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Kearny Mesa · $30–45 per person · Ranked in 1 list
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Dae Jang Kum is a Kearny Mesa spot ranked #6 of 8 in our Best Korean BBQ in San Diego list, scoring 83/100. Order the marinated short rib, spicy pork. A solid mid-tier Convoy grill with strong marinated cuts and lower waits.
Dae Jang Kum is in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Kearny Mesa fills up early on sunny days.
Explore Kearny MesaOn our Best Korean BBQ in San Diego list, Dae Jang Kum lands at #6 of 8, just behind Gen Korean BBQ House (83/100) and ahead of Seoul BBQ & Sushi (81/100). Manna Heaven BBQ holds #1 with 89/100, so the gap is 6 points.
See the full Best Korean BBQ in San Diego rankingDae Jang Kum scores 83/100 against a best korean bbq in san diego field that averages 84.6, running from 79 at the bottom to 89 at the top. That is 1.6 points below the category average, though it still finishes ahead of 2 of the 7 other places we scored. It lands 6th of 8, and the category leader is 6 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Dae Jang Kum separates itself most on taste (86/100 versus a 86.8 category average). Its softest showing is value at 84, 3 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for taste, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Dae Jang Kum | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 86 | 86.8 | -0.8 |
| Consistency | 84 | 85.5 | -1.5 |
| Value | 84 | 87 | -3 |
| Atmosphere | 76 | 78 | -2 |
| Uniqueness | 76 | 79 | -3 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best korean bbq in san diego.
Kearny Mesa is dense enough that Dae Jang Kum rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Hidden Fish (92/100 in our best sushi in san diego list) or Menya Ultra (91/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
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Worth it for the right craving, not a destination trip.
Dae Jang Kum scores 83/100 in our Best Korean BBQ in San Diego list (#6 of 8). It is strongest on taste (86) and consistency (84). A solid mid-tier Convoy grill with strong marinated cuts and lower waits.
Skip it if uniqueness matters most to you — that is its weakest category (76/100).
Dae Jang Kum is a good fit for korean bbq. Because it ranks #6 on our best korean bbq in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Kearny Mesa rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: Good backup when Manna Heaven and Buga both have 45-minute lists.
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Score 83/100 · Order: Marinated short rib, spicy pork · $30–45 per person
Dae Jang Kum does not top any single category, but the marinated short rib is well-handled and you can usually get seated. That combination makes it a genuinely useful Convoy option on a Friday night.
Local tip: Good backup when Manna Heaven and Buga both have 45-minute lists.
Scored with our ranking methodology — korean-bbq.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .