Bacogai Reservations
Order Bacogai Takeout or Delivery
Bacogai Photos
BACOGAI ATMOSPHERE
Recommended Reviews - Bacogai
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Super solid for Vietnamese inspired hot pot. I got the oxtail broth base and it left me breathless. It was filled with a ton of beefy flavor and sweet. I wish I could have that broth everyday! It comes with assorted vegetables such as mushrooms, pumpkin, and noodles. There were also a good amount of oxtails if I do say so myself. I tried my girlfriend's pork bone broth and that also had a ton of savory umami as well. It was borderline addicting! The noodles soaked up all the broth and flavors to the point where they were like sponges. Every strand of noodle was bursting with complete deliciousness. They were individual DIY style hot pots so you can order extra add ons as well. It reminded me of Tasty Pot or boiling point but more of a deconstructed version. Excellent place if you wanted to try Vietnamese hot pot!
Best wings: fried I think without any batter, super crisp skin, juicy meat and flavorful sauce. Extra points for the fried garlic bits and sometimes they will have some herby like basil or cilantro - wish they would be more consistent with that. Haven't dined in yet, all DD orders. Enjoyed what I have gotten here so far. Smaller portions but they spend a lot of time with the food here, not greasy, some meats from Spain and Australia.
Recently revisited Bacogai for lunch. The last time we were here, we really enjoyed the hot pot, but this time we decided to try something different on their menu. We started off with a Vietnamese iced coffee ($6). The coffee was strong (just the way I like it) and slightly sweetened with condensed milk. We ordered the beef luc lac (shaking beef) banh hoi platter ($28), which is served along with lettuce, herbs, and nuoc cham. This seems to be a popular dish among those that frequent here. The beef was delicious and surprisingly super tender! Second dish we tried was the braised salmon clay pot ($23) that's served with rice. Salmon was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. Definitely spoon some of the sauce over your rice! Portion-wise, I did wish there was more from both taking in consideration of the price. Total price came out to about over $60 before tips.
The hotpot was really good. The soup was flavorful and they give you plenty of vegetables and side dishes to cook yourself. The claypot with pork shoulder and egg was okay, but the pork was too dry, probably overcooked. The wings were delicious and give big pieces. Unfortunate the dessert portion was lacking. Pandan waffles came out cold, which was a bit disappointing. Also the espresso in the affogato was not hot or warm, so it was like just drinking coffee and eating ice cream separately instead of an affogato dessert. Overall, the hotpot and wings are the highlights, and I would definitely come back to try other dishes.
Food 5/5 I ordered the Salmon Claypot and Small Hot Pot -- both were excellent. The salmon was well-seasoned, though the portion was surprisingly small. For the hot pot, the soup was very flavorful and delicious, quite different from other restaurants. Service 2/5 To be precise, I should say the restaurant's management was the real issue. There were only two waitresses, and they had to welcome customers, clean the tables, deliver dishes, and help customers check out. The restaurant wasn't even full when we arrived, yet we still waited at least 15 minutes just to get seated because the waitress too busy to clean tables. The wait time for the dishes was also unbelievably long. Checking out took even longer. It was clear the restaurant was extremely short-staffed, which seemed like a major management problem. Overall, the dining experience was disappointing, even though the food was good.
LOCATION: Blanding/Fruitvale PARKING: Lots WHAT WE ORDERED: * Bo Luc Lac Garlic Noodles ($22) - My least favorite dish of the three, but it was not bad! I wish it had more garlic. The bo luc lac was a little overcooked and tough for my liking. * Bo La Lot Banh Hoi ($27) - The nuoc cham that came with it was pretty light. I usually like to drench my food with nuoc cham, so I had to add a lot. The bo la lot was unexpectedly pretty yum! I love banh hoi so I'm glad I got to try it here. * Oxtail Lau ($28) - Light and tasty broth with a platter of fresh vegetables. It comes with ramen noodles, but you can sub it out with vermicelli. Pretty decent (but pricey) Vietnamese food in the East Bay. Bacogai has both a traditional and modern blend. I'm glad I got to finally try it, but I don't think I'll return regularly because I'm not used to such high prices at a Vietnamese restaurant. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to try more homey and cozy Viet food!
Went to Bacogai on a Monday for my partner's birthday and it was a relaxed vibe. We had a reservation, and was seated quickly and had dedicated, supportive, helpful service the whole time. It was our first time trying hot pot and our server gave us a ton of information, recommendations, along with some suggestions on additional food to pair with the hotpot. We got the duck salad, which was savory, full of citrus, chunky due to the large shrimp chips, and was amazingly delicious. We also a salmon bowl, which I guess I didn't get a photo of but the salmon was so tender, rich, and memorable. Finally the hot pot, full of oxtail, large pieces, great tofu, mushrooms, and we followed the recs of when to put in certain items, was recommended to get extra broth if needed, and also if the burner goes out they can re-light it. Because it was my partner's birthday he did get a little treat, which was lovely. We will be back to try more food! Loved what we had and excited to try more.
Great spot with a calm, quiet atmosphere and aesthetically designed interiors. The area around is also great for walking around after, to fight the food coma. The food was excellent across the board and hit exactly what I was craving, especially the lemongrass pork bánh hỏi. The green thai tea was perfectly balanced and not overly sweet. On top of that, the staff was very attentive and made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend!
Amazing service, our server was very attentive and the food was delicious. It was my first time here and I enjoyed it so much!!
What a surprise! Want hotpot on that day but didn't want crazy amount Chinese style or the Shabuya buffet type. Found this one because saw the review has the one person hotpot. The one person hotpot was exactly what I want and I added an additional Australian wagyu beef which was very tender. Just enough amount of the food and all the vegetables were very fresh. My son ordered the duck salad and the clay pot pork belly. Duck salad was a very refreshing taste. Lime sauce over the braised duck, it cane with shrimp crackers. Pot belly was very tender and plenty of sauce. Perfect to eat with steam rice Only one server but she was very friendly and handled the whole place very well. Clean environment with beautiful green walls which were very nice to use as the picture background . Will be back to try their other dishes.
Very delicious lunch. I ordered the mushroom and tofu clay pot. It came with a side of jasmine rice. I also had the vegetarian spring roll. The clay pot had the best tofu I've ever had. I mean marinated in some richness that complimented the mushrooms. The best. The only downfall to this establishment is service is a little slow and it's kind of dry in there although it's decorated pretty modern. Thank clay pot is a go to for sure.
First time picking up Bacogai to go, but won't be the last! We ordered a few items to share, and everything traveled really well for takeout. Got home 30 min later and still fresh, vibrant, flavorful, and didn't lose its luster on the drive. Shrimp Garlic Noodles: Chewy, garlicky, and 6 big plump shrimp. Flavorful but not overpowering. Definitely a staple dish when ordering for a group. Veggie Udon Hot Pot Kit: Broth packed separate so nothing gets soggy. Fresh veggies, fish balls, and noodles ready to build at home. You can definitely get 2 full meals from this dish. Shaking Beef Vermicelli Rolls: For me, this is a gold medal dish! Fun little noodle bundles and sliced beef organized perfectly for wrapping & dipping. Even when the beef is gone, I'm dipping all the scraps - no waste! Crispy Tofu Salad - Crunchy tofu over a fresh slaw with tangy dressing. Huge portion and saves well for a few days. Everything traveled perfectly, portions were big, and the flavors hit. Feels like restaurant dining, just in your kitchen. Big time stamp of approval!
This meal stays living rent free in my mind. I've never had Vietnamese hotpot before, so I was really looking forward to trying some new dishes in this restaurant. I came here on a weekday around 8 PM as a party of 2, and we were seated right away. I can imagine how busy it gets on the weekends though. I would highly recommend trying at least one hot pot and one banh hoi. I have no gripes with the food at all, but it's pretty pricey for what you get and service was extremely slow. Even though the restaurant was barely half filled when we were there, it took a while to get the attention of our waiter. Sometimes it seemed like he was ignoring us, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. The meal pretty much made up for the service, and I would still recommend it to anyone in the mood for Vietnamese food. We ordered the Lau Oxtail Hotpot and the Lemongrass Pork, and both were phenomenal. The broth in the hotpot was so flavorful and comforting, and the pork was seasoned perfectly. The pork was honestly one of the best things I've eaten all year. At the end of our meal, we decided to order the fried banana. Fried in rice flour, the outside pastry has the texture of mochi! Best way to end our meal. read more
Our friend who's originally from Alameda, recommended we eat here for dinner. Man I gotta say, this is hands down my favorite hot pot place I've been to, in the Bay Area! The broth of the soup was so flavorful and aromatic, that right when it comes to the table, the smell slaps you in the face! The ingredients are your typical hot pot variety, but the vegetables were the true essence to this tasty meal! They really provide with a unique flavor combined with their rich flavored broth. It was a cold rainy night, and this really hit the spot and warmed us all up! 10/10 on taste 10/10 on service 10/10 on value I just wish they had one closer to me in Solano County,which really needs more great Asian food spots. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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 $75 special and got a free side of Pork Collar. The Pork Collar looked pretty fresh, and it turned out great. Last note on the hotpot - each of these hotpot is recommended for one person and I think the price is definitely on the higher side for the ingredients included in here. Finally, as for the Beef Luc Lac, I thought this was not bad. But again, the price point is on the high side. The shaken beef itself was a tad overcooked, still kind of tender though. I don't have much experience with shaken beef, but I find the beef to have too strong of a flavor. My favorite part of this dish might just be the purple woven noodles. Maybe because it just looks so pretty, haha. I enjoyed wrapping the ingredients in the lettuce wraps, even if it does get a bit messy to eat. Bacogai is definitely more of a unique experience since I don't see many Vietnamese hotpot around the Bay Area. The customer service here is great and attentative. While I don't see myself becoming a regular, I do like the occasional treat and uniqueness it brings. If you haven't tried Vietnamese hotpot, give Bacogai a try. read more
Individual Vietnamese hot pot place that offers a few choices to choose from. The appetizers were okay. Eggroll was greasy and bo luc lac was chewy from being marbled and undercooked. Bo la lot was good though but very fatty. About 3 oxtails in the broth, and for the seafood one a few slices of fish. Canh chua tastes like canh chua, and oxtail broth was savory. Flavor is good but definitely too overpriced for the amount of food you get. The hot pots do not come with slices of meat, those are additional. Whatever you read in the item description is what you get. adding one order of meat turns it into a 45-50$ meal. Desserts were good but the fried banana batter on the outside was a little tough to bite. Service was a little slow, we waited about 30 for our appetizers and 45 minutes for everyone at our table to get their pots. Our apps were coming out one by one instead of all together. I give this place 3 stars mainly cause I think it's not worth the price but dont be afraid to come try it out as the food is overall good. read more
Vietnamese Hot Pot Restaurant opened by three friends who met in high school. Bacogai, is locally owned and took over the Taco Bell outlet located at the Landing, and is one of the few Viet Hot Pots in the EB. We ordered: - Duck Salad which was nice and refreshing - Shaking Beef with Viet Egg Rolls, the beef was tender and juicy moist. - Oxtail Hotpot Soup, a savory, light coconut soup with an extra order of pea leaves. Comes with veggies, mushrooms, sausage, and ramen. The hot pot is big enough to share as long as you have other items. Overall: A nice addition to Alameda, a bit pricey, excellent service and a beautiful and spacious interior. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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
This place has a lot of potential. Bacogai is a Vietnamese restaurant in Alameda that is known for its Vietnamese-style hotpots and banh hoi, which is a dish that consists of woven vermicelli served with protein, egg rolls, lettuce, and nuoc cham dipping sauce. Props to this place for using fresh ingredients. The flavors are refreshing, complex, yet so comforting. Though I wish their portion sizes were bigger because I was still left hungry after eating a $27 hotpot with $15 of additional beef slices... Expensive. read more
2 years ago
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
2 years ago
Interesting vietnamese spot Didn't know there was hotpot Ii n vietnamese cuisine Had the one with tamarind and it wasn't too sour or anything, which I enjoyed Went in the middle of the week and it wasn't busy at all. Food came out pretty fast The fried appetizer was like any other place The roll was present very nicely but for the price I'd rather get the typical two whole rolls read more
Got targeted to check out Bacogai through IG reels. We came on a Saturday afternoon around 1:30pm, and there was still around a 20 min wait. I have mixed feelings about this place, and they're definitely still figuring out the kinks here. We ordered two hotpots, with no additions. Lau Canh Chua and Lau Oxtail. The broths were both delicious... at first. After awhile, they became a little too heavy. I thought the tamarind flavor was a little too strong, and the hotpot became overly sweet towards the end. Also the sides for the Lau Oxtail aren't worth the price that was charged. I do think Bacogai is worth a try but Lau Hai San in San Jose is better in terms of quality, pricing, and quantity. read more
2 years ago
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
3 years ago
TOP FREAKIN' TIER. My boyfriend and I came here for lunch one rainy afternoon and were blessed to be seated before they closed up for the afternoon. First impressions? These staff members are angels. They were helpful with our questions and patient with our orders. They would check in periodically with us while we had our meal and we loved the energy they gave. The restaurant is located in a plaza so there's a lot that you can park at. Inside, the aesthetic is very regal and energizing since the walls are somewhat jade to hunter green and there's a good balance of accented colors, plants, and decor in the restaurant. There are tables that are perfect for medium sized groups. We ordered the following: - Bone marrow soup - Oxtail soup - Crab cha gio - Sangria EVERYTHING WAS PERFECTION. My boyfriend let me try some of the bone marrow hot pot that he had and it was light and tasty. My oxtail soup hot pot was rich in flavor but not overwhelming. The crab cha gio was crisp and delicious. The sangrias we had were juicy and refreshing! Honestly this meal won me over. Bacogai is one of my top hot pot places in the Bay Area, and I say that with so much confidence. The quality of the food, service, and location makes it so much better. I'm super excited to visit again! read more
I crave soup after a night out drinking as if the steam from the broth will cure all ails. Bacogai was the calling. I've had this place bookmarked for a while and made the drive on over to Alameda. It's situated in the Nob hill lot so there's plenty of parking. ~Ambiance Walking into Bacogai, you're instantly hit with the aroma of piping hot broth. It smelled divine. The restaurant has quite a few tables inside, and an outdoor patio area overlooking the water if you prefer to dine there. It's a beautiful spot on a nice summer night. ~ Food/Hot-pot We ordered the pork bone marrow hot pot and you know it's about to smack if the broth is cloudy/milky. The hot pot comes with assorted veggies and udon, as well as two sauces to accent your food: bean curd sauce & a scallion sauce. Highly recommend pouring both for extra umami. Aside from the 4 different hot pots to choose from, Bacogai also serves up Vietnamese dishes like spring rolls old and banh hoi (woven noodles paired with meat and veggies). *Tip: The one hot pot is good for 2. My husband and I each had about 3 bowls of the hot pot which was more than enough for us. **Tip: Rice is not included and is additional if you want a bowl of rice. ~ Hot-pot 101 There is no one way to hot pot. Some people pour all the fixings in the pot and let it cook altogether. Others may place their veggies one by one and scoop them into their bowl until their desired doneness. If you're like me, I have a bowl of soup which I ladle little by little into my rice and eat altogether. Whatever your technique may be, do what suits you. read more
1 year ago
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
Did you know Bacogai means 3 ladies in Viet? It's also the name of a famous canned sardine brand in Vietnam LOL. So glad I stumbled upon this gem on social media and made the drive to check it out. We ordered: * Cha gio (aka egg rolls): crisply good. Great dipping sauce. I wish it came with more lettuce. * Lau Canh Chua: Lau = hotpot. Canh chua is a typical soup you'd find at a Viet dinner table. There's a pleasant sourness to the dish, and I love all the veggies and toppings that comes with it. Main protein is fish, carbs is rice noodles. Must try :) * Lau Oxtail: meaty meaty. My partner loves this one. I agree that it tastes good, but the taste of the broth is overpowering for me (too much MSG). The meat balls and oxtail are solid. Comes with instant noodles. * peach iced tea: yummy and refreshing. Great food and very nice staff, though service was a bit slow. The restaurant has a nice ambiance, is nicely designed and family friendly (they have high chairs). Plenty of parking. Hopefully next time I come back, they'd nail down the process for quicker service. Overall, would recommend! read more
9 months ago
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
9 months ago
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
Rare Vietnamese hotpot spot that I visited with 4 of my gfs. The interior is modern and beautiful. However I would say the food is on the quite expensive side which was not what we were expecting for a hotpot spot. We spent about ~$47 after tax and tip for 4 mini hotpots, 1 vermicelli dish, 1 appetizer, 4 beverages and little side add ons. And although it does say that they recommend each person to get their own pots, it's really not needed. My friend and I shared a soup pot with some additional add ons and we couldn't finish our pot. Otherwise, food was good but just a little bit too pricey, so I probably won't return. read more
Amazing food & warm welcoming ambiance is what I received while dining at Bacogai. The dish ware & decoration had an artistic flair that made you feel like you were at an upscale restaurant. It definitely made the experience even more relaxing. Everything we ordered was excellent & wonderfully seasoned. This says a lot about the chef & the food. For each dish to be well executed, seasoned & choice meats selected I can see why the price point is a little high. Orders: Beef Lac Lac- shaking beef seasoned well with tons of spices & flavors that has been marinated through & through. The pieces of meat were tender & cubed & nestled underneath were lettuce leaves, so your lettuce absorbs all the juices of the meat. You also have the option of eating it with purple or white vermicelli if you want & to top it off you can add sauce & mint leaves to wrap all of this in. You also get 2 fried spring rolls(Mama Rose's Dungenous Crab Cha Gio) so unless you want more, you don't need to order this as an appetizer). The mint goes perfect with this dish & really compliments all the components of this dish. A must order dish. Lemongrass Pork-pork skewers with a seasoned grit bc of the spices. It's as if they used a mortar & pestle to grind up the spices, which seems like a lost art. The pork was tender & seasoned exceptionally well. It had the same layout as the Beef Lac Lac but without the vermicelli noodles. Love this dish. Hotpot's: *order may take a little longer Lau Oxtail-slow cooked oxtail, beef balls, fried taro, tofu,ramen with a creamy, nutty bean curd broth. A hotpot serving for 1. Well curated with intense broth depth. We could all use a healthy dose of this hotpot soup. The only thing I would change is the ramen & replace it with udon, but that's just my personal preference. Lau Pork Bone Marrow-sliced pork, mushroom, tofu, fish/lobster balls, udon in a rich pork marrow broth. You can tell no short cuts were made when they made this broth. A good amount of pork was in the hotpot adding to the richness of the broth. I was able to try both & there were both competitively good. I guess it boils down to what you crave more of. Service is warm & welcoming, but can be slow, so don't expect a dash & go experience. All in all I would not hesitate to come back to this little gem. read more
Tried the lau oxtail hot pot. It was good and I like the concept of how it's presented. Veggies were fresh. I added the chili peppers to my broth, added a nice little kick. When my fire died, I asked to start it up again (since I like my food hot hot). When I asked if I could get more soup, it was going to be an additional cost so I passed on it. It is more on the pricey side for individual hot pot so this isn't something I'd eat all the time to get my hot pot fix but it's definitely worth the try and a nice treat. We got the last of the hazy ipa. We originally wanted another sake but they were out so we were recommended another one - good choice and easy to drink! Restaurant's located in a plaza with other businesses so it's convenient and easy to find parking! read more
Bacogai opens in the space that was Taco Bell. it's a collab between veterans of the South Asian eateries: Emily Le, Khanh Tran Lin, & Kayla Bui. this is one of a few authetic Vietnamese hot pot eateries in the bay area. such a distinction has earned them the label of Asian fusion in some circles, a misnomer. offerings: appetizers, Hot Pot, add ons, bahn hoi, desserts, sake/beer, soy bean, noodles & rice , drinks drill: as a seldom eater of hot pots, i was lost. just went to the basic.....in hingsight add ons would have been useful bur may be overkill since there's limited broth... eats: Oxtail Hot pot (28)-slow cooked oxtail in beef broth, tripe, fried taro, greens, mushrooms, soft tofu, vermicelli/ramen, creamy & nutty bean curd broth. -the oxtail came out pre-cooked in a beef broth, separate plate of raw ingredients which will be mixed with the broth, creating a yummy broth from the added nutrients. -beef broth bowl is small, had cinnamon and other spices & herbs. the raw ingredients must be added slowly to pot which is cooked then eaten, pot too small to hold all ingredients at once. size of small pot may be gatekeeper in quality control to cook ingredients properly and timely. drink: green tea milk tea (5) rich mix of matcha flavor and thai milk tea, not too sweet. -a non alcohol drink specially chosen, not gimmicky. leftovers: -not AUCE, broth can be refilled for $4. -seafood hot pot would have been a interesting choice if it sounded more like bun rieu, it didn't have a tomato broth, just a tomato. maybe next time.... -menu atypical of Vietnamese eateries. more similiar to Taiwanese/Chinese hot pots places... -the oxtail hot pot was reasonably priced, had unami flavors. 4.5 stars since i have limited experiences with hot pots... -condiments of chili, vinegar, tamarind? on the side to add flavor to meat/broth... read more
Ambiance: 4.5 Service: 5 Food: 5+++ Very skeptical about Vietnamese food in this plaza. We were pleasantly surprised. EVERY dish holds traditional taste, well-balanced seasoning, and deliciously simple but well-presented. To start, duck salad was off the hook. It was soo delicious. The taste of roasted duck meat blended with fresh thinly sliced cabbage, and perfectly seasoned fish sauce was mouthwatering . I love canh chua, or sour soup and never found any place, even some Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose that tasted right. They were either too sour, full of MSG, or bland. It came in a form of hotpot so the side ingredients so the veggies were not over cooked and got soggy. The sourness and sweetness was perfectly balanced well. Absolutely love this dish!! The Bo la lot or grilled minced beef in betel leaves was insanely moist and full of flavor, not dry as eaten at different places. The grilled lemongrass pork was juicy and flavorful. Loved every single dish that we ordered. Highly recommended to try this place out!! One will not disappoint. Bonus point for the restaurant is super nice and attentive server!! This restaurant will be on my return list. read more
Our first time having Vietnamese hot pot and we were curious to compare with Chinese hot pot. First, the soup pots are small and meant to serve 1 person. Second, It comes on top of flaming briquettes(?) that burns out in 15-20 minutes. I didn't time it but it was out before we finished our meal Third, unless you order extra meat there's little to "cook" and if the flame is not constant then you need to cook the meat first Our table of 5 ordered 3 Hot pots (only 4 available on the menu), appetizer, beef luc lac. All three soups were unique and tasted like they were cooked for hours. Very rich in flavor. The winner was the bone marrow! The beef luc lac was delicious (sorry no pic) and the egg rolls were crispy. The decor was well thought out from the color scheme to the cute dishes. Service was attentive Overall a wonderful first time experience however it was pricey at $22-24 for each hot pot. Not sure if this will be a regular or just a once-in-a-while spot for us. read more
Vietnamese Hotpot, who knew? Not I! Very nice new restaurant in the Shopping Center with Nob Hill Supermarket. We ordered the Crab rolls, Shaken beef plate and Oxtail soup. This definitely was a fun experience and unique. I've never had taro cake to add to my soup. I also like my soup bubbling hot. Delicious food, they have a limited menu but sufficient enough for most tastes. Vegetarian options are available. We also had Pandan waffles with ice cream as our dessert. Service is attentive and very caring. This is definitely a place to eat! read more
1 year ago
4.5* So glad my friend found this place. The cha gio egg rolls were delicious. Got the Lau Oxtail sub with the pork marrow broth. There were more pieces of oxtail than I would've thought. The broth was SO flavorful. The wagyu beef slices were tender. The ingredients were fresh, but it can add up if you do a lot of add ons. The flavor of the bo luc lac was good. Also got the Pandan waffles with ice cream per my friends' kiddo's request. Been a day and still thinking about that broth. Service was great! read more
We initially tried to come here on a Friday at 7 PM but there seemed to be a long wait so we decided to check it out on a Wednesday and we only had to wait about 10-15 minutes for a table. This location was originally a Taco Bell, but I love the atmosphere there, friendly, good service and comforting food! It's a cozy place perfect for a cold wintry day to have your own little boiling hot pot of tasty broth and hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals! Hubby ordered the Lau Pork Bone Marrow and I had the Lau Oxtail. I ordered the Oxtail without the tripe, just more oxtail! The hot pot came out boiling with oxtail and beef balls. All I had to do was cook the egg noodles, taro, tofu, cabbage, veggies into the soup as there was plenty of delicious oxtail and meat balls in the delicious broth! Great for a bone chilling night! Next time I'd love to try the shaken beef! read more
1 year ago
Definitely recommend the bone marrow soup and oxtail soup for a hearty broth taste. Our party of 4 got 2 soups and 2 sides and had leftovers! The menu recommended one pot per person but you can definitely share a pot with 2 people. We also didn't get any add ons either. Service was good and we didn't have to wait at all. read more
3 years ago
OMG, what a gem! We had the best experience dining at Bacogai (cute name, means 3 ladies - turns out the three owners are friends). The servers were extremely careful and thoughtful. When my elderly dad came in, they brought him a jug of warm water to drink. (They also speak Vietnamese which is a plus.) We got Lau Canh Chua and Lau Oxtail. We also ordered Goi Vit (duck salad) and banh hoi with bo la lot. Everything passed the test!m between my dad, older sister and me. The duck salad had really small shred of duck meat that blended into the cabbage and onion. The lau portions were abundant. And, they bring an abundant amount of fresh veggies to accompany the lau. Flavors were fantastic. I didn't eat the bo la lot but my sister really liked it. A big plus is that they put in all of the requisite fresh ingredients expected in a home-cooked canh chua. The prices are reasonable for the portions you get. The lau is personal sized but it is enough to share between two people, if you order one appetizer. Be careful if you have the ot bam (ground fresh red peppers), they are truly super spicy! My dad was sweating. Heh. We plan to come back and bring more friends. read more
I found this place by accident looking for pho to eat on a cold and snowy (lol, snow on the peaks!) evening in the Bay. I was intrigued to find a Vietnamese restaurant that serves hot pot so I told my hubby let's try it! Wow...it was so good! I ordered Beef Luc Lac and the beef was so tender and juicy. My hubby ordered Lau Pork Bone Marrow and the broth was so flavorful. Although he did wish there was an actual bone marrow to suck on, lol! Service was great and all of the staff were super friendly. The older gentleman helping out was hilarious! He kept telling everyone, "See you tomorrow!" and if lived nearby, I'd definitely be back tomorrow. If you're looking for delicious Vietnamese food and something other than pho, come check this place out! It's a bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth it. read more
4 years ago
Hot pot is popular, but BaCoGai is unique in that it's one of the few Vietnamese hot pot restaurants in the east bay and even better that it's located in town. The interior is clean, tidy, and stylish. The servers are incredibly kind, thoughtful, and attentive. The food is delicious. We started with the crab egg rolls which were excellent. For hotpot, we had the oxtail and mushroom. The soup base was rich and flavorful and the vegetables and meat and seafood add-ons were high quality and fresh. Note that these are individual size hotpots, however our family found that splitting one hotpot among two people was plenty. They offer fresh coconut juice that you drink straight from the coconut and they'll open it for you when you're done so you can get to the coconut meat inside. We had the pandan waffle dessert which was served alongside a generous scoop of ice cream. Yum! Definitely going back to try the other soup bases! read more
Beautiful restaurant in the Nob Hill Shopping Center service individual hot pots. The crab cha gio was tasty and yummy. Portion was smaller than I expected but satisfied the craving. I ordered the Lau oxtail and the presentation was breathtaking. The soup was served on a wooden stand with a heating "element" and the soup additions on the side. A nice amount of ox tail and the meat balls were also a nice touch. I'm not a big soup person but the broth was amazing -- rich tasting and so flavorful. You can add additions to your hot pot for more $. So it does add up when your soup is $20+ and the add-ons range from from $3 to $15. A nice addition to Alameda! read more
More info about Bacogai
Ask the Community - Bacogai
Is there option for AYCE during lunch or dinner?
No. This is not a AYCE hot pot place.
In your banh hoi with lemongrass + mushroom should I as for no fish sauce to make vegan?
Yes. Fish sauce on the side so you could ask them to just not provide it.
What are your hours? We showed up today (Sunday) at 11:30 am. No one was there and lights were off. I tried calling your listed phone # around 11:45 am....no answer. So we left.
Does the MAMA ROSE'S CRAB CHA GIO vegetarian vegan (no fish sauce, oyster sauce, and dairy free)?
Yes, they have vegetarian version for Mama Rose's Cha Gio. Make sure to mention it with your server when ordering.
What vegan options you have?
They have mushrooms hotpot as vegan and Mama Rose's Egg rolls as vegetarian options Both are very well made and yummy.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
18 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
1 year ago
4 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
