Letter of Recommendation Los Angeles
Quarters Is the Perfect Korean BBQ Restaurant For This Occasion
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In Los Angeles, a Korean barbecue restaurant exists for every mood, occasion, and predilection. Over the course of a lifetime, I’ve tried dozens of excellent places in the city’s Koreatown and a few standouts outside of the neighborhood.
Growing up, my parents’ favorite weekend destinations were Chosun Galbee and the now-closed L.A. location of Shik Do Rak, which still has satellite locations in Irvine, La Palma, and Garden Grove. I still remember the musky smell of smoke in my clothes after my first visit to Soot Bull Jip, one of the last remaining holdouts to still use a traditional charcoal grill. For special occasions or the rare nights when I’m feeling flush, I like to spring for Park’s BBQ. But whenever I’m with a first-timer or an out-of-town visitor, I know exactly where to bring them: Quarters Korean BBQ, inside Koreatown’s Chapman Plaza.
Inside Quarters, the soundtrack is bumping, the meat looks good, and the alcohol flows freely. There is much pain in the world, but not in this room. On busier evenings, groups of old friends toss back shots of soju as they watch various meats sizzle on the grill, but you’ll be just as likely to find couples on casual dates politely nibbling on banchan as they nurse a beer or two. Where else can a lowly party of two sample a half dozen meats while a small ramekin of shredded cheese slowly transforms into a miniature jacuzzi of melted dairy bliss?
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Most Korean barbecue specialists serve meat in gargantuan portions designed for families and large groups, but not Quarters—the restaurant derives its name from the fact that meat is available by the quarter pound. All the usual sides like steamed egg, corn cheese, and soybean stew are delicious here. Some may consider it declassé, but I find a sense of unironic delight in the restaurant’s signature oversized “ritas,” which feature an entire bottle of beer upended into a crystalline goblet of a fruit-flavored boozy slushie.
Since 2015, Quarters has waxed and waned in popularity—Kim Kardashian and then-boyfriend Pete Davidson were seen leaving the restaurant back in 2022—but it remains one of my perennial favorites.
The straightforward, complimentary banchan and ability to order meats by the quarter pound, rather than half, mean that most omnivores can leave here happy. Yes, that might include a large party where one person balks at the idea of eating beef tongue, another eschews red meat entirely (the restaurant also serves chicken and seafood), and a table captain like yours truly just hopes that a plate of rib finger will hit the table at some point.
Since the pandemic, the restaurant has added Wagyu ribeye and brisket in a bid to appeal to a dining public that’s grown increasingly obsessed with edible status symbols. In my humble opinion, however, it’s best to skip the highly marbled Japanese beef in favor of leaner, more traditional cuts. The latter provide more textural intrigue and allow diners to mix-and-match additional bites with condiments, banchan, rice, and other a la carte side dishes for maximal delight. For me, the beauty of Korean barbecue is the sheer variety of textures and flavors in a single meal.
Even Korean barbecue veterans can appreciate the swift table service and seasoned marinated boneless short rib, which arrives at the table bathed in sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions and white onion. Of course, the crowd favorites are the grilled bulgogi and marinated short rib, with their sweet marinades and melt-in-your-mouth texture. In recent years, I’ve veered away from the marinated options, but it’s always a joy to witness the first time someone attacks a tangle of ribeye or picks up a piece of scissor-cut short rib with their chopsticks.
In other words, Quarters is the ideal stepping stone between more refined options and the budget spots serving forgettable, low-quality meat. If you’re new to Korean cuisine or trying to stretch a dining budget over a weeklong trip to L.A., it’s the Korean barbecue experience that hits all the marks: food, drink and atmosphere. After a visit to Quarters, most newbies leave armed with enough knowledge and understanding of the genre to explore other, more advanced Korean barbecue options in the future. Plus, unlike all-you-can-eat restaurants, the expertly trained staff grill your meats for you. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the smoke show happening before you.
