History

Atlanta hosts the South's largest Korean population, concentrated north along Buford Highway and into Duluth's H Mart corridor. Korean immigration peaked in the 1990s after the Olympics drew international attention. Yet Tuh, opened in Doraville in 2008, runs the classic charcoal-grill tabletop format. Iron Age in Duluth franchised the AYCE banchan-heavy version. The corridor's depth makes Atlanta the strongest Korean food destination east of LA.

Common allergens: Soy, Sesame, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1kg thinly sliced ribeye or short rib
  • For the marinade: 120ml soy sauce
  • 80ml mirin
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Asian pear (grated)
  • 6 cloves garlic (grated)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp gochugaru
  • Steamed short-grain rice
  • Lettuce leaves for wrapping
  • Ssamjang (Korean dipping paste)
  • Banchan: kimchi, pickled radish, bean sprouts, seasoned spinach

Method

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef and toss; marinate 3 hours.
  2. Heat a heavy cast-iron pan or grill pan over high heat until smoking.
  3. Cook beef in batches, 1 to 2 minutes per side, until charred at the edges.
  4. Place beef on a platter. Set out lettuce leaves, rice, ssamjang and banchan.
  5. Wrap a slice of beef with a spoonful of rice, ssamjang and a piece of banchan in a lettuce leaf. Eat in one bite.

Tip from the editors. Slice the beef paper-thin against the grain; a partially frozen ribeye is easier to slice. Banchan from H Mart skips the prep entirely.

Where to eat buford highway korean barbecue

Buford Highway Korean barbecue in Atlanta

Yet Tuh ★ 4.6

Korean Barbecue$$$buford-highwayMon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00

Yet Tuh on Old Chamblee Tucker Road in Doraville, Atlanta is the corridor's canonical Korean barbecue room since 2008, with charcoal-grill tabletop service.

Signature: Charcoal-grill galbi, Banchan spread, Soondubu jjigae

Order: Galbi (marinated short rib) cooked at the table, with the full banchan service.

Tip: Reservations recommended on weekends. The charcoal-grill (sutpul) is the upgrade over gas tables; ask at booking.

3473 Old Chamblee Tucker Rd, Atlanta, GA 30341

So Kong Dong Tofu House ★ 4.3

Korean$$buford-highwayMon-Thu 10:30-20:40, Mon-Thu 10:30-20:30, Fri-Sun 10:30-20:30, Fri-Sun 10:30-21:10

So Kong Dong in Doraville, Atlanta's Buford Highway corridor, runs Korean comfort food: soondubu (silken tofu stew) at clay-pot temperature.

Signature: Soondubu jjigae, Galbi, Bulgogi

Order: The soondubu jjigae with seafood or beef. Order an egg on the side; crack it into the bubbling stew.

Tip: Lunch is busy with H Mart shoppers; dinner is quieter. Cash and card; family-friendly with high chairs.

5280 Buford Hwy NE Suite A, Doraville, GA 30340

More cities are in research. Want buford highway korean barbecue covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →