Here’s an honest confession: I’m hooked on Korean variety shows. They’re ridiculously addictive and fun, even though I initially struggled with keeping up with the subtitles.

Recently, I stumbled upon an older show called “Youn’s Restaurant,” where Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh Jung cooks and serves authentic Korean dishes in foreign countries. 

Watching everyone devour the food with pure joy made me crave Korean food and wish Tauranga would be the show’s next destination. But since that hasn’t happened yet, I took matters into my own hands and set out to find the best Korean restaurants in Tauranga.

After visiting several spots (and downing many cups of milk to balance out the spice), here are the restaurants that might just give Miss Youn a run for her money when she finally decides to visit New Zealand. 

1. Chicken Fryday

Chicken FryDay has good Korean fried chicken, laid-back vibes, and genuinely friendly staff—every time I’ve gone, I’ve been greeted with a smile.

I really love the sweet & spicy chicken here. The pieces come out hot and super crispy, coated in this sticky, traditional Korean sweet and spicy sauce that’s got just the right kick. I love that the chicken is boneless, which makes it easy to eat (and perfect for sharing if you want). 

I also like how they don’t skimp out on the spicy cheese seasoning for their Hot Cheese Snowing chicken. The tangy yoghurt dipping sauce on the side is also addictive and pairs well with the chicken.

For sides, the corn cheese is a total winner. It’s grilled sweet corn covered in gooey melted cheese that gives it a rich and somewhat sweet taste.

I usually finish with the sweet red bean fish. It’s a cute, fish-shaped waffle that is warm, soft, and not overly sweet.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the place gets busy on weekends. I waited up to 30 minutes for my food.

Amazing korean chicken place! 

“Amazing korean chicken place! Staff are very friendly!”

• Verlaine Palos, Google Reviews 

Really nice Korean food

“Really nice Korean food and nice ambience inside the restaurant.”

• Milmark Gregorio, Google Reviews

2. Mum’s Dumplings

Mum’s Dumplings is perfect for a low-key meal with friends when you want honest, tasty Korean food without any fuss. The vibe is simple and relaxed—nothing fancy.

Service was friendly and quick, and the food came out hot and fresh. The place was clean, and I could see into the kitchen, which made it feel even more homey.

I started off with the kimchi dumplings, which were only available steamed and came four to a plate. I loved how they were spicy, tangy, and packed with pork and kimchi. 

The dumpling skins were soft and chewy too. I could have eaten way more than four, so maybe order extra if you’re sharing.

I also tried Mum’s jajang noodles. The black bean sauce was rich and savoury, with minced pork and onions complementing the noodles beautifully. While I did think the noodles were a little undercooked, I still had fun mixing them all together and slurping up every last one. 

Delicious food

“Great service and delicious food

If you’re craving some Korean food during your stay I highly recommend mums dumplings feelslikehome man”

• Macs, Google Reviews

The fried dumplings were SO crispy 

“Absolutely a hidden gem! The food was amazing and had huge serving sizes. The garlic chili chicken was incredible; the fried dumplings were SO crispy and were stuffed full of fillings! The owner, who took our order, was so sweet and answered any questions we had. I will definitely be back! :)”

• Anna Deutsch, Google Reviews

3. Hans Kitchen

Hans Kitchen is good for a chill, no-fuss Korean meal that hits those comfort food cravings. The service was friendly and quick, and the prices were reasonable for what I received. 

I started with the kimchi stew, which came out piping hot. The broth was tangy and had a deep, spicy kick—the kind that warms you up right away. I appreciated that there were generous pieces of tofu and kimchi floating around.

I also ordered stir-fried glass noodles (japchae). The noodles were chewy and had a nice soy-garlic flavour, and there were quite a few veggies mixed in. The sesame flavour was also pretty evident, which I really loved.

The bulgogi beef cupbop was the one dish that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The beef tasted a bit stale, almost like it had been sitting around too long before being served. The flavour was okay—sweet and savoury like you’d expect—but the texture was off. 

So glad to have an authentic Korean place 

“First time I found ‘white kimchi’ in NZ (kimchi with only a little bit of chilly). Jack and Han are lovely hosts and they explained all the different food on offer. A no-fuss deli with authentic Korean food. I also bought the red kimchi and beef & noodle dish (beef bulgogi). We will be back often because the food are very tasty and fresh. So glad to have an authentic Korean place to get good food”

• Corne Potgieter, Google Reviews 

Delicious food!! I absolutely loved it. 

“Delicious food!! I absolutely loved it. I will note that the pork ramen was pretty spicy, my son ordered it and he had to switch with me (I got bulgogi, which was also delicious and not at all hot spicy). If you love spicy food and/or Korean food, this place will be delightful for your taste buds. Enjoy!“

• Zoe Irene Darling,Google Reviews

4. Dam Da

Dam Da is where you go with friends when you want to share a big, bubbling Korean hot pot. My friends and I went on a Friday night and waited about 30 minutes for our food; most tables were in the same boat. 

I appreciated that the staff were friendly and checked in on us. But if you’re in a rush, this probably isn’t the place. However, I will say that once the food arrived, I was glad we had waited.

We started with the bulgogi big pot. It’s made to serve two, but it could honestly stretch to three if you’re not starving. 

The beef was tender and had that classic sweet-salty bulgogi flavour we all love. The noodles soaked up the broth, and the rice cakes were soft and satisfying. 

I did wish there were more veggies in the pot—most of what’s there are noodles and beef, so if you’re looking for something green, you might want to order a side.

The spicy mala numbing rose tteokbokki we got had that signature mala tingle—spicy and numbing at the same time. We loved it, but it’s a pretty big portion, so sharing is a good idea.

Very enjoyed our meal here 

“Saw the good reviews here so decided to give it a try during our trip.  Ordered the pork belly soup and the spicy tofu stew for mains.  We also ordered a side of seafood pancake.  The pancake nice and crispy on the edges and tasted really good.  The sauce dip could be improved though to elevate this dish.  The soup were pretty good too.  Side dishes was just average but despite that, very enjoyed our meal here in Tauranga.”

• Wilson Shum Google Reviews 

The food is absolutely awesome

“It’s been one of my saved places to go for a long long time and finally went there today. The food is absolutely awesome. We ordered seafood wide noodles, pork bone soup, and stir-fried beef and we finished all of them. Highly recommended if you are looking for a Korean Restaurant in Tauranga.”

• Emily Zhu Google Review 

5. Rock’n Wok

Rock’n Wok is a simple, clean spot where you can focus on the food and enjoy a good chat. 

Their jjajangmyun (Korean black bean noodles) looked super inviting. It came with thick noodles under a glossy, dark black bean sauce with chunks of pork and onions. 

I loved how the noodles had a great chewy bite, and the sauce was rich and savoury, with a little sweetness going on. The pork was also tender, and the onions added a bit of crunch to balance the sauce.

I also appreciated that the sauce wasn’t overly salty or greasy, which can sometimes happen with jjajangmyun. It coated the noodles just right, so every bite had plenty of flavour without feeling heavy. 

I also appreciated that the portion was generous—I even took leftovers home.

But one thing to keep in mind is that Rock’n Wok can get busy, especially around dinner time, so you might have to wait a bit for your food. For me, it was about a 20-minute wait, which wasn’t too bad.

Probably best food Korean ever had

“Probably best food Korean ever had, huges plates , good value too ❤️❤️❤️”

• Joel Haire, Google Reviews

I fell in love with this place

‘I haven’t been to a great Korean Restaurant for so long and I fell in love with this place! I’d definitely come back to try other dish and for your rice wine🚒 너무 너무 맛있어요! 또 올게요🚓”

• Raphaella Edward, Google Reviews

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