This is not quite a guide to the best Korean food in Bakersfield. This is a guide to the best places in Bakersfield for when you crave that perfect balance of spice and comfort, or when you need a steaming bowl of kimchi jjigae after a long day. That’s because Korean cuisine isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience. What matters is where you have it.
Crazy BBQ
$ | (661) 873-7777 | WEBSITE
Crazy BBQ nails that classic Korean barbecue experience, except there’s nothing that feels particularly classic about this place. This is a good thing. Crazy BBQ is a Korean restaurant of the future, with its cozy, warm dining room that makes you feel like you’re inside a welcoming family home in the heart of Seoul. Their delicious short ribs and bulgogi are exactly the kind of dishes we’d serve at a family gathering to show future generations what perfect Korean comfort food tasted like.
Flame Broiler (Brimhall Rd)
$ | (661) 587-2020 | WEBSITE
Fast food and healthy eating are a modern pairing that go together like sneakers and athleisure—which would be a totally appropriate thing to wear to Flame Broiler. This straightforward Bakersfield spot is a really convenient place to quickly grab a meal while staying on track with your diet. It has a very clean aesthetic—with organized counters all around the space, bright lighting, and simple tables scattered around the dining area.
They serve teriyaki sauce, but you can come here just to get that chicken bowl and use the drive-thru, which they have every day of the week.
Kalbi King Korean BBQ & Sushi
$$ | (661) 564-8380 | WEBSITE
This Bakersfield Korean BBQ spot has a separate grill area with a sizzling vent hood that’ll make you want to say a little prayer before picking up your metal tongs. There’s no menu guidance needed, so order the barbecue however you like it. Just be sure to let Giselle know if you want help—she usually guides first-timers through the process.
Kalbi King’s dining room has great service, fresh flavorful meats, plays awesome K-pop hits, and you might run into your neighbor’s family sharing combo 2 at a corner table.
Love Korean B.B.Q
$$ | (661) 397-9292 | WEBSITE
There’s something about being in a bright, open space with sizzling grills that feels particularly meat-appropriate. This is the case at Love Korean B.B.Q, which is why they’re on this guide even though they (technically) don’t have a fancy dining room. This place is in Bakersfield, but the atmosphere feels more like a Seoul neighborhood spot. As the name implies, Love Korean B.B.Q focuses on barbecue and all-you-can-eat options.
However, the staff is quite friendly and will be more than happy to make sure you get your beef belly and pork belly quickly.
Flame & skewers
$ | (661) 410-8522 | WEBSITE
There are many reasons to visit Flame & Skewers, a spacious Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of Bakersfield. But craving exceptional hummus is one of them—because this place serves what might just be our favorite hummus in town. It’s creamy and perfectly seasoned, and it truly deserves whatever the Mediterranean equivalent of a culinary award is. Plus, you can enjoy it in the warm, inviting glow of the dining room, which creates a relaxed atmosphere perfect for sharing plates.
Tofu House Korean B.B.Q.
$$ | (661) 864-7782 | WEBSITE
One of our favorite things to do in Bakersfield is grab a seat at Tofu House Korean B.B.Q., order the galbi combo plate, and dive into the six banchan that come with it. Since it opened, this hidden gem has been the spot for locals (and people who have convinced themselves they are Korean food experts) in search of a satisfying meal involving bulgogi hot stone and a side of kimchi.
The restaurant still has an authentic charm to it—and its slightly worn walls, quick service, and steaming tofu soup undeniably evoke a work lunch mood.
Flame Broiler
$ | (661) 322-1010 | WEBSITE
Flame Broiler’s walk-in friendly counter service is worthy of your comfiest jeans (and your most modest budget). This casual spot is wonderfully affordable, but if you want to go big on some $10-plus beef bowls that taste like a home-cooked meal, this is the place to do it. The small restaurant is clean and bright too, with a simple dining area and staff sporting friendly smiles behind a counter you can practically see your reflection in.
The Angus beef here is predictably great—cooked to the ideal temperature over brown rice so fresh you’re afraid to stop eating it.
House of Wings & Boba Drinks
$ | (661) 836-0603 | WEBSITE
Where else in Bakersfield can you find a spot that serves up wings so generous you’ll need to-go boxes, boba drinks that’ll make you forget any other tea shop, and service so friendly they’ll bring it right to your car? Nowhere but House of Wings & Boba, folks. This clean, spacious restaurant is where locals have been grabbing satisfying meals for years. The staff here know the meaning of attentive service better than anyone else.
Ask for a recommendation and they’ll point you to their must-try boba that’s practically perfect. Last time we visited, our server performed a little magic by remembering our order from two weeks prior. Never change, House of Wings.
K Pocha & Restaurant
$$ | (661) 412-7444 | WEBSITE
If you assumed a Korean restaurant would make great bulgogi fried rice—good job. You are correct. We like the service here too, but K Pocha & Restaurant’s pork belly with kimchi and tofu is special. They have a great selection of banchan—their spicy pork uses flavorful marinade and their potato pancakes have delicious sauce. This is, in case you haven’t figured it out, a place for Korean food lovers.
But we also really love the space, a charming establishment with a welcoming interior featuring generous portions and hospitable owners ensuring a clean atmosphere.
Mochido
$ | (661) 808-9379 | WEBSITE
There are so many reasons why Mochido is a perfect Korean-fusion spot. It’s bright, it’s lively, it’s welcoming, it’s locally owned, and it has a counter where you can watch the staff prepare those incredible Korean corn dogs right in front of you. They also have a really impressive drink menu with a fantastic bubble tea. But the friendly staff here will be happy to customize your drink any way you prefer. On weekends, they even offer those amazing Korean milk donuts.