Sulga House of Bone Soup is a Korean soup specialist worth celebrating, particularly with its reliable, rich brisket soup, which only uses organic beef and premium cuts ranging from ribeye to cow knee. The restaurant’s menu also exhibits an unexpected level of creativity, from the spicy corn acorn noodles sweetened by beets to the cold wild yam noodles and the bonnet bellflower root bibimbap.

Now with two locations in Koreatown, Jinsol Gukbap has made a name for itself for its rich, flavorful Busan-style gukbap, or pork soup, which is made with a broth that is simmered for 24 hours. Though the gukbap is undoubtedly the star here, other favorites include the pork belly slices, served with a special soy-based sauce, kimchi stew with pork belly, and marinated spicy pork ribs. For those looking to venture outside of pork, you can’t go wrong with the spicy braised chicken with vegetables or the cold noodles.

Koreatown’s longtime mom-and-pop (in this case, mom-and-son) restaurant Jun Won Dak is serving up some of the city’s best samgyetang, a comforting cold-weather soup of ginseng chicken. The dakdoritang — a hearty, spicy stew with chicken and vegetables — is another standout chicken dish, but the restaurant also offers longtime favorites that aren’t focused on poultry, like galbi-jjim and eundaegu jorim (spicy braised black cod).

The cloudy bone marrow broth here is legendary, as are the tender slabs of brisket and various organ meats floating in it. The menu here is very simple — seolleongtang only. Build the meal with seasonings, kimchi, and rice, along with a dash of salt and sprinkling of green onions.

This restaurant might be on the small side, but it serves up well-crafted traditional Korean dishes with huge flavor. The braised short ribs are a table-pleaser, along with the strong pot bibimbap. The spicy-braised mackerel is a show stopper, with layers of rich flavor that go perfectly when spooned over multigrain rice.

With two locations in Koreatown, this late-night galbi-jjim destination serves the dish with tender chunks of short rib, chewy rice cakes, and tons of spice. While the soups are more than respectable, crowds wait in line for the meat festival in a stone bowl. Top the galbi-jjim with cheese to take it to the next level.

Bringing a taste of the infamous, Michelin-recognized Myung Dong Kyoja from Seoul, MDK Noodles offers the same classics from the carb-laden menu, including knife-cut noodles with chicken, anchovy, or vegetable broth. Don’t skip on the pork dumplings, and for those who aren’t in the mood for something soupy, the cold noodles with skate are a refreshing option.

Though most seollongtang fans will rave about Han Bat, don’t sleep on Young Dong, a longtime Koreatown institution that serves the dish with a clearer broth as opposed to the milky, cloudy rendition served at most Korean restaurants. But the soup is still rich and flavorful and doesn’t skimp out on the beef. Make sure to pair each bite with the restaurant’s stellar kimchi that ties the meal together.

Though lunchtime crowds go for the bossam, a Korean specialty featuring pork belly slices and accompaniments, it’s worth trying Kobawoo’s traditional dishes as well. The hulking seafood pajeon is a classic, as well as the kimchi stew in a stone pot.

A truly quirky restaurant that’s found a steady following on social media, Borit Gogae is a very rustic Korean experience that works as a contrast to the highly developed country and its technological advancements. With all of that progress, there’s a yearning both in Seoul and even here in Los Angeles for simple, country cooking and Borit Gogae nails the experience, from the dozen or so banchan, mixed barley rice, and soup. Bring a few friends and enjoy this bargain of a tasting menu served all at once, Korean-style.

Seafood staple Soban can do no wrong, serving up an amazing array of banchan to begin each meal. The menu features terrific raw crab dressed one of two ways, either in a garlicky soy sauce or thick spicy red pepper sauce, as well as pan-fried fish and spicy braised black cod (or opt for the spicy beef short ribs instead).

Koreatown loves soondubu, the silken tofu stew popularized at places like BCD and Beverly Soontofu. But Surawon Tofu House makes its own tofu on the premises, resulting in a rich, almost nutty tofu with a lot more complexity. The combo deals here are fantastic too, such as the one with fried mackerel big enough to split for two.

Enduring Korean barbecue specialist Yangmani treats intestines on the same level as primal cuts, and the crowds every night are evidence of the restaurant’s popularity. The restaurant, which has a second location in Rowland Heights, serves a stellar kimchi fried rice studded with nubs of crisped gopchang.