TLDR: A $17 "duck salad" with a severe lack of duck. Skip unless you're here for cabbage appreciation hour. My curiosity led me to order the duck goi to go, and unfortunately, it was a letdown. I came into this hoping to see an elevated form of the dish (the duck is typically boiled or poached and not roasted), willing to pay more for something higher quality or novel. It was high quality in some aspects, but not nearly enough to warrant the cost. To be perfectly clear, it did taste good as the cabbage was crunchy, the fried shallots were fragrant, and the dressing packed a flavorful umami punch, but where was the duck? I was tempted to pick the bits out and weigh them against the rest of the ingredients like a madman. It was also lacking on the listed Vietnamese herbs and banana blossom (which admittedly might be too much for some). The chips were good and added a nice contrast, there just should have been more. Judging from others' Yelp photos, you would get 4 chips if you have normal luck but only 3 chips if you're the type to lose in casinos. The dressing was thick, with a similar consistency to honey. That being said, the dressing was pretty strong, and even if there were a noticeable amount of duck and herbs, the flavor of the dressing would have strongly overpowered everything else. Duck lovers, stay away. Cabbage enthusiasts, maybe worth trying if you have deep pockets and don't have any fish sauce at home. read more

Bacogai is not your average mid-week Vietmanese dinner option. Bacogai is definitely a spot you stop by for date-night or to celebrate a special occasion. The food here is spectacular, but that definitely comes at at price. My wife and I stopped by here on a Friday evening around 6:00 p.m. without a reservation and there was plenty of seating available in the restaurant. We were able to sit anywhere we wanted and not long after we sat down, we were able to place our drink order. My wife ordered one of their low-proof wine-cocktails while I got their milk stout. It doesn't say on the menu, but most of their beers are from Dokkaebier, which is a brewery that predominately makes Asian-flavor inspired beers. Although the menu says that a hot-pot is suitable for one person, it is more than enough for two to share, especially if you do add-ons. My wife and I got their Lau Canh Chua hot pot and added on a bowl of rice on the side as well as an extra platter of raw beef. I've had plenty of Chinese hot pot at the typical spots - Happy Lamb, Haidilao, etc., but none of them have had a broth like the one at Bacogai. The broth had a wonderfully complex sweetness and sourness to it that reminded me of Tom Yum soup from Thai cuisine. Easily one of the best broths I've had from recent memory. There's plenty of veggies and proteins included with the hot pot, such as fish balls and fish filets. The filets are firm, but flake apart nicely when you bite into it. In addition to the hot-pot, we also got their duck salad and the banh hoi with beef la lot for appetizers. The appetizers here are so good, I would gladly order these two items again as my main. The duck salad is very similar to a lightly dressed coleslaw with shredded duck pieces. The dish is very refreshing and the fried shallots are incredibly fragrant in the dish. The rice crackers that come on the side are yet another crispy element to this well-composed dish. The banh hoi comes with vermicelli noodle, fresh herbs, and a side of nuoc cham, a fish-sauce based dipping sauce. The meat is not seasoned that much and the vermicelli is not seasoned at all, but once you combine everything into a single bite with the nuoc cham, the entire dish makes sense and you get a perfectly balanced bite. If you're curious about what Vietmanese hot pot is like, I cannot recommend Bacogai enough. read more

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Fusion individual hotpot cuisine. I ordered the oxtail hotpot and others ordered seafood or bone marrow combos. My oxtail pot comes with oxtail and some vegetables and had an add-on for lamb shoulder. 4 Fried spring roll was nice with seafood inside ... quite good. 4 The chicken wing special of the day appetizer was excellent. Light battered crunchy on the outside & moist tender meat inside. 5 Service was mostly attentive & water was flowing endlessly altho at the end I had to search for wait staff to order dessert. 4 The fried banana dessert was disappointing: 1.5 Ice cream is tasty tho 4 You will feel comfortable in a simple set up in the restaurant An interesting place to explore. read more

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I thought about giving this place a 4 star and would probably land on a 3.5 if I could...but the reality is I wouldn't come back so 3 stars it is. Food is solid, but for the price I'd rather eat elsewhere. We got the summer rolls and off-menu chicken wings (5) for appetizers and the Beef Luc Lac and the Lau Canh Chua hot pot. Both appetizers were fine but not amazing. You get 5 wings for $12 which is okay, but the portion size for the summer rolls is laughable - 6 slivers of spring roll for $12...yikes! I also can't recommend the beef plate despite the flavor being solid because it is just not good value ($27 for barely any meat...literally could be an appetizer elsewhere). The hot pot was enjoyable and filling enough for one person with a normal appetite, but I've had better hot pot elsewhere so its just not worth coming back imo. On the plus side, service was good and attentive (possibly because we were 1 of 3 tables seated), but our waitress was just friendly enough to have a positive experience in our dinner without being overwhelming. read more

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Bacogai is a Vietnamese food establishment that has more special dishes-banh hoi and soups. Aesthetic is pleasing with the green walls and nicely presented tableware. Service was not the best. We asked for a few more minutes to review the menu and the server probably came back 20-25 minutes later after we flagged his coworker down. The food took a good while to come out. It really felt like 20 minutes. One of our friends' dishes did not come out at all and we had to ask about it after waiting for another 5 minutes. The server said the chef was busy and working on it but I have a feeling it was completely forgotten. They gave us an oxtail soup without the extra noodles and veggies that usually come out with the full entree, so we could snack on it while the actual dish was being made, which was kind of nice. My canh chua had a variety of toppings, shrimp, okra, fish balls, fish, vermicelli, etc. I enjoyed it! The soup could probably fill up one big appetite or be something to share if everyone else had their own food. The beef luc lac tasted good but wasn't as wow as I would've expected. My server came by to replace my fire for the soup, and said he could bring more soup base to refill, but he didn't come back at all. Overall bacogai is highly priced with smaller than expected portions and not anything too special than the average Vietnamese dish. The main entrees (banh hoi and lau soups) on the menu were average $26-28. Service could be better. read more

Bacogai - Beef Luc Lac Ban Hoi - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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Had dinner with a friend here on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy, we were seated right away and I was able to easily find parking in the lot in front. We ordered the shaking beef and I got the seafood hotpot, and everything was great! The beef has lots of flavor and was tender, and the hotpot broth was a bit sweet and sour. They give you plenty of food to cook in the hotpot, you could even share one between two people if you get one or two appetizers as well. We also tried one of their low-abv spritzers, which was light and refreshing. The service was good as well, they were friendly and came by a few times to relight our hotpots and check on us. A great place for Vietnamese food that's a bit different from other places in the area! read more

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Went for dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday! Excellent service and food. Can't wait to go back. So lucky to live near by.

Really unique experience! I've never had Vietnamese hot pot before so I was excited to try. All the food we ordered was fresh and light. Particularly the duck salad, it tasted refreshing. The hot pot was delicious too but I did feel like there was a lot of filler vegetable items. Not a lot of meat. In general, I feel like none of the dishes tasted special or mind blowing. The service was fast and attentive. Ambiance was nice as well. Overall 3/5-decent! read more

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This place is worth a try considering there are not many Vietnamese hot pot spots. It definitely is on the more pricey side considering the portions. It can get really busy here, but workers are friendly. There is plenty of parking as it is located in a plaza. read more

Bacogai - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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Sent a link about Bacogai to Trac, my Viet expert, in all things related to food & booze. He was excited to try this new place especially the banh hoi. We went last Friday 9/8, Along with his family, his wife Aine & son Stellen, we started with the duck slaw (my favorite dish) followed by the ban hoi...the leaf wrapped sausages with the noodle squares were great...I would have preferred the dipping sauce less sweet. (In fact, I wished there was an option to have a few table condiments to adjust flavors... chilies.. fish sauce etc like when I go for pho. ) That same option was even more so for the hot pots. I wanted more punch for both the sweet! & sour? seafood broth which again was a bit too sugary for me and the creamy pork broth which I thought was somewhat bland. I also thought that the sliced pork needed to be fattier both for flavor & mouth feel ie shoulder or rib meat. I'd return but to try other items. Its an appealing space with great decor & good service. And maybe they had the condiments I wished for if only I had asked our server? next time....we'll see read more

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First I would like to start off with the service! As soon as we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the staff. First impressions are huge! As soon as we get seated, the table is set to perfection. 10/10 We put in our order, I can't remember the names of our dishes but I will provide pictures for you. We had the salad with duck in it. I honestly would go back just for the salad alone. It had that a really nice bite to it. The shallots added so much flavor, and you know when you get a salad and sometimes they over dress it? Well that was not the case, it was dressed and definitely impressed. Had a squeeze of lime for that extra zing to it. Perfect! We also had the hotpot, and let me tell you! The soup base was flavorful. It didn't need anything. It had that sweet and sour taste to it, and the fact that you get to add extra little sides in it made it so good! Kayla our wonderful staff member told us to add bean curd, and that little bean curd soaked up all the flavor , and as soon as you put it in your mouth, the flavor bomb kicked in! So good The other item we ordered was a beef stir fry with rice noodle and lettuce, I am a big meat eater. The beef alone was epic, it was savory, and the rice noodles that comes with it was really good. It came with a dipping sauce, and just like the bean curd, the rice noodles packed all that flavor! This is definitely a restaurant you have to try. The whole setting of the restaurant was beautiful, from the cuttlery to the food it was amazing! Definitely a date night, a go to in alameda, a fun dinner with the family. I can't wait to come back to try other things on the menu. I'm sure they won't miss - (this means that they aren't going to fail for you people who don't know what that means). read more

Bacogai - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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It stays on my mind! What a gem of a spot in alameda. The Lau Oxtail Hotpot is flavorful with a sweet hint, which is the main reason I keep coming back for it on a cold or rainy day. Make sure you try their homemade sauces - the chili pepper paste, as well as a cilantro based sauce and a sesame based one. Their Spicy Fish Sauce Wings are also pretty good. Every visit has been delightful--highly recommend! read more

Bacogai - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

Great service with friendly and attentive servers! My parents absolutely loved the Canh Cua soup -- it was definitely their favorite. However, I found the Oxtail soup to be a bit too sweet for my taste. That said, I really liked the overall concept of the place. The ambiance was modern but still captured that Vietnamese food vibe, making it a comfortable and enjoyable experience. read more

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Got here by accident for restaurant week but did not participate as we wanted different entrees. 3 course dinner for $65. See picture. Quality/Quantity - Simple menu done well. Banh Hoi (see picture of menu for definition) and hot pots. We got the following today: Duck Goi-Slaw Salad - This was a disappointment. We have had much better. If they did duck slices rather than pieces of meat, it would have taken this dish to the next level. My daughter still liked it though. Lau Canh Chua - My wife really liked this but my daughter and I liked the other hot pot. Lau Pork Bone Marrow - My daughter and I liked this hot pot better. Good broth flavors. Beef Luc Lac - This was my choice and the hit of the meal. The meat was cooked perfectly. Good flavors. Got both hot & cold water today, see cool water "pots." Also available - Full bar, cocktails, beer, wine, tea, coffee, etc. Atmosphere - Semi open kitchen. Clean bathrooms. Cool decor, CNY themed. $$ red envelopes everywhere. Plenty of mall parking. Open 6 days a week from 11:30am to 9:30pm, closed Wednesday. Heat lamps for future outdoor dining. Service - Self service waitlist kiosk; we got here right when a table opened up. Got lucky. The owner, I believe Emily, was the only waitress. And it was busy so we were understanding, but she struggled handling the business. Her mother and another guy helped clear and set up tables. They greeted customers and got them seated. But many of the customers after us had to wait a while to get served. Plus they had to flag Emily down for service. Emily is a very hard worker but should probably hire another wait staff. Price - $106 + tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since November of 2022. read more

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We had reservations and were promptly seated. I was very interested in trying out VN hotpot. We ordered: Eggrolls: kids like these Lau ox tail: the meat was good but the broth was so salty. Lau pork bone: this broth was really tasty. Bo luc lac: not what I am used to but kids ate it. Wagyu beef: good Roe fish balls: good Overall food I would give 4 stars. Service: docking stars because we had a lot of trouble flagging down waitress for food, to relight the fire, etc. Would have been nice to know that we could get 1 comp broth refill. They were pretty understaffed. I recommend cutting/serving the Napa cabbage into smaller more manageable pieces since the pots are so small. It was hard to add the toppings and have it cook before our fire went out. read more

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So this was a random find and was only craving some hot pot on a cold Monday sprinkly evening. This place popped up on Yelp while checking in the area I was in and I said let's check it out. We arrived around 6ish and there was not too many people but by the time we left, it was 3/4 full. A very modern ambiance for a Vietnamese restaurant. Nicely decorated and plenty of tables even for a big group. It's located in the old Blanding shopping area now where Nob Hills Market is where they modernized the place from my childhood days in Alameda. Alameda has been changing a lot over the decade and for the better with more places to eat. We ordered their sangria and it was pretty good. We also ordered their Beef Luc Lac. Very good portions of beef. The marinated beef was very good and we finished all of that. We also ordered their Lau Pork Bone Marrow soup, and added Wagyu beef and some enoki mushrooms! Not a disappoint. I actually thought the pot was small and that it was not enough for my husband and I to share but I was so wrong!! Very rich broth but once you add the veggies it makes the broth so much better. The broth was so good and creamy. Since it was only two of us, we couldn't order more or add a dessert to try because we were just too full from two things. Service was great! We will definitely be back to try other things. If you like hot pot style, come try this place. [20R,2024] read more

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Food is very authentic and the broth is heaven, milky and very tasty - no MSG Service is nice and the decor is pleasant, spacious and warm. If you ever need to have some comfort food, that's the place to be. Very good concept with Vietnamese soup base and hot pot and with a nice spread of sides. Especially need to support small businesses. They are owned by pretty young hard working women. read more

I loved the concept and enjoyed the food. I would definitely come back just for the canh chua. It's a small restaurant so definitely make reservations ahead of time. Food We tried a variety of items. Definitely stick to one dish at a time since the tables are a little small. Ordering more than a hot pot is a little tricky space wise. Bo Luc Lac -- 7/10 Vegetarian Eggrolls -- 7/10 Decent, nothing wrong but nothing I would crave again. Duck Goi -- 7/10 Good flavor but very little duck. Not sure if it's worth the cost. Canh Chua -- 9/10 Probably my favorite item. Worth it to order extra fish on the side. Be sure to use the provided condiments. Their fish sauce was really good. I would definitely come back for this! Pandan Waffle -- 7/10 Not as crispy as I would like. Light on flavor. I've had better pandan waffles. Fried Banana -- 9/10 Can't go wrong with this. Service -- 10/10 Service was attentive and very helpful. Environment -- 8/10 Plenty of parking. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Tables are on the smaller side so keep that in mind when ordering. Cleanliness -- 10/10 Value -- 9/10 For hot pot, it's a little pricey, but definitely worth the try. read more

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First time visiting Bacogai. Heard about this place through a friend. I went on a Saturday night. The main room was fairly crowded but there was plenty of space. The bill came out to $30/person on average. We were seated immediately and were able to order asap. We got the Beef Luc Lac Banh Hoi, Lau Canh Chua, Lau Pork Bone, Lau Ox Tail, and the Beef Toro. The beef toro was free after spending $75+. I was very happy with my order! Plenty of parking. Clean restrooms and interior. read more

Went on a weekday for dinner and surprised their was no wait! Was seated immediately and was greeted by a nice gentleman who was vey helpful and patient! It was our first time and was really excited to try to food since we've heard nothing but great recommendations. Being Vietnamese, most Vietnamese places don't impressed me much. However this place changed my mind. Ordered: Fish sauce wings $15 10/10 Lau pork bone $25 10/10 Shaken been banh hoi (woven noodles) $27 Free extra broth refill I can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu. I want to try to canh chua. I really enjoyed the fish sauce wings! Not many places can get this flavor right but this! It's a must here. We were really indecisive so the host was really nice to explain everything on the menu and recommend their poplar dishes. Place is a decent size and clean. Plenty of parking as it shares a parking within a shopping plaza. Despite all the things I've heard around poor customer service, I didn't experience that day. read more

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Passing through and Yelped up this beauty of a restaurant. I loved it! The staff were friendly from the moment I walked in the door. They were super helpful in helping me decipher the menu and choose my dish. The oxtail broth is delicious. Throwing the fresh ingredients into a boiling pot of broth at the table taps visceral feelings of food prep and eating. I'm now a hot pot devotee - thanks for the conversion experience Bocogai. read more

Bacogai - Lau Oxtail - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

I did not even know Vietnamese hot pot was a thing and boy I had been missing out. This place was so yummy!! Pork bone marrow hot pot and duck salad were great. My friends got the shaken beef and really like it too. Good service and they have beer/sake. Ample parking. Very casual sit down place read more

I've been to Bacogai and I thought I reviewed it before, but I guess not! Third time here and we still enjoyed it. Last time we wanted to eat here, there was a line with an estimated wait time of 30+ mins (on a Friday), so we ended up going for sushi instead. This Friday, I made sure to reserve ahead of time (same day reservation) through Yelp to make sure we didn't have to wait. Lo and behold, when we got there around 5:30 it was practically empty. However, it did fill up quickly during peak dinner hour, so I would highly recommend either coming early, or making a reservation beforehand. I didn't know this was going on, but apparently, Bacogai was celebrating 2 years since opening, so they had a little special for people with $75 purchase (a small, but sizable list of add-ons or dessert to choose from)! My favorite from Bacogai has to be their Duck Goi-Slaw Salad, which we of course had to get. Aside the that, my partner and I also shared an order of Beef Luc Lac and a Lau Canh Chua. The Duck Goi-Slaw Salad came pretty quickly. This is simple, delicious, and plentiful. There's quite a bit of duck pieces here and there mixed into the salad. The cabbage is shredded finely, and the amount of fried shallots they add on top makes for a nice layer of crunch. Next came the toppings for the hotpot, the Lau Canh Chua. The variety of toppings was great, but I wasn't particularly impressed with this hotpot. It was still good especially for a chilly day like today, but some of the ingredients just weren't really fresh - for us in particular, the okra and enoki were a little yellowish / brown. My partner really likes the sweet and sour tamarind broth, which is unique aspect of this hotpot. While I enjoyed the flavor too, it's not the flavor combo I'd usually opt for. We also added a side of King Trumpet Mushroom to make the $75 special and got a free side of Pork Collar. The Pork Collar looked pretty fresh, and it turned out great. Last note on the hotpot - each of these hotpot is recommended for one person and I think the price is definitely on the higher side for the ingredients included in here. Finally, as for the Beef Luc Lac, I thought this was not bad. But again, the price point is on the high side. The shaken beef itself was a tad overcooked, still kind of tender though. I don't have much experience with shaken beef, but I find the beef to have too strong of a flavor. My favorite part of this dish might just be the purple woven noodles. Maybe because it just looks so pretty, haha. I enjoyed wrapping the ingredients in the lettuce wraps, even if it does get a bit messy to eat. Bacogai is definitely more of a unique experience since I don't see many Vietnamese hotpot around the Bay Area. The customer service here is great and attentative. While I don't see myself becoming a regular, I do like the occasional treat and uniqueness it brings. If you haven't tried Vietnamese hotpot, give Bacogai a try. read more

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Love how they have single serve Vietnamese hot pot here! We went at opening on a weekday and there was no wait. The ox tail broth was chefs kiss! I also loved the shaking beef and duck salad! This place is perfect for those cold winter nights; we went when it was warm and we were sweating eating the hot pot haha! Parking is easy, the restaurant is located in shopping center. read more

I've wanted to try this place for awhile since I've never had Vietnamese style hot pot before. It's in a shopping complex area of Alameda, so super easy to find and park at. As an appetizer, we got the Mama Rose's Crab Cha Gio ($3), which were very unique tasting and a great texture. However, the crab flavor could've been more prominent. For the hot pots, we got the Lau Pork Bone Marrow ($25) and Lau Canh Chua ($27). I loved the amount of veggies and noodles that each of these came with, as well as the flavors of the broth. I could not stop drinking the soups of each of them. I especially loved the Lau Canh Chua because of its distinct sour flavor. Overall, really fresh and unique addition to Alameda. I do think it's pretty pricey for what it's worth, so I'd only come back for a special occasion! read more

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Great innovative food in my neighborhood in Alameda. Went early on a Friday evening, friendly service, nice warm pleasant space. My wife had the oxtail hotpot. She is very picky about her broth, it can't be too bitter or salty, and she was very impressed. Lots of oxtail, mushrooms and other goodies as well and as many have noted the server was super attentive and asked if we wanted more broth. I had the grilled pork Bahn hoi which was super flavorful. Good value as well. Nice atmosphere with a family with small kids in attendance but the space is quiet. read more

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Bacogai has been on the top of my bookmark list ever since I saw them on social media. Hot pot is my favorite type of meal so I knew I had to make the drive out to Alameda to give it a try! I was able to easily make a same-day reservation via Yelp, but because the restaurant was full when we arrived, we still waited about 15 minutes. We didn't try any of their drinks but they have a nice list of cocktails, wine, and beer. Now onto the food - We ordered the Beef La Lot ($25) as our appetizer and it was delicious. It was my first time having this dish and Bacogai has set my expectations high! However, my boyfriend mentioned that $25 is on the pricier end for this compared to other places he's tried. Perhaps because this is categorized as an entree on the menu, but I think if I were to order it as an entree, I would only get it if I wasn't that hungry since the portion is on the smaller side. For our individual hot pots, I got the Lau Oxtail ($26) and my boyfriend got the Lau Canh Chua ($27) which is mainly seafood with a sweet and sour tamarind broth. I really enjoyed my Lau Oxtail broth and there was decent amounts of oxtail, tripe, and beef balls. My boyfriend is a big fan of tamarind and his broth was very flavorful and "exactly what he wanted". Because the portions are on the smaller side and there really isn't much meat, we ordered the beef tongue and Australian wagyu beef as an add on to share. The quality of the meat was good but also on the pricier end. Service was great, they were very attentive, checked in on us multiple times, and re-lit our fires quickly when it went out (2-3x). Overall, Bacogai was a delicious and high-quality meal, but it was expensive for the amount of food we got. I don't think I'll be visiting regularly since the drive is a little far from me, but if you're in the area its definitely worth a try. read more

Bacogai - Lau Canh Chua, Lau Oxtail, beef tongue and wagyu add ons - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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I thought great food combined with a rich atmospheres were fading in the Bay Area UNTIL I recently had dinner with my family at Bacogai. This restaurant appears to be a local family friendly eatery. Everybody smiles! The food and service is wonderful. THE BEST HOT POT AND VIETNAMESE FOOD I HAVE HAD IN YEARS. EASY SAFE PARKING!! read more

You know, really good! Loved the hot pots and lemon grass pork. Also you have to order the garlic noodles preferably with shrimp. The service was great and fast. Finish it off with the Pandan waffles + ice cream! read more

Bacogai - Lemongrass Pork - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

I've had this place on my list and finally had a chance to give it a try... I went there for lunch with a couple colleagues and we all ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup with the fresh rice noodles. The presentation was beautiful, even though it's not the typical portion you would get at other Vietnamese restaurants. Taste wise, it was delicious! The broth was fantastic and it was served with the wide rice noodles which was also excellent. Service was friendly and very efficient! read more

Bacogai - Chicken Noodle Soup - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

Cute spot for Vietnamese food in Alameda! It was on the pricy end for the portion size but everything was delicious. Service was a bit slow since there was only one person working but she was very friendly. We tried the ox tail hot pot and the shaken beef and loved both. The ox tail broth was so rich and flavorful with a hint of sweetness. The shaken beef was so tender and seasoned perfectly. If you order $75+ you can choose an extra meat/veggie/dessert. We chose the fried banana with ice cream which was the best way to end the meal. :) read more

Bacogai - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

Came here for lunch with my friend today. Of note, I arrived right at 11:30 am, the opening time, but the restaurant wasn't open, so I wasn't sure if they were actually open for the day. But they opened their doors around 11:38 am or so. We ordered the beef luc lac (shaking beef with vermicelli and lettuce) and lau mushroom (vegan hot pot) to share. I felt like the food took a while to come out--didn't keep track of the time but seemed later than expected, especially since I'm used to Vietnamese/hot pot places being super fast. However, overall service was friendly and the servers checked on us a few times. The beef luc lac was really good--I liked the flavor of the shaking beef and how it was in bite-sized pieces, so easy to roll it up in a wrap, and the different colored vermicellis were good too. I would say the lau mushroom was just average and the hot pot looked smaller than I expected from pictures, but it does seem to be an appropriate portion for one person. If I had only ordered the lau mushroom for myself, I don't think I'd be very full since there wasn't much protein, maybe 2-3 pieces of tofu. Overall the food was decent, but I expected the hot pot to be better. I would still come back, but try a different hot pot item next time. read more

This place is amazing! All of the ingredients are super fresh, and the homemade peanut sauce is to die for. The service is excellent and the team really makes sure everything is taken care of. I've been multiple times with big groups and it's been perfect. Worth the trek into Alameda. read more

Bacogai - Lau Pork Bone Marrowand Lau Canh Chua - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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Food was good, but expensive for what you're getting. Vietnamese hot pot is a new concept for me and it's silly that I haven't thought of it sooner! Such a simple concept and nicely executed. I ordered the pork bone marrow hot pot which was $24. The soup was very flavorful. There wasn't a lot of meat available and the plate was mostly vegetables, 2 fish balls, 2 lobster balls, noodles and tofu, so I wouldn't say it's that worth it. The oxtail hotpot definitely had more flavor and it felt like there was more meat. The oxtail was cooked down nicely and was very tender. In addition to the two hot pots, we also ordered the banh hoi beef luc lac. Portion was kind of small for $25. The beef was alright, but this was the least worth it to me. Overall, nice execution but I feel like you could get a little more bang for your buck at places like Tastee Steam or something, if we are comparing similar concepts. Glad I got to try it once, but it's definitely not a regular dining spot for me. read more

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===TL;DR=== - Banh Hoi section: Beef Luc Lac (shaking beef) - Hotpot section: Lau Canh Chua with a size of Prime Black Angus Beef (they ran out of wagyu) ===TMI=== This place has been sitting in my bookmark but I guess they're all over IG now. Let me tell you, they were boooooomb! Such a refreshing take on Vietnamese cuisine. Went there on a Sunday toward their closing time for lunch (2:30pm is the cutoff time), they were so packed we had to wait still. Luckily they still took us in. Not sure if they're under staffed or their business is just ramping up but we sat there for quite some time with no one taking our order until a lot later (they were also busy bussing tables). Ordered their 2 iconic items on the menu and there was no regret. Chefs kiss to their hotpot! The sweet and sour tamarind flavored broth was at such a balance, I can't stop drinking more. The beef and fish fillet were soft, soaking up all the broth. Currently their hotpot are small individual sizes so if you're not planning to order sides, 1 per person will be a good portion. If you're planning to order sides, I recommend sharing 1 or multiple pots with folks as it also gets filling. Next, their shaking beef was NOT dry! Blesssss them. The noodles had a great bounce, perfect pairing with the sauce it came with. It was a very cozy and comforting meal. Can't wait to come back to try their other broths! read more

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Been really curious about this spot and finally had a chance to try it! A lot of people don't know Vietnamese food also has their own version of hot pot which is called Lẩu. The traditional version they have on their menu is the Lẩu Canh Chua which is what I ordered. The hotpots are individual portions and recommended as one serving per person. You can also order additional meats ala carte. We also ordered the duck salad, summer rolls, and egg rolls to share. All the appetizers were very good and traditional. Although a bit pricy, I really appreciate Bacogai introducing traditional Vietnamese dishes in a modern and approachable way. Their cocktails were also delicious. The servers were friendly and able to accommodate our large group. However my one complaint is the server did not make it clear that gratuity was already included in the bill. They definitely need to verbally inform in addition to circling or highlighting the gratuity portion so it is clear to guests. Besides that I would come again! read more

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Great Vietnamese hot pot. We enjoyed the hot pot & salad. It was delicious. We will definitely return. A must try when in Alameda. Staff were nice & friendly. read more

Bacogai - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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I've tried Japanese hotpot, taiwanese hotpot and Chinese hotpot so when I found out this place focuses on Vietnamese hotpot, my husband and I drove to alameda to try this spot out. We got there at around 7 pm on a Saturday and were surprised there was no wait. It's located in a plaza so there are plenty of parking spots close by. The restaurant was half full and as customers leave, new ones would come in. The inside was clean and modern plus it's a good spot to bring a date or to just chill with friends and family. We ordered the Lau Canh Chua (seafood hotpot), Lau Oxtail and the mama rose's crab cha gio. Food came out quickly and service was pretty attentive. We had to flag the waitress down a few times to relit the fire for the hotpot but someone always showed up quickly. The crab cha gio was unique and deep fried perfectly with a crispy texture. I would recommend getting this. My husband got the seafood hotpot and he said it was pretty good. I got the oxtail hotpot and the broth was very delicious. They gave us a good amount of food for each hotpot. Out of the 2, our favorite was the Lau oxtail. Price was very reasonable given the amount of food we got for the individual hotpot. If you are around the area, this is a good spot to check out. read more

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Food was excellent, tasty, and service was efficient, well attended, ambiance was simple and tasteful.

Review for 2/25/24 Bacogai is so good! I drove all the way from San Jose to here just to try their dishes and I can confidently say it was worth the drive. This restaurant is now placed on my top 3 hot pot sports in the Bay. We came here on a weekend during opening time and I already see half the restaurant full. The ambiance looks simple, but their silverware and dish plates look fancy. The presentation of the food is perfect and just like how I saw it on these popular instagram foodie accounts. We got the Beef Luc Lac, Lau Oxtail, and for dessert, their Friend Banana with Ice cream in which they all were a 5/5. For drinks, we got Sangria and Spritz which were really good as well! Definitely get the Beef Luc Lac when you get the chance to come here and come prepared with an empty stomach. read more

Bacogai - Fried banana with vanilla ice cream - Hot Pot Near Me - Alameda, California

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