Your TL;DR Guide on What to Do in Orange County’s Koreatown (Garden Grove)
TL;DR: Since the 1970s, Garden Grove has been the center of the Korean-American community in Orange County. Once known as the Korean Business District, Orange County’s first Koreatown is full of great local businesses – fun for travelers of all ages. Although you could explore the area on foot, I find it’s helpful to have access to a car (every place has free parking). Whether you’re looking for authentic Korean goods, hoping to score a deal at a thrift shop, visiting a cafe, or browsing through a local market, Garden Grove has something for you! If it’s your first time visiting or you are a regular, read on for a few recommendations on what to do in this beautiful place!
- A Brief History of Orange County’s First Koreatown
- Where to Find Authentic Korean Goods & Hanbok
- Enjoy the Vibes at a Cafe
- Visit a Local Market
- Explore more from the blog
The other day I wanted to check-out a cafe that has been popping up all-over social media. It just so happened to be located in the heart of Orange County’s oldest Koreatown, Garden Grove. While I was driving around, I was reminded just how much I love this area. I mean, what’s not to love? OC’s Garden Grove Koreatown is full of amazing businesses and restaurants. However, if you haven’t been here before, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start.
With so many fantastic finds, Garden Grove’s Koreatown is the perfect place to explore. If it’s your first time and you are unsure where to go, read on for a few of my suggestions on what to do in OC’s oldest Koreatown!
A Brief History of Orange County’s First Koreatown
While many individuals settled in Los Angeles, North Orange County neighborhoods like Garden Grove offered a community away from the busier city life of LA. It also became home to Olympian and advocate Sammy Lee (who had to fight to purchase the land).
Built during the 1970s/80s, a small portion of Garden Grove centered around Garden Grove Boulevard, Beach, and Brookhurst has been home to OC’s Korean community.
In 1999, it was dubbed the Korean Business District, emphasizing the commercial draw of the area. Later in 2019 this block of land was officially recognized as Koreatown.
Many business and buildings still hold their original look – full of that 70s/80s nostalgia. And, with the popularity of Korean pop-culture (from K-pop, to beauty, to food), the area has been growing in recent years.
Related: Uncover the Source OC: Orange County’s Premier Spot for K-Pop, Food, and Fun
Where to Find Authentic Korean Goods & Hanbok
Thrift Shopping at LA Everything
** 2025 Update: Unfortunately, it looks like LA Everything has closed down. In the future, I’ll be putting together an updated guide for Garden Grove’s Koreatown shopping scene, but for now, I recommend checking out Kelly Ying (cash only) **
Located between two larger shopping centers sits an unassuming thrift store, LA Everything. I have driven past this spot for YEARS and never looked at it twice. Recently, however, I was waiting for my fried chicken order to be ready (as one does) and wandered into the store – I couldn’t believe I had been missing out on all the good finds!
A Garden Grove staple for over ten years, LA Everything is run by an older Korean couple. With various items piled high throughout the store, it is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. As a local thrift store, you will find a diverse array of items (loosely grouped together by genre, but there is plenty of digging to be done).
What makes this store truly unique from other vintage/thrift shops is the abundant supply of Korean goods. From hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), hanbok bridal shoes, books, movies, furniture, and art – you can find it here! And even if you’re not in the market for Korean items specifically, there still is a lot to check-out.
Because the walkways are narrow and items are quite literally piled together, the store may not be as accessible for larger groups, individuals with mobility needs, and smaller children. I also noticed that users online reported varying experiences – ranging from mostly 5 stars to a few 1 star reviews. Personally, I had a great time and felt the shop owners were respectful. You will need to dig around to find things, but I think that adds to the fun.
Other Shops
Looking for some alternatives to shopping here? There is a small, mostly quiet shopping mall (AR Galleria) located adjacent to the thrift shop with a handful of clothing stores. The mall feels mostly abandoned, however, aside from the Tous Le Jours out front.
Korea Plaza, located inside the Arirang Market, also has a few vendors (I usually pick-up some skincare).
Enjoy the Vibes at a Cafe
A few writers have noted the distinct difference between stereotypical American and Korean cafe cultures. Although American cafe culture has shifted over the years, joints like Starbucks, Coffee Bean, or Dunkin exploded because of their convenience – something that factored in easily with the on-the-go American worker. And while independent shops do exist (and are beloved), large chains continue to dominate the national coffee scene.
In Korea (and by extension Korean culture overseas), by contrast, cafes are centered around community and unique experiences. (Little note to say, other cultures around the world and even within certain communities in the USA also follow similar trends!). In fact, according to this Medium article, Korea has more cafes than the USA, despite there being a rather significant size difference between the two countries. Perhaps that’s why Koreatown cafes, in my experience, are peaceful, aesthetically pleasing, and filled with amazing treats.
OC’s Koreatown continues to uphold this standard. Currently, my favorite is Céd, which has the soon-to-be-trending sweet corn coffee on the menu (I tried it – it’s delicious). I also highly recommend grabbing a donut while you’re here!
Check-out some places below:
There are so many more cafes – including ones focused on boba and ice cream (which I didn’t include on this list). Let me know if you’d like a more in-depth review of cafes/dessert in Koreatown-Garden Grove! I’d be more than happy to use it as an excuse to go on a cafe tour…for research purposes of course.
Visit a Local Market
Arirang Market/Korea Plaza
I briefly mentioned it above, but the Korea Plaza/Arirang Market is one of the best in the area. With an array of fresh produce, meats, snacks, and more, Arirang Market is your one-stop shop to stock up on good food.
When you first enter the market, you’ll be greeted by a row of vendors selling various goods – such as ginseng, clothing, skincare, massage chairs – before entering the actual grocery store.
To the left of the entrance is a food court which has some amazing food options, run by the ajhummas and ahjussis themselves. I’ve tried a lot from this food court – soondae, japchae, bibimbap, tteokboki, -jjigaes, and more! And it’s all been delicious.
Parking is free, but it can get crowded and a little stressful – I recommend parking in the back and walking into the market. You’ll also get to check-out some of the shops located outside of the market, including a bookstore!
Finding Other Options
There are a lot of other plaza’s centered around larger grocery markets in the area. I personally prefer Arirang as my one-stop shop, but there are great businesses located throughout the district.
If you’re looking for other food options (aka sit-down eateries) check out this article by Euno Lee for the Los Angeles Times.
With its heart in the 70s/80s, Garden Grove’s Koreatown represents the living legacy of the Korean-American community. Whether it’s your first time in the area or you’re a regular, show some love to the local businesses in the area by making a visit on your next trip! Whether it’s thrift-shopping for Korean goods, treating yourself at a local cafe, or shopping at a market, there is something for everyone here! What other places should someone check-out the next time they are in Koreatown?
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