Dim and upscale take on some traditional Asian dishes. While the food was mostly delicious, some items on the menu didn't justify the prices. My favorite was the tar tar hand roll. Super savory and flavorful while not being too heavy. The uni toast was delicious but the bread was a bit hard and dense making it pretty difficult to eat. The chicken wings were well balanced too between sweet salty and spicy. Drinks were good as well. Couple of the had a large amount on its foam ratio making it hard to sip but it was nice to look at on the eye. Food: 7.7/10 (to price ratio) Service: 9/10 Ambience: 9/10

We visited Yangban to celebrate my birthday, and as a big fan of modern Asian fusion, I was excited to see what they had in store. The pre-fixe menu didn't disappoint, and some dishes were absolute standouts. First up, the Golden Hokkaido Scallop Toast. This was a perfect way to start--scallops were tender, and the toast added a great crunch. 5/5, no doubt, and definitely birthday-worthy. The Green Tea Leaf Salad was fresh but didn't leave much of an impression. It was light and refreshing, but for me, it's a 3/5. The Tteok really hit the spot. The rice cakes had that great chewy texture, and the mushrooms in the creamy doenjang sauce with preserved black truffle added layers of flavor. 4/5 for sure. Then came the YANGBAN Wings. These wings were next-level. Super crispy, packed with flavor, and just addictive. Easily an 8/5--these wings were the pre-game to the main highlight of the night (keep reading). The Banchan (Honey Glazed Carrots, Steamed Broccoli, Grilled Cucumber, and YANGBAN Kimchi) were solid sides, with the kimchi standing out with its bold flavor. We also tried the Black Cod with Pea Shoot Salad (not on the current menu), and it was fantastic. The cod was buttery and paired perfectly with the fresh pea shoots. A solid 5/5. But the real showstopper was the Grilled King's Cut Short Rib. Perfectly grilled, tender, and smoky. This was hands down the best dish of the night--an easy 10/5. You have to try it. For dessert, the YANGBAN Cheesecake was light and creamy, a nice finish to the meal. 4/5. The Hot Fudge Sundae (with buffalo milk soft serve) had good flavors, but unfortunately, it was mostly melted by the time we got to it. 3/5 for that one. Misc. notes: Service: Attentive without being too much, which made for a relaxed birthday dinner. Parking: It's LA. Use valet. As a fan of modern Asian fusion, Yangban hit a lot of high notes. The wings and short rib are absolute musts--perfect for a celebratory meal! Yelp Adventures 2024 - 10/??

You don't come here and expect traditional Korean cuisine, you will be sorely disappointed, so don't. Their website emphasizes it is modern Korean. With that in mind, you come here to be surprised, to experience the food as an adventure and find nuances that remind you of a more refined cousin to your steaming bows of galbi jim, bibimpap and a better version of your kbbq fried chicken. The food is smart, refined, nuanced (again), exciting. The cooking is pedigreed if you check out the culinary experience of the chefs. The service is impeccable and reminds me of the care when you spend on an expensive steak dinner at Mastros or Mar sel and so on. 3 changes of plates over the entire dinner can be deemed excessive but starting on a clean plate is a luxury. A party of five, we ordered last night the banchan which included honey glazed carrots (our favorite), steamed broccoli, grilled cucumber, kimchi, an avocado shinko pear combo. The banchan alone is a definite departure from usual but it is refreshing nonetheless. I would have wanted a totally traditional kimchi but subtlety will be lost. We would have liked more pieces of the Yangban chicken for the price tag but 3 pieces (flat/drum combo) for an order is just underwhelming if you are used to an 8 piece half order at KBBQ. But again, you come here for more quality, not quantity. And enjoying your chicken in such great ambience with service does come at a price. We came with a Jewish friend, so the Matzoh Ball Mandu was a great take and he did appreciate the subtle clear chicken broth though I would wish a thinner skinned dumpling to encase the matzoh ball. Two pieces won't be enough. The Stone Pot Rice feels as if each ingredient can stand on its own. Same with the Grilled King's Cut Short Rib. You can deconstruct each component and each is flavorful and seasoned. The overthinking to bring this about is well appreciated, and gives me an idea on how to serve my galbi jim next time. Grilled trumpet mushrooms on the short rib dish - wow. We sampled the 3 desserts just to see how they are and were not disappointed. The cocktails are modern, we concentrated on the Shinko Pear Colada and the Barley Old Fashioned. I had the zero alcohol cocktail and was great ! The rest are premixed clarified and filtered batches to perfection so no non-alcohol versions. My nephew for whom this birthday dinner was organized said it is the perfect date place - noisy but not overly so, mood lights, great interiors, quiet and excellent service, food and cocktails as conversation pieces. There's always the option after to go get a KBBQ fix but the latter would pale in comparison to this culinary experience. Bill for a 5 pax dinner / cocktails was $450++ excluding tips. I'd say not bad. Worth another visit to continue sampling the rest of the menu.

Ambiance (5/5): Nice cozy atmosphere for a fun night out. Can be a bit loud, but that's the intentional vibe. Service (5/5): Servers were nice and approachable. Very attentive. Food (4/5): Most of the dishes served were super delicious. Grill salmon - cooked to perfection with nice crispy skin. Sujebi Dumplings - wasn't a wrapped dumpling but more like a pasta dish where the skin was cut into strands. Flavors were amazing. Short ribs were flavorful and super tender. Probably best to skip the banchan though. Can get much better banchan at any other korean shops for free. I can't believe they charge $28 for it. Overall, I felt like the food is very good for korean FUSION. My problem is that the portions are extremely small for the price point. $36 for 3 fried chicken. Seriously? $58 for a few bits of short ribs? Ive had A5 Miyazaki wagyu for cheaper. Their dumpling portion specifically is probably not even enough to feed a toddler and they gave us probably 1/4th of a scallop split into 3 thin slices. That being said, if price is of no concern, I would highly recommend trying this place out.

Out of all the dishes, try the sujebi! I haven't tried anything like it before. It's a small portion but it tastes really good. A bit sweet, creamy and savory. And the sujebi were soft and chewy, I wish they added more :( The Yangbang wings were your typical Korean fried chicken wings, still crispy and juicy, but sooo expensive And lastly the short rib was so small but it was super tender and the potato puree and sauce complemented it so well. The service was quick and our server was super friendly. It's a cute place for a date night since it has a great ambiance. Overall 5/5 taste. Would recommend to come to try it once, if you're looking for a date night, cause we basically devoured all the plates. But pricewise, it's pretty expensive with small portions. 3/5 price per portion.

This was my second visit. I haven't been in a while. As a matter of fact, my previous visit was from before they did the inside renovations. A couple of friends and I wanted to come here to grab some of the desserts and possibly a cocktailbefore they closed for the night. The folks we interacted were so friendly and welcoming. Seriously, the sense of hospitality was off the charts. I wanted to come specifically for the dessert because I've always wanted to try their buffalo milk soft serve. we got that in the form of the hot fudge sundae. We also ordered the Matang Goguma Custard Pie. Both desserts were so delicious. I was surprised at how much I liked the pie. It was like crème brûlée in pie form. The milk punch cocktail I got was also very good. It almost was teetering on the side of a whiskey sour. Just well-made and delicious. So glad I was able to stop by for the desserts and cocktails here. Just a reminder their fried chicken and other dishes are really good here as well, but we only had time for the dessert this time.

Yangban in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles offers an amazing Korean-American dining experience, especially for large groups like that of what we have as a family of 8. We had the pre-fixed dinner option offered to our group that clearly showcased the restaurant's ability to deliver a diverse and impressive array of dishes. While I didn't know all the names of the dishes, it's evident that the quality and presentation were all amazing! The seamless transition from appetizers to desserts speaks to the kitchen's ability to maintain a high standard throughout the meal. The cocktails complementing our meal were also very good, which suggests a well-curated drink menu that pairs well with the food. The modern decor of Yangban complements the eclectic vibe of the Arts District. The clean lines and contemporary design provide a stylish backdrop that is both inviting and refined, setting a sophisticated tone for the evening. The service stood out as a highlight of the evening. Handling a party of eight can be challenging, but the server ( I apologize for not remembering his name) managed it with ease and professionalism. This level of attentive and seamless service is crucial for maintaining a pleasant dining experience for larger groups. The valet service is a practical touch, especially given the difficulty of finding street parking in the area. This convenience adds to the overall positive experience, allowing guests to focus on their dining rather than parking woes. Overall Impression: Yangban excels in providing a refined and enjoyable dining experience. The combination of modern decor, exceptional service, and a well-executed menu ensures that it stands out in the vibrant culinary scene of downtown Los Angeles. For large groups, the pre-fixed menu is a smart choice that allows everyone to experience a range of flavors without the hassle of ordering individually.

This is a great place for a date and a place to catch up with friends! I told the restaurant prior that I was celebrating a friend's bday and they gave us free wine. I ordered the espresso martini and I loved it, it had a hint of cherry which was surprisingly good. I also got the yangban wings and the sauce was so flavorful. I honestly would go back just to order it again. I suggest getting a reservation especially if you're going during peak hours. We went on a Saturday night so it was definitely packed. I truly loved the vibe of this restaurant as it was also dimly lit. Our server was super nice and made sure we were always taken cared of.

We tried the prefixed dinner for $95 per person. The amount of food is well worth this price! We were stuffed at the end! The service was amazing and our table was kept clean and plates were changed frequently! The ambiance was cool and relaxing! My favorite was the toast and the salad. The KFC was good but a little sweet for my liking. The mushroom and rice cake reminded me of Mac and cheese and my daughter loved it! The banchan was different with Mediterranean twist. The salmon was cooked perfectly but flavor a bit bland. The short rib was good without the sauce since the sauce was very salty. The desserts were very generous and by this time we were all pretty stuffed! My favorite was the custard pie. Overall a great mea!