Kearny Mesa · Best Korean BBQ in San Diego
Friend's House Korean Restaurant Review
Last updatedRanked #4 of 8 in Best Korean BBQ in San Diego
The homestyle Korean counterpoint to Convoy's grill houses, with excellent stews.
Score breakdown
- Taste90/100
- Consistency88/100
- Value88/100
- Atmosphere74/100
- Uniqueness82/100
The verdict on Friend's House Korean Restaurant
Ranked #4 of 8 — 87/100 in our Best Korean BBQ in San Diego coverage
Friend's House is where Convoy regulars go when they don't want to grill. The galbi jjim is fall-apart tender with a soy-sweet braise, and the soondubu arrives at a rolling boil. Banchan is generous and better than most AYCE spreads.
What to order at Friend's House Korean Restaurant
Across our coverage the recommendation is consistent: Galbi jjim, soft tofu stew.
Come for the jjigae and banchan, not the tabletop grill.
Is Friend's House Korean Restaurant worth the price?
Friend's House Korean Restaurant sits at $18–30 — the budget band for this category. Nothing else we ranked in this category lands in the same price bracket, so the comparison is against cheaper or pricier alternatives rather than a like-for-like rival.
Friend's House Korean Restaurant FAQ
Is Friend's House Korean Restaurant expensive?
Friend's House Korean Restaurant is priced at $18–30, which puts it in the budget band for this category. There is no other option at the exact same price point on the same list, so treat it as its own bracket.
Is Friend's House Korean Restaurant worth it?
It scores 87/100, 2.4 points above the 84.6 average for its list. That's a solid recommendation within the category.
What should I order at Friend's House Korean Restaurant?
We recommend the Galbi jjim, soft tofu stew.
What else is nearby Friend's House Korean Restaurant?
Hidden Fish (92/100 in our best sushi in san diego list) and K Sandwiches (92/100 in our best banh mi in san diego list) are also ranked in the same neighborhood, so it's easy to pair a visit.
What works
- Strong taste — scored 90/100 in our ranking
- Strong consistency — scored 88/100 in our ranking
- Strong value — scored 88/100 in our ranking
Know before you go
- Atmosphere is the weak point — 74/100, below the rest of its scores
- Come for the jjigae and banchan, not the tabletop grill.
The full review
Friend's House is where Convoy regulars go when they don't want to grill. The galbi jjim is fall-apart tender with a soy-sweet braise, and the soondubu arrives at a rolling boil. Banchan is generous and better than most AYCE spreads.
On our weighted scale it earns 87/100 — good for #4 of 8 places we evaluated for best korean bbq in san diego. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes.
What to order at Friend's House Korean Restaurant
Galbi jjim, soft tofu stew
Price: $18–30
How we scored Friend's House Korean Restaurant
Every score on this page comes from the same editorial rubric we apply to the whole category: taste, consistency, value, atmosphere, uniqueness. The criteria are weighted toward what matters most in the category, compared against every other place we ranked in the same list rather than against an abstract ideal. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes. Scores are editorial judgments rather than aggregated user ratings.