Yelp Top 10 For 3 Years
Get ready to call a dentist. Apparently this restaurant that ranked top 10 on Yelp for three years is so good that you’ll “break your mouth”. Broken Mouth | Lee’s Homestyle restaurant located in downtown Los Angeles is the original concept from Tim Lee fusing Hawaiian and Korean cuisines. In 2019, Broken Mouth was ranked #5 on Yelp. In 2023, they moved up to dominate at the #1 spot. And this year they’re coming in strong at #6 on Yelp.
Broke Da Mout
The name of this Yelp Top 10 restaurant comes from the local Hawaiian phrase called “broke da mout” which means the food is so good, you won’t even have time to chew. And it turns out that is a very accurate description of all the delectable and innovative food at Broken Mouth. Owner and creator Tim Lee describes himself as being “Korean by blood, Hawaiian at heart”, and he brings all those delicious cultural nuances into everything made at Broken Mouth.
All of the homemade recipes at Broken Mouth are based on the deliciously distinctive Korean and Hawaiian flavors he grew up eating which he then perfected for his distinctive palate. Tim is serving up “simple comfort food delivered with aloha hospitality” and “takes care of everybody as if they’re family”. Broken Mouth brings the “Korean homestyle food of Hawai’i” to very lucky Angelenos.
Korean Hawaiian Feast
The most popular dish offered at Broken Mouth is undoubtedly the slices of an egg-battered and marinated beef ribeye called Meat Jun. It’s found all over Hawai’i, but when Tim couldn’t find it in L.A., he decided to just create his own enticing version. The pan-fried garlic butter shrimp is the second most raved about dish, but a close contender is the Teri Chicken. The grilled chicken thighs are topped with the teriyaki sauce of your dreams. All of these dishes are served with perfect purple rice and a side of Korean greens.
Honestly, wear your “eatin’ pants” when you visit because we’re still just getting started. You can’t leave without ordering the spicy Cucumber Kimchi and the Hawaiian favorite Spam Musubi which features seaweed wrapped Spam on purple rice. The deliciously creamy Potato-Mac Salad is Tim’s twisted take on a macaroni salad combined with potato salad. Plus, there’s a rich Brioche Bread Pudding filled with plump cranberries and topped with crunchy granola for dessert.
Take one tiny taste and you’ll immediately understand why this spot is a Yelp favorite for three years. Go today to devour “food so good it broke da mout”!
Check out Broken Mouth’s menu on their website here, and follow them on Instagram here.
Location: 718 S LOS ANGELES ST. LOS ANGELES, CA 90014