HERE

A Dodgers Weekend in LA: a
Stay in Koreatown

Words by Kelly K

Dodger Stadium sits in Elysian Park, tucked into the hills above downtown. Koreatown puts you one train and one free shuttle from first pitch, with galbi, soju and late-night soup waiting after the final out.

Here’s how to do a Dodgers weekend from the LINE LA. The same plan works midweek. Most home series include weeknight games, and the train runs the same either way. Book a stay at the LINE LA and make the most out of your Dodger experience.

Why Koreatown works as a base

Most searches for hotels near Dodger Stadium assume closer is better. On game day, it isn’t. Traffic around Elysian Park backs up well before first pitch, and stadium parking starts at $40. What you want is a neighborhood that makes the hours around the game worth something.

Koreatown does that. It’s one of the densest neighborhoods in LA, with Korean barbecue, soup houses, karaoke rooms and bars that stay open long after the stadium lights go off. You can walk to dinner, take the train to the game, and be back for a second dinner by midnight.

Getting from the LINE LA to Dodger Stadium

By Metro (the easy way). The Wilshire/Normandie station is directly across the street from the hotel. Take the D Line east and ride to the end of the line at Union Station. From there, the Dodger Stadium Express bus runs straight to the ballpark, free for anyone holding a game ticket. It boards on the west side of Union Station near Alameda Street, runs every 10 minutes, and starts two and a half hours before the game. A dedicated bus lane on Sunset Boulevard means you skip most of the traffic.

Buses drop off behind center field or at the Top Deck and pick up at the same stops after. Return service runs for 45 minutes after the final out. Expect a line on the way out, especially after a close game.

The D Line fare is $1.75 each way. Load a TAP card on your phone before you go.

By car or rideshare. It’s about five miles. Budget extra time on game days, and plan your post-game pickup point before the ninth inning, not after.

Before first pitch

For a late lunch before a night game, go to Kobawoo House for bossam: slow-cooked pork belly wrapped in napa cabbage with spicy radish. It’s filling without putting you to sleep by the third inning.

For something to take with you, stop at Open Market on Wilshire and order the Normandie, a brisket sandwich that riffs on a French dip. It closes at 3pm on weekends, so go early.

After the final out

This is where Koreatown earns it. The train back drops you across from the hotel, and all of these are within walking distance.

- Brothers BBQ on 6th Street for all-you-can-eat galbi and a full spread of banchan after a day game. Order the mul naengmyeon, the cold noodles regulars come back for.
- Dan Sung Sa for soju, skewers and fried snacks in a room built for loud groups.
- Yangji Gamjatang for pork neck bone soup with potatoes, simmered until the meat falls off the bone. Open past 2am on Friday and Saturday.
- BCD Tofu House a block from the hotel, for bubbling soft tofu stew until 2am on weekends.
- Break Room 86 back at the hotel, a 1980s-themed speakeasy with karaoke rooms and drinks to match. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

Hours shift, so check before you head out.

More of the neighborhood, from salt bread to bingsu, is on our Koreatown neighborhood guide.

A Dodgers weekend, sketched out

Friday. Check in. Dinner at Openaire, then late drinks and dancing at Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Saturday. Slow morning. Seolleongtang (milky ox bone soup) for brunch at Han Bat Sul Lung Tang. D Line and the Express to the game. Barbecue on 6th Street after, then soju at Dan Sung Sa.

Sunday. Sunday games usually start early afternoon. Breakfast at the hotel, back on the train, home by dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:

How far is the LINE LA from Dodger Stadium?

A:

About five miles. By Metro, it’s the D Line from Wilshire/Normandie to Union Station, then the free Dodger Stadium Express bus.

Q:

How do I get to the Metro from the LINE LA?

A:

The Wilshire/Normandie station is directly across Wilshire Boulevard from the hotel. Take the D Line eastbound and ride to the end of the line at Union Station. Pay with a TAP card, either on your phone or a plastic card from the machines in the station.

Q:

Is there a shuttle from the hotel to Dodger Stadium?

A:

The hotel doesn’t run one, but the Dodger Stadium Express from Union Station is free with a game ticket. The Metro station to reach it is across the street.