Yi Cha—meaning “second round” or “I’ll have another”—brings the vibrant spirit of a modern Korean pub to Highland Park. Led by Chef Debbie Lee, known for her Ahn-Joo Korean food truck and Food Network appearances, Yi Cha blends Korean tradition with Los Angeles creativity. The menu highlights shareable dishes made with local, sustainable ingredients—like crispy Korean fried chicken, bold small plates, and craft soju cocktails. A place for connection, conversation, and celebration—come for the food, stay for the second round.
Hours
| Thursday | 5–11 PM |
| Friday | 5 PM–2 AM |
| Saturday | 5 PM–2 AM |
| Sunday | 12–9 PM |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 5–11 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 5715 N Figueroa St suite 101, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Phone: (323) 274-4307
Website: https://www.yicha-la.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
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Reviews
Food-wise, I will say I was a bit disappointed. We ordered the king mushroom chips — they reminded me of chicharrones, but I really wish they came with some kind of dipping sauce, maybe a gochujang mayo or something a little more interesting. The mandu lumpia wasn’t that great, and for the portion you get, it definitely didn’t feel worth the price. The bossam was also super small, especially if you’re planning on sharing, and the flavor was just okay. And the hangover soup (gamjatang)… it just didn’t have that deep flavor that a typical gamjatang usually has.
The things we actually did like were the tofu kimchee and the Wagyu bone marrow corn cheese — those were solid and honestly the best things we had.
Interior-wise, I definitely liked the vibe. The restaurant looked really cute and well-designed.
Overall, it’s a fun spot for drinks and a couple standout dishes, but the food overall felt overpriced for what you get.
Service was good. Friendly staff. There’s street meter parking or pay lot behind the building.
Yi Cha blew us away. The moment we sat down, we felt welcomed and taken care of. The food was outstanding — bold flavors, beautiful presentation, and everything tasted so fresh. The team here clearly loves what they do, and it shows in the hospitality.
The mural by ZibeZi is absolutely stunning and gives the space such an amazing vibe.
We’re already planning our next visit. Highly recommend!
The food is amazing across the board. The King Oyster Mushroom Chips are perfectly crispy and seasoned. The Mandu Lumpia is a must-try. Make sure to wrap it in the perilla leaves with the pickled onion for the full experience. The Korean Caviar Dip is rich and layered, and the Tofu Kimchee hits that perfect balance of crunchy pork, tangy kimchee, and soft tofu. Chef Deb’s Hangover Stew (Gamja Tang) is comfort in a bowl. Spicy, hearty, and perfect after a few cocktails.
Speaking of cocktails, this bar takes them seriously. Every drink feels crafted with intention, down to the ice. My favorite was the Corn Quartet, a roasted corn whiskey cocktail served with popcorn, pure genius. The Golden Gam is bright and floral, and even a simple gin martini with a twist was one of the best I’ve had. The bartender even surprised me with an “omakase” white Negroni that was incredible.
Yi-Cha feels like a mix of a cozy Korean pocha and a top-tier cocktail bar. I’ve been to bars on the World’s 50 Best list, and honestly, this spot could hang with them. Highly recommend for anyone who loves great food, great drinks, and great vibes.
The vibe is perfect for watching sports at the bar, group meetups, or even a casual date night — great energy without being too loud. Every plate felt comforting yet elevated, like the kind of food you’d want to share with friends over good drinks and laughter.
Cheers to Chef Debbie, who’s not only a talented chef but also a community builder. You can tell she pours her heart into every recipe and experience here. Definitely one of those places that makes you feel proud to support local. I’m definitely coming back for the bossam and ssamjang sauce
I ordered my all-time favorite Korean dish, bossam, and it absolutely delivered. It had its own twist compared to the traditional style I grew up on, but in the best way. I really appreciated seeing a restaurant reimagine such a classic. The pork was perfectly juicy with a bit of crisp, and the cocktail paired beautifully.
The interior is just as impressive. It captures that cozy, late-night alley vibe of Seoul so well. It feels nostalgic, modern, and very cool all at once.
I am already looking forward to coming back with friends and family for round two (Yi Cha)!
Second is food. We got the korean nacho, bossam, corn cheese with none marrow and chicken wings. The nacho taste was questionable. I just dont really get what they were trying to do with it. The fried rice cakes were hard to chew and the kimchi dip tasted like the kimchi pajeon batter which wasn’t too good. By the end of eating the rice cake was soggy. I think they really need to change the recipe or plating or just something to make it taste better cuz its not good.
Bossam is OK. It was kind of a let down since I want that buttery, soft chewy bossam im used to. I think they fry it in the end?? Not sure but the meat wasn’t like too tender. But overall, thats the best dish we got.
Corn cheese with bone marrow- since corn has a rather distinctive flavor i could barely taste the bone marrow. Its pleasing to look at, but I think its better to have bone marrow with toast rather than corn cheese. My friend liked this dish the most.
The korean chicken wing had a mix of buffalo sauce plus gochujang?? I could taste a bit of gochujang but mostly tasted like buffalo sauce. I think they better have it traditional korean style chicken wing sauce because buffalo sauce dominates the flavor and its just not ‘fusion’ enough.
We also got the drinks. It was a let down. They taste ok and some too sweet and idk what they are trying to deliver. The descriptions were attractive but didn’t really live up to the hype.
Overall, they would need to work on a lot of things. I saw that couple tables got gamjatang and when I saw they put the instant ramen noodle im like…. why would you make it into a budaejjigae? I guess they are trying new things but I honestly think its better to stick to really basic things and do those well rather than trying new things without really delivering the flavor. If you are korean customers you would be disappointed.