

MDK is a Koreatown legend. The hand-cut knife noodles (kalguksu) are served in a rich anchovy broth that has been simmering for hours. The texture of the noodles — thick, chewy, slightly irregular — is what sets this place apart from every other noodle shop. At $10-$12 per bowl, it is one of the best values in the neighborhood.

What to order: The original kalguksu ($10.95). The broth is the star — drink every drop. Add a plate of mandu (dumplings, $8.95) to share.

Beverly Soon Tofu — 2717 W Olympic Blvd

Beverly Soon Tofu has been serving bubbling stone pots of soft tofu stew since the early 1990s. Choose your protein and spice level, and every order comes with a raw egg to crack into the stew and a bowl of rice. At $11-$14 per pot, this is comfort food that punches well above its price point.

What to order: The combination soon tofu with seafood and beef ($14.95). If you are on a strict budget, the vegetable version ($11.95) is equally satisfying.

Hodori — 1001 S Vermont Ave

Hodori is a 24-hour Korean restaurant that has been feeding Koreatown's night owls and early risers for decades. The menu is massive — over 100 items — and almost everything falls under $15. The galbi tang (short rib soup), the bibimbap, and the kimchi jjigae are all reliable orders. The real appeal is the consistency and the hours — when everywhere else is closed, Hodori is open.

What to order: The dolsot bibimbap ($11.95) served in a sizzling stone pot. The crunchy rice at the bottom is the best part.

BCD Tofu House — 3575 Wilshire Blvd

BCD is the chain that brought soon tofu to a national audience, and the Koreatown flagship is where it all started. Open 24 hours, the restaurant serves bubbling tofu stews in heavy stone pots alongside a generous banchan spread. Every order starts with a complimentary appetizer — usually steamed egg and fish cakes — before the main dish arrives.

What to order: The original soon tofu ($12.95) with your choice of protein. The combo with beef and seafood ($14.95) is worth the extra $2.

Under $15 — Full Meals

Zzamong — 3701 W 6th St

Zzamong specializes in Korean-Chinese cuisine, and the jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) is the reason to come. A massive plate of hand-pulled noodles covered in rich, savory black bean sauce arrives for $11-$13, and the portion is large enough to leave you uncomfortably full. The jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) is equally impressive and equally affordable.

What to order: The jjajangmyeon ($11.95). If you are with a friend, split that and a bowl of jjamppong ($13.95) between you.

Liu's Cafe — 3445 W 8th St

Liu's is a Taiwanese restaurant tucked into K-Town's commercial corridor. The braised pork belly over rice ($13.95) is the signature — tender, rich, and portioned generously enough for two lighter eaters to share. The beef noodle soup and the scallion pancakes are also excellent and affordable.

What to order: The braised pork belly rice ($13.95). Split it with a side of scallion pancakes ($7.95) and you have a full meal for two under $22.

Pollo a La Brasa — 764 S Western Ave

Koreatown is not exclusively Korean food, and Pollo a La Brasa proves it. This Peruvian rotisserie chicken spot serves a half chicken with rice, beans, and salad for around $12-$14. The chicken is perfectly charred and juicy, and the green sauce is addictive. It is one of the best non-Korean cheap eats in the neighborhood.

What to order: The half chicken combo ($12.95) with rice, beans, and green sauce. Add a side of yuca fries ($4.95) if you are extra hungry.

Food Courts and Market Stalls

Awoolim Food Court — Basement Level, 3500 W 6th St

Hidden beneath the shops on 6th Street, Awoolim is a basement food court serving Korean street food at street-food prices. Fish cakes on sticks, tteokbokki, gimbap, and assorted fried items are all available for $4-$9 per item. The atmosphere is no-frills and authentic — fluorescent lights, shared tables, and the kind of energy that makes you feel like you are in Seoul.

Best value: Grab a plate of tteokbokki ($5), a few fish cake skewers ($2 each), and a roll of gimbap ($5). Full meal: under $12.

Koreatown Galleria Food Court — 3250 W Olympic Blvd

The Galleria food court is a reliable source of cheap, quick Korean meals. The gimbap stalls sell fresh-rolled kimbap for $5-$7, the dumpling counters offer plates for $6-$8, and the prepared food section sells banchan and side dishes by weight. It is the kind of place where you can assemble a full lunch for $10 and eat it in the mall seating area.

Best value: A gimbap roll ($5) and a plate of mandu ($7). Add a drink from the convenience store for a total under $14.

H Mart Food Hall — Madang Plaza, 621 S Western Ave

The H Mart at Madang Plaza is primarily a grocery store, but the food stalls inside serve prepared meals at grocery-store prices. Sushi rolls, Korean fried chicken, and bento-style meal boxes are all available for $8-$12. The quality is solid, and you can grocery shop at the same time.

Best value: The prepared meal box ($9.95) with rice, protein, and sides.

Budget Dining Tips for Koreatown

• Banchan is free. At most Korean restaurants, the small side dishes (banchan) come complimentary with your meal and can be refilled. This adds significant value to any entree.
• Lunch specials exist. Many K-Town restaurants offer lunch specials between 11 AM and 2 PM that knock $2-$5 off dinner prices.
• Share meals. Korean dining is designed for sharing. Two people splitting two dishes will eat better and cheaper than each person ordering separately.
• Skip drinks. Most Korean restaurants serve free barley tea or water. Ordering bottled soju ($8-$12) or beer adds up quickly.
• 24-hour spots save late-night delivery fees. Instead of ordering delivery at midnight, walk to BCD Tofu House or Hodori and eat for half the price.

Living Affordably at 856 Gramercy

Koreatown's affordable dining scene is one of the biggest lifestyle advantages of living at 856 S Gramercy Dr. When a full, restaurant-quality meal costs less than $15, your monthly food budget stretches further than it would in almost any other walkable LA neighborhood. The building's location puts all of these restaurants within walking distance, and the in-unit kitchens give you the option to cook at home with ingredients from H Mart and the Galleria Market.

The combination of affordable rent, affordable food, and high walkability is what makes Koreatown one of the best values in Los Angeles for renters.

For more dining recommendations, explore our best restaurants guide, the brunch guide for morning options, or the date night guide for when you want to spend a little more.

Schedule a tour of 856 Gramercy and experience Koreatown's value for yourself.