hibi.

this place is one of the reasons why i love living in l.a. while i love authentic korean restaurants, sometimes a place like hibi comes around to reinterpret it in a fresh and imaginative way that's uniquely and beautifully socal korean american. every dish was on point from the flavors, ingredients, presentation, plating - each a work of art. you'd never know from it's unassuming mini-mall exterior that you'll be treated to such artistry. again, the beauty of l.a. and specifically ktown.i didn't have a mediocre dish. every one was a sensory delight. you can't go wrong here. the service was just right. knowledgeable, friendly but unobtrusive, timed well. this place now holds a top spot for me. i just wish i'd gone sooner! a true gem.

Had an early birthday dinner during Dine LA and it was delicious. I will preface by saying that we were at an afternoon event and had a snack, plus some corn at the bar next door; some reviews say that while things were good, portions were a bit small. We arrived early and checked to see if they could accommodate us, but unfortunately they couldn't. We returned later at the appropriate time and were seated after a few minutes. There were menus on the table waiting for us, so we took a look at the beverages as the meal is pre-set. We were I treated in the seasonal mocktail, but somehow I ended up with a seasonal cocktail. They started us off with the popcorn, which was tasty but not freshly popped. Next was the blue crab caviar donut which was amazing. That was followed by kanpachi which was very fresh tasting. Then we had the steak skewers which were tasty, but also nothing new. Seasonal catch was perfectly cooked, and then we had the extra add on tteokbokki which was amazing. And then finished up with a panda cotta ice cream for dessert. We shared the add on and felt like it was enough food for 3 of us, but can see how you might be hungry after if you didn't add anything. Easy valet parking outside, very dark/minimalist ambiance, friendly service. Bathroom on the right is nicer than the door straight ahead

Food was disappointing for the price. The steak skewers were not cut properly--there was a piece of incredibly tough meat, 2 medicore, and 1 soft piece; since they were on a two skewers, this points to not being selective about the meat (trimming scraps) rather that improper cooking heat/time. The ceviche's fish, although not unfresh, was not nearly as fresh as I would expect from a place charging this much. Seasonal catch and tteokbokki were great. Not enough food. Was still hungry afterwards (and we're not big eaters).Service was also disappointing, although not outright rude, was not welcoming in the least. Additionally with a Dine LA limited set menu, I expect the kitchen to not be so slow. I can't imagine the wait when they have all the offerings available.Can see a glimpse of the creativity and hope for the future, just falls flat on execution (and pricing!! basic mistakes at this price point is inexcusable).

Came here recently for the Dine LA special menu and damn, each dish was marvelous and creative with a Korean/Japanese twist of flavors. It was indeed our first time dining here and we were just luxuriously fascinated. The whole experience was memorable and the date went will. It was definitely a win that night, so thank you Chef Ricky.For $90, the yakusoku consist of 4 dishes and a dessert; extra add on of tteokbokki is $15. My favorite dish is probably the seasonal catch. It was beautifully plated and it tasted delicious, but light. Skin was crispy and the sauce at the bottom made it savory, 5/5. I also enjoyed consuming the tteokbokki because it had a nice mushroom aroma. They are shaped liked little balls. The dessert had the right amount of sweetness, but it was pretty small like a bite size. We also ordered a big bottle of Sake for $98. Very smooth and no after taste. We got freaking buzz too lol. The server took a shot with us to help finish it. She was chill and friendly. Will come back again soon to try their actual menu/Al carte. That katsu lamb tomahawk looks bomb. People come through for a good time and good food. This is it!

This is for their January 2025 DineLA menu. Price $90. Overall, the flavors were truly delightful, and the textures were great too. The presentation and plating are best shown in the accompanying pictures.Before the meal began, we were served sweet nori-flavored popcorn, which I enjoyed throughout the course. It seemed a bit unusual initially, but I finished it nonetheless.The prawn donuts, a popular dish here, did not disappoint! The satisfying crunch of the donut and the creamy caviar topping were perfect. I recommend eating it in one bite. I would certainly return to try more.The ceviche with amberjack, gooseberries, roe, and gafnish was very fresh and refreshing with a familiar citrusy ceviche taste.The hargar steak kushiyaki was my personal favorite. It was seasoned perfectly. The peppercorns, shallots, shishito peppers, and heirloom tomatoes were a wonderful combination. The peppercorns were bursting with flavor; I enjoyed them on their own as well.The fourth course, I believe, was a red snapper dish. The skin was wonderfully crispy with a delicious soy-based sauce. The fish had a nice, chewy texture and paired well with the turnips.The final course was matcha ice cream in a yuzu mousse eoth sesame crumble. The acidity of the yuzu complemented the matcha beautifully with nice crunch from the crumbles. The downsides of the tasting menu is just that, it is a tasting menu of their hits. You will likely leave hungry. In fact, we left and got tteokbokki across the street ( you can also get tteokbokki here but we opted out of ordering it). There were two dishes (the ceviche and the fish) I thought did not truly stand out. I felt I could order it elsewhere and get similar taste. Not to say it wasn't good, but just not unique. Without any rice or noodles on the menu, however, we left feeling hungry, but that seems to be a recurring theme with fine dining courses.Finally, worth $90? I think I would reasonable come back again for $60-$70

enjoyed the dineLA menu on valentines night. everything was delicious and fairly priced at $90 for 5 courses. highly recommend for a romantic dinner date !

Came here for my graduation celebration and ordered al carte. The menu and chef are seasonal according to the waiter. And we thought the selection this season was amazing. Hibi is def a hidden gem in ktown. [Food 5/5]: We loved everything we ordered. The standout favorites in order were the corn dessert, kanpachi ceviche, teokbokki, and blue prawn donuts. The corn dessert was not that sweet and so unique. It is must get!! [Service 5/5]: It wasn't difficult making the reservation and we got seated right away when we got there. The waiter was also extremely friendly and informative about the menu since it was our first time there. [Ambiance 5/5]: Wasn't too crowded and had a really intimate quiet ambiance. Definitely a good date spot. Had zero expectations and hibi left us wanting to come back again. Definitely recommend.

A while ago, during LA restaurant week, a friend recommended this small fine dining restaurant called hibi., located in an inconspicuous plaza in Koreatown. The restaurant week menu is the same as their usual menu, but the price is a little cheaper so it's a good deal. There are 7 dishes in total, and it's really a surprise!All the dishes are delicious! It's a Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant so every dish has a flavor that suits my Asian stomach. There are uni sea urchins, wagyu beef, and lamb chops. There was just one dish that confused me. It was labeled geoduck (the foam clay pot rice) but what I ate was clearly abalone. But then I forgot to ask where the geoduck was. How could I, who loves geoduck so much, not tell it apart? But it doesn't matter, it's delicious anyway. The black sesame ice cream for dessert is also delicious.They change the menu every season, but the quality should be guaranteed. Anyways, I like it very much. The only downside is that they are a little slow in serving the food, but I can wait for the delicious food!

We went on a Friday night with reservations and it was a pretty full house. hibi has a tasting menu/prix fixe menu so the optional Wagyu upgrade and drinks are pretty much the only things to decide on when you get there. We decided to go with the Wagyu upgrade just for one of us, which I recommend if there's 2 in your party and you're ok with sharing. We also got a bottle of wine and the ilpoom soju. The best way to describe the courses is Japanese with a Korean twist. Everything was pretty good except for the kampachi first course which we thought was a little mediocre with the cracker thing which dominated the taste and texture of the course in a bad way. The service was not bad but a little more enthusiasm wouldn't hurt lol. Overall, I don't think anything was really wowed us or stood out as super spectacular, but it was a decent experience for the price.

We've been wanting to try this restaurant for some time now so we made a reservation for Valentine's Day! Was immediately disappointed to learn that the only option for the day was their DineLA menu that they extended an extra week. Me and my partner were already disappointed from last year at another restaurant that also locked us in at a Valentine's Day Pre-fixe without informing us. So this year to also come to another restaurant that locked us with a pre-fixed menu without a choice kinda tainted our experience. We only really liked 3/6 of the dishes (the seasonal catch could've been salted better & kushiyaki just felt like a regular beef skewer), and were unable to try the dishes that we were anticipating from the regular menu. We left dinner still hungry and disappointed that we could've left full if we were able to order whatever we wanted. Next time, I'd recommend the restaurant to communicate their menus either on their social media page or when they confirm reservations. Since we couldn't try what we really wanted, I can't recommend this restaurant to a friend, and I wouldn't come back a second time to try again.