Best Korean Restaurants in Tucson

HeeMee Coffee + Bakery offers a serene and minimalist atmosphere and an everchanging variety of handmade not-too-sweet pastries and cakes.

The Main Gate Square locations offers more seating and a more pink-centered vibe.

This family-owned eatery serves comforting Korean classics such as beef bulgogi, dolsot bibimbap in a sizzling stone bowl, and hearty doenjang jigae soup.
They also expanded the space with private room karaoke, available by reservation.

Despite having “Korean BBQ” in it’s name, this restaurant does not have grills at the table. Instead, order prepared dishes such as kalbi dolsot bibim bap, which has sliced beef short ribs and assorted veggies over rice in a hot stone bowl. For hot summer days, order the naeng myun, which has buckwheat noodles in a chilled beef broth with sliced beef and vegetables.

The small space usually one has one server working, so service can be on the slower side.

Self-labeled as Arizona’s oldest Korean restaurant, Korea House opened in 1985.

While standards such as beef bulgogi and fried mandoo are the most popular, come for their extensive soup and stew selection. The sul long tang features a rich beef bone broth with shredded brisket, tripe, and sweet potato noodles with a side of white rice.

Kotu specializes in all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue with their beef dry-aging fridge proudly on display in the dining room. The classic menu is already extensive with options such as marinated boneless short rib and Louisiana Cajun shrimp, but opt in for the premium menu if you'd like the sliced beef tongue or a one of the larger short rib options.

For the sides, make sure to get the pickled radish wrap to wrap your meats. For carbs, go with the kimchi fried rice, tukppoki spicy rice cake, or bulgogi sot bab hot stone rice bowl.

Solo diners be aware — all-you-can-eat dine-in requires a minimum of two people here.

Signature dishes include glazed chicken boxes, the Oh My Chicken Rice Bowl with scrambled egg and seaweed, and MJ’s Chicken Sandwich. Sides like sweet potato fries, rice cake fries, and pickled red cabbage add texture and variety, while drinks like sikhye and flavored Korean milk round out the menu.

Seoul+Shi, the second Tucson restaurant by Kotu Korean BBQ owner Joyce Jin, offers a combination of Japanese and Korean dishes in a contemporary environment. The highlight is the marinated raw crab, flavored with sweet soy and best enjoyed with white rice. Another house favorite is the spicy braised black cod.