Korean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo

*A guide to Korean comfort food, barbecue, fusion restaurants, university-area dining and Korean desserts across Kitchener and Waterloo.*

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026 | KW Foodies Editorial Team

Korean food in Kitchener-Waterloo ranges from soups and stews to barbecue, Japanese-Korean fusion and a dessert café. This guide groups the restaurants by the meal you have in mind. For other cuisines, see the Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide.

Hours, menus and ownership change often at small independent restaurants, so check the restaurant's own page or call ahead before you go. If you have an allergy or follow halal, vegan or gluten-free rules, ask the staff directly; a menu label doesn't tell you how the kitchen handles cross-contact.

On this page

• Quick picks
• Korean comfort food and casual restaurants
• Korean barbecue and Japanese-Korean fusion
• Korean desserts and street-food cafes
• Comfort food, barbecue or dessert?
• Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides
• How places are chosen
• Frequently asked questions

Quick picks

• Traditional casual meal: MyungGA Korean Restaurant, near the universities
• Kitchener Korean option: Onnuri Kitchener Korean Restaurant
• Mixed Japanese-Korean menu: Miga Japanese and Korean Fusion, Bridgeport Road East, Waterloo
• Barbecue: Kin Gyu, Uptown Waterloo
• Dessert: The Bingsu Café

Korean comfort food and casual restaurants

The place to start for soups, stews, rice, noodles and everyday meals.

Taste of Seoul

154 Victoria Street South, Kitchener | Best for: Korean and Japanese dishes, casual

Serves both Korean and Japanese dishes and publishes halal, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Ask how they're prepared if cross-contact matters.

MyungGA Korean Restaurant

256 Phillip Street, Waterloo | Best for: traditional Korean dishes and catering

A Korean restaurant serving the university area. It also caters, which helps for group events.

Onnuri Kitchener Korean Restaurant

108 Garment Street, Kitchener | Best for: casual Korean dining

A straightforward Korean restaurant in Kitchener.

Chef Won's Kitchen

387 King Street East, Kitchener | Best for: Korean food with sushi, takeout

Korean food alongside sushi, with a focus on takeout and delivery.

The Owl of Minerva

255 King Street North, Waterloo | Best for: Korean soups and casual meals

A familiar name for Korean soups and everyday meals.

Back to quick picks

Korean barbecue and Japanese-Korean fusion

Barbecue and fusion places suit groups, but ordering rules and table setups vary.

Kin Gyu

15 King Street South, Waterloo | Best for: all-you-can-eat Japanese barbecue with Korean flavours

Kin Restaurant Group describes Kin Gyu as Japanese barbecue with bold Korean flavours.

Miga Japanese and Korean Fusion

94 Bridgeport Road East, Unit 19, Waterloo (a second location is at 354 King Street North) | Best for: Japanese-Korean fusion and wide choice for groups

Miga combines Japanese and Korean dishes on one menu, which helps mixed groups. For a strictly Korean meal, choose one of the comfort-food restaurants above.

Back to quick picks

Korean desserts and street-food cafes

The Bingsu Café

150 University Avenue West, Waterloo | Best for: bingsu, waffles, drinks and snacks

A Korean dessert and street-food café. A good after-dinner stop rather than a full meal.

Back to quick picks

Comfort food, barbecue or dessert?

For soups, stews and rice, start with the casual restaurants. Barbecue suits a group; ask about minimum orders and time limits. The Bingsu Café is for dessert rather than a full meal.

Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides

• Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide
• Italian and Mediterranean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Chinese Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Japanese and Sushi Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Vietnamese, Thai and Southeast Asian Restaurants in KW
• Middle Eastern and Shawarma Restaurants in KW
• Mexican and Latin American Restaurants in KW
• Caribbean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Ethiopian and East African Restaurants in KW
• German and Central European Restaurants in KW

How places are chosen

This is an editorial list. Restaurants cannot buy inclusion or a higher position; paid content is labelled separately.

Frequently asked questions

What is bingsu?

A Korean shaved-ice dessert with toppings such as fruit, red bean or condensed milk. The Bingsu Café specializes in it.

Is Korean barbecue always all-you-can-eat?

No. Some places use set menus or order-by-dish. Check the rules before you plan a group visit.

Are Korean restaurants vegetarian-friendly?

Many menus have tofu, vegetable, noodle or rice dishes, but broths and sauces can contain meat, fish or shellfish. Ask directly.