Yangban Society is a special place. There’s truly no place quite like it. If it were a show, the logline would read something like “a series of nostalgic, autobiographical comfort foods you’ve never had before, at a restaurant/deli/minimart that feels homey yet new, a fever dream from a Korean American husband-wife culinary duo.” Ok fine, that was a poorly written logline, but the point is, Yangban is like a surreal idea brought to life that feeds all of your senses and cannot be adequately described in one neat sentence. And that is precisely why it’s notable.
Yangban Society draws from Korean American memories, Californian ingredients and Jewish deli or suburban diner comfort foods. Not an obvious combination, but if this is what the next generation of “fusion” food tastes like, the word might just be redeemed.
With upscale neighbors like Bestia and Damian and kodo, you know they aren’t here to mess around, even if they are going for the more homey vibe. The menu is filled with things that fill Korean flavor with deli/diner dish form: congee pot pie, biscuit with kare gravy, matzo ball mandu, and a bone in heritage katsu reminiscent of a giant schnitzel.
And the restaurant is only half of the experience. In tucked amid the two-level space is a little minimart that is filled with nostalgic Asian snacks (imported and home grown), housemade pantry items, and a well-stocked beverage fridge (with alcoholic and nonalcoholic options) that they encourage you to peruse as you wait for your food.
Yangban is so much more than a restaurant. The bold blue and magenta tones make it feel like, well, an experiential activation but with good food. Which, honestly, isn’t that what a restaurant meal is?
the details
| Address | 712 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles |
| Website | https://yangbanla.com/ |
| Yelp | https://www.yelp.com/biz/yangban-los-angeles |
| @yangbanla | |
| Hours | 5:30pm – 10pm weeknights, 11pm Friday/Saturday nights; closed Monday and Tuesday |
| Price | $$-$$$, most things are $15-40 and meant to be shared, so expect to spend $50-75 per person |
| Aesthetic | bold, contemporary, bright, cheery but cool |
good to know
Go here for:Â a big group meal, a celebratory meal, or just come and grab some things for takeout and make your own spread at home
Order this:Â honestly bring a group and order everything, but some favorites include the fried tofu mole and congee pot pie. Save room for dessert
Amount of time to spend: an hour or two, it’s the kind of meal that rolls on and you don’t want to be rushed
When to come: truthfully any time, come early (or late) if you don’t have a reservation, they have enough tables inside and outside to make walk ins doable even with the popularity
Parking:Â they have valet, or you can be a stubborn Angeleno who insists on not paying for street parking on Santa Fe (or, push come to shove, Violet St or Mateo)
Other things to note:Â
- Reservations are available via OpenTable.
- They have indoor and outdoor seating.
- They have takeout too, with an online ordering system via Toast.
Last visited: August 2022
Last updated: March 2023
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