Can't get enough of this place & the owner !!! I love the unlimited, delish banchan & her spicy mushroom tofu soup is fire - I'm working my way up to medium, so full of mushrooms & flavor & I like the "purple" rice !!! She greets us so cheerfully & we feel pampered by her offering & refilling tea & banchan !!! There is the feeling of comfort & tasty foods just sitting in the dining room, it's nice when it's crowded & busy but also good when it's quiet & empty !!I'll definitely be back again soon !!!!! read more

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I finally stopped by one of the afternoon to order a bento box from kimchi house. Parking was easy but since it's next to a playground, I can see it can get packed when many kids around. Bulgogi was cooked nicely. Have a chance to speak to the lady owner. They used high quality meat and purple rice (healthy option). She was giving me some sweet potato's treat for tasting and I actually love it. When asked about delivery option, she told me the charge from door dash was too high for small business. I wish they have more business and keep this restaurant opens because I really enjoyed their food! read more

Kimchi House - chicken, rice, salad, and coleslaw - Korean Near Me - Pinole, California

We came here today to get some dinner. I got a kimbap and my husband bought the spicy pork bento. There was a generous amount of pork. It was very smoky flavor and very sweet. There were a good number of sides including a giant lettuce salad. The sides were okay but nothing special. I thought my kimbap was very bland and not cheap for $12.95. it had a lot of things in it like egg, pickle radish, spinach and carrots (see pic). It's not a big roll but it filled me up. I met the owner who is Korean. She seems pretty friendly. I will go back and try some of their tofu soups one day. read more

Kimchi House - Kimbap - Korean Near Me - Pinole, California

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Ordered Korean food for pick up while visiting a friend nearby, super homey good quality Korean food! We ordered food for 4 adults and 2 kids. We got a kimchi tofu and seafood tofu soup, chive pancake, mackerel, galbi, spicy pork, spicy chicken wings and regular chicken wings, we ordered more kimchi and rice, it also came with a lot of Banchan, and japchae for the kids. The order was easy to place online and we paid online for pick up. I missed the turn into the plaza but found street parking. The server was helpful and there was a small dining room inside. I would totally go back and order from there in the future if I'm feeling Korean food while Im in the area. read more

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Was in the area and looking for something light and new to try. We found this place and popped in. The parking lot was pretty small but it's right next to a small playground. The place was empty but it was before 6. The owner was very kind and expeditious. She helped us find a few things and all her recommendations were excellent. The pickled veg, kimchi, and japchae were all really good. It's a small operation but despite that the phone was literally ringing off the hook for to go orders. The restaurant itself was super quiet but most people picking up were locals. You can tell the owner takes a lot of pride in their place. We enjoyed our quiet and early dinner satisfied and the place was very clean. There is outdoor seating but it was too chilly the day we went. Would recommend if in the area. read more

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Tonight the food was really good!! It's a quaint mom & pop restaurant that turns out great tasty food! Keep it up! read more

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Food was great, and we had the whole place to ourselves on a Saturday night. Service was friendly and helpful. Ambiance was quiet. The kimchi pancake was fantastic. The traditional corn tea and side dishes were all good. I had the dolsot - it was ok, very filling, the rice crisped up nicely on the bottom by the time I got there. My friends had ramen, which was huge, and soodooboo, which also got good reviews. Would go back if I'm going to be in Pinole for a show again - shout out to the community theatre! Worth the trip! read more

Had a late lunch here yesterday. No frills, no nonsense. My kinda place. Owner was the server, and she's clearly, justifiably, proud of her place. Had wings and spicy pork bulgogi. Panchan were varied, delicious, and generously portioned. Kimchi lives up to the place's name. Wings were crispy and cooked just right. Bulgogi was tasty, with the spice heat a slow burn as opposed to a quick scorch. Just finished the leftovers, which reminded me to write this review. Kimchi House is a go-to in Contra Costa for hearty, balanced, well-prepared Korean fare. The food, and the owner speak for themselves! read more

I am not sure if the owners are the same but there is a rebrand going on. I drove up today for a bento box and the signage has changed to Seoul Fried Chicken. A handwritten note says the you to the past patrons and to stay tuned for the opening coming up on 7/1/25. read more

I first tried kimchi house during the week at lunchtime the waitress and the chef are sisters. The food was amazing. The Bento box was filling the salad and the dressing and the noodles were amazing, but the sister took a day off, and there were two other women in the kitchen and they did not live up to kimchi houses standards. I don't fault the restaurant so I will be back to try it again There onion pancake was great. The service is good when they're not as busy my only issue with the last time I was there was that the chicken was not cooked well, and when asked to have it refilled, they took the whole plate and set it back in the kitchen while they did other things which really was a turn off for me, but I will go back to give it another try and update my review hopefully when that happens read more

The Eastbay area sorely needs more good Korean food. Fortunately I found Kimchi House, a small cozy eatery very close to my house.I had there shredded beef soup and their stir fried squid. Both were delicious with just right level of spiciness. Service was friendly and helpful. My only things that could be better was their Kimchi was not quite ready and they didn't have Kimchi Chigae on their menu. Next time? Will try their seafood pancake. read more

Nice place. Very casual. Right next to the park. Good menu. The little side dishes are nice. I asked for mild. If you don't like spicy food, be sure to ask for mild or not spicy. The kimchi is good. There are non-meat options. read more

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We'd tried to eat at a different Korean place before making our way over to Kimchi House. It's run by a husband wife combo, in a small plaza that houses Sweet Pipers and Growlers DogHaus. We dropped in on a Monday evening (8:30pm). There was one other group eating when we arrived. Food came out incredibly quick (under 15 minutes). Menu consists of appetizers, rice bowls, bento boxes, soon doo boo, ra-myun and a la carte. We asked for medium spicy. - Banchan - wasn't expecting such a variety of side dishes. Japchae, cucumber salad, soybean sprouts, bean sprouts, sliced fish cakes, pickled radish with jalapeños, broccoli, kimchi and seaweed salad. All decent. - Kimchi pancake ($16.95) - good sized but wished it was crispy. Too doughy. - Duk bok ki ($15.95) - rice cakes had a chewy bite. Standard fare. - Dolsot ($18.95) - rice didn't get crispy but flavours were good. - Dwae ji bulgogi bento ($18.95) - pork was tasty with a slight char. Best of the dishes that we ordered. - Pork tofu soup ($16.95) - broth had no depth or complexity. Pork was overcooked. Don't order. Spoiled for good Korean eats back home. KH was average. read more

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My family of four really enjoyed our meal at Kimchi House. We ordered seafood pancake, spicy wings, dol sot bibimbap, and Bulgogi. The banchan selection was great and there was something for everyone. I like that the dol sot bibimbap crisped up nicely after we left it in the hot stone for a few minutes before we mixed it. The texture of the seafood pancake was good, but it was a little weird having so much bell pepper in there instead of the normal green onions that we are used to. Service was good. We asked for seconds on the banchan and the waiter was very friendly. The interior of the restaurant is very casual and family friendly. Probably not good for large groups because seating is limited. We will be back! read more

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This spot is a small mom and pop shop located in Downtown Pinole near Quicklys. We ordered the Dolsot, kimchi pancake, and bulgogi bento and everything was amazing quality for the price. Everyone here is attentive and will greet you right away upon arrival and say goodbye once you leave, offering an inviting and warm atmosphere. I also love the fact that they offer both complementary water and hot tea. Definitely come here for your Korean food fix! read more

Kimchi House - Bulgogi bento and kimchi pancake - Korean Near Me - Pinole, California

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This hole in the wall restaurant was surprisingly good! It's in the back of the plaza that it's located in. The parking situation is BAD! You might have to find street parking or another public parking lot. I tried their Korean Spicy Wings and I did not regret it. They do only give you 6 wings, but the spicy sweet flavor is legit! This is not one for the spicy adverse. Service wasn't great. Upon walking in, there should be a greeter to your immediate right and the tables to your left. The greeter at the time I was there was on their phone. When he saw me, he got up and didn't say anything so I asked if this was Kimchi House and he said yes. Then, instead of addressing me first, he decided it was time for him to give checks to the finished tables. Why should I have to wait for them to pay their checks when he wasn't doing anything when I first walked in. read more

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Haven't been in this area in a while and they changed the restaurant name and rebranded! The food and the staff are mostly the same. The menu has a few added items, one being yuk gae jang! The inside is pretty simplistic inside, not a really big space so more ideal for small gatherings. They also have outdoor seating facing the playground in Fernandez park so it's likely it will be pretty noisy when eating outside. The service is pretty standard, they always greet you when you come in and leave. They don't check in much throughout the meal but otherwise pretty nice overall. They are also super fast with the food and they will at times ask if you want refills on bonchon. The food here is pretty cheap for Korean food for the most part and also pretty tasty! Their portions are quite generous and their food isn't overly salty. The food can be a little heavy so definitely don't snack too much before eating here. Overall, this is one of the better Korean restaurants in the area. It's decently priced, service is good and it's definitely worth the visit! read more

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Always a satisfying bite here. Love their spicy pork bento. The purple rice tastes like barley rice, which adds a nice complimentary flavor to the spicy pork. The relief from the seasame salad dressing balances it perfectly. Reminds me of the Korean food served by families after the Korean church I used to attend. Miss those family gatherings. Sadly, I had to part with the delicious food and friends because my beliefs weren't aligned with their religion. If any of them read this, no hard feelings. Thanks Jeen. read more

Great little Korean spot in Pinole. The Kimchi Pancake is tasty! Located next to a little park with plenty of parking outside.

We've been going to this tofu soup spot in the Hercules/Pinole area and this place must have changed ownership! What we had: - Beef tofu soup, mild (2/5): lacks flavor, just layer of spicy oil on top - Mandu tofu soup, medium (2/5): tastes like spicy water, no flavor - Dwae Ji bulgogi bento (4/5): portion was decent, loved the flavor of the pork - banchan (3/5): average at best, nothing stood out, and kimchi lacked flavor The broth used to have much more body and flavor up until recently. The folks running the place are super nice and the service is great but I would just say the food is average. read more

A friend of mine invited me and another friend to have lunch,?after walking our dogs in the neighborhood.He took us to Kimchi House, in Pinole. This was my first time here. FOOD We ordered chicken wings for an appetizer. I ordered the spicy chicken bulgogi combination. When asked by our waiter how spicy did I want it, I told him it's not spicy unless I'm perspiring. Indeed, it was SPICY. They ordered the combination teriyaki chicken plate and combination beef bulgogi. SERVICE The waiter was nice and conscientious of us. When I stood up to get me a refill of my tea, he approached me and offered to take over. He handed my cup of tea to our table. He also gave us our glass of water. AMBIENCE We got there around past 2pm, so no one was in except us. Though this was near from my house, I've never been here prior. There's another Korean restaurant nearby. But I'll still come here, Kimchi House. I'll definitely recommend this as another Korean restaurant in the area. read more

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Tucked away in an u-shaped strip mall-ette, is this literal hole in the wall, that serves some of the best Korean food I've had. Don't go for the ambience, this tiny place has maybe ten tables, at best, and definitely feels like a mom-and-pop place, serving authentic food, and not trying to impress you with decorations, etc. We were three adults and a two-year-old. We ordered a Kimchi Pancake, 2 Dolsot (rice bowls) one beef, one chicken and Kimchi Tofu Soup. We shared and we all liked everything, even the two-year-old was excited about the broccoli and Korean glass noodle banchan. Everything was fresh and tasty. The leftovers were great the next day. The service was well timed, and the dishes arrived quickly. If I had known this place existed, I would have been going there at least once a week. I absolutely love Korean food. Check it out.... read more

We tried this restaurant because another Korean restaurant had a waiting line. So glad we did! The food is delicious and the one lady staff was amazing! It is a cozy place and I'm sure they will need to expand soon! We got the last two seated table! Will now be frequenting Kimchi House for our Korean food fix! read more

The restaurant is at a cute corner with a welcoming interior. The service was slow and request my family and I to always flag them down. The inside was a bit warm and not enough airflow, but that's not that big of a deal. The food. It was okay, the spicy chicken was great and had a nice glaze. The duk bokki was nice, decent proportions of tofu. Though the ramen and sauce itself was sub par. Seafood pancake didn't have a "seafood" flavor, felt vegetarian. We ordered some short rib, though it was good, I don't think it was $35 good. Kimchi fried rice was nothing amazing. That's the theme of the place. You get food that's filling and well someone cooked it for you, but you don't walk away super satisfied or feeling like the value was there. For a family of 5, we paid about $200 with tip. We had enough left over for one person/meal. read more

Kimchi House - Spicy Wings - Korean Near Me - Pinole, California

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If you have been looking for a solid Korean restaurant, this is the one. The food is delicious, the banchan is tasty and, and I would argue that they have the best Tofu soup in the East Bay. I have tried the following and recommend all: -Galbi (Short-Rib): Tender, perfectly seasoned, and charcoal grilled! -Seafood Pancake: Generous amount of seafood, dipping sauce is a must, and a nice blend of crispy/chewy. -Combination Tofu Soup: Generous amount of beef and seafood Will be returning! read more

Wow. I've seen it open, never made it here. It does not disappoint! The sweet lady served us some diboki (sp) while we waited for our to go order. Ny child loved it so much he ate my last one. I will come back to try others!!! read more

Did a few pick up orders and had never dined in. Food is average to be honest and nothing too wow about, but it is close to home when wanting some Korea food. Good to support our local businesses. read more

A friend of mine and I decided to check out Kimchi House as it has been one of the restaurants we've always wanted to try. I got the Duk Bok Ki w/ra-myun and excluded a few veggies since i'm a picky eater. now, i've had a bunch of different rice cakes before from different restaurants but this was the BEST i've ever had. the chewy-ness was perfect and they were so soft and plump and I didn't struggle with eating them as I do for most ricecakes. Had plenty of side dishes (banchan) that were amazing as well and my friend had the kimchi tofu stew which she enjoyed too! portions were huge for the pretty affordable prices! I know this restaurant used to be a different one a while back but this was my first time ever here and i quite enjoyed it. everything was clean and the owners who i presume are a husband-wife duo are very sweet and kind! Will definitely come back! read more

Kimchi House - Duk Bok Ki with ramyun - Korean Near Me - Pinole, California

I love this restaurant! It is a hybrid of Korean and Japanese food and is delicious! New owner now but he kept most of the staff. They are very kind to help me with my food allergies. Thanks! read more

The best Korean food, full of flavors, authentic, priced reasonably, portions generous. I've been to many Korean restaurants all over , this beats them all, even the ones in Oakland. Their seafood stew was sooo delicious, the broth had a rich complexity, the way a Korean seafood soft tofu stew should be. Everything we ordered were top of the charts. My 22 year old daughter even thought so and it's hard ti please her. My mother who criticizes everyone's cooking said it was good. That's impressive to me. The bulgogi had so much flavors! I will be back. Cannot believe we live so close but have never tried it til today. Because everytime we crave Korean cuisine we would drive into Oakland. The ambiance is so so, but definitely come for the food read more

Great Awesome Customer Service the food have so much flavors and they set up the bentos so beautifully I also love the cucumber Kim chee that was the bomb I ordered 2 fish jun bentos and 1 bulgogi spicy pork it was so yummy and delicious read more

The food was really good and the couple that ran the place were very nice and great to deal with. I would highly recommend.

My daughter and I enjoyed a last day of 2024 lunch here together. I cannot stress enough how delicious the food is at Kimchi House! We shared the Dolsot and Jap Chae and both of us were delighted. The owner sent out some complimentary Korean New Year soup for us to enjoy (it's basically #9 on the menu with dumplings and no beef). Wonderful, friendly and welcoming service, too! We will return! read more

Very good Korean restaurant with reasonably priced food. The place was small but clean, people were friendly, and food was great!. Visited this restaurant on Saturday for dinner with friends and was pleasantly surprised to see there was no long line. We got seated immediately as soon as we walked in. I could hear the Ajumma cooking away in the kitchen and I knew it was going to be good right away. We ordered Galbi, spicy pork, and 2 orders of extra spicy soft tofu soup. Food came out very fast, banchan tasted very good and kimchi was perfectly fermented, Japche, Odeng, bean sprouts, etc. were all good. BBQ meats had good marinade and had nice char flavor, tofu soup tasted fresh and had just the right amount spiciness. I will definitely visit this place again. read more

I really want to like this place and support local restaurants. The owner due are super sweet. Sadly, from the taste and texture of the food, I can't help but to think it's reheated and not fresh. This place could definitely use a new direction, as we need a great Korean food spot in Pinole. read more

Excellent food! Great service. Friendly atmosphere. One of my favorite places to go when I'm in the Bay Area.

First time going to the Kimchi House and it was wonderful! This appears to be a family business with a husband and wife team. The service was very friendly and accommodating and the food was great! We ordered the Seafood Pancake, Galbi and the Kimchi Pork Belly that had a very complex flavorful umami tomato sauce and delicious kimchi. Generous Banchan to accompany our meal and also beer and soju. On a Saturday when they opened we pretty much had the place to ourselves which was a surprise considering how great the food was. Check it out and support this great local business! I just moved to the area, so this was a great find! I've had many great meals at Korean friend's homes and restaurants in the South Bay Area that had set the bar high. So for my party of 3 we were very pleased with our meal. I'll take photos next time, we were so hungry we never took our phones out! read more

Excellent food and service. My wife and I really love this place. The owners are very nice people. We'd eat here more often if we had the money, but for now it's just an occasional treat. read more

We were sad when we learned that Nu Ga Na has closed, but was elated to find that Kimchi House has taken over and kept one of the chefs, and retained pretty much the same menu. We love the bento lunches here, as you get your protein plus many sides. The soups are also pretty good. The new owners are nice and attentive in their service. The outdoor dining patio in the back overlooking Fernandez Park is lovely. read more

My husband and I love coming here and sitting on the deck when the weather is pleasant. The food is very authentic and yummy!! The ban chan are great. The bi bim bap, jap chae and different tofu soups are all delicious. And run by nice people. read more