How Many Restaurants Does Roy Choi Have?

Roy Choi Restaurants: Key Takeaways

Chef Roy Choi currently owns 10 restaurants across the United States, primarily in California.
His portfolio features no Michelin-starred restaurants, focusing instead on accessible, casual dining concepts.
Signature brands include Kogi Korean BBQ food trucks and the casual dining Best Friend in Las Vegas.
Recent expansions have concentrated in Los Angeles, emphasizing unique fusion cuisine and community-oriented fast food.

Chef Roy Choi is widely credited with popularizing Korean-Mexican fusion food through innovative concepts like his Kogi food trucks. With a portfolio of 10 establishments, mostly in California, he has reshaped street food culture in the United States.

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This article explores how many restaurants Roy Choi owns, their types—from casual food trucks to casual dining spots—and his regional footprint, pricing, and expansion strategy.

Roy Choi Restaurants: Global Presence and Restaurant Count

Chef Roy Choi owns approximately 10 restaurants, all located in the United States, with a strong presence in Southern California.

His portfolio includes various concepts such as food trucks, casual dining establishments, fast food, and taco stands. Unlike many celebrity chefs, Choi’s focus is on approachable, affordable cuisine that blends cultural influences, rather than fine dining.

Region	Approx. Number of Restaurants	Notable Examples
United States	10	Kogi Korean BBQ (food trucks in Los Angeles), Kogi Taqueria (Los Angeles, El Segundo), Best Friend (Las Vegas), Tacos Por Vida (Los Angeles), LocoL (Oakland)

Note: All restaurants are owned outright by Roy Choi; there are no franchises or licensed locations.

Roy Choi’s restaurant presence is concentrated in urban areas with vibrant food scenes, especially Los Angeles. Recent expansion efforts from 2023 to 2025 have maintained this focus, concentrating on Los Angeles rather than launching internationally.

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Michelin-Starred Flagship Restaurants

Roy Choi does not currently operate any Michelin-starred restaurants. His culinary legacy is rooted in creative and accessible street food rather than formal fine dining establishments.

This absence of Michelin stars illustrates Choi’s commitment to elevating casual and street food culture rather than pursuing traditional accolades.

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Notable Roy Choi Restaurant Concepts and Locations

Roy Choi’s restaurant empire is defined by a few innovative concepts that have garnered attention for their flavor, cultural fusion, and community focus. Below are his key brands and their highlights.

Kogi Korean BBQ

Kogi Korean BBQ is Choi’s seminal concept, famous for its fleet of food trucks blending Korean BBQ flavors with Mexican tacos. Operating primarily in Los Angeles, Kogi’s mobile service allows it to reach various neighborhoods, making gourmet fusion street food affordable and accessible.

With five locations as food trucks, Kogi’s menu includes signature offerings like short rib tacos and kimchi quesadillas, typically priced between $10 and $20 per person.

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Kogi Taqueria

Kogi Taqueria is the brick-and-mortar extension of the food truck concept, featuring two locations in Los Angeles and El Segundo. The restaurants retain the original fusion flavors but offer a casual dining setting with a garage-themed decor that creates a relaxed environment.

Menu prices generally fall in the $10–$20 range, consistent with the approachable style that made Kogi popular.

Best Friend

Best Friend in Las Vegas represents Choi’s venture into a more vibrant casual dining experience, blending Korean and American influences. Opened inside the Park MGM hotel, this spot features a lively atmosphere with DJs and creative cocktails.

The pricing is higher here, typically $30 to $60 per person, reflecting the restaurant’s upscale casual positioning relative to Choi’s other venues.

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Tacos Por Vida

Tacos Por Vida is a nostalgic, backyard barbecue-style taco stand located in Los Angeles. It focuses on traditional taco flavors with high-quality ingredients served in a street stand format.

With prices from $10 to $20 per person, it aligns with Choi’s goal of making great food accessible to neighborhoods outside the fine dining market.

LocoL

LocoL stands out as an affordable fast food concept aimed at underserved communities in Oakland. The menu, with items priced between $2 and $8, emphasizes healthy, affordable options contrasting typical fast food.

LocoL’s mission underscores Choi’s commitment to food equity and social impact within his restaurant portfolio.

Roy Choi Restaurant Empire: Conclusion

Roy Choi’s current portfolio comprises 10 restaurants in the United States, with a strong concentration in the Los Angeles area and a notable presence in Las Vegas and Oakland.

While there are no Michelin stars attached to his venues, Choi’s unique contribution lies in pioneering fusion street food elevated to a mainstream audience, alongside community-focused concepts like LocoL. His restaurants range from food trucks to casual dining establishments with pricing predominantly between $10 and $60.

Choi’s brand is unified by its cultural hybridity, approachability, and creativity, proving that culinary influence extends far beyond fine dining accolades.

He remains deeply involved in operations, owning all venues outright, and focuses on urban American markets rather than international expansion. His approach highlights the power of neighborhood food culture and social engagement in modern gastronomy.

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01. How involved is Roy Choi in day-to-day restaurant operations?

Roy Choi maintains a strong hands-on presence in his restaurants, often collaborating closely with chefs and managers, especially in concept development and menu creation.

While he may not be involved in every day-to-day task at each location, Choi’s role is primarily that of an owner-operator, ensuring his vision and culinary standards are upheld across all venues.

02. Are Roy Choi’s restaurants expensive — and which ones offer the best value?

Roy Choi’s restaurants are focused on affordability and accessibility rather than high-end pricing.

Price ranges vary by concept as follows:

Food trucks and casual dining like Kogi Korean BBQ and Kogi Taqueria: $10–$20 per person
Best Friend in Las Vegas: $30–$60 per person
Fast food like LocoL: $2–$8 per person

Best value is often attributed to the Kogi Food Trucks, which serve gourmet fusion tacos at accessible prices.

03. How does Roy Choi choose new cities or countries for expansion?

Roy Choi focuses primarily on cities with vibrant street food cultures and diverse populations that align with his fusion cuisine style.

His current expansion strategy concentrates on deepening his presence in existing markets like Los Angeles rather than broad geographic expansion.

There is no publicly known plan for international expansion as of 2025.

04. Are Roy Choi restaurants sustainable or locally sourced?

Sustainability and local sourcing are part of Roy Choi’s ethos, particularly in his fast-casual and street food ventures.

Many concepts source ingredients locally where possible and focus on minimizing waste. LocoL specifically emphasizes healthy and sustainable fast food for underserved communities.

However, there is no formal sustainability certification across all his restaurants.

05. Can you book Roy Choi restaurants online — and are there loyalty programs?

Most Roy Choi casual dining locations like Best Friend accept online reservations via platforms such as OpenTable.

Food trucks and street taco stands like Kogi and Tacos Por Vida generally operate on a walk-up basis without reservations.

There is no unified loyalty program for Roy Choi’s restaurants, as they vary widely in format and target audience.