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    Bay Pocha

    4.3 (378 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

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    BAY POCHA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Bay Pocha

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kacie M.

    This place was so cute and cozy! I had dinner here with my girlfriends and it was a great place for us to eat and hang out. The food was so good and the portion sizes are huge!! There was more than enough for the 4 of us. The service was great as well! They were very attentive. I'm definitely coming back.

    Sausage Stew aka. Army Stew / 부대찌개
    Alan P.

    Spoke to manager over the phone regarding a birthday dinner for 24 people and the restaurant was able to accommodate us at a $35 per person deposit that was refunded once we arrived. Was also able to split the check per table order, which helped immensely as tracking who ordered what would be somewhat difficult. They do also allow cakes to be brought in and will light the candles for you! Had the kimchi fried rice along with the army stew and chicken wings to name a few. Overall the food tasted great and was satisfied with how the accommodation went. Multiple birthdays were taking place and the ambiance was a fun celebratory one.

    Stone Bibimbap with Beef
    Mike L.

    Even though it had been a few years since my last visit, I was pretty bummed when I heard that Wang Dae Bak had closed. With them, The Spot Lounge, and Odumak gone, it pretty much left good ol' Toyose as the only late night Korean pub spot on this side of SF. Thankfully, though, that reality was short lived, as it didn't take long for Bay Pocha to open up and take their place! While I was pretty fond of Wang Dae Bak, I've actually enjoyed my visits to Bay Pocha more so. By comparison, I like how the decor is brighter and the general vibe feels a lot more lively and fun. As for the menu, it's narrower than their predecessor's, but still offers a lot of the same staples, like seafood pancakes, chicken wings, tteokbokki, broiled meat plates, soups, stews. and rice plates. Gone are some of their apps and soups and their intestine dishes, but they now have offerings like galbijjim and bossam, which I think is a net positive. -- FRIED CHICKEN WINGS - Half Original and Half Spicy This was great! Of the two, though, I actually thought the original was better - super crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. However, that isn't to say the spicy one was bad; I just didn't care for how saucy they were. -- GALBIJJIM (Braised Short Rib) - Beef Short Ribs Braised in House Special Sweet Soy Garlic Sauce with Carrots, Potatoes, and Scallion...$76.95 Tried this twice (once with cheese, once without) and they were easily my favorite things were. The chunks of short ribs were super tender, the rice noodles had a terrific chew to them, and I loved the potatoes and carrots. Not as good as Daeho's, but still an awesome dish. -- BOSSAM - Slow Boiled Pork Belly with House Made Special Sauce...$58.95 On the one hand, this was pretty impressive - the portion was pretty generous and it was one of the better bossam dishes I've had. On the other, bossam isn't really my kind of dish (prefer my pork belly cooked differently) and some of the pieces were really fatty. -- JAPCHAE with Tofu Pretty disappointing, to be honest. Setting aside the fact that we got this with tofu (it tasted fine; I just would've gone with beef), this was really pale and was on the bland side. While it had a nice hit of sesame oil, it needed a bit more soy sauce for some umami. -- CORN CHEESE Not the best I've had, but far from the worst. The corn was sweet and they certainly didn't skimp on the cheese. However, whether it be the butter or the fat/oil from the cheese, it felt like the corn and cheese would separate form each other as we ate it. -- ARMY STEW (Budae Jjigae) - Spicy Pork, Kimchi, Spam, Sausage, Vegetables, and Ramen Noodles in a Hot, Spicy Broth...$58.95 It's been a long time since I've had this and, thankfully, this one didn't disappoint! Besides the portion being HUGE (enough for our whole group to share), I love how this came with sausage, spam, AND spicy pork. Plus, the rice cakes in this were so soft and chewy. Delicious! -- BEEF STONE BIBIMBAP They initially gave us a regular beef bibimbap (in a cold bowl) and then brought it back in a stone pot. I assume that had a lot to do with it, but either way, this was really underwhelming. The top portion wasn't hot and the rice at the bottom never developed that bottom crust. -- SEAFOOD PANCAKE with Clams, Mussels, Calamari, Shrimp, and Green Onions Pretty solid overall. Although I wish the top/bottom of the pancake had been crispier, the pancake wasn't too thick nor too thin and it had a good amount of seafood and green onions in it. -- BROILED PORK BELLY with Salt and Pepper Served with Onion and Garlic Now this is how I like my pork belly! The slices I had were cooked very well with a perfectly golden brown color on each side. Plus, they just tasted really good! -- GALBI Pretty standard, but in a good way. Not only did they have a really nice char, but the galbi was meaty, juicy, and seasoned really well. Yum! Beyond the food, I love that it's super convenient - the area is chill, it's easy to find nearby parking, and there usually isn't a long way for a table. As for service, it's mostly good, though not perfect. Beyond bringing us the wrong bibimbap, they also brought out my friend's soon doobu without the ramen noodles she had requested and then told her she would have to wait longer if she still wanted it. However, on the plus side, as we were scooping out the leftovers from our army stew, a worker brought out a container of the soup broth for us, which was awesome, especially since no other place has done that for us. Given how similar the menu is to Wang Dae Bak's (even the wording and descriptions are almost identical), I wouldn't be surprised if Bay Pocha's owners are actually the same. Not always a good thing, but perfectly fine in this case! Regardless, we have no reason not to keep coming back in the future. See you guys again soon!

    Army Stew
    Rachelle T.

    Such a lively place in a quiet area! Plenty of parking, and highly recommend making a reservation as it gets packed after 7pm. I made a reservation for 3 at 7pm on a Sat. Service was amazing! The servers do a great job explaining the menu and the special menu if they have it. Korean Pear Juice: Can't go wrong! Comes in a lil can and they provide a cup and ice. Army Stew: So good! I typically don't like army stew, and I enjoyed this one since the broth wasn't too thick. A large portion, good for 3-5. We had left overs and was able to take it to go. Tteokbokki: Enough for all 3 of us! I loved how creamy it was, there's different options for this. Overall, such a fun spot for large gatherings. It gets packed and loud, so if you're looking for a spot to socialize, this is it!

    seafood pancake
    Celina T.

    Found my new fav pocha in the bay area It has a similar vibe to the pochas I've been to in Seoul & NYC. It was a colorful and tasty spread, so a shoutout to the server for giving us the best recs on drinks/food. I'm glad we got there early though. Tables were full by 7 and it does get loud by then, so you'll def want to get there early. Of all the pochas I've been to, service here was top notch. The servers were thoughtful and attentive: clear out my scraps before our meals were served (pear juice can/chopstick paper cover), didn't rush us to finish our meal, and brought us extra soup to take home for our leftover army stew. I'm also impressed w/ how well they've busted tables left and right from us: clean & tidy for the next dinner party. Will def come back for another dinner gathering.

    Carbonara Rice Cake / 크림떡볶이
    Amber F.

    Bay Pocha is a small Korean restaurant located right next to the Ocean muni stop. My boyfriend and I went on NYE around 7pm and it was pretty crowded (but luckily no wait). Be prepared to be packed in, as the tables are close together. The staff are attentive and super friendly. Appetizers (3/5) were not the typical ones I'm used to (like kimchi, potato salad, cucumbers, etc.) and were not my favorite. They didn't really have much flavor, but that might be personal preference. Carbonara Rice Cakes (0/5) was not great. The flavor tasted fishy/seafoody and hurt both mine and my boyfriend's stomachs. Would not recommend or order again. Regret eating it/ordering as I'm writing this review. Bibimbap Hot Stone (4.5/5) was the best dish we had. Flavors were good and they give you sauce on the side. Wish it had more meat and included kimchi, but otherwise good! Kimchi Stew (4/5) was good flavor-wise and portion-wise. Also wish it had more meat, but the portion of meat was typical. Comes with 1 small bowl of rice.

    Galbi / 갈비
    Kathy L.

    Came here for lunch with a group 10 friends and we got there as it opened, so there was no waiting at all. This has been on my list to try for a long time and I'm glad I finally made it. They offer your standard Korean foods assorted appetizers, shareable plates, soups & stews and most importantly BBQ. They also offer hot pot and non-standard appetizers including chicken feet, steamed egg, chicken gizzards. It all reminds me of the food tents (poojangmacha) in Seoul. Everything we ordered was delicious. The corn cheese was exceptionally good, enough gooey cheese, the chicken wings were was crispy and tasty. The galbi was flavorful and the rose tteokbokki was very good. Service was attentive, ambiance was well lit, spacious and an overall a fun experience. Definitely worth checking out.

    Fried Chicken Wings & Chicken Gizzard
    Amy H.

    I've been coming to this spot for a few years now, but this most recent visit truly stood out. The fried chicken wings were incredible. Perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy, well-seasoned on the inside. Honestly, these wings might even top the ones from a certain popular Korean wing spot in the outer Sunset, lol. And they weren't tiny either; they were meaty, flavorful, and exactly how I like them: dry, with no sauce. Next up was the stir-fry gizzard. Good flavor with a nice chew, and served with lots of green onions and garlic on a sizzling plate. I really appreciated that, because gizzard can get tough fast if it's not cooked properly. We also ordered a seafood pancake and kimchi jjigae, both generously portioned and easily enough for two people.

    Army Stew ($58.95) - Huge portion
    Vans C.

    First timer here and everything was deliciousl I really liked their mushroom banchan. They have a long table in the middle of the restaurant, so they can accommodate large parties. They played a lot of Kpop Demon Hunter. Army Stew ($58.95) - Huge portion. Could've done with less rice cake/rice balls. Seafood Pancake ($22.95) - Crispy and flavorful. One of my favorite dishes. Chicken Wings ($22.95) - Juicy and crispy. Yum. Braised Pork Belly ($55.95) - Apparently a special menu item, but they always serve it. Came with lettuce and like 5 garlic slices. Galbi ($43.95) - No complaints here. Kimchi Fried Rice ($19.95) - Was nice to have rice to eat with the meat, but I've had better.

    Ashley L.

    big portions and good korean food, just what I like and needed. the kimchi fried rice is a fairly big portion, enough for two people. we also got the soup that was fairly large as well. food came quick

    Omelette Rice / 오무라이스
    Janice A.

    Came here for the first time with my SF BFF for our regular get-together whenever I come into town. Place is so nice - feels like I'm back in Korea. Check out their layout and dining area - everything so nearly laid out! Service was prompt, as there were only two other party of people when we dined in. Waitress was patient as she explained which dish could be made gluten-free. A+ for accommodating my gluten allergy! Place is clean and ambiance is chill. We ordered their omlette rice (like shrimp fried rice with thin layer of egg on top), kimchi stew (pork was very tender and tasty), and their grilled squid . So much food we had to take half of it to go. Would definitely come back again!

    Cidney L.

    This is where you want to go if you want to eat AND drink with your friends. It's loud at night. The entire menu sounds good you want to try it all and have people at your table to share with. Get the Korean stew!

    Extra Side Dishes (BanChan)
    Ellen L.

    Came here for lunch and was pleased with the food! I'm sure it can get pretty lively in the evenings as it seems like more of a late night spot, but for a weekday lunch, the quiet ambiance was perfect. I ordered the hot stone beef bibimbap. My food came out quickly, along with some delicious side dishes. The bibimbap was sizzling and delicious! My only wish would be for the beef to be in more bite-sized pieces. It was tender and flavorful but the pieces were much too large; I wanted a bite with each of my spoonfuls of rice! Otherwise, the dish was good. I had plenty leftover to take home for a second meal.

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    Bay Pocha Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bay Pocha

    Bansang - Uni Scallop Toast

    Bansang

    4.2(603 reviews)
    4.2 miWestern Addition, Fillmore

    Atmosphere is modern, clean and some elements of korean tradition…read more Service was ok. Seemed pretty busy but the food came out fast. That could be a good or bad thing depending on the vibe you are going for. All the dishes hit their mark for me. We got: Mulhwae: very refreshing white fish sashimi with refreshing greens, citrusy sauce and strawberries. I thought the strawberries added more to the presentation than the taste. However, the dish itself was delicious. Scallops and shrimp: Similar as above, a very refreshing light appetizer. I would get either this of the other because they're kind of the same idea. Potato fritter w/ mentaiko: probably my top 1 or 2 of the night. Think fancy hashbrown with creamy umami pollock row plus more crispy toppings. This is a must-have I would say. Soft tofu soup w/ galbi: I liked the theatrical element of pouring the home-grown soy from Oakland to create the tofu right in front of you. The umami broth and the jang make this dish very rich. Another must have! Pork jowl bossam: this was a delicious take on bossam. Smokey soft jowl. The greens and kimchi accompanied it made this dish taste so healthy while satisfying your craving. If you just love buttery soft tender meat, go for it. However if you like jowl because you like the chew/bounce on every bite, you might be disappointed because this meat is super soft! Drinks: matcha colada was a little too coconuttey for me. It kind of overpowered the taste of any matcha but if you like coconut, this is a perfect visually pleasing and sweet dessert cocktail. The lychee blossom had a pleasant taste of fruit and almost tasted like there was yogurutoo or calpico in it. I much preferred this drink and it was on the sweeter side too. Overall pleasant experience, worth taking some guests or a date. Also we got 4-5 dishes but left super full! We probably would've been fine with 1 or 2 appetizers less.

    We came here to celebrate my mother's birthday and everything tasted amazing!…read more We almost ordered everything on the menu and shared family style. The portions were on the smaller side so had we ordered an extra dish or two, I think we would've been very full. We ordered about 3 appetizers, 3 mains and 3 desserts and it was just about perfect. All of the dishes had well rounded flavors and super tasty. The matcha dessert was my favorite! I do have a natural sweet tooth but the presentation and overall execution was cool.

    Photos
    Bansang - Inside

    Inside

    Bansang - Mulhwe Noodles

    Mulhwe Noodles

    Bansang - Pork Jowl Bossam

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    Pork Jowl Bossam

    Yakiniq

    Yakiniq

    3.3(1.8k reviews)
    4.5 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    $$$

    YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her."…read more Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards!

    Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore…read morelocation in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here.

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    Yakiniq - Short ribs

    Short ribs

    Yakiniq
    Yakiniq - Seafood pancake

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    Seafood pancake

    San Wang Restaurant - Broccoli Chicken

    San Wang Restaurant

    3.8(682 reviews)
    4.4 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    $$

    San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.29 of 5)…read more This restaurant wasn't on our radar, but we're glad we stopped and ate here. The food is excellent to okay, but the service is first rate. Once seated, we were offered a couple of complimentary dishes - kimchi and soup. Their food is decent and their service is great. Every table has white linen, even for lunch hour crowd. The price is awesome - the lunch menu includes a starter, a soup, and a hot pot of tea. (4.75 of 5) Kimchi: This complimentary dish is an excellent start before our lunch order. The delicious taste of tangy, savory, spicy, and sour, together with a complex, pungent, and, crunchy profile is the perfect start before our lunch selection. Its fermented cabbage has a strong, aromatic notes of garlic, ginger, and chili powder, which marries perfectly with our set lunch. (4.5 of 5) Soup: The soup of the day is a mild clear soup with bits of prawns and vegetables. This is lovely when paired with the boisterous kimchi. (4 of 5) Our orders from their Lunch Special: Vegetable Deluxe: A great selection of vegetables, though they're mostly semi-done to near raw. The wontons were really good though. (3 of 5) Broccoli Chicken: The chicken pieces are tender and the broccoli in this dish is cooked well. (4.5 of 5) Braised Tofu: This is my top dish. It's flavour-packed in a savoury, aromatic sauce. The tender, chewy texture acts like a sponge, absorbing the deeply flavourful sauce. Superb! (5 of 5)

    San Wang is one of Japantown's oldest and finest restaurants. While some might find it ironic to…read moreeat Chinese food while in Japantown, it's one of the best places you could choose for a meal while visiting the neighborhood. The ambience is warm and family friendly and great for big groups. The staff are incredible and lovely individuals that care very much about the patrons. If you need a break while traversing Japantown, take a seat at San Wang and enjoy the lunch menu if you can. The Sweet and Sour Shrimp is my favorite! If you're a local to the neighborhood like me and craving Chinese food, this is the best option. Try to catch them during lunch time! Everything is tasty and the staff are incredible!

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    San Wang Restaurant
    San Wang Restaurant - Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce

    Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce

    San Wang Restaurant - San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.5 of 5)

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    San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.5 of 5)

    Bay Pocha - korean - Updated May 2026

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