Best Korean Food in Penang: Top 10 Restaurants
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Penang has a growing Korean food scene driven by a resident Korean community and K-culture fans. From charcoal-grilled galbi to spicy tteokbokki, George Town, Gurney Drive and Tanjung Tokong offer Korean restaurants ranging from casual fried chicken spots to full-service BBQ houses.
This guide covers 10 Korean restaurants across Penang, verified in October 2026. Every entry includes address, hours, halal status and what to order; where we could not confirm a price or halal status, the entry says so. Prices are in Malaysian Ringgit (RM).
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Daorae Korean BBQ
One of Penang's longest-running Korean BBQ restaurants, with table and floor seating built around grills. Staff do the cooking at the table, and meat comes with a spread of small side dishes. A second branch operates at Bayan Point on the south of the island.
What to order: Marinated beef short ribs (galbi), pork belly, kimchi jjigae.
Seoul Garden
Halal-certified Korean BBQ and steamboat buffet chain. You choose marinated meats, seafood and vegetables from the counter and cook them at your table. The all-you-can-eat format suits groups, and lunch is usually cheaper than dinner.
What to order: BBQ buffet with beef bulgogi, spicy chicken and seafood.
Kim's Korean Restaurant
Run by Seoul-born owner Kim Hyu-Nok in a colonial-era bungalow off Jalan Burma, Kim's is one of George Town's best-known Korean restaurants. There are private rooms for groups and a menu covering BBQ sets, hotpots and classic home-style dishes.
What to order: Signature BBQ set, japchae, haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), kimchi jeongol.
Mr Dakgalbi
Specialises in dakgalbi, spicy marinated chicken stir-fried on a large flat pan at your table with cabbage, rice cakes and sweet potato. It does not serve pork, but JAKIM confirmed in 2024 that the chain does not hold Malaysian halal certification.
What to order: Cheese dakgalbi, then fried rice in the leftover sauce.
OoriDoori
Korean-run restaurant near the Bayan Lepas industrial zone with a menu that leans towards Korean-Chinese comfort food alongside stews and rice bowls. Popular with Korean expats working in the area.
What to order: Jjajangmyeon, jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), tangsuyuk, seafood sundubu jjigae.
Park's Recipe Korean Restaurant
Affordable Korean restaurant in Jelutong known for double-fried Korean chicken and simple home-style dishes. Useful if you are staying outside the heritage zone.
What to order: Spicy Korean fried chicken, kimbap, soft tofu stew, seafood pancake.
Chimac Station
Korean fried chicken and beer (chimaek) spot at Straits Quay with outdoor seating facing the marina. Reviews praise the soy honey garlic chicken and the sea-view tables; some find prices on the high side for the portions.
What to order: Soy honey garlic chicken, pan tteokbokki, sundubu jjigae.
Cho Dong Jib
Korean restaurant chain with a branch in Gurney Paragon (and another at Queensbay Mall) serving grilled meats, stews and rice dishes in a mall setting. A straightforward choice if you are shopping along Gurney Drive.
What to order: Stir-fried spicy pork, dolsot bibimbap, soft tofu stew.
Hanmalu
Home-style Korean restaurant known for generous portions of hotpots, grills and soups. It previously operated on Jalan Burma before moving to the Vantage development in Tanjung Tokong.
What to order: Haemul pajeon, samgyetang, dakgalbi.
Hanjan Eatery Soju Bar
Korean eatery and soju bar in the heritage core, open later than most Korean restaurants in George Town. The menu pairs Korean bar snacks with soju-based cocktails, so it works as a dinner-and-drinks stop after walking the old town.
What to order: Soju cocktails, Korean fried chicken, tteokbokki.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Korean food in Penang halal?
It varies. Seoul Garden is halal-certified. Mr Dakgalbi does not serve pork but is not halal-certified. Independent Korean BBQ restaurants such as Daorae and Kim's serve pork and are non-halal. Check with the restaurant if certification matters to you.
How much does Korean BBQ cost in Penang?
At Daorae, marinated beef short ribs start at about RM65 and pork dishes at about RM38 per portion, so a full BBQ meal for two typically runs past RM100. Buffet chains like Seoul Garden are the cheaper way to eat a lot of grilled meat.
Where is the best area for Korean food in Penang?
Gurney Drive (Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon) has the most Korean options in one place. Tanjung Tokong, including Straits Quay and Vantage, has Daorae, Hanmalu and Chimac Station, while Bayan Baru serves the south of the island.