Welcome to South Bay Jinmi
South Bay Jinmi is a cozy Korean restaurant in Gardena, CA, known for its authentic homemade dishes. Specializing in delicacies like soondae, jokbal, and spicy stews, the restaurant offers a taste of Seoul in a small, intimate setting. Customers rave about the flavorful pork neck soup, beef ribs soup, and spicy rice cakes. Despite limited seating and slow service due to the elderly owners, the food quality and generous portions make it a must-visit spot for Korean cuisine enthusiasts. From intestine soup to spicy beef stew, every dish at South Bay Jinmi is a flavorful journey worth experiencing firsthand.
- 16324 S Western Ave Gardena, CA 90247 Hotline: (310) 323-8339
Welcome to South Bay Jinmi, a hidden gem in Gardena, CA that offers a taste of authentic Korean cuisine. This small and cozy restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but once you step inside, you'll be greeted by the warm hospitality of the owner and chef.
Specializing in homemade dishes, South Bay Jinmi prides itself on its traditional recipes and flavorful ingredients. From sundae (blood sausage) made from scratch to spicy kimchi stew, beef ribs soup, and spicy rice cake, every dish is prepared with care and attention to detail.
Customers rave about the delicious food, with many highlighting the pork and goat stew, intestine soup, and stir-fried pork as standout dishes. The portions are generous, making it perfect for sharing with friends and family.
While the restaurant may be small and seating may be limited, the welcoming atmosphere and mouthwatering food more than make up for it. Whether you're a fan of spicy dishes or prefer something more mild, South Bay Jinmi has something for everyone.
So if you're craving a taste of Korea in the heart of Gardena, be sure to visit South Bay Jinmi. Experience the flavors of Seoul right here in California and satisfy your taste buds with an unforgettable dining experience.

Food was great. They make their sundae (no not the ice cream) also known as blood sausages here from scratch. You can literally see them make it in the kitchen and place the filling into the encasing. It's pretty amazing. Owner was kind and amiable. Restaurant is very small and there are no high chairs though so might be touch for those with little ones.

Service was good. Small place but cozy. Food was decent! Wish the soup was a little spicier. Had too many bones in it though

I really like this place. Transported back to Seoul. Everything is home made and I really enjoyed the pork neck soup and clam soup

Delicious food but no ac in the summer so it is hot in there. Also there are only two workers so when it is busy you can wait a long time for your food and things you may need.

Ordered large jokbal to go. Quick service, food was excellent. Chewey, good flavor, sauces were right on. My old man 90+ yrs young, enjoyed it. Thats all I needed to say. Pick one up for your dad. Will not disappoint.

The food here is amazing. The restaurant is so small that a crowded rush hour wouldn't be able to accommodated. We came in a party of 6 during the time that there was less people and waited for a bit so they could pit the tables together to sit us. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes from stew, to soondae, to Army stew, stir fried pork, pork soup, galbi tang etc. I just can't tell what's good because they all taste flavorful. I especially liked the pork and goat stew because they were hot and pungant with delicate spices. Parking was small but enough to accommodate us.

First having intestine soup and it was pretty good! It came out very fast too. They're known for their intestines so I was excited to try it. The cucumber side dish was phenomenal and we asked for 3 refills of that. The service is kind but keep in mind they have very limited seating so you may need to wait. They also don't have too many people working because it is a pretty tiny restaurant (very hole-in-the wall feeling!) felt like I was back in Korea for a bit.

Food is amazing!!! It's so delicious! It's a hole in the walls and you know these kinds of places are the best. Food is 100%! The price can seem a bit high but the Portions make up for it. And it's delicious! The owner/chef are elderly so they move a bit slow so service isn't fast. Good, nice, service just not fast. But the food is delicious!! Can't wait to go back later in the week to try new dishes.

On the outside, the restaurant doesn't look like much. What lies inside is a mom and pop shop that serves authentic Korean food. The inside is small with not much seating. I think this place is used primarily for take out. Once we sat down, we were pleasantly greeted by an older gentleman who served us. -spicy kimchi stew: (4.5/5 stars) My friend said that this was really tasty. Not too spicy and had more of a tomato flavoring. -spicy beef stew: (5/5 stars) My friend said the medium spice was good. More filling than he expected. -beef ribs soup: (5/5 stars) This was my dish and the meat was really tender. Broth was flavorful. -spicy rice cake: (5/5 stars): She said that the dish wasn't too spicy. There were fish cakes in the dish too. Rice cakes were cooked perfectly. Delicious comfort food with big portions to share. Thank you again to the older gentleman for his kind service!