Choeng Wun BBQ Buffet

Located just north of Koreatown, Choeng Wun is an all-you-can-eat KBBQ joint that has been around since 1985—and beloved for its affordability and quality for just as long. The focal point of the no-frills dining room is the Sizzler-style green-tiled salad bar, which includes an array of housemade banchan, sliced fruit and jiggly cubes of jello. The cafeteria-style array of meats and cooked items includes miyeokguk—a mild, comforting seaweed soup—and two kinds of sweet porridge, which I like to use as a comforting dessert. Prices start at $25 per head for three kinds of bulgogi and top out at $45, with discounts for children under 10 and weekday lunch. I recommend going for the highest price tier, which includes short rib, beef tongue, ribeye, pork jowl and the house galbi. Most days, the small, friendly staff will be more than happy to show you how to best enjoy your meats, from wrapping them in lettuce wraps to dabbing on a touch of soybean paste with slices of garlic and jalapeno.