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Our go-to Korean pocha place! Delicious clam soup and delicious soy garlic fried chicken, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, served piping hot and fast to boot! We've also had other dishes such as the kimchi fried rice in the past and the food has always been on point. They've redone the interior on several occasions and you can tell they put quite a bit of effort into mimicking the late night outdoor street stall vibe with string lights, noren banners, and a "night sky" wall mural across their walls, except without the discomforts of teeny tiny seats/tables and super cramped seating of a real stall. Which we personally love as that's not an aspect we enjoy of real food stalls lol. There is always Kpop playing on the screen near the entrance, usually of various music videos, and the music in the store matches what is on screen. Caveat: we always come earlier in the evening to avoid the loud drinking crowds, so my review is reflective of that and can't speak to how it gets late at night. Would advise doing the same if you don't like noise like us!
Came here with a party of 3 and was seated immediately! I've been meaning to explore more pocha places in the Bay, and this is definitely it for me. The location is inconspicuous and hidden away in one of the many strip malls off El Camino Real, but when you step through the door, you're transported to a different dimension. We ordered the spicy garlic edamame, army stew (budae jjigae), pork belly kimchi fried rice, and chicken with cheese. The edamame was a classic and was well seasoned without being too overbearing or sodium-packed. The budae jjigae was heavy! Definitely hard to get through, but my personal policy is that I will try to finish whichever dish is most difficult to get as take-out first. The portion is massive though, so don't balk at the price. The chicken with cheese was excellent. Just the right amount of spicy without being too overbearing, and the mozzarella cheese portion was also not too heavy and not too light. The pork belly kimchi fried rice stole the show for me personally, it was a favorite. I always love how savory the flavors of it are, kimchi by itself is too overwhelming for me so I love that the rice helps soak up the flavor naturally.
Danawa has downgraded a lot in quality and taste. My friends and I used to love coming here but our recent trip made us firm that we probably won't come back. We got one of the combos for a group of 4 and it is pretty misleading because you can choose one item from each category but the cost wouldn't total the price of the combo. The portions are also smaller. Yes it was human error on our part but at the same time, we shouldn't have to think about these things if allegedly the combo is supposed to be a better deal than ordering everything individually. The food was very mid as well. Portions were small. It was not worth it. The fries were giving potato corner but double the cost. The rose tteokbokkie sauce was not as thick and flavor wise, it was just ok. The army stew was alright. Portion was pretty small.
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024 Time: around 6:30pm Party of: 2 Meal: Drinks and Snacks *Truffle Fries ($12) *Fish Cake Soup ($18) *Soju ($12) x2 A friend and I were getting takeout elsewhere in the plaza. Since there was a wait, we decided to stop by Danawa for a drink. I didn't realize until I walked in, but this used to be VIP Oriental. I have some found memories of that old place. There no other patrons when we got here, so we just sat at the bar and ordered a bottle of soju. For some reason, I always feel bad ordering one thing, so we got the fries as an app. A pretty big portion with a fair amount of truffle aroma. When my friend came back with our takeaway, the server was super sweet. She said we could eat it there. We didn't end up doing that (tho I did taste a few things), but we were here for a good two-ish hours. Ended up with the fish cake soup as well. They made it slightly spicy which made me happy. (I can't recall if I asked for it spicy? Probably since I do like my heat.) There was a good amount and variety of fish cakes. I really enjoyed this dish. Glad I ended up at this spot. End up being a fun chill dinner of sorts. REVIEW #3565
Solid food! My favorites were the soy garlic fried chicken ($25), tofu soup ($17), and steamed egg. All of which were some of the best I've had. The chicken is super crispy and the wings are sizeable. The tofu soup was delicious, savory, and came piping hot. I don't eat a lot of Korean steamed eggs, but my friend said that it was the smoothest and jiggliest he's had. Prices are rather steep, but I'd say it's definitely worth it for the chicken. The only dish I'd avoid entirely is the bulgogi. the beef was paper thin and mostly veggies. It was also oddly very wet and extremely disappointing.
A nice spot for casual Korean food! Came here on a Friday night and was surprised by how empty it is. We came for dinner and all of the tables were pretty much empty. It's also located in a less popular area so it is very accessible and parking is super easy. For drinks, we got the cocktail soju in peach! I like how strong they make the drink. Most places would dilute the cocktail in ice but they don't use any ice (I Lowkey wish they did though, because it would taste even better cold). One cocktail was more than enough for 2 people. For food, we got the chicken soy garlic wings, the pork belly kimchi fried rice, and the corn cheese. The chicken was amazing (10/10). The portion size is huge and the flavor is rly good. This was the highlight of the meal! The corn cheese is also big, but almost to a fault, because it is too much for 2 people to eat without it getting cold / too cheesy. We added it to the kimchi fried rice and it was a great combo together. The rice on its own was a little bland. For ambiance, the decor feels like a party spot but it's so empty. They also play kid movies in the background. The service was decent, we got our order taken quickly and the food was also fast to come out. This is a great place to try at least once!!
It's a nice place for friends to hangout for food/drinks or even a date night. The interiors was like a mix of traditional Korean and casual. There were privacy shades by my table on the side so it felt like a personal space but we came early for dinner and were the only customers at the time. The pork soondubu was good -- I personally wish there was more soup, but the amount of tofu/meat was satisfying. The cheesy spicy chicken was good too, I recommend it! The portions were slightly small compared to the price. The taste was as expected. We had a makgeolli too and it was decent. Next time I'll come back for a light night meal to try the kimchi fried rice and army stew.
Overall, a tasty experience! We were the only ones in the restaurant on a Tuesday night and I really enjoyed the food. The service was quick and attentive and the restaurant was clean. I only tried two dishes, but the rice cakes were delicious and they let me substitute the fish cakes for spam instead. The gizzards were delicious, served on a sizzling platter.
Came here around 6pm on a Friday and we were the first ones here. The Christmas decoration was cute but very dark ambiance. Got a bottle of soup, beer, seafood pancake, and fish cake soup. My favorite was probably the seafood pancakes, which was lite and crispy. For the price, though, it'll most likely be my first and last time. Thank you!
if i were on death row, i would choose danawa to be my final meal. if i could choose only one restaurant to eat at for the rest of my life - it would be danawa. at 1:30 am after prom, i came to danawa with my date. i have been coming to danawa every month or so for the past 9 months, and i have had zero complaints. the service is impeccable and the food comes out SO quick! we've only ever had great experiences with the staff, and if i could give this place 6 stars i would. i personally do enjoy the ambiance inside and i love that they change it up every now and then! here are our favorites that we get every single time (or as my boyfriend likes to call it, the big 3): soft tofu soup: 10/10 incredibly good. we've tried it with pork, mushroom, and seafood. it's delicious every single time! kimchi pancake (my personal favorite): 10/10 we rarely have leftovers, that's how good the kimchi pancake is. it pairs very nicely with the sauce and is always perfectly crispy. kimchi fried rice (spam/pork belly): 9.8/10 sooo good! it's very creamy with the egg and the flavors are very bold - salty, spicy, kimchi-y. we've tried more than our typical order, though! spicy rice cake: 9/10 the rice cakes are cooked to perfection - very chewy. it will definitely have you coming back for more. sausage and rice cake: 9/10 a great appetizer! yupdduk: 8.5/10 we loved it and it was honestly really fun to eat. it doesn't feel greasy despite all the fried foods. highly recommend trying this place out!! i've tried my fair share of korean places across the bay, and i will always continue to come back. i am actively eating at danawa while i write this review and i couldn't be happier.
3 years ago
(1) Favorite Dish -- Sausage & Rice Cake (2) Ok Dishes -- Seafood pancake - standard -- Army Stew - cheese melted into a clump - spam to veggie ratio is too high - not enough lettuce - did not realize mushrooms were in this until 2 scoops left -- Seaweed Japchae - wrap some japchae in seaweed and fry it at home - do not buy this (3) MISC -- Seating = speedy - party of 8 but only 3 of us were there - they sat us anyways -- Decor = tacky - they really tried with the cloud but it is just ugly - insect and bug nesting ground tbh - time for an upgrade in decor read more
2 years ago
Danawa is great as it opens late and has a variety of Korean dishes. The interior cloud design is cute and is a good date spot. I recently tried their kimchi fried rice with spam and fried chicken which were packed with flavor. The kimchi fried rice wasn't super oily but it was still flavorful and yummy. The Korean fried chicken was good, we got a half and half of their two most popular flavors and I enjoyed the soy garlic more. The service was decent as there is also a button to push if there is no one around. read more
1 year ago
I think everything is fine but the value is not worth it unless you are looking for somewhere to drink soju late at night. Then it's great! I came here a little early on Friday night (~8pm) and there was no wait at all. Service is pretty good actually since you just press a button whenever you need to talk to a server and the food comes out fast. We got the army soup and the kimchi pancake and the Korean fried chicken. Taste: 3/5. I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get. The Korean fried chicken was the best, it was nice and crispy and not overpowering which is great. The kimchi pancake was decent as well, however I wish it was crispier. I think the army soup has the least value because I feel like I could make this $42 soup at home for a fraction of the price. I don't think there was anything remarkable about the taste that made it special. Ambiance: 4/5. Pretty standard for a late night Korean drinking place. The bathrooms are clean and everything is pretty dim in the restaurant so nothing glaringly sticks out which is great. The table was a little sticky though which is why I deducted a star here. Service: 5/5. I really like the "press button to talk to someone" concept. It's super convenient and you just ask for what you need. They don't check in on you unless you press the button but I think that's awesome. Overall I think this place is just a tad too overpriced for my liking. Seems like a pretty standard Korean drinking place! read more
Updating my review as it has been a couple years since the last one. I arrived (first in my party) early in the evening. They seated me immediately as I waited for my friends to come. Since it was earlier in the evening, it wasn't busy at all, but it got more crowded as the night went on. Danawa gives off a lounge feel. It is not quite a bar, but a good place to come with friends to drink. Food & Drinks: My friends and I ordered the following to share: Beef Bulgogi - Cannot go wrong here, a classic Tteokbokki - We ordered this with noodles, and it did not disappoint. Fries & Sweet Potato Fries - Good portion and fried well. Corn Cheese - How can something so simple taste so amazing? For soju, we got the peach soju and then the yogurt cocktail soju. Both were good. The carafe is a good size to share amongst friends. Service: Service was pretty straight forward. They have call buttons at each table when you need assistance. It makes it pretty easy to ask for something you need. TL;DR - good Korean food with good vibes to hang with friends read more
My party came here around dinner time on a Friday - that is to say, I was there very early for a late night Korean place. There were plenty of other tables open with only 2-3 other parties seated at the same time as us. Keep in mind that if you come with a large party (5+ people), 18% gratuity is automatically added to your bill. This is one of the places that uses a button near the table that your party can use to call your waiter. This worked out pretty well because the wait staff would come very quickly after the button was pressed. However, this means you need to remember to press the button anytime you need the waitstaff because they won't come by to check on you otherwise (e.g. you'll need to use it when you want to order and when you want the check). Our appetizer came out first - truffle fries ($9.00). The fries met expectations - texture wise they were crispy enough but not notably better than fries elsewhere. They are about the same size and shape as McDonald's fries, but less tasty and of course with a strong truffle flavor. The Korean chicken wings ($23.00) came out next. The chicken wing options on the menu were shockingly nondescript (we were considering the "supreme" wings which told us nothing about the flavor of the sauce), so the Korean chicken wings seemed like one of the more predictable options. These wings were very saucy - I'm not a huge fan of saucy wings (at no fault of this restaurant). They were pretty good for what they were - had no issues with the taste (the sauce has a sweetness to it which I expected for Korean wings) nor the texture (didn't notice the wings being soggy at all). The spicy army soup ($42.00) was a bit underwhelming. It looked like a large quantity from some pictures I'd seen on Yelp (it's meant for sharing with 2-3 people), but the pot was actually shallower than I thought. I thought there would be a greater variety of items in the pot - there was spam, sausage, rice cake, ramen noodles, mushroom, cabbage, onion, etc. which was not unexpected but nothing special. The final food item to come out was the kimchi pancake ($18.00). This also met expectations - no complaints about the taste or texture. For drinks, my party tried the soju cocktail ($24.00), which is also meant for sharing. This was really nothing special - it just tasted like guava flavored soju, not sure what else they added in here. Overall, the experience was fine but I wouldn't come back here in a hurry. I was already coming into this dining experience with low expectations since this place is meant for the late night drinking crowd, and I wasn't experiencing the restaurant in its intended fashion. That being said, the drink selection didn't stand out to me (more of a place to get drunk quickly rather than enjoy tasty drinks). There are other places that are of the same flavor as this restaurant (e.g. Pocha K) that had more imaginative late-night food and better drinks. For Korean comfort food, there are definitely better places to go - nothing was wrong with the food per se but the prices were pretty high for dishes that were just barely meeting expectations. read more
2 years ago
If you're extremely nonchalant, you will like Danawa. Food is on the pricer side($50 for wings and fries) with late hours but the service is terrible. I've been here a couple of times throughout the years but it seems like it's going downhill for a reason. The Korean guy with glasses working there has no manners and will forget about you even though there was only two other tables that were already served on a Saturday at 7PM. I entered in with my service dog and he straight up angrily said no dogs allowed. He didn't even bother to say hello, welcome or sorry even when we came back. They did not bother to check in with us either. I think that if you aren't fully Korean, they will be very judgmental. It's not that hard to be a decent person. For price, service and value, I'd recommend Pocha K instead. read more
TLDR: Good fried chicken and loud noise. This place is pretty pricey for the portions of these sharing dishes so be prepared to spend more if you want to be pleasantly full. The menu has slightly changed over the past few years but this spot covers all the typical Korean bar foods. My group ordered the following: Kyoja (gyoza/fried dumplings) - 9pcs for $10 but I think some of the old menu photos reflect differently. These came out piping hot and crispy. Kimchi Fried Rice - Choose between pork belly or spam to add in, we chose pork which it had a decent amount of. I like that their kimchi fried rice is on the spicier side! It's topped with a fried egg and seaweed topping. Black Bean Noodle - The server informed us that it's made with instant ramen and if that was ok. We said yes and it was honestly like a better tasting instant Chapagetti. Spicy Chicken Wings - MUST ORDER. We were blown away by how good these were. It has the prefect balance of sweet and spicy. It's a 9pc mix of both drums and flats that are saucy while still maintaining its crunchiness. Since this is a popular spot for groups and drinking, be prepared for LOUD music and people shouting over each other (on the weekends at least). It's also pretty dark inside with only small lamps, led lights, and a projector playing kpop videos on. There are call buttons at each table which is convenient to call the server. read more
My first time coming! Swung by after the gym with my friend. We wanted something warm but our options were limited since it was fairly late in the evening. Danawa is located in a quite plaza and is on the corner. There windows are tinted black so you'd think they were officially closed and wouldn't think there was a business there. But when you get inside it's really spacious and the restaurant extends far back towards the kitchen and restrooms. We ordered their omurice which was a nice sweet and savory balance with the cabbage salad as well. We also ordered the budaejjigae army stew which seemed popular and for GOOD REASON! Hands down my favorite budaejjigae. All of the contents were DELICIOUS! Will come back again. read more
We came to this place on a weekday evening for dinner and there was no wait and we were seated promptly. The store is located in the middle of large plaza (can be easy to miss). The ambiance inside was nice and lively, with Korean music and Kpop videos playing on the big screen at the front of the restaurant. The service was a bit slow and the server took some time to give us menus, take our order and bring out the food. We ordered: - Seafood Pancake - not bad, it was a bit crunchy and seemed like there was more batter and veggies then seafood. - Spicy Rice Cake - The sauce was delicious! It was just the right amount of spicy and sweetness. The rice cakes were soft and chewy as well. - Cheesy Spicy Chicken - It was a bit on the smaller side portion-wise and was not very spicy. Portion-wise, it's enough for 3-4 people to share. Overall the food was delicious - the favorite being the Spicy Rice Cakes and the ambiance was nice - will be back in the future to try more dishes. read more
4 years ago
I give this place 4.5 stars and I say that because I personally think it's a bit pricey for a late night. The vibe was awesome, I like that pre dark setting they have going. I also think it's pretty cool that they have booths for bigger parties. It's also pretty cool that they have a button you press to ask for service or when you're ready to order We ordered 4 items: Sausage and rice cake Cheese corn Seafood tofu soup Kimchi fried rice I would recommend all items as they were all equally good. But one thing I would highly recommend is the sausage and rice cake. I really enjoyed that. This place is also good if you want to drink with your friends. They have a lot of choices for soju. I would definitely bring my group of friends here. read more
Came here with a group of 10 to drink soju cocktails and that's exactly what happened. It was a fun vibe to just drink and hang out with friends. Food was decent and hit the spot when you're getting drunk LOL. Our bill came out to hella but it's as expected because we were just there to have fun. Drinks: 7/10 Service: 6/10 Vibes: 6/10 Value: ??? read more
1 year ago
One of my favorite late night Korean places to get food. Some of best fired chicken and pork sundubu! They've done a lot to make the vibes more intimate for the tables also! Great place for a large party which we've done before and or for a party of 2 which we've do often. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Good vibes and laid back chill atmosphere at Danawa. Cane with a group of friends at 9pm on a Tuesday evening. The restaurant wasn't crowded at all when we came, but towards the time we left it was packed, around 11pm! They blast Kpop on repeat and have a projection screen on one end of the wall showing music videos. Overall the food was decent for a Pocha, nothing out of the ordinary. The service was good, and our waiter was accommodating of my friends' egg allergy. The Seafood Pancake was delicious, perfectly crispy and chewy with a generous amount of seafood! The Soy Garlic Wings were amazing! Perfect batter and the pickled radish complimented them well. I didn't try much of the Spicy Rice Cake but from what I did try it seemed to be on par with other Pocha's in the area. Would come back again for the late night munchies! read more
3 years ago
Food: Must get the Korean Fried Chicken with the Sauce. Omelette fried rice was really good with the truffle fries. All served hot and fast. Service: Regular check-ins. Ambiance: Pretty loud scene with the loud music in the background. Good if you want to go in a big group. read more
This place was just okay. We came here for late night noms at around 11pm and were seated within 15 minutes. However, we had to ask the waiter a few times to take our order, bring us water, and for drinks. Items ordered: ~Corn Cheese: This could use more seasoning. It was not piping hot either. ~Sausage and Rice Cake: I've usually had rice cake by itself or in soup, so this was a unique twist. The sausage was too chewy. ~Seafood Pancake: The pancake was heavy with ingredients. We enjoyed sharing this dish and identifying the different seafoods. Recommend!! read more
Hidden place in a strip mall, good place to hang out with friends. It's a clean place with nice decor and the service is decent. The food is also good for what it is. I had the soft tofu stew with seafood and really liked it -- a lot of squid (so if you're not into that it might not be for you). I also really enjoyed the spicy squid stir fry. My friends ordered several soju flavors, corn cheese, fries, clam soup, pork fried rice, and buddae-jjigae. They really liked everything they ordered except for the guava flavored soju. ****One thing to note is that if you have a party 6 or greater, then make sure you don't double tip. There is an automatic gratuity 18% charge AND TIP that may not be immediately obvious on the receipt.**** Overall I would return again for the atmosphere and the space. Just be wary of the charges. read more
1 year ago
Came to this place thinking it had a karaoke, but apparently it is not there anymore. We decided to eat there anyway because of the ratings. The restaurant was empty on a Tuesday night. There is a convenient button for service. We loved the pancake, fried rice, and tofu soup. The wings were a little too sweet, even the spicy one wasn't too spicy which should be a Korean staple. Since we were craving wings I am disappointed in that but overall still a good experience. Would have been really fun if there was karaoke especially with the food and good prices for alcohol - hope they bring it back! read more
Good food, K-Pop music, yummy drinks? What more can you ask for? My friend and I were looking for a casual restaurant with good drinks so we decided to visit Danawa. I've been here once before and I has a good visit from the prior time I've been here. We were both extremely hungry so we over ordered lol! We ordered the corn cheese, sausage & rice cake skewer, seafood pancake, and the soy sauce marinated chicken. My favorite item has to be the sausage and rice cake skewer! The rice cake was chewy yet crispy which was my favorite part of the meal. I probably would not order the corn cheese again. It was really cheesy at first but after awhile the cheese and the corn separates and you can't mix them as well again. Overall, this is a solid place for Korean food and drinks. I would definitely frequent this place again! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
A bit of a hole in the wall, but a gem forsure. My bf and I just did an online order through Yelp, but the staff were friendly. The restaurant was a little dark, so I think it would be nice for a date night or a group of friends. I liked that the big group tables had curtains separating tables and there was enough space between smaller tables. They also had intimate lighting. We ordered the kimchi fried rice, kimichi fried rice w/ pork belly, and the spicy Korean chicken wings. The fried rice has great flavor and the egg is well cooked-a little runny. My bf liked the pork belly in the fried rice. We both liked the chicken wings. They weren't that spicy, the sauce was a little sweet, and the wings had a lot of meat on them. Personally, I just wish the chicken wings were a little more crispier like Korean fried wings, double fried, but they were still good! I would go here again to try other menu items. read more
3 years ago
Double check before you pay tip. Make sure you don't pay the tip twice. They put the service fee in total. We're not even 8 people. Just 5. I almost paid it. There are also some stupid additional costs that I never seen before. And they need to be kind to their customers. read more
3 years ago
My boyfriend and I found ourselves at Danawa after coming back to town from a day trip and realizing that no other restaurants were opened late at night. The ambiance reminded me of late night diners I visited during my recent trip to Korea with dimmed lights, loud music blasting, 10+ soju bottles on every table, and people enjoying their friends' company. The staff were able to find a quaint table for us without much waiting time despited the establishment being very crowded. The service was fast and efficient. We ordered a clam soup, a plate of cheese corn, stir fry pork and kimchi w/ tofu, and some cheese garlic powder. The clam soup had lots of clams but perhaps could have tasted better with some kind of sauce to eat with. The cheese corn was of course very cheesy and delicious. The stir fry dish was okay but the cheese garlic powder made it somewhat better. Prices were somewhat high so it's better to go with a large group of friends and share. I could see how a birthday celebration or a friends' gathering here would be a fun drinking experience. read more
2 years ago
Love this vibe. Always Clean and neat. This is the best Korean dive bar for sure. Try there pancakes and rice cake dish so good. read more
3 years ago
A Very cool korean late night music bar in Santa Clara. I visited after a long shopping day with friend. I was delightful to have hot nice food at 9:30 pm. We were quick seated after arriving. Military soup: it is a pretty good one, the largest portion soup in the restaurant. I had it a lot back to college. It tastes still as good as it was ! Spicy Kimchi soup base mixed with sausages, spams, veggies, and pork. Kimchi pork fried rice: I love it with pork and one egg in the top! It is definitely delicious! The kimchi mixed pretty well with the rices! I gave 5 stars because I like it a lot ! I gave credits for opening late ! read more
Lemme SOJU a good time... Dimly lit restaurant tucked away in a corner of a kinda sketch plaza. We came around 7:30pm on a Friday and it was't busy. It started getting busier around 10pm. Good spot for late night with friends. They close at 1:30am! They have a Soju cocktail deal. If you buy 2, you get the 3rd one for FREE. One flavor per Soju cocktail. We tried peach, mango, and pineapple. Mango was my fave. It's worth the deal if you go with a group of friends whose down to drink! Most of their items on the menu were not available to order. Bummer. What we ordered: kimchi fried rice, fried chicken, seafood & green onion pancake, and cheese corn. Each food came out at different times. The cheese corn was like kinda pricey but I just couldn't resist. Lol. Hot sizzley cheese corn = my weakness The kimchi fried rice was good! Sad that the yolk was slightly over cooked tho :( Seafood and onion pancake was very yummy! Just wish it was crispier. It did have a good amount of seafood. The fried chicken was tempura batter. Slightly greasy and the chicken was under.. Not the best. Service was average. I only noticed 2 servers so I totally give them some empathy cause they were obviously understaffed. Servers were very polite and friendly. Overall, I would come back to try some other dishes and ofc get the Soju cocktails! Get the seafood & onion pancake and kimchi fried rice! read more
This place is really great! I loved it a lot, the ambiance and interior is super cozy and intimate. I loved their selection of K-pop music it was such a vibe. Their menu also offers a lot of variety and options for everyone. The food also came out fast and the service was great! They have the water jugs for you to fill your own water. I also loved the flavors for everything but the reason I'm docking a star is because the portion size! It's very small and not ideal for sharing. The price and the portion size doesn't really match with each other but other than that I would totally recommend this place as it is really good! Oooh also they don't offer the sides like most Korean restaurants do, that should be added and I think this place has a ton of potential. read more
Don't let looks deceive you, as you pull up to this place you'll won't think much since its in the corner. But as soon as you open that door you'll be astounded to see how deep this place is. Plenty of seating and even closed off enclosures for you and a bigger party (I assume you can request it) Menu is on a single large piece of laminated paper that has items on both the front and back. Separately they also have a drinks menu. We had ordered the Pork Belly Kimchi Fried Rice, Korean Fried Chicken and Army Soup. The Pork Belly Kimchi Fried Rice was good but I felt like the sesame oil they used was a little over powering. The Korean Fried Chicken had a beautiful crisp to it and steamy on the first bite, but not alot of flavor which kept it neutral. Lastly the Army Soup was my first time having it, and it was my favorite experience! Wish it came with more Ramen and Cheese though. Overall, I'd come back with friends to enjoy the night since they also have a projector playing videos and I think I heard sometimes they have music too? read more
This is somewhere I would go spontaneously with a group of friends! Casual drinking spot with good food. I was skeptical about going here because of the reviews about service but I had a good experience! The servers never really checked up on us but there was a "call" button that rings them over. They came pretty quick when we clicked the button. The ambiance is loud and pretty dark/dim lighting. Lots of groups were here when my friend and I visited. It started to slowly get packed after 8-9 pm. Dishes: - Sausage and Rice Cake: This was my favorite dish! The rice cake was crunchy/chewy and the sausage gave it a nice balance in flavor! The sauce reminded me of a sweet chili sauce. The coleslaw that came with it was a good palette cleanser; only thing was the sauce, it tasted like Mayo with a hint of ranch. I would get this again if I come back! - Fried Chicken: Freshly fried! It was super hot when the waiter brought this to us. The chicken was crunchy and juicy. I loved how there was daikon included with this. I would skip this if you're someone who likes sauce with their fried chicken because it can get a little dry or boring to eat. - Seafood Pancake: Yum! This was good and filling. The pancake itself is good, not toooo much flavor. The sauce that came with it brought a lot more flavor and made it taste a lot better! - Fried Seaweed with Glass Noodle: You can definitely taste the seaweed. The glass noodle is like a filling for the seaweed. It kind of reminded me of a filled cookie but not a cookie at all. It was good to try but I'm not sure if I would get it again. read more
5 years ago
When the server hands you gloves for the Dakbal, get ready to put your manners aside because.... It's About To Go Down. By the time I was done, my hands were fine but my face was another story. I looked like Drusilla after a feeding or like I smashed my face into red lipstick palette. So yea, Dakbal, spicy chicken feet is not a date friendly item, unless you never want to see him/her again. But, it was soooo yummy. Danawa is a late night Korean bar/lounge with Anju, Korean drinking food. I have not been back since it was VIP which is a blur so I have no basis of comparison. We received chopsticks with Tatsu Japanese Restaurant (Walnut Creek) on it, so same owners? They're offering takeout, delivery (3rd party apps), indoor dining, and outdoor dining (3 shaded tables outside). Staff wore masks properly. M E N U Fried foods, Noodles, Tteokbokki (rice cakes), KFC, Soondubu (tofu soup), Budae Jjigae (army stew). They have some hardcore items like Pupa (silkworm) Soup, Golbaengi Muchim (spicy snail salad), and of course the Dakbal (spicy chicken feet). The menu is vague with some items crossed off so I highly suggest asking for clarification before ordering something. For example, I thought the "Spicy Cold Noodles" was Bibim Naengmyeon made with the usual buckwheat noodles so I was going to order it. Good thing the server told me, it's made with instant ramen noodles so I skipped it. Full bar but I was told there's no bartender. Premium soju was not available so I ended up just ordering shots of Goose. F O O D * Corn Cheese ($13.99): https://bit.ly/3zDozYp A Korean drinking staple, can't go wrong with sweet corn with stretchy cheese. I do prefer to have some mayo and browning on top though. * KFC Chicken Wings, listed as "Fried Chicken" on the menu ($19.99): https://bit.ly/3u5vpVm Solid KFC - golden, double-fried goodness. Crackly and crunchy on the outside (thin batter), and juicy on the inside. Gotta have that side of cold and tangy pickled radish for balance. * Fried Chicken Gizzard ($19.99): https://bit.ly/2XELuoU I meant to order the stir-fried gizzards but accidentally ordered the fried version. The popcorn chicken gizzards is good for the drunchies. Extra crunchy and nicely chewy albeit greasy. Since the KFC arrived first, it was fried food overload so I could only eat several pieces. * Spicy Chicken Feet w/ handball rice ($21.99): https://bit.ly/2ZpFJMO Saving the best for the last...the DAKBAL! The chicken feet isn't as meltingly soft as the Cantonese dim sum version but it's so yummy with the savory spicy and sweet gochujang-based sauce. Pair that with the handball rice; slightly sticky rice showered with crispy and roasty nori...rich, flavorful, umami deliciousness! Since you're provided gloves to eat this, go ham and enjoy. S E R V I C E Like many small businesses, they're understaffed. There was only one BOH and one FOH during opening time (6 pm) so dishes slowly came out, one-by-one. So def order some drinks to pass time. Our server was polite and gave us a call button should we need him for anything. A M B I A N C E Indoor dining is dark and casual with purple lighting and a projector screen with K-pop music. Larger tables had partition/curtains separating them for privacy/safety. Outdoor seating is at the corner of the plaza. No aesthetics which I don't care about...I'm just here for the food, dranks, and dog-friendly seating. P A R K I N G Super easy parking in the plaza. Overall, solid Korean drinking food. Looking forward to returning to get sloppy with that delicious Dakbal again! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Rice cake and sausages are a match made in heaven, and Danawa knows how to get this combo right. I love this ricecake and sausage skewer appetizer! I'm a huge fan of tapas style food and that's what I come here for. They never miss on anything, the soy garlic chicken was super crispy and flavorful as well. The 순두부 찌개 was very good but not the best I've had, tasty but nothing special. Service was okay for today's visit, the food came out in a timely manner, but the server forgot our spoon and bowls after bringing out the tofu soup (we had to ask him to bring it out). But I think he was tired so it's totally ok! I also enjoy being here because the music is nice and I love how the restaurant is decorated. I also feel like there's always people eating here every time I go. I visited on a Tuesday night and it was quite busy, but was able to get seated immediately. read more
This is a pretty small spot tucked away in the corner of the plaza. Large menu/variety of items to choose from. Spicy rice cakes - good but could use more flavor and spice Korean fried chicken - delicious and crunchy! Spicy pork belly kimchi fried rice - suuuper spicy and could definitely use less of that heat to be more enjoyable Grilled bulgogi - really tasty but small portion Seaweed rolls - decent appetizer Calamari - would skip Black bean noodles - would skip Sausage & rice cakes - can't go wrong with this combo Corn cheese - can't go wrong with this dish either! pairs so well with everything. Overall, I had a good experience but the food was a solid 3 out of 5. Portions are really small for the price and didn't blow me away with the flavor. read more
1 year ago
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2776 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051
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(669) 342-7080
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Ask the Community - Danawa
Do they have a bar stool section like the prior place?
Do you mean bar seating? Yes, but it doesn't seem utilized. Customers were seated in tables.
Do we have to make reservations in advance if we have party of 10?
There was a party of around 10 that walked in when I was dining there, however I would recommend making a reservation to shorten any possible wait!
What's the Yupdduk on the menu? Are those the Yupdduk spicy rice cakes they have in LA?
Are you sure you aren't referencing a specific business? Kind of like going to a random Burger place and asking what's the McDonald's on the menu?
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Danawa - asianfusion - Updated May 2026
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