I have been wanting to check this spot out since I did the Taste of College last year, so I am finally glad I got to go! Parking is street parking, and I think because I went on a weekday at a random time, I got good parking! The restaurant itself is really cute, there's a main dining room, and then another room which is reminiscent of an old-school living room with records, and a tv hooked up to games! The service here was great as well, the guy taking our order checked up on us during our meal, and also indicated the sauces they had available. What I got: Highland: American cheese, bacon, jalapeños, whipped cream cheese, fried wonton strips, and sweet Thai chili sauce. According to their website, this is one of their most ordered burger, and I can see why. Oddly, cream cheese worked on this burger, I think because the sweetness from the Thai chili sauce and the jalapeños helped to balance the creaminess of the cream cheese, and the richness from the bacon. read more

Kinchana - Highland: American cheese / bacon / jalapeños / whipped cream cheese / fried wonton strips / sweet thai chili sauce - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

The asian flavored burgers intrigued us so we tried this place. The Goth topic was really good. I feel that this can go big. Planning to go back and try the other burgers. I love jackfruit so I had to try the Aloha Mija hoagie. I was very hungry that night and it wasn't enough. I was expecting a bit chunky jackfruit pieces but it's mostly shredded pieces. Flavor could use more tweaking. It doesn't remind me of Hawaiian flavors. The fries were good The elote Mac salad also needa some tweaking. I wouldn't get this again. read more

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The relaxed and friendly atmosphere coupled with retro video games and a comfy couch corner made me feel at home at Kinchana. I appreciated the ability to customize my menu items based on wide dietary preferences, which I took advantage of by subbing the pork bacon for veggie bacon on my Goth Burger. While waiting for our food, offspring and I played some Fox v Link on the N64, which was a great way to pass the time. Food came fast, and we were generously comped an order of Horchata cream filled churro bites--they were the ideal final sweet morsel to end the meal. Burgers are slim, creative smashburgers, with lots of fun Mexican and Asian influences. The only item that fell slightly flat for me was the Mexican poutine, as the mole wasn't my favorite, but I'm a bit of a mole snob so quickly fixed things by dipping the yummy crinkle fries into ketchup instead. If you like fun retro vibes and delicious, creative smashburgers, then come on over to support this local small biz! read more

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Fast friendly service, unique menu, and easy street parking. Cozy interior with half the restaurant looking like a living room. Definitely more on the menu I'd like to come back and try. read more

Kinchana - Curry fries, mock duck fries, bahn mi burger, vegan gothic topic burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Found Kinchana on IG with happy hour deals! They absolutely have the best vegan chicken wings! restaurant is a little small but they have a cool play room inside with old video games! Parking is limited but super easy to find on the weekdays. The owner is amazing and always so helpful. read more

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I found this place online and wanted to check it out. This is from 3/28/26. You can find free parking in the neighborhood. You order at the window and then they bring the food out to you. They also have water available that you can refill yourself. There is a room where you can play video games while waiting or when you're done. They also have books and physical media (movies and music). There are some merchandise for sale as well. We ordered yuzu lemon pepper wings, horchata bites, oyama burger, and diego burger. Fair prices and good size portions. They have restrooms in the back. Overall, this is about a 4 to me. It's worth checking out if you're in the area. -yuzu lemon pepper wings 5 - these were very tasty, no complaints. The lemon was not overpowering at all. I also liked that the wings were very meaty. -horchata bites 3.5 - they were not bad. Since they were called horchata bites, I wanted more of that horchata flavor to hit my taste buds. -oyama burger 5 - I only had a bite of this since my girlfriend ordered this. I actually prefer this over the diego burger. -diego burger 3.5 - this one was okay. I had plenty of sauce on mine, but I felt like the burger was overshadowed by the arugula. The burger should be the star of the show but I had too much arugula. It masked the flavor of the burger. read more

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For when you want a burger that is loaded with flavor. Came by on a Saturday afternoon between errands looking for a good burger. I found my joy in the Highland with its sweet, spice and savory blend of flavors. Normally I would have ordered without the jalapeño, but I'm actually glad I didn't. Husband ordered the Kogarashi and liked it, but like mine better. They Cypher wings were good, but next time I'm aiming for the Yuzu Lemon Pepper or Taijin Dry Rub (why yes, I am planning my next visit already. Thanks for asking) Back to our first time... we shared the curry fries, a craving I have at least once every other month. So glad they're so close. Ordered the 5 year old some chicken wings and lemonade. So good. Bonus is we got to me the husband and wife team working this little dream spot and y'all know I'm a sucker for families leaping into the make the dream real, they set out to create a restaurant that didn't exist... and I think they did. Did I mention the attached lounge?!? Such a cool spot, video games, vintage clothes, used cds and more for sale. My kid loved it here (the 5 year old and the one I call hubby) read more

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Let's kick off this review by saying....wow! The flavor profile for the highland burger is off the charts. The patty was super crispy, Crunchy, and delicious. If I had to pick something to "complain" about, I would say maybe add another patty to make it more "filling". Otherwise this burger is spectacular. I also tried the Diego burger this one was okay, felt like it was heavy handed on the arugula with very little aioli sauce. I did try the Mexican Poutine fries and I'll say that the mole was a nice touch. I really enjoyed them. If you want to experience a bunch of flavors definitely try this one out. As for service, it was good. Asked how our order was, checked in on us from time to time, but person was on his phone majority of the time. Besides that fact, I would go back to try out monthly specials and other items. Keep up the great work. read more

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It was so hard not to order one of everything on this menu. From creative burgers to unique fusion appetizers and small bites, everything sounded delicious. I really wanted everything to taste as good as it sounded, but there were more flaws than pros. What pushed this from a 3 star to a 4 star for me was the service and ambiance. When we were leaving, the employee asked how our food was and I honestly didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't enjoy my meal as much as I thought I would because he was so kind and welcoming. The concept of this restaurant is awesome. It's a Cali-Asian-Mexican fusion restaurant known for creative burgers, wings, and fries, with vegan options like jackfruit sandwiches. The space is also shared with other vendors like a matcha pop up on Wednesdays and Thursdays and a comedy show on Thursdays. There's even a lounge loft area with vinyls and video games. In the main dining area there are a variety of hot sauces from placed around the restaurant. I loved this because you get to try new sauces. There is also a small side dish bar with kimchi, bamboo shoots, hot carrots, nopales, and jalapenos for complimentary enjoyment. They have a happy hour wing special where five wings are $5. Some of their snack items are also $1 off during happy hour which runs from 2-5pm dine in only. Drink options are limited, mostly canned sodas and bottled drinks. I ordered their lemonade. After the hardest decision making of my day we ordered the kogarashi burger, highland burger, cypher wings, and mock duck papa fritas. Lemonade Definitely watered down. A very light lemonade flavor, but surprisingly it helped balance some of the stronger food flavors so I wasn't too mad about it. Kogarashi Burger This burger comes with crispy fried spam chips, house sesame slaw, sliced daikon, teriyaki glaze, furikake, and spicy mayo. Unfortunately this was a letdown. The sesame slaw overpowered the entire burger and even with all that sauce the burger still felt dry. The patty and spam chips were cold when it reached the table which made me think they might have been pre cooked and assembled later. The bun was also dry so the whole bite lacked moisture. I barely noticed the daikon. Highland Burger This one was much better. It comes with American cheese, bacon, jalapenos, fried wonton strips, whipped cream cheese, and sweet Thai chili sauce. We asked to hold the cream cheese. All the flavors worked well together and the burger had a great grilled flavor from the patty and bacon. Cypher Wings These wings are tossed in a Thai chili chimichurri sauce. I expected more spice but it tasted more like a traditional chimichurri. That said the wings were perfectly cooked and very meaty for $1 per wing. Super juicy and flavorful. I would come back to try another flavor like the yuzu lemon pepper. Mock Duck Papa Fritas I love mock duck when I get Thai food so I was curious about this dish. It starts with crinkle cut fries topped with mock duck, cabbage, onions, jalapenos, Thai chili chimichurri, spicy hoisin crema, and an avocado citrus drizzle. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this. The fries were soggy and undercooked. Some fries, on the inside, had the texture of undercooked frozen French fries. The sauces clashed with each other and made the flavors confusing. I think this dish would have worked better with fewer sauces and crispier fries. I really wanted to love this place. The concept is fun, the space is unique, and the service was great. Unfortunately the food didn't live up to how good everything sounded on the menu. Flavors either clashed too much or fell short. About five minutes after finishing my meal I got a pretty bad stomach ache and I am still nauseous right now. read more

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I've recently order food from here and have been wanting to try it since the pictures on yelp made it look so good. This place is a little hold on the wall and it is located in the main road so cars are always passing. There is street parking but depending on when you get there, it could be a little difficult. As for the food, this place seems to be a fusion of Asian cuisine. I got the kinchana burger and it was okay. Not sure if we got it to go and waited too long to eat it or the food itself. The chicken with chimichurri sauce was also kind of sad. The chicken tasted like freezer chicken you buy from Vons and the sauce was missing the Argentinian flavors. I would recommend everyone trying it for the first time to test out the waters for themselves but for me, I'd probably won't give it a second shot. read more

Definitely one of the best burgers I've had in a really long time!! Hubby and I both had the Highland burger and i want to say it had the most unique flavor combinations I can say that I've ever had. Cream cheese on a burger with Thai chili sauce and thick bacon! What a great recipe We also had a side of the curry fries and the fries were perfectly crispy with the curry and pickles on top. It was another great combo that I wasn't sure I'd like but I loved it ! Service was wonderful, the restaurant had a gaming room which we totally loved sans added to the great vibe there. Both of us are old time gamers and next time we should go sit in that room . Definitely going back! read more

Kinchana - Highland Burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've tried the highland, kimgogi, and kogarashi burger. They are all pretty unique burgers with the highland being my favorite. Kimgogi could be a close second but I'd like a heartier bun to keep up with the juicy kimchi in the burger. The meat was perfectly smashed and crispy and salty. Each table had a variety if hot sauces which was a nice addition, away from just siracha and cholula. Tried wings my second time there and they were well fried and it was an it was topped with an herbal and spice green sauce which was delicious and unique. They have a cute sticker that they have a new design for each month and it's free for customers. The loft is fun filled with nostalgia. The service is welcoming and helpful. Might be my new neighborhood hang. read more

Kinchana - Loft area - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

We came today and tried more menu items. We didn't leave any crumbs and also bought a t-shirt for $5. The Oyama burger was delicious; the wasabi mayo subtle. I will order this again or the Highland. The Diego burger was light and fresh and also tasty. I noticed the burgers are best eaten when first served hot - in case like us you tried a bit of everything and then came back to them. The mexican fries were great. The crinkle fries don't need any toppings- they stand out on their own. For the poutine, I would have liked melted cheese vs cold, but the mole flavor was good and overall it's a very good dish. I think even nicer than the curry fries. Partner liked the wings and is going to try another flavor next time, working through their rotation of flavors. I dont know if it's salt or flavoring on the outside of the cauliflower dippers, I told my partner they were too salty but just like a well seasoned tortilla chip, I came back for more! The lemon pepper dip was yummy. They paired well together. Service was great again. It's a nice place to come and have a relaxing casual meal. read more

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This spot is cool. really nice owner. interior decorated well, good vibes. prices are decent. pho burger was interesting, never had something like this before, creative. good fries. garlic parm wings good. hidden gem vibes read more

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We were in the mood for hamburgers and our trusty Yelp search aligned us with this place. It happens to be right down the street from our house and is a really neat restaurant. They have burgers that are Fusion of Mexican and Korean flavors. My 5-year-old got chicken fingers that were delicious, my wife and I each tried a different Burger both were scrumptious. Pro tip the curry fries are amazing . There is also very cool Loft area set up with vintage video games as well as some merchandise for sale. After lunch we played some rock band , some Mario Kart and bought a vintage Red Wings hat and a vintage Hang Ten shirt. This cool little gem will soon become a regular stopping point for us to have lunch. The owners were very down to earth and just great people, l and I'm excited to have this new restaurant in the rotation. read more

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I had the Oyama Burger and the wasabi mayo was different and thought i was going to regret it, but it was good. The wings on the other hand was really salty and had to wipe the outside of the wings with napkin to get all the excess salt out. The service was great and there is a game room in the next room over so if you want to dine and then chill to play games, here is where you can come. Also, they have game board and crayons for coloring. Good burger and service, but the burger was not like wow wow and just alright. read more

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I visited this place in years past when you could get Jamaican food.  It was ok.  Now you can get burgers and it's called Kinchana. I ordered a burger with bacon, lettuce, and tomato.  Bun was soft with a mild flavor.  Lettuce and tomato were fresh.  Beef had a mild beef flavor.  Bacon was crunchy and was cooked to the point all the moisture was removed.  Too dry for my taste.  This burger was ok. Crinkle cut fries were crispy and I loved the flavor.  Alot like Shake Shack fries. Guy in charge was nice and service was speedy. read more

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Kinchana has put down roots in the Rolando neighborhood after operating a food truck in the East Village part of downtown. They took over a space that used to house a Caribbean eatery as well as the next door suite which has been turned into a loft. It's essentially a gaming lounge where you can relax and play old-school video games on vintage televisions. The main dining area could seat about two dozen customers. The menu featured Cali-Asian-Mexican burgers of which there were eight choices. Three vegan hoagies were also available that used jackfruit as "pulled pork." Happy hour chicken wings, french fries, and a mac salad were the rest of the main offerings. I picked the Kimgogi Burger that was dressed with kimchi, Korean BBQ glaze, kojuchang, furikake, pickled lotus root, radish slaw, and avo citrus sauce. The flavors were neither too spicy nor overwhelming which was my worry. I also selected the Curry Fries that were the crinkle cut variety topped with house Japanese curry, sesame slaw, pickled radish, and togarashi. I liked this item even more than the burger because the mild curry over the fries provided a warm comfort food feeling when I started consuming it. The slaw and radish added some acid that cut through the carbs from the potatoes. The creativity of these fusion burgers was evident. I would consider returning to try a different selection as the prices were reasonable for the quality and uniqueness. The worker (owner?) who took my order was pleasant and very welcoming. I enjoyed my meal from Kinchana enough to give it a four star rating. read more

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We are a vegetarian and meat-eating household, so this place is a dream for us! I tried the Thai sweet chili vegan wings and K-Town jackfruit hoagie, and both were delicious! I'm amazed at the crisp and crunch of the vegan wings. Sweet Thai chili was good, but I can't wait to try more of their sauce options! The jackfruit hoagie was a good combo of sweet and spicy with the kimchi and gochujang sauce. 10/10 - would come back and take a tour through the rest of the menu! Service was very quick and friendly, and the shop shares a cute game room with some gaming systems. read more

Kinchana - Sweet Thai chili vegan wings - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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We stopped by Kinchana after seeing their grand opening info on social media. Super cool concept with the shop/game loft and very unique menu offerings. We had the pleasure to meet the owner Michael and his wife and learning about their food truck journey to brick and mortar. The flavors worked so well together & Michael recommended added the black garlic chili sate to the entrees. SO GOOD! We asked if they sold the bottles there, and grabbed one for $7.50. Will be back for sure! read more

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Finally checked this place out and it lives up to the hype!! Saw them all over social media. The space is super cool, kind of a retro lounge feel with a split setup where you can either sit down to eat or hang out and play games. Easy spot to spend more time than you planned, especially with the older games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Mario Kart. The workers and or owners were super laid back and super helpful. We ran through a few burgers and they all delivered. Good smash style, crispy edges, solid flavor. Nothing felt basic, each one had something a little different going on. The Oyama was also my favorite just because of the texture, had a nice crunch that made it stand out. The real surprise for me was the wings. Came during happy hour and the $1 wings are honestly one of the best deals I've seen. They came out hot, super plump, and actually had flavor not just sauce. That alone makes it worth coming back. Overall great vibe, good food, and solid value. I'd definitely run it back, especially for the wings!! read more

Kimchana was a really cool place! I'm not usually a fan of fusion, but I think they do it well. The Asian-Hispanic fusion really displays and represents the diversity of San Diego. The owner was super kind and patient when explaining the menu to us. Service was fast. I heard the grill turn on after we ordered, so I believe orders were made fresh. I ordered the Diego burger and the Colima fries. I felt that the burger could have been seasoned more but there was a nice selection of hot sauces and seasoning to add to our food right at the table, so that fixed it right up. The flavors of the burger were nice and melded well together. The burger patty itself, which was a smash burger, was well cooked. The Colima fries were wonderful and tasted just like Filipino spaghetti (which is what I think they are inspired by). The restaurant itself is very intimate and simple with limited seating, which made it feel like a nice hole in the wall. On the other side of the restaurant was a cool hang out space with other items for sale (candles and clothing merch). There were couches for relaxation and sitting. The vintage video games were available for patrons to use. This is a great set up to hang out in after eating. I would highly recommend this establishment and I would return! read more

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I've been wanting to visit this place for a while, so finally made the trip today! The interior of the place is decorated so nicely, it has such a cozy and retro fuel. The restaurant is split into, one side is for eating and the other side is a hangout spot with video games and other games too. Overall, the decor and the whole vibe of the place was really nice!! my boyfriend and I got to try three burgers and two wings. We tried the Diego, the Highland, and the Oyama!! All of the burgers were unique in their own way, but as a smashburger lover, I really enjoyed all of them. I personally got the Oyama and I loved the fresh crunch of the veggies, it was really different from any burger i've tried!! NOW THE WINGS. I am a huge wing lover, so I was really happy to report that these wings are GOOD. I think it's the same wings and they changed the coating based on each flavor. My fav is the YUZU PEPPER, which is basically lemon pepper but with Yuzu. WOULD 100% COME BACK AND TRY THE OTHER FLAVORS!! read more

Bomb burgers(Goth Topic is my current favorite), fries, and wings(Yuzu, Buffalo, K-BBQ)! Fast friendly service and restaurant is fun inside. read more

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4.5 stars, but serious potential to be a 5. First of all, love the vibe here. There's a game, vinyl room where you can chill on the couch, play games, and even purchase repurposed denim! It feels like you're in your cool friend's living room. Second, food is solid but with a few tweaks, could be incredible. We ordered the cypher wings, kimgogi burger, and fries (extra crispy). The wings were super crispy but still juicy, and the sauce was a fresh, thick, almost salsa style sauce. Very tasty, esp with the addition of more hot sauce. I don't normally like crinkle cut fries, but getting them extra crispy was the way to go. The fries were also super hot and crisp, and stayed hot for a surprising sling of time. Love that they offer a ton of unique hot sauces and satay sauces on the side! The burger was pretty tasty and flavorful, but needed a little bit more oomph. The burger buns needed to be toasted more to add a crunch, and the kimchi should be sautéed in butter for a deeper, umami flavor. Because the burger was so thin, the cold kimchi and softly toasted bun made the burger go cold faster. I think, with the right burger order, Kinchana could be a must visit spot! I'll be back to try a different burger! read more

Love the unique flavor combinations. Had the had the goth topic. Well cooked, well seasoned. Not too spicy. Ordered the cypher wings. Delicious but would ask for more sauce next time. read more

Already can't wait to go back! Food was delicious, fast service. Got the Chasa burger, cypher wings, vegan goth topic, vegan sweet Thai chili wings and the Sidewinder fries. The spicy mustard was a nice way to cut through the sweetness of the char sui pork. Wings were crispy, could have had more sauce, girlfriend loved all the vegan options and her food was so good. Had a bunch of board games and video games to play, cool spot! read more

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The customer service was great. We got our food within 8 minutes. We ordered their new sawya burger and wings and an Oyama burger. The sawya burger was delicious and not too sweet. The oyama burger was lacking flavors because the slaw was too bland and the meat wasn't that great. The sawya wings were overly salted. We had to dust off some of the seasoning because we couldn't eat it even after dipping it into the chili sauce. read more

I had a fun time at Kinchana. The dining room area is fairly small, but adjacent to it is a great living-room style lounge with sofas, two TV's and a few gaming consoles that you can play before, during, or after eating. They also had some board games to play. A very home-like feeling. The menu has a nice mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings which is great, and the couple who own the establishment were very friendly and told us a bit about their vision and background. They currently don't have alcohol, but said they are working on it. Hopefully they get their license, which will make their entertainment area even better. read more

I was pleasantly surprised when we wandered into this place to checkout a new neighborhood spot. The food was unique and flavorful with loads of options for both meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans. I really enjoyed my jackfruit hoagie and want to try them all. We were not expecting such a fun lounge room with old school video games and movies. If felt like going over to a friend's house in the 90s/early 2000s. Super nostalgic and chill. I did not bring my kids but I will next time! If you are looking for a chill spot with good food and super friendly owners, give this a try! What a great addition to our neighborhood. read more

Great burger flavors, crispy fries and a super tasty elote salad! Great vibe, friendly service and bonus room w/video games, vintage clothing, records and more. Don't skip the lavender Arnold Palmer! read more

Kinchana - Hawaiian mac elote salad--so good! - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

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Burger is really tasty I had the gothic topic melted in my mouth on the first bite, my wife had the Highland burger with cream cheese another great burger. We also ordered one order of fries and they where not stingy at all, great portions, Hands down 10/10. read more

Kinchana - Front of Pic Highland Burger, back of pic Gothic topic Burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

What other place can I sit down with my 10 year old son and play Mario Kart on n64 and eat Tajin dry rub chicken wings and have really balanced tasty Fushion burgers? Such a dope spot with great food. If your born 1980-90 your gonna love it. read more

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Found this hidden gem on Instagram. We were greeted by a friendly owner and ordered our food. While we were waiting we explored the loft and it was very nostalgic with CCTV and Mario kart playing on the n64. Played 1 round of smash and our food was already ready. I got the curry fries and really enjoyed them read more

This place was very fun and delicious! Be blessed with the customer service and flavors.

This place is perfection as always. Greeted by the friendly owner. I just tried the goth topic burger and it was the perfect balance of savory and sweet. You've got to try their new hot sauce! The music was the perfect. read more

I appreciate how there is a wide option for those with dietary restrictions (a lot of vegan options!) I tried the mock duck fries which were surprisingly good. I also loved the curry fries - nice balance of the curry sauce and fries. They are overall very unique on their flavors. I tried the Oyama and the teriyaki glaze was a little too sweet for me but I am curious how the other burgers are. The owner is super friendly and the game room is such a nice touch to the atmosphere. Side note, recommend asking if there are any secret menu :) read more

Great food and customer service. Food was delivered to the table quickly with minimal wait. Shop was decorated with cool decore and lounge had great vibes read more

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Delicious? check! (I had a vegan hoagie, 'lil bro had wings & fries, all were well-prepared, fresh and good quality!) Creative? check! Affordable? check! Community-oriented? check check! (that 2nd room, tho!) The kind of neighborhood spot I want to see more of? check! We'll be back! And hey yelp, the restaurant is in El Cerrito, not Rolando. read more

Great tasty fusion food. Typical food favorites only with a California- Asian fusion taste. Very original thoughts in making devious burgers, wings etc. Love the lounge area where you can see a very retro atmosphere with vintage video games, plenty of vinyl to listen too. read more