Written by Evan Kenkel | For Omaha Food Magazine
I didn’t grow up in Korea. I spent time in China, lived in Germany, and ate my way through more street markets than I can count, but I missed Korea. That doesn’t mean I don’t crave it. The spice, the funk of kimchi, the sizzle of meat on a grill, the way it all demands to be eaten with company.
Here in Omaha, the Korean food scene is scattered. Some places are dedicated to the craft, run by families who brought recipes across oceans. Others are fusion joints, sushi bars, or pan-Asian restaurants with a handful of Korean dishes slipped onto the menu. Then there are the surprises — a taproom or boba shop serving bibimbap or bingsu just because they can.
This guide doesn’t judge authenticity. It just points you toward the places where you can find those flavors — smoky, spicy, comforting, and alive.
Restaurants Featured in This Guide
A: Akarui
B: B-B-Q Hot Pot • Backlot Taphouse • bb.q Chicken Omaha
C: Chick Bo Bao • Crystal Jade
F: Flagship Commons • Fú Asian Grill
H: Hiro 88 West Maple • Hola Seoul • Hotpot88 Asian Cuisine
I: Ika Ramen and Izakaya
J: Jade Palace
K: Kaiyo Sushi • Koji • Korea Garden Restaurant • Korea King • Korean Grill • Korean House Restaurant
M: Maru Sushi Korean Grill
N: Nice Rollz
P: Pine and Black Bistro • Ponzu Sushi and Grill
R: Ray’s Original Buffalo Wings
S: Sakura Bana • Snowy Sundaes
T: 30hop • Tsao Cha
W: Wong’s Hunan Garden • Wukong Asian Restaurant
Akarui
Address: 1190 Capital Ave Ste 102, Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (531) 600-6788
Website: akaruiomaha.com
Email: akarui1190@gmail.com
Akarui is a downtown spot better known for Japanese fare, but its kimchi dishes earn attention. A clean, modern bistro with a playful energy.
B-B-Q Hot Pot
Address: 8441 W Center Rd, Omaha, NE 68124
Phone: (402) 397-1995
This is hot pot first, Korean BBQ second. Don’t expect frills — expect steam, sizzle, and meat dropped straight into bubbling broth.
Backlot Taphouse
Address: 2110 S 67th St Ste 108, Omaha, NE 68106
Phone: (402) 916-9581
Website: backlottaphouse.com
Email: info@backlottaphouse.com
Owner: Michael Barstow
Better known for beer and burgers, Backlot Taphouse sneaks bulgogi into the lineup. A craft beer in one hand, sweet-and-savory Korean beef in the other — unexpected, but it works.
bb.q Chicken Omaha
Address: 2521 S 132nd St, Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (531) 213-2295
Website: bbqchicken.com
Email: bb.qchickenus@gmail.com
Chairman: Yoon Hong-Guen
A global chain with roots in Seoul. Fried chicken, extra crispy, brushed with sauces ranging from honey garlic to volcanic heat. It’s a franchise, but it scratches the itch.
Chick Bo Bao
Address: 7440 N 30th St, Omaha, NE 68112
Phone: (402) 502-7200
Website: chickbobao.com
Email: chickbobao08@gmail.com
More fusion than tradition, but you’ll find Korean-inspired flavors on the bao menu. Proof that Korean food doesn’t have to stay in its lane.
Crystal Jade
Address: 7255 Cedar St, Omaha, NE 68124
Phone: (402) 398-1688
Website: crystaljadene.com
Executive Chef: Wong Tom
This midtown restaurant mixes pan-Asian favorites. Their bulgogi draws a steady crowd. A good place for families who want variety at the table.
Flagship Commons
Address: 10000 California St Ste FC1, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 932-9993
Website: flagshipcommons.com
Email: info@flagshipcommons.com
Owner: Nick Hogan
Inside Westroads Mall, Flagship Commons is a food hall. Bibimbap here is built for quick service, but still hits the right notes: rice, egg, beef, and a punch of gochujang.
Fú Asian Grill
Address: 343 N 24th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 206-5120
Website: fuasiangrillomaha.com
Email: fuasiangrill@gmail.com
An eclectic mix of Asian cuisines. Their kimchi stands out — sour, spicy, fermented just right.
Hiro 88 West Maple
Address: 3655 N 129th St, Omaha, NE 68164
Phone: (402) 933-0091
Website: hiro88.com
Email: contact@hiro88.com
Owner: Milton Yin
Hiro 88 is sleek, modern, and sushi-driven. But their Korean dishes deserve attention — a bridge between Japanese precision and Korean flavor.
Hola Seoul
Address: 3618 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68131
Website: holaseoulomaha.com
Email: holaseoul_omaha@gmail.com
Owner: Min Kyu Kim
Bright, fresh, and unapologetically Korean. Hola Seoul leans into street food vibes with a modern polish.
Hotpot88 Asian Cuisine
Address: 2502 S 130th Ave, Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (531) 999-3131
Website: hotpot88.com
Email: hotpotomaha@gmail.com
Another hot pot spot that folds Korean BBQ into the mix. Great for groups.
Ika Ramen and Izakaya
Address: 6109 Maple St, Omaha, NE 68104
Phone: (402) 558-2482
Website: ikaramen.com
Email: info@ikaramen.com
General Manager: Amanda Frangella
More famous for ramen, but their kimchi sides bring balance to the menu. A cross-cultural experience worth having.
Jade Palace
Address: 1702 Galvin Rd S, Bellevue, NE 68005
Phone: (402) 293-8089
Website: jadepalacene.com
Manager: Jerry Fan
A Bellevue mainstay. They serve bulgogi among a wide menu of Chinese-American favorites. Comfort food with Korean accents.
Kaiyo Sushi
Address: 3503 Samson Way Ste 114, Bellevue, NE 68123
Phone: (531) 365-9624
Website: kaiyosushinebraska.com
Email: kaiyo3503@gmail.com
Owner: Sunisha H
More sushi bar than Korean grill, but their Korean BBQ offerings hold their own.
Koji
Address: 8718 Pacific St, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (531) 721-2626
Website: izakayakoji.com
Email: info@izakayakoji.com
Owner: David Yoshitomo
A creative izakaya blending Japanese and Korean flavors. Expect innovation, not tradition.
Korea Garden Restaurant
Address: 5352 S 72nd St, Ralston, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 505-4089
Website: koreagardenralston.com
Email: koreagarden402@gmail.com
Classic Omaha Korean. Korea Garden leans into traditional dishes like bibimbap, bulgogi, and spicy stews. A reliable stop for the basics.
Korea King
Address: 4719 S 96th St, Omaha, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 593-6568
Email: kihan@kings.ac.kr
Simple, straightforward Korean comfort food in South Omaha. No website, no frills — just food that fills.
Korean Grill
Address: 1408 Harlan Dr, Bellevue, NE 68005
Phone: (402) 933-5150
Owner: Scott & Henim Stimson (Founders) | Gil Park (Current)
Korean Grill is more than a restaurant — it’s a legacy. Founded by Henim and Scott Stimson in 2008, it grew from empty tables to a community cornerstone after a single newspaper feature put them on the map. Now run by Gil Park, the restaurant keeps Henim’s recipes and spirit alive: ribs, budae jjigae, pork bulgogi, and the sense that food is family.
Korean House Restaurant
Address: 2413 Lincoln Rd, Bellevue, NE 68005
Phone: (402) 291-3900
Owner: Chae Stacey
A small, family-owned Bellevue spot. Their menu is straightforward, their flavors rooted in tradition.
Maru Sushi Korean Grill
Address: 5036 S 108th St, Omaha, NE 68137
Phone: (402) 593-0717
Website: marusushionline.com
Email: maru.sushikoreangrill@gmail.com
Owner: Joyeon Wang
A balance of sushi and Korean comfort food. Joyeon Wang brings a personal touch — you can taste it in the grilled meats and stews.
Nice Rollz
Address: 3618 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68131
Email: nicerollzomaha@gmail.com
Owner: Kristina Lee
Started as a pandemic project, Nice Rollz quickly became a sensation. Their Korean street food pop-ups are creative, bold, and unapologetically fun.
Pine and Black Bistro
Address: 248 Olson Dr Ste 101, Papillion, NE 68046
Phone: (531) 999-3777
Website: pineandblackbistro.com
Email: pineandblackbistro@gmail.com
Owner: Laura Auld
Not strictly Korean, but their bibimbap shows respect for the form. A suburban bistro with global instincts.
Ponzu Sushi and Grill
Address: 2110 S 67th St, Omaha, NE 68106
Phone: (402) 614-7757
Website: ponzusushiandgrill.com
Email: ponzusushiomaha@gmail.com
Manager: Sam Manhart
Korean BBQ shows up alongside sushi rolls and teriyaki. Ponzu straddles the line between East Asian comfort and Midwest dining expectations.
Ray’s Original Buffalo Wings
Address: 200 S 31st Ave Ste 4103, Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: (402) 884-5300
Website: rayswings.com
Email: rayswings@yahoo.com
Owner: Ray Bullock
Best known for wings, but the menu stretches further. Bulgogi here is proof that Korean flavors fit anywhere — even a wing joint.
Sakura Bana
Address: 7425 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 391-5047
Website: sushiomaha.com
Email: sushisakuraomaha@gmail.com
Owner: Tony Asanuma
One of Omaha’s oldest Japanese restaurants. Their Korean BBQ dishes bridge cultures, staying true to flavor.
Snowy Sundaes
Address: 6015 Maple St, Omaha, NE 68104
Phone: (531) 772-0718
Website: snowysundaes.com
Email: snowysundaes1@gmail.com
Owner: Melissa Rader
Dessert with a Korean twist. Their bingsu — shaved ice piled high with sweet toppings — cools off Benson nights.
30hop
Address: 114 N 145th St, Boys Town, NE 68010
Phone: (402) 315-1083
Website: 30hop.com
Email: marketing@30hop.com
General Manager: Andrew Kyker
An import from Iowa. Craft beer, rooftop seating, and yes — Korean BBQ plates like the Korean Steak Sandwich tucked into the menu. (Korean Steak Sandwich -ribeye, korean bbq, pepperjack, onion strings, pickled veg., pickled jalapeño, chili crunch slaw, hoagie)
Tsao Cha
Address: 2903 Samson Way Ste 103, Bellevue, NE 68123
Phone: (402) 292-1722
Website: tsaocaatea.com
Email: info@tsaocha.com
Owner: Jack Shi
A bubble tea shop with a surprise: bingsu. Korean shaved ice meets the Bellevue suburbs.
Wong’s Hunan Garden
Address: 5050 S 108th St, Omaha, NE 68137
Phone: (402) 331-1615
Website: wongshunan.com
Email: w.hunangarden@gmail.com
Mostly Chinese-American, but they slip in Korean classics. A neighborhood staple that refuses to stay in just one lane.
Wukong Asian Restaurant
Address: 2571 S 177th Plaza, Omaha, NE 68130
Phone: (402) 778-9888
Website: wukongus.com
Email: wukongmalatang@gmail.com
Wukong is malatang at heart, but offers Korean BBQ too. A little chaotic, a little experimental — like Omaha’s food scene itself.
Final Thoughts from Evan
Korean food isn’t about perfection. It’s about comfort, survival, and heat. It’s kimchi bubbling on the stove, ribs sizzling, bingsu melting too fast to keep up with.
Omaha’s Korean dining scene isn’t clustered in one neighborhood or owned by a single community — it’s spread out, stitched together by families, fusion, and a few risks that worked. If you’re craving something bold, you’ll find it here.
Eat the bulgogi. Order the bingsu. Don’t be afraid to burn your tongue. That’s the point.
