Over the last few months, The Mulberry has quietly emerged as one of the most intriguing new restaurants in the area, and arguably all of Los Angeles. Located just a few minutes from Brentwood, tucked into the historic stretch of Sawtelle, this bistro-style eatery feels at once entirely new and deeply familiar. It isn’t just another buzzy opening; it’s the kind of place you ease into. And in a moment when so much of the westside feels like it’s in transition—shifting, rebuilding, redefining—there’s something especially grounding about a restaurant that offers a sense of permanence, warmth and belonging.
That feeling is intentional. The Mulberry marks the first proprietary restaurant from David Lee, whose career spans Altamarea Group, Anthony Bourdain Ventures and Shake Shack, alongside his wife and co-founder Jennifer Chon, whose background includes ABC Carpet & Home and Discovery Land Company. Together they bring a layered perspective—hospitality, design and storytelling—that is evident in every detail. The approach is holistic, where food, space and experience are inseparable.
“We wanted to be really intentional about bringing a Korean bistro vision to life that could also serve as a neighborhood westside ‘Cheers’-type bar,” Chon says. “The kind of place where you run into old friends and new ones, where every interaction feels warm and familiar. Like being in someone’s home a couple of times a week after a long day. That feeling was always the north star.”
Even the name carries weight. In Korean culture, the mulberry tree is foundational—its bark traditionally used to create hanji paper—and it has long symbolized resilience and timelessness. There’s something quietly poetic about that: a tree that gives, that endures and that connects past and present. It’s a fitting metaphor for what The Mulberry is trying to create—a space that feels rooted yet alive; elevated yet entirely approachable.
Inside, that ethos takes shape in a way that feels both considered and effortless. Chon led the design vision, bringing in Matt Winter of M Winter Design—known for such standout projects as RVR, Manuela and most recently the hotspot Max & Helen’s—to help bring it to life. The process, she explains, began organically. “The design for The Mulberry really began with a specific vision—scribbles on cocktail napkins, endless mood boards and a lot of refining until the space started to take on its own sense of place,” Chon says. “We wanted every element to feel intentional and lived-in, like the room itself has a story to tell. Matt and his team are incredibly talented, and we had so much fun working together.” The result is a room that feels layered and lived-in from the moment you walk in. Marble tabletops catch the low light, leather banquettes invite you to settle in and vintage details add a sense of nostalgia without ever feeling forced. There’s an intimacy to it—something almost club-like—but it never excludes. Instead, it draws you in. It’s the kind of space where time slows down just enough, where dinner stretches into another drink, another conversation, another reason to stay.
That same balance—between tradition and evolution, comfort and surprise—defines the menu. Helmed by Chef Curtis Park, whose background includes Benu, Commis and Daniel, the food feels deeply rooted yet completely of the moment. His approach isn’t about reinventing Korean cuisine but expressing it through his own lens—one shaped by experience, memory and a distinctly Los Angeles sensibility. “At its core, The Mulberry is a Korean American bistro created for the community,” Chon says. “The menu moves between traditional dishes rooted in our heritage—spicy braised cod, kimchi pancakes, hotteok—and the classic bistro staples everyone craves, like a killer Caesar salad and extra-crispy fries. And of course, the beloved Korean favorites that have earned their place on any table, like short ribs and Korean fried chicken.”
The menu moves fluidly between raw, small plates and more substantial dishes, each one layered with intention. Pacific oysters arrive bright with chojang and kelp mignonette, while a Korean aguachile—cool, sharp and unexpectedly refreshing—sets the tone early on. A Mulberry Caesar finished with puffed rice offers a playful take on the familiar, while crispy kimchi pancakes and Korean fried chicken wings ground the menu in comfort and nostalgia. From there, the dishes deepen. Broth-based preparations—like creamy chicken broth with fresh noodles or chilled acorn noodles with perilla oil—feel both soothing and refined. A silken tofu stew enriched with wagyu delivers richness without heaviness. And then there are the standouts: spicy braised black cod, melting and complex, and a steak tartare served over crispy dolsot rice that brings texture and warmth together in a way that lingers. Even the Wagyu burger, layered with horseradish dijonnaise, frizzled shallots and pickled guindilla peppers, feels like a perfect expression of the restaurant’s point of view. The bar program, created by Zak Kellum of RVR, follows that same philosophy. At first glance the cocktails feel recognizable, but each one carries a subtle shift with Korean ingredients woven in thoughtfully. A Sikhye Slushy, Banana Milk cocktail, Baesuk White Negroni and Sujeonggwa Manhattan add another layer to the story and one more reason to linger.
What makes The Mulberry resonate, though, goes beyond any single dish or design detail. It’s the way everything comes together. The way the room fills slowly, then fully. Conversations overlap, glasses clink and there’s a sense—subtle but unmistakable—that people don’t want to leave. For Chon, the restaurant’s connection to its surroundings has been one of the most meaningful parts of the journey. “The Sawtelle community has been incredibly welcoming from day one,” she says. “It’s been a joy to become part of such a vibrant, walkable neighborhood with deep roots. Even our mulberry trees came from a local nursery right down the street—that kind of detail matters to us. There’s something really special about a neighborhood that has a real story to tell, and we feel lucky to be part of it.”
The Mulberry
1800 Sawtelle Blvd.
310-598-5191
themulberrylosangeles.com
“The menu moves between traditional dishes rooted in our heritage and the classic bistro staples everyone craves.”