Mas-Issge Deuseyo! New JJang Korean Barbecue in La Mesa provides yummy Korean dishes and culturally artful moments
By Heidi Hope
December 21, 2025 (La Mesa) - JJang BBQ, a new all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant in La Mesa, delivers a traditional Korean eatery ambience from sizzling hot meats that you cook at the table to tangy sides and a colorful painting on the wall. I cooked and tasted three different meats, including pork belly (samgupsal), Bulgogi beef and boneless beef rib. Each has a mouthwatering Teriyaki flavor. I was overjoyed at the distinctively savory tastes and textures; some layers were soft, some were chewy.
As a big fan of Korean food, culture and language, experiencing prominent Korean dishes on JJang BBQ’s extensive menu was a dream come true. I also loved the Korean aura through a painting with Korean letters and four animals (a pig, a chicken, a buffalo and a shrimp) sitting together to have a meal with the each serving in a respective bowl, a pair of chopsticks and bottles of sojus surrounding them. This painting displays the famous setting of a Korean meal.
I tasted japchae (glass noodles), odeng (fish cake), fried rice, cream corn cheese, tofu stew (sundubu-jjigae) and house salad, as well as the meats which I cooked after the water turned on the griddle, Each meal is individually set up in a bowl, a plate and a few trays of three-squares for side dishes and seasonings.
After trying to decide which dishes to order, I was beyond excited to learn that the menu here provides the marvelous option to taste many dishes for one set price.
Each dish was delicious and unique, making me want to savor everything on the menu. The glass noodles came with soft noodles and bite-sized pieces of carrots and lettuce. The fish cake was chewy with crunchy onions and stood out in bright yellow. The fried rice was hot, steamy and evenly cooked, surrounded with green beans, carrots and eggs. The cream corn was melting in bright yellow and blending with slightly white cream. The tofu stew came with tofu and cucumbers cut in small pieces. Most importantly, you can cook the meat to your preference, whether rare or well-done. All of these items were a flawless example of a daily warm meal in Korea, which was delicious!
There are many other options on the menu that I hope to return and try, such as Teriyaki chicken, Korean sweet marinated pork, steamed eggs, fried pork dumplings, Korean fried chicken, Kalbi short ribs marinated bone-in and lettuce wrap. I truly cannot wait to return for another visit to continue savoring all of these dishes and appreciating the friendly, welcoming customer service by the workers.
The menu currently serves dinner items all day long, however an owner told me that they are considering adding some affordable lunch specials very soon.
JJang Korean BBQ also offers wines, beers, Korean milks and Soju flavored beverages. These are exactly the items coming with a warm meal as demonstrated throughout my many favorite dramas.
JJang Korean BBQ is located at 3637 Avocado Blvd, La Mesa, CA, 91941. You can make a reservation and view the full menu on their website at https://jjangkoreanbbq.com.