Danbi (Los Angeles, CA)
Danbi Restaurant
3465 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
818-527-2213
www.danbi-la.com
Sat 09/12/2026, 06:00p-08:45p
Back in late 2021, I reported on a meal I had at Tokki, a contemporary anju spot in Koreatown helmed by Chef Sunkyung Jang. I enjoyed the place, but sadly, it shuttered in February 2024. Ownership (John Kim, Patrick Liu, Won-yong Park a.k.a. Alex Park, Yohan Park) quickly flipped the space to another modern Korean restaurant by the name of Danbi (단비, literally "sweet rain," meaning a long-awaited rain), which soft-opened on March 21st that year. Running the kitchen here is Executive Chef Lareine Ko, with her second-in-command being Junior Executive Chef Mike Kim.
About the Chefs: Born in April 1987 as Lareine Hsu (徐瑞蓮, xúruìlián, or Hsu Rui-Lian), "Chef L" grew up in the Hacienda Heights area. Given that her mom wasn't particularly adept in the kitchen, her initial fascination with cooking was sparked by her grandmother. However, as a youngster, she was more interested in show biz, in part thanks to her maternal uncle being none other than Taiwanese entertainer Frankie Kao (高凌風). Thus, after graduating from Glen A. Wilson High School in 2005, Ko moved to Taiwan to pursue her dreams.
She achieved some success, but around the age of 25, realized that she needed to focus on a job with more stability and longevity, and thus ventured back into cooking, despite having no formal culinary training. A pivotal moment came when her friend Wendy Wu (吳欣穎) recruited her to be head chef at a Boiling Crab-inspired restaurant called Brookhurst Seafood Bar (布魯克海鮮吧), which opened in March 2015 in Taipei's Da'an District (it closed in January 2018).
In 2017, Ko moved back to Southern California and worked her way through a number of Japanese eateries. When the pandemic struck, she began offering her services as an in-home sushi chef, and in April 2021, she was invited by Ryan Kwak to train at Sushi Yuen, arguably the best sushi-ya in the SGV. Ko apprenticed for a year-and-a-half, improving her skills considerably before decamping in 2023 to concentrate on private omakase cheffing. She was later brought on to consult on Liu's Cafe's Taiwanese-Hongkongese menu, which led to her current EC post at Danbi (the two businesses share the same ownership).
Chef Ko is supported by Michael Kim, who was born in December 1994 and hails from Burbank. He attended John Burroughs High School, and after graduating in 2013, briefly studied business at San Francisco State University before continuing his education at Los Angeles Valley College in 2015. Kim relocated to the Washington, DC area in 2017, enrolling at Columbia College and earning his associate degree in culinary arts. In November that year, he began working at Army Navy Country Club, where he stayed until March 2020.
Kim then accepted an offer from José Andrés Group, and starting cooking at the flagship Minibar in June 2021. He married fellow Burbankian Xiu Ji Mia Keefe in May 2022, and in July 2023, returned to SoCal. Now back in LA, he joined the team at Crudo e Nudo, starting there as sous chef that September. Kim was eventually promoted to Chef de Cuisine, but departed the restaurant in January 2026. In addition to his responsibilities at Danbi, he's also part of the crew at Liu's Cafe and Love Hour, Jimmy Han's smashburger slanger-slash-cocktail bar that took over the old Beer Belly.
Suite 90-100 at Wilshire Center's Chapman Plaza looks largely the same, though a kitchen-facing dining counter was added during an April-to-May renovation this year. Total capacity should be around 70 or so.
Here we see Danbi's menu, which riffs on Korean cuisine staples, and given that we were a large (birthday) party, we ended up ordering everything on it, in proper kevinEats fashion. Beverage-wise, you'll find soju-based cocktails by Bar Director John Yi (who also handled things at Tokki), a small wine list, beer, and sul. Corkage is $30 per bottle. Click for larger versions.
허니버터칩 honey butter chips [$8.00] | fresh cut potato, honey butter, chives
Dinner commenced with Danbi's take on the most-hyped potato chips of the mid-2010s. The honey aspect veered a tad too sugary for my liking, but fortunately, was mostly kept in balance by the saltiness of the crisps, which were also pretty spot-on in terms of texture.
kimchi mule [$16.00] | house white kimchi infused soju, ginger, pear
We made our way through all six cocktails, and up first was this thoroughly reworked Moscow mule, with its prickly heat and ginger-y zip, all perked up by pops of citrus.
닭반죽튀김 golden nuggets [$13.00] | fried ground chicken, seaweed powder
The dalgbanjugtwigim turned out to be some of the best chicken nuggets I've had thanks to their moist, savory, gratifyingly-textured interiors and lightly-battered outsides. A dusting of powdered seaweed took things up a notch, and I certainly didn't mind a dip into either of those sauces, either.
수박김치 watermelon kimchi [$10.00] | mini seedless watermelon, hami melon, minari
Subak ate juicy and refreshing, with a familiar heat to it, though the melon lacked much of the ferment-y funk that you might expect with a typical kimchi preparation.
hwachae milk punch [$16.00] | milk clarified soju, lychee, strawberry, lime
I can't resist ordering a clarified milk punch, hence this next cocktail as my first choice of the night. Ostensibly taking inspiration from traditional Korean punches, the drink offered a bevy of sweet, floral flavors combined with a pervasive lactic creaminess, the lime serving as a proper accent piece.
가리비파전 scallop pancake [$25.00] | baby scallops, mentaiko sauce
A mash-up of cōngyóubǐng and pajeon was a table favorite (and apparently a favorite of Ko's as well). Texturally, the dish really did recall the mouthfeel of your classic Chinese scallion pancake. Meanwhile, bay scallops featured crispy exteriors and creamy insides loaded with sweet-salinity, while that briny myeongnan cream completed the equation.
옥수수샐러드 endive salad [$15.00] | sweet corn, grapefruit, perilla vinaigrette
Here, sweet kernels of ogsusu played nicely with the bitter crunch of endive and those juicy suprêmes of citrus, all while a zingy vin tied it all together.
We were curious about the pear beer [$12], which turned out to be the Descending Tiger Bumpyo Pear by Squeeze Brewery out of Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. I found the brew easy breezy, crisp, and refreshing, with subtly sweet pear flavors commingled with just a smidge of earthiness.
콘치즈롤 corn cheese roll [$12.00] | sweet corn, mozzarella cheese
I've actually never been a huge fan of konchijeu, but it turns out that I very much enjoyed the dish when rendered in a form recalling pizza rolls (or Hot Pockets). Encased in a tender crust, the corn and the cheese just seemed to coalesce better, and were well matched by the sweet-spiciness of the included gochujang.
toasted injeolmi [$16.00] | whiskey soju, barley soju, injeolmi syrup
This cloudy cocktail conveyed the essence of whiskey surprisingly forcefully, set against a plethora of nutty, grain-y nuances.
잣국수 pine nut cold noodle [$17.00] | pine nut, soy milk, white noodle
The jatguksu featured some pleasantly chewy noodles presented in a cool, milky, nutty broth.
육회 beef tartare [$36.00] | bone marrow, egg, korean pear
The yukhoe proffered well-textured dices of sesame-accented beef, amped up by the richness of both bone marrow and a runny egg yolk. Those salty, crunchy chips worked as an accompaniment, but I would've liked more brightness, more lightness here to balance out the heft of the meat.
The krush beer [$12] is a relatively new addition to Lotte Chilsung's Kloud family, as was indeed as "crushable" as its name would imply due to its generally sweet, malty, gluggable profile.
성게비빔밥 uni bibimbap [$61.00] | uni(santa barbara), amaebi shrimp, trout roe
A seongge-enhanced deopbap showed off the sweet brine of both sea urchin and shrimp, and was further augmented by the savoriness of the included seaweed. The rice certainly helped moderate everything going on, though I would've liked more acidity, or something to lighten things up. I think some pickles could really work here.
회비빔면 spicy sashimi noodle [$32.00] | sea bream(nz), soba, dropwort, perilla
I quite fancied the bibimmyeon. Well-textured memil noodles set the stage for an abundance of spicy, herby flavors, all while the sea bream managed to still shine through.
luv u so matcha [$18.00] | rum soju, passionfruit, falernum, orgeat, matcha
The requisite matcha cocktail showcased the grassy bittersweetness of the green tea, but melded with plenty of fruitier notes and touch of booziness from the soju.
크루도 crudo [$23.00] | melon dongchimi, peach shrub, cherry tomato
A reimagined crudo paired dense, saline, savory cubes of fish with the dish's tart, permeating fruitiness and an icy topping of granita. I didn't mind the cherry tomatoes, but they seemed a tad underripe.
gim-let [$16.00] | seaweed infused gin soju, toasted rice syrup
A variation of the classic gimlet cocktail went in a generally fruity, tangy direction, with only relatively restrained notes of nurungji and gim.
참치쌈밥 tuna ssambap [$44.00] | bluefin tuna, caviar(7g), steamed egg
Next came another highlight for me. An amalgam of chamchi, caviar, and seaweed provided a long-lingering depth and savor, tempered just enough by fluffy gyeranjjim, minty kkaennip, and the pickle-y crunch of those julienned radishes. Everything just came together seamlessly.
With the meatier courses arriving, it was now time to open up the 2006 Sloan, another bottle from my twentieth anniversary stash. Sloan Estate was founded in 1997 by Stuart Sloan, with Mark Aubert in the driver's seat, but all releases after the first were crafted by winemaker Martha McClellan. A proprietary red blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine comes to us from Napa Valley's Rutherford appellation, and saw its inaugural vintage in 2000.
항정살 pork jowl [$35.00] | chili crisp, garlic rice
The hangjeongsal was another favorite, with the cut coming out as juicy and tender and loaded with porcine funk as I was hoping for. Smoke, sear, and chili crisp were all appropriate matches with the jowl, as was that garlicky, just-sticky-enough rice. I liked that invigorating gochu and ssamjang duo on the side, too.
고등어구이 mackerel [$33.00] | charcoaled mackerel, dashima rice
The godeungeo-gui delivered, with the mackerel arrived super juicy, briny, and well-charred, its potency evened out by a zesty perilla chimichurri and that oceany kelp-boosted rice.
갈비살 galbi [$57.00] | 6oz wagyu, snake river farms w/ yukon mashed potato, mushroom, ginkgo nuts
Accompanied by a rich beef jus, galbisal demonstrated familiar flavors, with the meat's sweetness fortunately kept in check. I was a fan of the additional texture and weight provided by the 'shrooms, while a potato mash worked to tone things down a tad. My favorite component here, though, was actually the eunhaeng yeolmae, with their chewy consistency and earthy bitterness.
숯불등심 zabuton [$48.00] | 8oz wagyu, snake river farms w/ beef tallow garlic rice & korean peppers
Denver steak displayed a nice sear and temperature, and the cut's deep, beefy, familiar flavors worked hand-in-hand with the sweetness of those grilled onions. I didn't mind a dip into the included salt, while the kkaennip chimichurri and pa-kimchi were even better accoutrements.
고구마파르페 goguma parfait [$13.00] | custard, strawberry & blueberry compote
Dessert time. Our first did a good job incorporating the signature nutty-sweetness of Korean sweet potato, marrying it with whipped cream and a base of tart berries.
espresso martini [$15.00] | cold brew soju, espresso, damarana, makgeolli
Our last cocktail was a soju-based take of your ubiquitous espresso martini. Not surprisingly, it lacked the kick of the traditional vodka version, and was noticeably smoother and more dark fruit-forward than most, but still had your essential roasty coffee notes.
옥수수라떼 oksusu corn latte [$11.00] | corn cremeux, coffee granita, corn cloud
The second and final dessert was a fun one, with its delicate maize-y sweetness joined by the much darker-toned flavors of what seemed like coffee jelly.
I was a bit let down when Tokki closed, but fortunately, this place looks to be a deserving successor. The restaurant delivers a pretty commendable take on casual-contemporary Korean fare, a largely comforting, convivial one that offers a sense of authenticity without being strictly authentic. Danbi's a worthwhile addition to the K-town dining scene, and one that will likely become a go-to of mine in the neighborhood.
3465 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
818-527-2213
www.danbi-la.com
Sat 09/12/2026, 06:00p-08:45p
Back in late 2021, I reported on a meal I had at Tokki, a contemporary anju spot in Koreatown helmed by Chef Sunkyung Jang. I enjoyed the place, but sadly, it shuttered in February 2024. Ownership (John Kim, Patrick Liu, Won-yong Park a.k.a. Alex Park, Yohan Park) quickly flipped the space to another modern Korean restaurant by the name of Danbi (단비, literally "sweet rain," meaning a long-awaited rain), which soft-opened on March 21st that year. Running the kitchen here is Executive Chef Lareine Ko, with her second-in-command being Junior Executive Chef Mike Kim.
About the Chefs: Born in April 1987 as Lareine Hsu (徐瑞蓮, xúruìlián, or Hsu Rui-Lian), "Chef L" grew up in the Hacienda Heights area. Given that her mom wasn't particularly adept in the kitchen, her initial fascination with cooking was sparked by her grandmother. However, as a youngster, she was more interested in show biz, in part thanks to her maternal uncle being none other than Taiwanese entertainer Frankie Kao (高凌風). Thus, after graduating from Glen A. Wilson High School in 2005, Ko moved to Taiwan to pursue her dreams.
She achieved some success, but around the age of 25, realized that she needed to focus on a job with more stability and longevity, and thus ventured back into cooking, despite having no formal culinary training. A pivotal moment came when her friend Wendy Wu (吳欣穎) recruited her to be head chef at a Boiling Crab-inspired restaurant called Brookhurst Seafood Bar (布魯克海鮮吧), which opened in March 2015 in Taipei's Da'an District (it closed in January 2018).
In 2017, Ko moved back to Southern California and worked her way through a number of Japanese eateries. When the pandemic struck, she began offering her services as an in-home sushi chef, and in April 2021, she was invited by Ryan Kwak to train at Sushi Yuen, arguably the best sushi-ya in the SGV. Ko apprenticed for a year-and-a-half, improving her skills considerably before decamping in 2023 to concentrate on private omakase cheffing. She was later brought on to consult on Liu's Cafe's Taiwanese-Hongkongese menu, which led to her current EC post at Danbi (the two businesses share the same ownership).
Chef Ko is supported by Michael Kim, who was born in December 1994 and hails from Burbank. He attended John Burroughs High School, and after graduating in 2013, briefly studied business at San Francisco State University before continuing his education at Los Angeles Valley College in 2015. Kim relocated to the Washington, DC area in 2017, enrolling at Columbia College and earning his associate degree in culinary arts. In November that year, he began working at Army Navy Country Club, where he stayed until March 2020.
Kim then accepted an offer from José Andrés Group, and starting cooking at the flagship Minibar in June 2021. He married fellow Burbankian Xiu Ji Mia Keefe in May 2022, and in July 2023, returned to SoCal. Now back in LA, he joined the team at Crudo e Nudo, starting there as sous chef that September. Kim was eventually promoted to Chef de Cuisine, but departed the restaurant in January 2026. In addition to his responsibilities at Danbi, he's also part of the crew at Liu's Cafe and Love Hour, Jimmy Han's smashburger slanger-slash-cocktail bar that took over the old Beer Belly.
Suite 90-100 at Wilshire Center's Chapman Plaza looks largely the same, though a kitchen-facing dining counter was added during an April-to-May renovation this year. Total capacity should be around 70 or so.
Here we see Danbi's menu, which riffs on Korean cuisine staples, and given that we were a large (birthday) party, we ended up ordering everything on it, in proper kevinEats fashion. Beverage-wise, you'll find soju-based cocktails by Bar Director John Yi (who also handled things at Tokki), a small wine list, beer, and sul. Corkage is $30 per bottle. Click for larger versions.
허니버터칩 honey butter chips [$8.00] | fresh cut potato, honey butter, chives
Dinner commenced with Danbi's take on the most-hyped potato chips of the mid-2010s. The honey aspect veered a tad too sugary for my liking, but fortunately, was mostly kept in balance by the saltiness of the crisps, which were also pretty spot-on in terms of texture.
kimchi mule [$16.00] | house white kimchi infused soju, ginger, pear
We made our way through all six cocktails, and up first was this thoroughly reworked Moscow mule, with its prickly heat and ginger-y zip, all perked up by pops of citrus.
닭반죽튀김 golden nuggets [$13.00] | fried ground chicken, seaweed powder
The dalgbanjugtwigim turned out to be some of the best chicken nuggets I've had thanks to their moist, savory, gratifyingly-textured interiors and lightly-battered outsides. A dusting of powdered seaweed took things up a notch, and I certainly didn't mind a dip into either of those sauces, either.
수박김치 watermelon kimchi [$10.00] | mini seedless watermelon, hami melon, minari
Subak ate juicy and refreshing, with a familiar heat to it, though the melon lacked much of the ferment-y funk that you might expect with a typical kimchi preparation.
hwachae milk punch [$16.00] | milk clarified soju, lychee, strawberry, lime
I can't resist ordering a clarified milk punch, hence this next cocktail as my first choice of the night. Ostensibly taking inspiration from traditional Korean punches, the drink offered a bevy of sweet, floral flavors combined with a pervasive lactic creaminess, the lime serving as a proper accent piece.
가리비파전 scallop pancake [$25.00] | baby scallops, mentaiko sauce
A mash-up of cōngyóubǐng and pajeon was a table favorite (and apparently a favorite of Ko's as well). Texturally, the dish really did recall the mouthfeel of your classic Chinese scallion pancake. Meanwhile, bay scallops featured crispy exteriors and creamy insides loaded with sweet-salinity, while that briny myeongnan cream completed the equation.
옥수수샐러드 endive salad [$15.00] | sweet corn, grapefruit, perilla vinaigrette
Here, sweet kernels of ogsusu played nicely with the bitter crunch of endive and those juicy suprêmes of citrus, all while a zingy vin tied it all together.
We were curious about the pear beer [$12], which turned out to be the Descending Tiger Bumpyo Pear by Squeeze Brewery out of Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. I found the brew easy breezy, crisp, and refreshing, with subtly sweet pear flavors commingled with just a smidge of earthiness.
콘치즈롤 corn cheese roll [$12.00] | sweet corn, mozzarella cheese
I've actually never been a huge fan of konchijeu, but it turns out that I very much enjoyed the dish when rendered in a form recalling pizza rolls (or Hot Pockets). Encased in a tender crust, the corn and the cheese just seemed to coalesce better, and were well matched by the sweet-spiciness of the included gochujang.
toasted injeolmi [$16.00] | whiskey soju, barley soju, injeolmi syrup
This cloudy cocktail conveyed the essence of whiskey surprisingly forcefully, set against a plethora of nutty, grain-y nuances.
잣국수 pine nut cold noodle [$17.00] | pine nut, soy milk, white noodle
The jatguksu featured some pleasantly chewy noodles presented in a cool, milky, nutty broth.
육회 beef tartare [$36.00] | bone marrow, egg, korean pear
The yukhoe proffered well-textured dices of sesame-accented beef, amped up by the richness of both bone marrow and a runny egg yolk. Those salty, crunchy chips worked as an accompaniment, but I would've liked more brightness, more lightness here to balance out the heft of the meat.
The krush beer [$12] is a relatively new addition to Lotte Chilsung's Kloud family, as was indeed as "crushable" as its name would imply due to its generally sweet, malty, gluggable profile.
성게비빔밥 uni bibimbap [$61.00] | uni(santa barbara), amaebi shrimp, trout roe
A seongge-enhanced deopbap showed off the sweet brine of both sea urchin and shrimp, and was further augmented by the savoriness of the included seaweed. The rice certainly helped moderate everything going on, though I would've liked more acidity, or something to lighten things up. I think some pickles could really work here.
회비빔면 spicy sashimi noodle [$32.00] | sea bream(nz), soba, dropwort, perilla
I quite fancied the bibimmyeon. Well-textured memil noodles set the stage for an abundance of spicy, herby flavors, all while the sea bream managed to still shine through.
luv u so matcha [$18.00] | rum soju, passionfruit, falernum, orgeat, matcha
The requisite matcha cocktail showcased the grassy bittersweetness of the green tea, but melded with plenty of fruitier notes and touch of booziness from the soju.
크루도 crudo [$23.00] | melon dongchimi, peach shrub, cherry tomato
A reimagined crudo paired dense, saline, savory cubes of fish with the dish's tart, permeating fruitiness and an icy topping of granita. I didn't mind the cherry tomatoes, but they seemed a tad underripe.
gim-let [$16.00] | seaweed infused gin soju, toasted rice syrup
A variation of the classic gimlet cocktail went in a generally fruity, tangy direction, with only relatively restrained notes of nurungji and gim.
참치쌈밥 tuna ssambap [$44.00] | bluefin tuna, caviar(7g), steamed egg
Next came another highlight for me. An amalgam of chamchi, caviar, and seaweed provided a long-lingering depth and savor, tempered just enough by fluffy gyeranjjim, minty kkaennip, and the pickle-y crunch of those julienned radishes. Everything just came together seamlessly.
With the meatier courses arriving, it was now time to open up the 2006 Sloan, another bottle from my twentieth anniversary stash. Sloan Estate was founded in 1997 by Stuart Sloan, with Mark Aubert in the driver's seat, but all releases after the first were crafted by winemaker Martha McClellan. A proprietary red blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine comes to us from Napa Valley's Rutherford appellation, and saw its inaugural vintage in 2000.
- Initial Impressions: Agreeable nose of tart-yet-candied black fruits and dried herbs. On the palate, I found plenty of tannins and acidity, with cassis flavors leading the way to a juicy finish, overarched by minty herbs.
- After 15 Minutes: Similar to above, but with a smokier astringency alongside more pronounced tobacco-y notes.
- After 55 Minutes: Aromas were noticeably lusher, earthier, more concentrated, yet still fruit-driven. In the mouth, a mishmash of dark berries and boatloads of fennel-y spices.
항정살 pork jowl [$35.00] | chili crisp, garlic rice
The hangjeongsal was another favorite, with the cut coming out as juicy and tender and loaded with porcine funk as I was hoping for. Smoke, sear, and chili crisp were all appropriate matches with the jowl, as was that garlicky, just-sticky-enough rice. I liked that invigorating gochu and ssamjang duo on the side, too.
고등어구이 mackerel [$33.00] | charcoaled mackerel, dashima rice
The godeungeo-gui delivered, with the mackerel arrived super juicy, briny, and well-charred, its potency evened out by a zesty perilla chimichurri and that oceany kelp-boosted rice.
갈비살 galbi [$57.00] | 6oz wagyu, snake river farms w/ yukon mashed potato, mushroom, ginkgo nuts
Accompanied by a rich beef jus, galbisal demonstrated familiar flavors, with the meat's sweetness fortunately kept in check. I was a fan of the additional texture and weight provided by the 'shrooms, while a potato mash worked to tone things down a tad. My favorite component here, though, was actually the eunhaeng yeolmae, with their chewy consistency and earthy bitterness.
숯불등심 zabuton [$48.00] | 8oz wagyu, snake river farms w/ beef tallow garlic rice & korean peppers
Denver steak displayed a nice sear and temperature, and the cut's deep, beefy, familiar flavors worked hand-in-hand with the sweetness of those grilled onions. I didn't mind a dip into the included salt, while the kkaennip chimichurri and pa-kimchi were even better accoutrements.
고구마파르페 goguma parfait [$13.00] | custard, strawberry & blueberry compote
Dessert time. Our first did a good job incorporating the signature nutty-sweetness of Korean sweet potato, marrying it with whipped cream and a base of tart berries.
espresso martini [$15.00] | cold brew soju, espresso, damarana, makgeolli
Our last cocktail was a soju-based take of your ubiquitous espresso martini. Not surprisingly, it lacked the kick of the traditional vodka version, and was noticeably smoother and more dark fruit-forward than most, but still had your essential roasty coffee notes.
옥수수라떼 oksusu corn latte [$11.00] | corn cremeux, coffee granita, corn cloud
The second and final dessert was a fun one, with its delicate maize-y sweetness joined by the much darker-toned flavors of what seemed like coffee jelly.
I was a bit let down when Tokki closed, but fortunately, this place looks to be a deserving successor. The restaurant delivers a pretty commendable take on casual-contemporary Korean fare, a largely comforting, convivial one that offers a sense of authenticity without being strictly authentic. Danbi's a worthwhile addition to the K-town dining scene, and one that will likely become a go-to of mine in the neighborhood.
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