Best Korean Restaurants in Tucson

HeeMee Coffee + Bakery, located at 20 E. Congress St. in downtown Tucson, offers a serene and minimalist atmosphere with its white walls, pastel pink and peach accents, and exposed brick and ductwork. The café features a clean, modern design complemented by family artwork and soft lighting, creating a cozy environment for patrons. This inviting space reflects the bakery’s fusion of Korean, French, and Japanese influences.

While HeeMee offers an everchanging variety of handmade not-too-sweet pastries and cakes, they also offer a variety of Korean rice bowls and sandwiches. Go for the Ban-Ban Chicken Bowl, which includes a half-portion of sweet garlic fried chicken and a half-portion of spicy Korean fried chicken. On the drink side, get the Einspanner, which has local Yellow Brick Coffee cold brew topped with sweet cream.

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.

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.

Taegukgi originally opened in San Diego, then opened a Tucson location. However, the San Diego location closed, leaving only the Tucson location remaining with The Korean Rose cafe and tea house next door.

The all-you-can-eat menu selection varies depending on the original or premium option; opt in for premium for access to the marinated short ribs and romaine lettuce for wrapping. Also take advantage of the  available sides of shredded scallion pamuchim salad and the crispy scorched rice nulungee.