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    Bay Pocha

    4.3 (392 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    BAY POCHA ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - Bay Pocha

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    Darci K.

    If you're in San Francisco, and you're looking for late night eats, Bay Pocha is a place. You should definitely check out! Parking isn't as complicated, but can still be a little bit of a challenge, depending on the time of day or evening. It was offputting to walk in around 10 PM, and while the restaurant had a few patrons, the woman that greeted us at the door asked if we had reservations. Were they expecting some mad rush?! When we told her no, she looked around the restaurant as if it were completely packed and they weren't gonna be able to seat it s. She did seat us, but definitely wasn't super friendly. We didn't walk in right before they closed, so I'm not certain what that was all about The food is absolutely delicious. We ordered way too much, but that's what happens when hunger sits in. I would do it all over again. Beef potstickers - delicious! Packed full of tasty filling, perfectly crisp edges, and the dipping sauce was light and flavorful. This definitely was the way to start off the meal! Fried chicken - they offer the chicken fried, fried with the sauce on the side, or covered in the sauce. We ordered the chicken with the sauce on the side, since we anticipated possibly taking the chicken home and did not want it to be soggy. This was the best call. The chicken wings are large and definitely bigger than what we expected. Perfectly fried, very lightly seasoned, which makes sense for being able to eat them either dipped into sauce, or having them brought covered in the sauce. The meat was moist and juicy, and they were really delicious. I had asked how spicy the sauce would be, and never really got a firm answer, which is definitely another reason to order it on the side. The sauce was tasty, but definitely had a back bite to it. Cheese pork Katsu- this is the dish that you need to get regardless of everything else that you're ordering. The Katsu is lightly fried, it's not greasy, and it's nicely seasoned. It's stuffed with cheese and the cheese pull on it, is exactly what you want, and it's exactly what you need. We may or may not have quickly divvy up the pieces because neither of us was willing to give up any of it. Yes, it was that delicious. There's something magical about melted cheesy goodness inside of a piece of Katsu. It served with dipping sauce, but frankly it doesn't need it. I love being able to enjoy food the way it's prepared and I don't like having to add sauces, etc. just to enjoy it. The Katsu was served with a side salad and rice. The side salad was OK but instead of using real dressing, it tasted like spicy mayo drizzled over the lettuce. So that definitely was a miss for me. The rice was light and fluffy, and while it had furikaki sprinkled on top of it, the rice tasted like it had been mixed inside of it. It wasn't visibly noticeable, so it made me wonder what they actually put into the rice. It was OK just unexpected and didn't really work with all the different flavors on the plate. The overall food experience is definitely five stars, but the Service and that part of the experience brought it down to four stars. This is definitely worth going for the food!

    Victoria T.

    Went to Bay Pocha w/ some friends and this place is always open late. They have a wide variety of food like army stew, tteokbokki and grilled meats. I rlly like the rose tteokbokki and pork belly. The army stew is fun if you've never had it before but it's missing the beans! It can be loud in there but it's a place for eating and drinking.

    Frankie L.

    We came in on a Sunday night and it was crowded. We ordered the pork neck stew and the grilled squid with butter. The side dishes were really tasty. The stews are big enough for 4 people. Meat was tender and tasty. Service was good even though they were busy, staff were attentive with water and refilling g side dishes. I've gotten the army stew before and that was also really good.

    Elaine C.

    I would recommend this place. I came in for lunch as well as dinner. Dinner is definitely more lively. The bosam was the special for the night. We also ordered a tofu soup. I really enjoyed the bosom and it came in a huge portion. It was enough for leftovers. The soup was loaded with veggies and seafood. My partner really enjoyed it. The bossam total was $60 so we were a bit surprised when the bill came. Besides that, I would be back. Lots of variety to choose from and quick service.

    Ramen add egg
    Jade S.

    Randomly decided to try bay pocha looking for Korean food in the area and were very pleased with the food here it was so tasty and the service was great they're so kind and the bathroom was super clean we ordered the bulgogi, ramen, and rice cakes

    Soju
    Angela N.

    The atmosphere was great! The wait staff were observant and helpful. The food was delicious and the serving size was enough for 2. My brother said this is his favorite spot and he even brought his girlfriend here as their first date many moons ago.

    Braised Pork Belly aka. Bossam / 보쌈 Kimchi Seafood Pancake / 김치해물전 Galbi / 갈비
    Jessica H.

    My 5th time coming for their bossam and army stew. Service and food is 10/10 would recommend!! Kid friendly and music wasn't too loud.

    carbonara Tteok-bokki
    David L.

    Stopped by here with a buddy to grab a snack after checking out round 1. We've been here a few times, but it was super packed! Luckily, with 2 people, we were able to be seated quickly. The servers are quick, and you can easily tap the button to get their attention, but since we were so close, we could easily just tell them what we wanted and they'd get it quickly. Started with some fresh Soju bottles and were looking at the food when my buddy saw the carbonara Tteok-bokki and thought it was an interesting combo. The place was lively; almost every table was booked, and people were coming and going. Our sides came out, and I forgot to take a photo, but the fish cakes were bomb! Soju always hit the spot, and when we tried the carbonara, we found it an interesting combo, definitely a fusion mix. I'll be back of course for soju as always and to get our regular wings and stew!

    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.

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    Bay Pocha Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bay Pocha

    Seoul Garden

    Seoul Garden

    3.3
    (512 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    We were hungry and arrived at Japantown at around 8:35pm. We hadn't had time to read reviews or…read morefigure out what our choices were. We parked in the garage and went up to the second floor. There were three restaurants in the immediate vicinity. One told us that they were closed, one was in the process of closing and Seoul Garden was open until 10pm. Many, many years ago, my wife and I ate at Seoul Garden several times. We think that it was called the Emperor's Dinner which was a massive variety of Korean dishes. We're pretty sure that ownership of this restaurant must have changed since then. When we walked in and during the time we were there, we only saw one motorcyclist pick-up an order. There were no other guests. Our table was four adults and two kids. We all had different hunger levels so our order may be considered somewhat odd. Seafood Jun Pan-Fried Mondoo Army Stew Soy & Garlic Wings Mackerel Bibimbop Assortment of 8 Different Banchan (refills were offered) For the duration of our meal, we only saw the gentleman who took our order and served our food. He was very cordial and accommodating. As some other guests have mentioned, the prices are not for the faint of heart. On the flip side, I'm also a believer in that you get what you pay for. The Banchan was excellent and the fact that he asked if we wanted more rather than us having to ask was great. Everything that we ordered was for sharing so people could get a taste of different items. I focused on the Jun, Mondoo, Wings and then did my best to clean up all the Banchan. At the end of our meal, containers were brought out for leftovers and then everyone was served some delicious Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream.

    Service is really great and the staff are super attentive and sweet, so 5 stars for this!…read more But everything we ordered was below average (2 stars), especially considering the price. And the Spicy Calamari & Bulgogi was actually $20 higher (!!!) than what's listed on Yelp (no prices on website), so find this pretty misleading. It was also overcooked, so bummer all around. Took a chance on this Japantown fav and left wishing I'd purchased basically anything else there. Apparently I'm not alone, while all the other restaurants were bustling on a busy Sunday evening, this one was virtually empty.

    Photos
    Seoul Garden
    Crispy fried chicken - very good
    Crispy fried chicken - very good
    Fried Rice

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    Fried Rice
    Bansang

    Bansang

    4.1
    (615 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    Pricy tapas but worth it especially as a celebration; all dishes even apps were a hit!…read more Appetizers + Hokkaido scallop and shrimp ($28): very smokey cabbage, super flavorful with the mustard seed, pollock sauce (8/10) + Aged kimchi mulhwe ($30): refreshing contrast to the scallop, amazing bite of amberjack w celtuce and chive kombu oil (10/10) Main + Prime rib fingers and rice cake ($32): so fun, crispy tteok but chewy inside w a sweet glaze and crispy tender rib (9.8/10) + Braised black cod ($42): extremely tender and fatty cod but would prefer less gochujang sauce. Daikon, barley, shishito nice small bites (8/10) + Galbi steak ($59 + $5 lettuce wraps and ssamjang): made yummmy bites, ssamjang pulled everything together (8.5/10)

    Good, but expected more from a Michelin bib gourmand restaurant. For a bib gourmand, it's also on…read morethe pricier side (esp the entrees). We ordered the mulhwe raw fish (fish was delicious, the salad was really unseasoned/felt like it was just washed and plopped there, sad only had 4 pieces of fish), burdock jap chae (our fav), rice cake + rib finger (wayyy too salty, otherwise texture wise was good), and galbi (meat was delicious, broccolini was pretty bland and not memorable, not worth $58 imo). The absence of banchans were also a surprising disappointment for us, we look forward to that in Korean restaurants! Our food also came out extremely quickly after ordering, and we had opening time res, which made us feel that the food may have been all pre-cooked and just reheated. We also got a couple cocktails, they were interesting but a bit too calpico tasting for my liking. It's pretty clean/spacious inside, with large restrooms. Parking is slightly tricky, either street parking in front or Japantown garage nearby.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Uni Scallop Toast
    Uni Scallop Toast
    Pork Jowl Bossam

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    Pork Jowl Bossam
    Yakiniq

    Yakiniq

    3.3
    (1.8k reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$$

    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.

    Photos
    Short ribs
    Short ribs
    Yakiniq
    Seafood pancake

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    Seafood pancake
    Irodori

    Irodori

    3.8
    (20 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    The service here was so bad that I think about it almost a year later and finally decided to leave…read morethis review. I almost never give bad reviews. The ONLY reason I give a 2 star is 1 star for the food which was decent, but nothing I couldn't get at another restaurant to be honest. And half of that star goes to the sweet waitress who tried her best with us. I came in with my boyfriend maybe an hour before break time midday (unbeknownst to us) as the sign outside is faded and in LIGHT blue marker on a soju standee. Pro tip: maybe you should update that off to the side sign in small letters as well as your closing time on google + Apple Maps before you grumpily yell at your customers to leave AFTER taking our money and giving us food (which btw we were there about 30 minutes). Or don't seat us at all. Thanks! Would not recommend.

    After the cherry blossom festival yesterday my friend and I decided to have dinner. We sat outside…read moreand no one came to take our order. My friend went inside and a server reluctantly came to our table. We ordered $90 worth of food and enjoyed people walking around. When the food came the waitress brought the check with the food and asked for our credit card. We hadn't taken a bite yet. They never offed us to refill our glass of water. When we did go to pay they asked us if the credit we were using was ours and asked for his id. They seemed to treat the other guest better. Maybe it's because we are Black Americans or maybe they just suck. The food was subpar the fried chicken was overcooked and my stomach hurt all last night. I live up the street on Bush so this would be a local spot. The service was terrible so they will never get my business again. Yes black people live in the neighborhood and eat Korean food and have credit cards.

    Photos
    Indoor
    Indoor
    Irodori
    Irodori

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    Yasijang

    Yasijang

    4.7
    (237 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    I love this place--it's become my go-to spot with friends. The atmosphere is fantastic and really…read morecaptures the vibe of a Korean pocha (street pub). As a Korean, I definitely give the food my stamp of approval. The only thing I wish is that they gave some banchan with the meals for the full korean experience. That said, I've tried almost everything on the menu, and it's consistently delicious. My top recommendations are the fried eggplant, the spicy rice cakes (tteokbokki), and especially the wings. The wings are absolutely phenomenal and are a must-order every time.

    I really wanted to like Yasijang since it is close to where I live and run by some genuinely nice…read moreKorean folks, both in the kitchen and front of house. Unfortunately, most of the dishes fell pretty flat for me. Here's a breakdown of everything we tried: Mini Jeon - This came out as a set of three mini pancakes, and while they were fried expertly with a nice crisp exterior, I did not really get much of the ingredient flavors at all, which was supposed to have an array of vegetables and seafood. Truffle Bosot Fry - These were fantastic. Each enoki was fried so the stems were splayed out and then dusted in truffle salt. It was clear the chef has a deft hand at the fryer, as both of the first two starters had an amazing crunch to them. Spicy Tuna Tower - This seemed like a popular item, but it was really disappointing. It felt like a quantity over quality dish, with the spicy tuna indeed piled high, but very clumpy, as if it had just been scooped straight out of the fridge, and not a pleasant texture. There was not much flavor or spice to it and the kappa maki rolls that the tuna sat atop were unfortunately not made well, as most of them fell apart just from picking them up with chopsticks. K-Fried Chicken - Pretty good value since you get 8 decently sized pieces for $20, or $22 if you want to add a sauce. It was curious that they do not let you do half and half, since the sauces are likely pre-made and that is such a common option at most other KFC spots. The bigger issue was the fry on the chicken as huge pieces of batter were missing from every piece, and it did not have that signature shattering crunch I expect, which suggested the oil was not hot enough and that they did not double fry the chicken. The soy and garlic flavor was actually pretty good, so it was doubly disappointing that the chicken was not fried properly. Hwe-Muchim. - This dish was an absolute disaster. The cubes of fish and salad were absolutely drowning in cho-jang, and it was really unbalanced, so all you tasted was gochujang. The lettuce was so wilted under the sheer amount of liquid that it made the dish difficult to eat. I actually took this home, drained most of the liquid, rinsed off the fish, added fresh greens and a homemade dressing, and it tasted much better. The staff were friendly enough, but this place is clearly targeting a drinking or late-night crowd so I would avoid if your main goal is to enjoy the food itself. Seems like a fun enough place if you were just wanting to stop in and have some snacks with your drinks or as an end of night stop as the 4-cha or 5-cha (IYKYK).

    Photos
    Yasijang
    SPICY TUNA TOWER
    SPICY TUNA TOWER
    Flying fish roe, stir-fried kimchi, and fresh vegetables in a hot pot.

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    Flying fish roe, stir-fried kimchi, and fresh vegetables in a hot pot.
    San Wang Restaurant

    San Wang Restaurant

    3.8
    (691 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    Went there during the Fillmore Festival at around 11:30. Was surprised there weren't more…read morecustomers. I first started eating at this place around 1990 and have at times stopped going once I moved out of the city. I try to go at least once a year. Have always enjoyed their clams, dried fried chicken, jia jiang mian, and seafood noodle soup. Clams were still plentiful, plump, and very fresh. Noodle were still good. The owner recommended I try the Jjamppong and tubot. The jjamppong like their other noodles were good but the standout was the turbot: steamed to perfection, fresh, and tasty. I can't compare it to other fish but it was soft, smooth, and buttery. I have seen the owner before cooking in the kitchen but it looks now father time has caught up and he is thoroughly enjoying helping out in the front. He was talkative and pleasant to talk to.

    This place was really good. I found it through yelp. After being at the Japan town mall waiting for…read moremy family to finish shopping, I wanted Chinese food that was further away. So I found this place and we walked in with few customers. We ordered a soup, and were about to order something else when the server/cook suggested we order the meal for 3. He let us substitute the white rice for fried rice and cashew chicken for lemon chicken that we wanted. Boy was it a real treat. We added a chicken chow mein and we weren't disappointed. All in all, we came out stuffed with leftovers, and great service to boot. We were the only ones in the restaurant at the time which was surprising, how great the food and service were. Come here and you won't regret it!

    Photos
    San Wang Restaurant
    Dry-Fried Chicken
    Dry-Fried Chicken
    Pickled kimchi

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    Pickled kimchi
    Han Il Kwan

    Han Il Kwan

    4.1
    (2.2k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$$

    Came here walk-in on a Friday evening at 6:30 and waited for almost 45 mins for a table for 2. Get…read morethe galbijim! It's a steal and It's delicious- so much meat it lasted me 3 meals. The wait for the dish was almost 25 mins but all worth it !The complimentary soup and banchan were huge and alright. The servers know what they were doing but one minor thing about my experience was that the waitress served a really really hot dish at her convenience and I had to move it to the center for sharing. Since they're busy they expect you to finish your meal, pay and go.

    food was good and there was no wait on a sunday afternoon for a table of 6. everything was on point…read morebasically except for the service- as soon as we told them we were only ordering three dishes, their demeanor changed entirely lol. that probably plus the fact that we were young/it was our first time here got them extra annoyed, even though we were polite. banchan was all yummy, rice was $2 per extra bowl (3 were included). we chose soft tofu soup over the steamed egg, which we were told was one or the other, per table. we ordered bulgogi, brisket, and a seafood pancake. literally all the dishes were good but we were not checked in on once. we noticed them checking in on other tables, but deliberately skipping ours. we'd have to flag someone down whenever we wanted something, and when we asked for banchan refills they said ok and never got it to us. we just ended up finishing our meal without it. service was rude, inattentive, and overall lacking. would come back again if i didn't care for service!

    Photos
    Comfortable inside space
    Comfortable inside space
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Fish Cake

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    Fish Cake
    Ganji

    Ganji

    4.6
    (635 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free WiFi

    What a gem amongst all the restaurants in Japan Town! It's in the outside center near the…read morestationary store Paper Tree for reference. Been here a couple of times already and the service never failed. Even came here during the Cherry Blossom Festival and the staff were still friendly / accommodating. They even put a spicy sauce on the side of one of the katsu plates when we mentioned that my dad couldn't handle all that haha. This cozy spot mainly focuses on katsu plates, but I like how they had off menu or specials to choose from if you'd like another option. I will say though them katsu plates were just chef's kiss. The meat is pounded thin enough where it's still juicy and tender, but doesn't affect the exterior from being crunchy and a bit flaky. Nothing was dry here yallll! I also like how it already comes with miso soup and salad. Huge fan of that Hamachi Truffle special though. Think of a citrusy flavor from the ponzu, fresh fish, a bit of micro greens, and a thin slice of jalapeño that just ~works~ on a cute wooden spoon that you want to steal I could honestly eat like 5 spoons of this. I'd skip on the calamari as it was kind of skimpy to share with a large group. Only note was that their fried katsu curry was a bit underwhelming with having more slices of carrots than potato! Would love to come back if I am ever in the area.

    Ganji is a solid spot for katsu in Japantown! The service was excellent--the staff were friendly,…read moreattentive, and quick to take our orders, which made for a great dining experience. The miso soup was a delicious way to start the meal, and when my katsu arrived, it looked amazing. The meat was hot, tender, and the portion was huge, so I definitely left full. My only suggestion is to ask for the curry on the side if you like your katsu extra crispy. I had the curry poured over it, and the breading got soggy pretty quickly. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is the price. My dish was around $30, which felt a little expensive, although I can understand it given the quality of the meat and generous portions. Overall, it's a great place if you're craving katsu, and I'd definitely come back--just with the curry on the side next time!

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    Ganji
    Ganji
    Ganji

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    Bay Pocha - korean - Updated August 2026

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