Sri Hartamas is basically my playground. I live a few minutes away in Mont Kiara, and over the last couple of years I’ve watched Desa Sri Hartamas fill up with Korean restaurants, one queue at a time. A new grill opens, a whiteboard of names appears outside, and a viral video tells you this one is the best yet.
So here are the five Korean spots in Sri Hartamas I’ve reviewed in full, ranked, with photos and the itemised bill from each.
What really separates them is price and the queue, so that’s what this guide is built around.
The short answer
If you’re standing in the square right now and just need a name, start here.
- Korean BBQ that won’t wreck the budgetRefillable banchan, staff grill for youDae Sam Sik Dang · 7.5
- Korean BBQ as a night outEvery cut grilled and explainedGamtan Meat Shop · 7.5
- Pork-free, or something lighterTofu and stone-pot rice, no grillDubu Dubu · 7.5
- Four friends and a round of makgeolliOne pot feeds the tableDong Baek · 7
- The viral octopus, just the onceOrder once, out in 90 minutesBusan Zip · 6
Korean food in Sri Hartamas, ranked at a glance
Scores are out of 10 on my usual scale. Bills are what two of us paid on the day, and I always over-order a little so I have more to write about, so a normal meal for two will come in under these.
| # | Spot | What it is | Score | Two of us paid | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dubu Dubu | Korean tofu and stone-pot rice sets | 7.5 | RM114.40 | Pork-free, not certified |
| 02 | Dae Sam Sik Dang | Korean BBQ, pork belly and stews | 7.5 | RM110.00 | Non-halal, pork and alcohol |
| 03 | Gamtan Meat Shop | Omakase-style Korean BBQ | 7.5 | RM173.80 | Non-halal, pork-led menu |
| 04 | Dong Baek Korean Dining | Pressure-cooker stews and a Korean drinks bar | 7 | RM177.55 | Non-halal, pork and alcohol |
| 05 | Busan Zip | Spicy webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) and stews | 6 | RM178.65 | No pork or lard, serves alcohol, not certified |
My scale: 8 is pretty darn delicious, 9 is absolute love, 10 is lifetime top three. 6 to 7 means an occasional visit. Bills as of each visit, including service charge and tax.
The ranking, in full
Three of these tied on 7.5, so I’ve broken the tie the same way I did in the original reviews. Dubu Dubu edges Dae Sam Sik Dang, and Gamtan sits just behind both because of the price.
Dubu Dubu
Korean tofu and stone-pot rice sets
Unique, healthy, and much more value for money
The odd one out on this list, and my favourite. No grill and no queue drama, just homely tofu dishes and a stone pot of rice that cooks at your table for about 15 minutes. It is the one I would send a pork-free friend to, though it brands itself Muslim-friendly rather than halal-certified.
- ✓Sotbap Jeong Sik RM49 · the pot-rice set with fish or beef bulgogi, seaweed soup and premium sides
- ✓Today’s Tofu RM25 · thick tofu with a lovely texture and a pajeon-style dipping sauce
- ✕Kongguksu · the cold soybean noodles were on the mild end of mild
Dae Sam Sik Dang
Korean BBQ, pork belly and stews
I really want to give it an 8
If you want Korean BBQ in Sri Hartamas without Gamtan prices, come here. It was the cheapest bill of the five, the banchan is refillable right down to the japchae, and the staff grill for you and are always around when you need them. They also don’t rush you out, which is rarer around here than it should be.
- ✓Pork kimchi stew RM29 · not to be missed, rich without being peppery
- ✓Pork bulgogi RM36 · the more flavourful of the two meats
- ✕Frozen pork belly · fine, but nothing out of the ordinary
Gamtan Meat Shop
Omakase-style Korean BBQ
A place that is really worth at least one try
The most fun of the grills. Staff cook every cut and tell you how to eat it, and the tonkatsu-flake dip and the squid topping are combinations I hadn’t had anywhere else. It is priced like Busan Zip, though, and I suspect the second visit won’t feel as worth it as the first.
- ✓Butcher’s Cut 300g RM98 · one per table and plenty of meat for two, so skip the RM136 Gamtan Set
- ✓The refillable banchan free · eggs and japchae included, which almost never happens
- ✕Tteokbokki · just alright, and on the sweet side
Dong Baek Korean Dining
Pressure-cooker stews and a Korean drinks bar
The food is good, it’s just really not RM90 per person level good
The most viral of the lot, and the food does deliver: a thick, gochujang-heavy broth with meat about three quarters of the way to falling off the bone. But the pot feeds three to four, white rice is RM5.80 extra, there is no free water, and you will be cutting meat off bones yourself. Bring friends, not a first date.
- ✓Pressure Cooked Pork Backbone & Minari RM124.60 with rice · sold for two to three, realistically for three to four
- ✕Minari seafood pancake · RM36.80 for something that is mostly dough
Busan Zip
Spicy webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) and stews
Worth the amusement of trying once
I live nearby and stared at this queue for months before trying it. The spicy octopus is good and they are generous with it, and the tuna kimchi jjigae is thick and rich. But you can only order once, you get about 90 minutes, and the wait can hit an hour. Decent food, just not worth the queue or the price.
- ✓Fried spicy webfoot octopus RM49 a portion · you need two portions for two people
- ✓Tuna kimchi jjigae RM29 · thicker and richer than most
- ✕Cheese fried rice · the weakest dish, and you won’t need it
What two of us actually paid
Same caveat as always: I order more than a normal pair would. Even so, the gap is real, and the two cheapest bills belong to two of the three best-rated spots.
(BUT COME AT 5PM)
How to beat the Sri Hartamas queue
Every Korean spot here has the same problem: small dining rooms and a dinner rush that starts early. My rule is a light lunch and an early dinner.
Finding them, and where to park
All of these sit within a few rows of each other in Desa Sri Hartamas, so you can walk from one to the next. Parking is the hard part.
- Dubu Dubu · upstairs, next to Big Pharmacy
- Dong Baek · same row as Burger King and Guardian
- Dae Sam Sik Dang · walk in past Jin Xuan dim sum
- Busan Zip · end of the same row, look for the crowd
- Gamtan Meat Shop · beside 1977 Ipoh Chicken Rice, same row as Ice Cream Bar
Is there halal Korean food in Sri Hartamas?
Not that I can confirm. Of the five, three serve pork and the other two are pork-free, which isn’t the same as halal. One of those serves alcohol.
- Dubu DubuBrands itself Muslim-friendly
- Busan ZipNo pork or lard, but serves alcohol
- Dae Sam Sik DangPork and alcohol
- Gamtan Meat ShopPork-led menu
- Dong BaekPork and alcohol
None of these five is halal-certified. Pork-free is not the same as halal, and a restaurant that serves alcohol cannot be certified.
Not in the mood for Korean?
Funnily enough, the highest score I’ve given anywhere in Sri Hartamas lately went to a chicken rice shop.
FAQ
What’s the best Korean BBQ in Sri Hartamas?
For value, Dae Sam Sik Dang: 7.5/10, and two of us paid RM110 with the staff grilling for us. For the experience, Gamtan Meat Shop: also 7.5/10, omakase-style, with staff cooking each cut and telling you how to eat it, but the bill came to RM173.80 for two. Both serve pork.
Is there halal Korean food in Sri Hartamas?
Not that I can confirm. None of these five is halal-certified: Dubu Dubu is pork-free and brands itself Muslim-friendly, Busan Zip has no pork or lard but serves alcohol, and Dae Sam Sik Dang, Gamtan and Dong Baek all serve pork.
Which Korean restaurant in Sri Hartamas is best for a group?
Dong Baek. Its pressure-cooker pots are sold for two to three people but realistically feed three to four, and it runs more like a bar, with makgeolli on the menu. For two people it is a lot of food and a lot of money.
When should I go to avoid the queue?
Aim for 5pm to 5.30pm. From about 6pm the queues start building, and after 6.30pm you can wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Busan Zip is quieter at lunch, and even arriving at 5.15pm on a Sunday I waited half an hour.
Where do you park in Desa Sri Hartamas?
I park on the row by the Shell station and walk through the back alley. Societe has paid parking, but it is steep. At dinner time, expect to circle for a while.
How much does Korean food in Sri Hartamas cost?
Between RM110 and RM178.65 for two across all five, so roughly RM55 to RM90 a head. I always order a little more than a normal pair would, so expect to spend less.
What’s the best value Korean food in Sri Hartamas?
Dae Sam Sik Dang for Korean BBQ (7.5/10, RM110 for two) and Dubu Dubu for something lighter (7.5/10, RM114.40 for two).
Is Busan Zip worth the queue?
Once, for me. I gave it 6/10: the spicy octopus is good and generous, but you can only order once, you get about 90 minutes, and the wait can hit an hour.
I’ll keep this page updated as new places open and as I revisit the older ones. If there’s a Korean spot in Sri Hartamas you think I’ve missed, tell me on Instagram at @bibzeats.
