Korean wings Photo by: Courtesy of MGM Resorts International
Roy Choi’s path to celebrity chefdom started on the streets. When he launched his Kogi BBQ truck on the streets of Los Angeles in 2008, his Korean short rib tacos became an instant phenomenon, blending cultures and flavors in a way that felt entirely new. People lined up for hours, and street food would never be the same.
Turns out, Choi is just as at home on the Strip as he is on the road. His restaurant Best Friend, tucked inside Park MGM, feels like L.A. came to Vegas for the weekend and never left. The music is loud, the energy undeniably cool, and the food matches the atmosphere and then some. Choi calls it “L.A. in a box.” That about sums it up.
On a recent Thursday evening, I visited the restaurant with one of my best friends (natch) to experience the scene firsthand. With a Vegas Golden Knights game happening next door, the energy was already electric. The front room of Best Friend is a facsimile of a bodega in Koreatown—snacks, merch, even a freezer full of drinks—but that’s just the warmup act. Push through the red PVC strip curtain and you’re transported into a glowing dining room pulsing with music. This night, a DJ was spinning at the turntables.
To get things started off right, we ordered a few drinks, including Peach Tea, a delicious cocktail made with Crown Royal Peach, tea, sweet and sour and Demerara syrup. Then we ordered the Chef Special, letting the kitchen lead. (This is Roy Choi’s world after all; we’re just eating in it.) Banchan—those iconic Korean small plates—arrived first: marinated cucumbers, sesame sprouts, pickled daikon and house-made kimchi hit every note on the palate, especially umami.
Supa Dupa shaved ice Photo by: Courtesy of MGM Resorts International
In addition to the Chef Special, the menu has L.A.-ish and Vegas-ish sections, which pays homage to the chef’s roots and his adopted home. From the Vegas side, we couldn’t resist throwing in buttermilk fried chicken (with honey mustard, sweet and sour chili and bread and butter pickles), as well as L.A. eggplant schnitzel, into our lot.
Dishes arrived in no particular order, which only enhanced the “just hanging with friends” feel. The Kogi short rib tacos deliver the perfect balance of sweet, smoky and spicy. Slippery shrimp glistens in glossy sauce, though the chili mayo skewed hot for my low-spice threshold. The Kalbi (bone-in short rib) arrives with gochujang and its own personality, making us vow to focus solely on the BBQ section next time. The Korean wings had us licking our fingers, while kimchi fried rice, topped with a poached egg, came in piping hot, hot, hot in its little pot and vanished in no time.
Photo by: Courtesy of MGM Resort International
For dessert, we shared Supa Dupa shaved ice, a sweet finale to an umami-packed feast that left us sweaty and satisfied.
At Best Friend, you’re not just eating dinner, you’re inside Roy Choi’s memory palace, surrounded by the flavors and sounds that built his career. It’s fun, slightly chaotic and wholly immersive, just like L.A. and Vegas themselves. Bring all your friends, best and otherwise.
Park MGM. 702.730.6770 or parkmgm.mgmresorts.com
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