Yes, that is a cardboard cutout of famous Korean wrestler and television personality Kang Hodong, and no, this is not Kang Hodong Baekjeong. Though the familiar wire mesh grill grates are present, this is definitely not your typical Korean BBQ joint. The weirdly named Ahgassi Gopchang, or “Young Lady Small Intestines,” serves up chitterlings (from cows, Hannibal) for the city’s most hardcore flavor-nerds and Korean BBQ aficionados.

Bak Kung might be the second branch of another Korean BBQ restaurant a stone’s throw away, but the location further north might appeal to residents of nearby Hollywood, who won’t have to travel too far down Vermont during peak hours (where a mile’s worth of driving translates into 20 minutes of traffic and at least one near-death experience) to get some affordable, All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ.

There’s nothing awful about the offal at Byul Gopchang. Already a venerable institution in the eyes of knowledgeable Koreans, the restaurant specializes in grilled intestines (gopchang). Gopchang is particularly conducive to the open-fire treatment, with the sear giving the intestines a nice crunchy crust reminiscent of the best tripas tacos — only at Byul Gopchang, the beer is on hand and plentiful. Those who are offal shy can opt for a solid selection of more traditional Korean BBQ options, including thick cuts of samgyeopsal. Don’t forget to leave room for the kimchi fried rice.

Hong Dae is known as being the college district in South Korea, and it contains one of the more active bar and restaurant scenes in a city that’s already famous for its nonstop nightlife. With an arrangement of circular stainless steel tables and smallish chairs, Hong Dae Ip Gu in Koreatown definitely channels the uniquely laissez-faire attitude of Hong Dae. Looks can be deceiving, however — the restaurant’s laidback charm belies a respectable meat selection including a fantastic pork rib and prime quality beef included in the restaurant’s reasonably priced All-You-Can-Eat-Menu.

Traditionally galbi refers to beef ribs, which means its tasty cousin the pork rib often gets the short shrift. Enter Hong Galbi, a restaurant where two styles of pork rib outclass some of the city’s best beef ribs in the flavor department. Don’t forget the stews (including a surprisingly good doenjang jjigae) to round out a unique a la carte, back-of-house Korean BBQ experience genuinely reminiscent of the ones in Korea.

Deung Sim refers to ribeye steak, and Man Soo Deung Sim might serve up some of the best in town. If the limited amount of ribeye steaks offered at all-you-can-eat Korean BBQs leave you wanting, you might want to consider Man Soo so that you can dip your ribeye strips in that incomparable sesame oil and salt mixture. The restaurant also offers an all-you-can-gather banchan bar concept, not unlike a salad bar. Unlimited cucumber kimchi without the awkward exchange of ringing a bell and receiving patronizing glances from the wait staff? Count me in.

Mirak took over the old Jinju Kalbi space on Vermont and transformed it into a duck and goat specialist barbecue joint. The clean, spartan interiors have an old school, workmanlike charm and the prices are more than fair. If you’re craving something different and truly authentic to Korean palates, it might be high time to pay these duck meat and goat specialists a visit.

It’s going to take a lot more than loose change to dine at this Kang Hodong-owned BBQ establishment. Located in the same plaza as Kang Hodong Baekjeong, Quarters is a more American-friendly joint, with English-speaking servers, a tapas-style menu and meat quality identical to its more famous cousin. It also puts a lot more emphasis on the booze — primarily through its full bar (a general rarity in Korean restaurants) and a special “Hang Over” menu based around meats paired with the beverage options. The wine list is short, but intriguing, and the waits have already started to grow longer at this “competitor” to Kang Hodong Baekjeong.

Tenraku is an upscale Korean BBQ joint offering beautifully arranged, marvelously marbled meats. It errs on the pricier side, but you get what you pay for, with beef so thoroughly adulterated with fine marbling that the resultant drippings are used in preparation of one of the city’s better kimchi fried rice dishes.

Though yang technically refers to tripe, or cow’s stomach, the carnivorous treat of choice at Yangmani is on daechang, or large intestines. Delivered to the table in longer columns and later cut to ensure uniform grilling, it’s an awful lot of offal, but it’s also surprisingly beefy and tasty. If you’re not a fan of offal, then just do what everyone else does: wash it down with more soju and beer.

Prior to the tteok-bossam craze established by Shik Do Rak, Koreans wrapped grilled meats in lettuce and accompanied them with fresh slices of garlic and Serrano chiles. This wrap, called “ssam,” remains the popular method to eat Korean BBQ prepared at Korean-native households the world over. Newcomer Ssam takes this concept and hopes to introduce it to the Korean BBQ-eating masses. With pristine environs and an impressive menu of a la carte meats, this isn’t your typical all-you-can-meat experience, but an intriguing throwback concept that might leave some Korean L.A. transplants truly homesick.