K-Team BBQ

K-Team BBQ is useful because it’s a Goldilocks Korean barbecue restaurant: not quite a smoke-filled party full of soju and cheap bulgogi, not quite a full-on meat temple parading around high-end ribeyes, but something perfectly in between. This casual, pork-centric Ktown spot from the Park’s BBQ team delivers the energy its iconic sibling sometimes lacks, plus you can order a la carte without blowing out your budget (i.e., spending $100+ per person).

photo credit: Advue Digital

photo credit: Advue Digital

photo credit: Advue Digital

Most a la carte meat options here float around half the price of their higher-end equivalent at Park’s, but an even bigger difference between these two spots is the ordering experience. Park’s menu can be overwhelming for a first-timer, whereas K-Team offers just three cuts of beef, five pork options, and a handful of soups and rice dishes. Focus on the various cuts of piggy if it’s you first go-around. There’s marbled pork jowl that chars up beautifully, thin slices of frozen pork belly that render tiny pools of delicious fat, and thicker pork belly that’s great for building ssam with sweet perilla leaf, raw garlic, and spicy soybean paste. There is admittedly a lot of bacon going on, even for a pork enthusiast, so a side of their refreshingly cold, spicy acorn noodles comes in handy halfway through the hearty meal.

Remember K-Team when you want to go “out-out” without feeling like you’ve stumbled into a college bar blasting trap hits. Orange tile tables add a splash of color, vintage posters line the brick walls, and the soundtrack is loud enough to set the tone but not force you to shout across the table.