Here's Where I Go For The Best Korean Food In Atlanta

Whether you're looking for Korean street food or some of the best, old-fashioned recipes around, Jang-su-Jang is the place to go when you're in Atlanta. Whether you're escaping a cold evening with some hot pot or just looking to down some beers with grilled beef, it feels like there's nothing this spot doesn't offer.

The first time I went to Jang-su-Jang, I was astounded. The eightieth time, I was still floored. The interior of its original Duluth location immediately tells you this isn't some podunk establishment; it's beautifully furnished with pale wood, statuary, and walls upon walls of china teacups and pots. While the banchan — various small dishes of rice cakes and vegetables served with each meal — are meant to be sides, it's hard to hold back until your food arrives. Tender jellies of arrowroot, evilly spicy seasoned cucumbers, and, of course, kimchi all ensure you get your veggies no matter what you order.

Even the rice is wildly good. Its heukmi bap, a purplish dish made from mixing white rice with black, has a distinctly nutty taste and chewy texture that separates it from what you'd find at most businesses. It seems that the owners are never satisfied and always looking for a way to step up their game or improve your dining experience. Regardless of how anyone else feels, I still make the drive even though I now live almost an hour away.

Let's get one thing straight now: You cannot go wrong. While I limit myself to only one repeat order so I can experience the full menu, I've yet to find a single item not worth the price, drive, or inevitable stomach bloat from overeating.

For something a little more simple, try the bibimbap, the iconic Korean rice bowl loaded with veggies and proteins. As something found on most Korean menus, it's a great indicator of how good a restaurant truly is. Plus it'll leave you room for some mandu dumplings or even a spot of HaeMul PaJun, the crispy, savory seafood pancake made with plenty of green onions and squid.

But the real thing Jang-su-Jang excels at is beef. It's King Beef Short Rib Stew, its sweet and spicy take on galbi-jjim as loaded as any Budae Jjigae army stew, is my go-to order whenever I'm celebrating and needing to feed a crowd. In fact, my only real complaint is that there's never enough meat, so I like to supplement it with an order of LA Galbi, more short rib but this one is marinated and grilled to tender perfection. Washed down with Baek Se Ju, rice wine with ginseng, I'm fortunate so many Ubers in the South come with trailer hitches so they can toss me in to truck me home.