Best Kimchi in Johor Bahru (JB)

You know you’re in for a kimchi treat as the dish shares space with the name of the renowned restaurant. Highly regarded as one of the best Korean eateries in Johor Bahru, one can easily expect a never-ending crowd. Among the standout dish is their kimchi pancake, a simple yet succulent dish, made with kimchi, flour, and eggs. Despite the reddish outlook, the heat level is mild and each mouthful is packed with julienned vegetables. To further amp up your kimchi temptation, their Tofu with stir-fried kimchi is downright delicious too. Other kimchi infused dishes are stew, pork belly, and steamboat. Truly justifies why they make 100kg of kimchi every week. 

One of the newest kid on the block yet has surprised and inspired locals with authentic dishes with novel touches. If you’re a big fan of kimchi, then you’ve got to order their Korean Seafood fried rice kimchi. Spicy fried rice with subtle kimchi essence is crowned with a handful of shrimps and squid then topped with homemade special sauce. Done with the rice, continue your kimchi affair with their soup, which is flooded with vegetables and spongy tofu cubes. Aside from Korean cuisine, the kitchen also prepares one of the best Chocolate Lava Cake in town. Not your regular Korean restaurant for sure and it does hook a solid place in your heart. 

Yama Kopitiam is widely hailed as the cheapest Korean food in town yet it does not compromise in portions and flavours. Expect a simple and neat atmosphere and never-ending crowd chomping down a range of Korean delicacies. The best seller on the menu is their kimchi soup, which is served piping hot, loaded with tofu cubes and assorted vegetables. Need an additional kick? Opt for their seafood or chicken kimchis. Each mouthful just bursts with savoury and spicy ride and it’s great to go with a mound of steamed white rice. Slurp up the heavenly bowl clean. 

Among the pioneers of the Korean food scene, and despite the mushrooming branches, it’s still a challenge to nab an empty table during peak hours. Either you settle for the kimchi radish and cabbage sides, or slurp up lip-smacking kimchi stew which is liberally loaded with vegetables and meats or seafood of your choice, or wolf down pizza-like kimchi pancakes or kimchi pork belly stew, you’re in for a kimchi feast that leaves you with foodgasm.  

Kimchi is known to elevate or give life to any sort of dishes and why not fried rice? That’s what this charming cafe offers, an innovative take on our staple dish. Fried to perfection with eggs and anchovies, the mound of rice fills the air with appealing wok hei aroma and is crowned with a dollop of cabbage kimchi. You would chomp down this dish within a blink of an eye and fall in love with kimchi tenfold. Spend some time lingering around the marvelous interior which shouts for a post in Instagram. 

Be it online reviews and words of mouths, Sodam Korean Restaurant guarantees to have patrons return with a bloated stomach and wide smile. The backdrop of the restaurant gives a homey feel, thanks to the charming wallpapers, falling lights, and wooden fencing. Follow the footsteps of the regulars, assemble around the built-in braziers and char up the luscious range of meats on the menu. However, no visit here is deemed complete without glugging down their mouthwatering Kimchi soup and pancakes that would turn you into a kimchi junkie. 

No Korean cuisine conversation in Johor Bahru will be without this buzzing restaurant. From the interior with tatami seats and monochromatic backdrop to Korean-style spoon and chopsticks, nothing is short of authenticity.  There are plenty of dishes to choose from but the highlight would be their BBQ and kimchi soup. The steaming pot of scarlet-red soup bubbling with generous helpings of vegetables ensures your taste buds take a trip to heaven with a medley of sour and spicy flavours. Their kimchi pancake does not disappoint too. 

Staying very true to the name, it’s a house turned into a restaurant that dishes out one of the best Korean cuisines in town and it’s Halal. Sidestepping from authentic Korean or cafe ambiance, this place is for those who yearn for tranquility and homey vibes.  Reward yourself with their much-lauded BBQ meal and ensure gracing up the table with kimchi pancake and soup, both variants would provide a big uptick from kimchi enthusiasts. The pancake is a little dense with a tad of crispiness by the side and the broth is simply splendid. Don’t hesitate to go for seconds, or thirds, it’s a common act by the patrons.