Breakers, Los Angeles

Unlike most Korean barbecue joints, Breakers doesn't always serve guests completely raw meat to cook on a tabletop grill. Instead, it precooks entrées in the kitchen over lump charcoal, giving short ribs, beef bulgogi, and other quality cuts of meat a distinctively smoky flavor.

Breakers reinvents Korean barbecue in other ways, too. Far from the din of these usually small and super-casual eateries, it offers a fine-dining experience amid sleek and modern décor. And though guests still get to cook their own food—or request their server's help—the restaurant supplies them with a downdraft grill to help keep the air free of smoke.