My bf and I both ordered the original koja and an order of kamikaze fries. When we got our food, both of our rice paddies were cold and way too hard to eat. This is the first time we've had rice paddies that were completely inedible. We don't normally come to this part of the city so this was our fist time at this location. Never coming back. Only reason I gave it two stars is because of the mountain of fries they gave us. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Kamikaze fries and 2 orders of the original koja - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

No brainer!! Never too busy. Delicious food. Creative menu. I recommend the rice taco thingy it's so good Also the fries are way too good read more

I love Koja because they are affordable, fresh, and absolutely tasty. Usually going for the bowls, BBQ beef is my favorite. They come with greens, rice, and yummy kimchi! I heard their sandwiches w the rice buns are pretty special too. Until next time! read more

The food we had here was yummy. "KoJa" in KoJa Kitchen stands for Korea and Japan. This restaurant serves Korean-Japanese fusion. KoJa originally started out as a food truck in 2011. My San Francisco foodie friend, who brought me here, says their food truck used to always have a line when they first started. Now, KoJa has numerous locations in California, primarily in the Bay Area. Their first brick-and-mortar restaurant opened in 2014 and this location on Clement in Inner Richmond opened in September 2015. Korean and Japanese cuisine is certainly an interesting combination and one you don't see often. This is a fast-casual restaurant that serves "KoJa" (burgers/sandwiches that utilize fried garlic rice buns), rice bowls, tacos and salads, and sides like waffle fries and wings. Proteins include Korean BBQ beef short rib (galbi), Korean BBQ beef and chicken, miso-coconut braised pork, ahi tuna, and soy and portobello mushroom patties. The prices are affordable with most items priced at under $9 each and the most expensive dishes, the ahi tuna bowl and the ahi tuna salad, topping out at $10.95. In addition, they have a case of ice cream sandwiches, from San-Jose-based Mavens Creamery, in assorted flavors (seven when we visited). I tried a couple items: * Chicken Koja ($7.25) - Korean BBQ chicken, sesame vinaigrette, lettuce, tomato, cilantro, spicy gochujang sauce, sesame seeds, lemon wedge * Umami fries ($6.35) - Crisscut waffle fries, miso-coconut braised pork, red sauce, garlic aioli, fried shallots, masago, green onions I'm sometimes skeptical of Asian fusion and trendy cuisine, but I thought the food here was pretty good. There's a reason why these guys are still open and have grown in size. The items I tried weren't gimmicky. They were legitimately delicious. My favorite thing about the Chicken Koja was the fried rice garlic bun. How can you go wrong with fried rice and garlic? Not to be misleading, the "fried rice" is more of a white rice that's been fried crispy with bits of garlic. I've tried other similar rice buns (and even ramen buns) and KoJa's version is perhaps the best I've had. The bun held up quite well. It was soft enough so it didn't crack or crumble apart in the wrong places and it was hard enough to keep the sandwich together, bite after bite. The creators of this bun did a great job. As for the ingredients inside, they were A-OK. Nothing special, but not bad either. The gochujang is what really brought everything together. This was a filling, savory sandwich. The umami fries were excellent. They're sort of like the Asian version of loaded nachos except instead of nachos, you get waffle fries a la Chick-fil-A. The fries were heavy, rich, and messy. The braised pork and red sauce were sharp (acidic) and really tasty. They gave the fries a rather intense flavor. Even though this is a side, there's so much food, it could pass as an entree. I love the touches of garlic aioli (looks like sour cream, but it isn't), fried shallots, masago, and green onions. I can honestly say this was the first time I've had waffle fries with masago (capelin roe/fish eggs) on them. Yum. This is a spacious restaurant with both an interior dining room and a fully enclosed patio. Tables are a mixture of high-tops and regular-height tables. Most seats are Tolix stools with some bench seating and a few chairs in the back. The design of the restaurant is modern industrial with a bit of an Asian flair. There's an open kitchen and at least one TV. A single unisex restroom is located in the back. The cashier was friendly and service was speedy. The kitchen called out our order before our pager even rang. KoJa uses the Clover POS (point of sale) system so you can grab your receipt electronically. If you've never been to a KoJa Kitchen, it's worth checking out. read more

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One of our take-out go to spots. Short rib bowl is tasty and a good bang for your buck. In a city full of overpriced restaurants, Koja keeps it 100. read more

Have been eating Koja since the time they only had a food truck. Super solid Korean fusion and great quality food. You can go wrong with an original koja with an added egg and a side of Kamikaze fries. Their restaurant in the Richmond is a really good size with a lot of seating, both inside and semi outdoors with heaters. Parking for the area is always a bit challenging, so make sure you plan to drive to look for a spot. Nice staff, great food, definitely check them out! read more

Incredible food with even better customer service. If you want to help out good people, order from here. You won't regret it. We got the Kamikaze bowl and kamikaze fries and they were all incredible. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Kamikaze Fries - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I remember the days when koja was just a food truck! I was intrigued by their rice burger bun. Although I never liked their signature koja, I have always been a fan of their ahi tuna bowl and ahi tuna salad. They give you hefty portions and I've never left hungry. The meat, in general, is just way too dang sweet and the kojas are difficult to eat. This location has alcohol and a decent happy hour. Super easy to order, fast to get your food, TVs if you want to hang out and catch the game. Prices are decent but there just isn't enough to offer here food wise to come back on a regular basis. Pretty cool when they first came out but way too many other options in the area to pass up on. read more

KoJa Kitchen is a great place to grab an affordable drink. They have $4 beer, $5 sangria, and $6 wine ALL day long! We first discovered KoJa Kitchen while waiting for Burma Superstar down the road. They have a nice outdoor patio with heating and TVs. We were in the neighborhood recently again and decided to try out KoJa kitchen's food options. As a vegetarian, my only option was the "teriyaki zen" in a few different forms. I got it in bowl form. Not being a big fan of sweet sauces (i.e. teriyaki), I got teriyaki on the side and a side of kimchi to supplement. I also got a $6 wine of course. My bowl was fairly large. It had lots of fried bits on the top, which I didn't love. The protein was great though- it tasted like a mixture of mushroom and tofu. Otherwise not super flavorful but a solid meal! I can't speak for the meat options but I certainly can speak to the cheap drink prices! Go to KoJa kitchen for an affordable happy hour any time if you are in the neighborhood. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Teriyaki Zen Bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The kamikaze fries are so good. The sauce and beef really does go well together. The red sauce has the spicy flavor while the beef is like sweetish like almost bulgogi. I think you have to try their fries if you come since it's BOMB.com. Fries were $6.46 including sf tax. Staff were very friendly throughout my time there. Would come back to try tacos and others. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Menu 9.20.19 - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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These mofos wanted to charge me $0.50 for a tiny ketchup sized plastic cup of kimchi. Still it's all about those deep fried rice buns! It's the type of place I would bring new people to Korean Fusion to try, but I wouldn't go there just for myself. I've gone to their San Jose once. They have about 10 locations in the Bay Area. We had just tasted our variety of burgers with the special buns. I think the Umami fries came with kimchi. After trying the fries and short rib burger, I thought that a bit of additional kimchi/pickles would be a good compliment. I got up, waited in line again, and asked the cashier if I could have just a tiny bit of kimchi. They said that it would be $0.50 for a tiny cup. Really?! I just spent a ton of money for four people to eat here and gave a good tip even though they don't bring food to your table. Pretty irritating & stingy policy, but I'll still base my review for the food. The short rib Burger is very sweet just like regular Korean BBQ. It just screams a bit too much "diabetes" to me even though I can eat ice cream like no other. However, it is easier to eat than regular Korean BBQ because there are no bones or super fatty pieces to avoid. I also shared the braised pork Koja burger (also with fried rice buns) and it was pretty tasty. But again it was very sweet and the coconut flavor is pretty strong. Umami fries are a bit much (heavy) when eating them with all the other items. The waffle fries are extremely saucy and sweet. I can't really remember much about the Korean buffalo wings. It's really all about the fried rice bun if you've never tried a burger made with these before. I wish the buns were a little bit more browned - like a golden brown. It is a bit on the pale side for me, but it's still fun to try. Koja is very consistent with the texture and color of the buns. It's a good place to take out-of-town people if they're new to Korean BBQ flavors or just want to try something different. I've enjoyed their macaron ice cream sandwiches twice and I found that the key to really getting the best flavor and texture out of them is to wait a couple minutes for the ice cream to start to melt. Not melt melt... just slightly soften because it's extremely hard when served. The macaron part is also difficult to bite through if you try to eat it right away. read more

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Usually I have no complaints about my orders from Koja kitchen, but I picked up my order today to find hair in my food! The most unpleasant thing ever. I think I will hold off ordering from Koja from now on. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I discovered Koja Kitchen years ago and haven't been back in a while so I decided to grab some bowls with my friend for lunch. The parking was difficult to find, but after going around a couple times we were lucky enough to find metered parking right outside. I got the chicken bowl while my friend got the ahi tuna bowl. We thought that it was pretty good and reasonably priced. However, we felt that the rice and meat ratio was a bit off. There wasn't as much meat as we would've liked. I also got a side order of the kamikaze fries. They were sooo good! I highly suggest you try them out. The fries were made perfectly. It was a little spicy, but they didn't overwhelm it with red sauce or kimchi so I was able to handle it just fine. It's just something to keep in mind if you're not a fan of spicy at all! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Ahi Tuna Bowl, Kamikaze Fries, & Chicken Bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

We ordered takeout via Uber eats and ordered the koja original, umami fries, kamikaze fries, and a special fried chicken rice bowl. The food was absolutely amazing! We didn't really know what we wanted to eat but after seeing the pictures and other reviews, we knew we had to give this place a try. We are definitely making a plan to go to this restaurant in the near future and eat with our pups on the patio. read more

I've been wanting to try Koja Kitchen for a while because the pictures look amazing but I'm actually disappointed by my visit. A friend and I walked in around 7pm on a Wednesday night, and decided to get a chicken bowl, a chicken koja, and a umami fries to share. All 3 were sub par. Chicken bowl I had the chicken bowl and didn't like it at all. It's less than $10 but you also get what you pay for - very little meat and lots of rice. The chicken was too sweet for my taste and under seasoned. There was no dressing for the salad and the only flavor comes from the two pieces of kimchi. I was underwhelmed. Umami fries Admittedly, it looked good on picture. But the food itself was pretty bad. Fries were dry and so was the meat. Most importantly, the sauces didn't blend together. Because they used waffles fries, it's even harder to get a bit of sauce on every piece. So, some fries didn't get any sauce, while others were soaked in mayo. Chicken koja Koja is known for their kojas (rice burger) but even the chicken koja was just okay. The buns were rice compressed together and slightly fried. It was supposed to give a crunchy taste, but koja added to much sauce that made the rice bun soggy. In general, nothing stood out and I think there are many things that can be improved. We won't go back. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very, very tasty, very unique. I give them 5 stars purely for that Braised Pork Koja! I've recommended this place to several people in the week that's passed since eating here. Plus, there's quick turnaround since you order at the counter, so the wait isn't too bad. THE WAIT: A few minutes in line and a few minutes to get our food at 1:30pm on a Saturday. It was busy but there was plenty of space for a small group. Right after we ordered a few huge groups came in; they may have waited 10-15 minutes to order. THE COST: About $50 total for two entrees, a side of fries, a cider, a flight of beers, and a dessert. Not bad. MUST-HAVES: Braised Pork Koja all the way! THE FOOD: * Braised Pork Koja ($7.75) - 5 stars Amazing! Absolutely delicious, soft, fatty pork. The rice bun had a slight crisp to, like the rice that sticks to the side of a pot (my favorite part). * The Original Koja ($8.95) - 3.5 stars Great flavors & rice bun. The meat was a little hard. * Kamikaze Fries ($5.95) - 4 stars Great! Soft wedge-like fries. On the scale of fries topped w/ meat, relatively healthy! * Yam Macaroon Sandwich ($4.95) - 4 stars Love the concept & the flavor. It's kept quite cold so the texture is hard. read more

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Happy to say that my trip back to San Francisco was to first eat here with my best friend since the 1st grade. During this COVID-19 Pandemic, please support your local business like this one with such a beautiful history from Food Truck to Restaurant. This place is beautiful by reinventing cuisine using two amazing cultures, Japanese and Korean. Really out here trying to make the world more beautiful and unified. This place got some amazing affordable alcoholic specials/drinks that last for the whole day and happens the next day maybe week if you missed it. Located on the beautiful Clement street that runs so far down the avenues filled with amazing small businesses and shops that range from bookstores, bars, aquariums, markets, and of course food food food! The place inside interior isn't too special, and the staff here are pretty amazing people. They do have a public gender neutral bathroom. Considering that we are talking about San Francisco, this place actually has a lot of room for seating/ space in general. Got a TV for your entertainment and you can choose to sit on the high long tables, right next to the great outside, or inside the restaurant in your typical 4 seater table. I only had the rice bowls here and they are amazing. So filling and they are not stingy about the toppings. What a value. What a deal. The bowl is also very healthy and balanced with fresh veggies, kimchi, white or brown rice for carbs, and your choice of protein. Yummy yummy. It doesn't feel too oily and doesn't make you feel bloated. You feel all nice and good inside. Psst, they have a secret menu, check it out if you want more options. Overall positive vibes here and I would definitely come again. read more

So good. My daughters and I really enjoyed it. My favorite was the chicken tacos so flavorful. We came across this restaurant by a whim, best decision ever. I wish Clement wasn't so far away. read more

KoJa Kitchen - My daughter's and I enjoyed this place my fav was the chicken taco. All so flavorful and yummy - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Koja Kitchen serves delicious Asian Fusion food that mixes some of the best Asian flavors, such as Korean kalbi (short ribs), miso, and coconut, but styled in Mexican or American ways of eating (taco, burger, fries). Their attempt to do something different and unique turned out extremely well. Their food is full of flavor and meats are tender. The Umami Fries ($6.35) are outstanding! They are crosscut waffle fries topped with miso-coconut braised pork, garlic aioli, and other delicious toppings. It is packed with great Asian flavors that fuse together with the fries nicely! Going along with the miso-coconut braised pork theme is the Braised Pork Koja ($7.75). This is pretty much the same toppings as the umami fries, but put into a "burger" form with two fried garlic rice buns. Either way you eat it, the miso-coconut braised pork is delicious. It does get very saucy and therefore the "burger" doesn't stay together very well. The Original Koja ($8.95) is another delicious winner. It comes with Korean BBQ short ribs topped with much flavorful ingredients in between two fried garlic rice buns. It's the original and definitely one of the best. It's not as saucy as the pork, but also less messy to eat. I love that Koja Kitchen has a restaurant in SF's Richmond District. I love even more that this location is market-style, where you order and pay upfront, then pick up your food and find a place to sit and eat. This location does have beer and wine specials, which come in cute mason jars. They also sell Maven's ice cream macaron sandwiches. The size of these macaron ice cream sandwiches are actually pretty large (compared to VP, which were the exact same flavor, but much smaller in size). Koja Kitchen in SF is definitely a great option when you are looking for a quick, less formal, and delicious meal. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Braised Pork Koja ($7.75) & Umami Fries ($6.35) (left), 2 Original Kojas ($8.95) (right) - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am rating this place AVERAGE. So I checked out this place because my fellow friend went on a hype about their amazing fries and mouthwatering burgers. So I decided to pick up some of these mouthwatering burgers to go! Upon arrival I was a tad lost. The menus were hung on the door. I wasn't sure if I could take them and look at them. At the register the customer service was friendly, but extremely RUSHED. Being a new customer I would like to view the menu. You can even ask me to move aside and take others orders, but that didn't happen. So I excused myself from the line so others can order. Afterward, I had questions about some food items, but the girl wasn't very informative. Wait time took a while, but I don't mind a wait if the food quality is good. Moving on I order the burger with the rice buns and braised pork. Never doing that again. The fries were mediocre and a complete MESS. The burgers were average and not worth the wait. Coming back? Eh, maybe only with a group of friends. read more

Got this place from a friend's recommendation and UMMM?!? This place is SOOOO delicious! I have never had anything like this back in Colorado. I got the original Koja burger that had rice buns with Korean beef inside. The kamikaze fries were also to die for - I have never tasted more crispier fries AND flavor in my life! My group of 10 all liked this place and kept commenting on how good it was. This is on my bucket list on places to eat when I come back to San Francisco!! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Koja burger, HH Kamikaze Fries, Umami Fries - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ordered some Koja with my roomie for delivery today! When it arrived, the rice patty was still crispy. The short rib was cooked down a little bit. But! It was intriguing! I want to actually visit the restaurant in person next time! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Short Rib Koja - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

KoJa Kitchen has an outdoor seating area and then their inside dining area where you order. You order at the register and wait until your buzzer goes off to pick up your food. They even have mint and lemon water on the side of the counter. It didn't take long at all before our buzzer went off. Somewhere between 10-15 minutes. The Umami and Kamikaze fries were the highlight of this experience. The fries come as criss crossed and the things are just loaded. The braised pork on top filled me up. They were so good that we inhaled them. The Umami fries had this acidic sauce which made it much more memorable. My sister did have the pork belly bowl as well but I was too exhausted to try it. She felt like she's had better though. Overall, an easy spot to dine in quick with plenty of seating. I would be sure to come back for the fries! read more

KoJa Kitchen - The Pork Belly Bowl, the Kamikaze fries and the Umami fries - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

My niece had told me about this place - though no doubt I have walked by it many many times. I thought she said something about a burger on rice rolls. There is no burger, but a short rib sandwich on rice rolls, we got that to split along with a chicken taco. Also one of the frozen mint lemonade drinks. I guess Korean food flavors just isn't one of the flavor profiles I enjoy. It was all fine (I did enjoy the rice "rolls"). My husband enjoyed both thing and I am glad I checked this place out. I did really like the frozen lemonade. read more

I've been to both places several times before they merged. First time here today and the food continues to be tasty, the service good, and love the convenience. Several people in line ahead of me, for me a good sign it's worth the wait. Had a lemongrass pork Bahn Mi and the soy garlic wings, to go. Came out pretty fast for a small place and really tasty. Adding it to my list... read more

Nummy!! You need to order at least two sandwiches. I love the fried rice buns. Flavors are great !!!!!!!

The floors were greasy and we found a rubber band in one of the rice bowls :( Other than that, fried chicken wings and the rice bowls were pretty good. read more

KoJa Kitchen - Chicken Bowl and Soy Garlic Wings - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

My family really likes to get groceries here, so I come near Clement often. I was often off put by the small portions and high prices at koja kitchen. My family really wanted to try it, so we went. We ordered umani fries, one of each tacos, chicken plate, and beef plate. The tacos were okay. I wasn't a fan of the chicken or pork ones. The beef was probably the best of the three. The plates were actually really filling. It came with a mini salad on the side, but the plates definitely filled us. The umami fries were the star though. The waffle cut fries tasted amazing with the sauce and pork. There was a lot of space, with patio seating. There's lots of TV's too, so I think it'd be a nice place to have a drink and eat the fries. While I wouldn't get the tacos again, I would definitely be down to get their fries again. I was super skeptical of their food before, but am now a fan. read more

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Amazing spot for Korean fusion. I get the beef koja every time I go, and this location makes the garlic fried rice buns perfectly crispy on the outside while the rice inside has a great kind of sticky rice texture. They are generous with the spicy sweet aoli and their beef is cooked perfectly, it is sooo tender, soft, and flavorful. Their kamikazi and umami fries are both amazing you can't go wrong, but I tend to prefer the umami fries bc of that coconut braised pork and fried onions. This is my go to for cheaper, quick, and flavorful food. read more

We wanted a quick bite after a comedy show across the street and KoJa Kitchen was the best and most convenient option. I love their rice bun burgers but I wasn't too hungry so I just ordered a beef taco. Their meat is always so flavorful and tender here! The taco was stuffed with ingredients but not overflowing or too messy. It was the perfect late night bite! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Beef and Chicken Tacos - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been in the Richmond for over 40 yrs. & why is it that whenever a C-patron appears there's a difference in service from everybody else. The lady owner as I suspected the minute I place my order for the original Koja that there was some hidden background historical issues. After getting the food I ended up giving it a homeless man b/c I was afraid to eat it. Next time I will order it anonymously by phone or simply from elsewhere. I see her many occasions @ Smart & Final w/what I assume is her male business partner. Ur original location on Clement was a gem but why u couldn't is beyond why other than the pandemic. read more

We only got the umami fries here, but they were amazing!! Everything about them was fantastic. And from how tasty the meat on the fries were, I assume their other food is super good as well. Would love to go again and have a full meal there! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Umami Fries. SO GOOD - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

The meat was tender and well seasoned the sauce coated the two pieces of rice buns perfectly read more

KoJa Kitchen - Beef Koja - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wanted to try a new take on Korean food by serving them in bowls and tacos. A fusion restaurant that started as a food truck. I ordered the short rib bowl with brown rice. The meat was the best part. An additional order of garlic wings was amazing! Pricey, different, great! read more

KoJa Kitchen - Short Rib plate - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We returned for a very late lunch. This time I tried the pork taco but was ok. Had more a Korean meat flavor. It was almost $4 but a hearty meal because Hubby and I also shared a waffle fries with chopped beef. He had the beef bowl and lemonade. The food is good but I felt tired of the fusion-ness if these foods. After that taco, I really wanted a regular Mexican taco from El Toyanese food truck even tho I was stuffed. read more

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I was so excited to try this place since I loved the food truck. Definitely met my expectations! The koja is essentially a Korean fusion style burger that uses Korean meat and rice patties. I ordered the beef koja and umami fries, both were delicious. They had the perfect balance of sweet, savory, tenderness, and crunch. I prefer the kamakazi fries over the umami. Portions aren't that great if you're hungry. Expect to pay $15-20 for a koja and fries. Loved the dim lit ambiance and the place is pretty clean. Service was okay, I did appreciate the guy who bussed our trays. Since it's on Clement parking can be difficult. This is definitely a must try if you haven't had the food truck at off the grid! Food: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Service: 3.75/5 Overall: 4.5/5 read more

KoJa Kitchen - Beef Koja and Umami fries - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Heard this was a food truck gone brick n mortar, so I had to try it out. NIce decor with a menu mural at the entrance and another mural decorates the wall inside with peach blossoms and water reflection further inside. 11/26/16 Luv coming here with the boys, hearty fries topped with various flavors. And my favorite kojas, crunchy rice patties sandwiching all that yummy flavored beef. Noticed they have ice cream macaron sandwiches at $4.95. Will give that a try next time. Don't forget to ask for the secret menu, the kamikaze bowl was delish at only $5.95. read more

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Yum, love this place. It always hits the spot when I'm looking for a nourishing, healthyish bowl - grains, protein, greens that are full of flavor The coconut braised pork is a must and the Korean chicken bbq is good too. Portions are nice - You'll feel full and satisfied without feeling gross. The folks are always friendly too! This past visit I just discovered the strawberry mint lemonade slushy that was delish. read more

First time here The food was alright but it was so greasy I just felt sick after Original koja With beef taco and A bowl 1 taco had like a half cup of grease come out of it just pouring out not even dripping POURING read more

KoJa Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

The service was very quick and friendly! We arrived right as they opened, there were tons of available seating and we snagged a spot by the front entrance. The Koja was delicious with great flavor and a nice crunch on the rice bun. I would definitely recommend!! read more

KoJa Kitchen - "The Original" Koja - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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