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Matko

3.9 (44 reviews)
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Matko Takeout or Delivery

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Recommended Reviews - Matko

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Anisha Y.

Got delivery, so I can't speak to the ambiance or service. I ordered the soft tofu bibimbap bowl. The highlights for me were the sweet potato noodles and the aioli. The combination of kimchi and soft tofu didn't quite work for me, and the tofu was marinated in a sauce that wasn't to my taste. I was also expecting the tofu to be silkier and softer, but that wasn't my experience. I really enjoyed the noodles, but overall the combination of ingredients in this bowl just didn't come together for me personally.

Trevis M.

I'm so glad we stumbled into Matko because this place is an absolute gem in the Mission. Everything we tried felt like elevated comfort food. simple, bold, and clearly made with care. We ordered the bulgogi bowls, the beef hangover soup, and a couple of their made-to-order Korean drinks, and each one hit differently in the best way. The bulgogi was tender and perfectly marinated, with that sweet-savory balance that keeps you going back for "one more bite." The beef hangover soup blew me away. Rich, soothing, and packed with depth. It's the kind of soup that instantly warms you up and makes you feel taken care of. The drinks were also such a fun surprise. Fresh, balanced, and not overly sweet..you can tell they make them to order because the flavors were so clean and intentional. The staff was friendly, the space is modern and welcoming, and the food came out fast without feeling rushed. It's the perfect spot for a cozy meal, a casual date, or just whenever you need some Korean comfort done right. Matko has officially made it onto my "go-to in the Mission" list. Can't wait to come back and try more.

Carolyn T.

I ordered their fresh frozen meals .... So delicious . The ox bone soup and the hangover soup ... wow ! The japchee and beef bulgogi were equally delicious . I did add tofu to the soups so we had more to eat! Strongly recommend for those meals you have no time to cook from scratch ! I also ordered the kimchi pork ribs .. not spicy enough for me but my husband loved it !

Bulgogi Bowl with Japchae/Purple Rice, Pickled Radish, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Kimchi, Seasoned Seaweed, Fishcake, Ssamjang
Mike L.

With so many interesting strung all along Valencia, it's not exactly uncommon to pass by a restaurant that catches your eye or to smell something delicious that tickles your nose. However, in the case of Matko, I have to admit that what actually caught my attention was randomly hearing Kpop playing as I passed by. Granted, K-Pop is becoming increasingly mainstream, but it was still unexpected enough to draw my attention and to stop to check this place out! Compared to the many other businesses along Valencia, Matko is on the smaller side, but they actually use the space pretty well, managing to fit in a handful of tables and some counter seating. Similarly, the overall menu size is relatively narrow, but it still offers a number of ways to customize your bowl - four types of protein, three different bases, five additional sides that come with upcharges (it already comes with three), and four sauces to top it off, They also have a starter and some soups to offer, as well as an assortment of snacks, a beverage menu with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and even some dessert lattes to choose from. -- BEEF BULGOGI BOWL with Half Japchae, Half Purple Rice, Pickled Radish, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Kimchi (+$.50), Seasoned Seaweed (+$.50), Fishcake (+$.50), and Ssamjang (+$1) This actually wasn't too shabby! Even though the bulgogi was a touch dry, it was fairly plentiful and the marinade was flavorful. The japchae was also better than expected and I liked most of the sides, especially the Kimchi, Seasoned Seaweed, Fishcake, and Ssamjang. -- BONELESS FRIED CHICKEN with Gochujang Aioli...$11.95 A little uneven, but not bad overall. Each piece of chicken was crispy on the outside and surprisingly juicy on the inside. However, even though you get to choose a dipping sauce (the Gochujang Aioli wasn't too shabby), I still wish the chicken had some seasoning on it. -- SPICY PORK BELLY BOWL with Half Japchae, Half Purple Rice, Pickled Radish, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Kimchi (+$.50), Seasoned Seaweed (+$.50), Fried Egg (+$1.95), and Gochujang Aioli (+$1) Not bad, but not as good as the bulgogi. While this also came with a fair amount of meat, I wish the pork had a bit of char on it to offset the sauce's sweetness. Otherwise, everything else about this was also just as solid, though, the SsamJang would've been better than the aioli. Although everything that I've tried has been pretty decent, what really brought the food down for me was how the meats in each of the bowls were barely warm. I figured that would happen with the bulgogi since I had ordered it to-go, but I was genuinely shocked when I dined in with my friend and had my first bite of pork belly. I understand cooking-to-order means it takes longer to get bowls made (they seem to do a lot of delivery and takeout), but it's undeniable that the food would taste so much better, Despite feeling somewhat disappointed by what I had, Matko is far from terrible if you're looking for something quick for Korean food and/or if you're already in the area, given the general lack of options in The Mission. However, compared to what you can find elsewhere, the food feels closer to okay than amazing. At some point, I'll probably end up back here, or at one of their other locations, to try their soft tofu soup or the hangover soup, as they both look great in photos, but until I do, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now feels right.

Bulgogi beef bowl and soft tofu soup
Justina C.

As for the atmosphere, the interior was cute and the seat cushions were especially comfortable. However, when it comes to the food, I got the bulgogi beef bowl and it was very flavorless. It was very costly but was particularly bland. The beef was lacking in flavor and the purple rice was pretty soggy as well. The japchae in the bowl tasted like nothing too. I've had a lot of Korean food in my life and it's never been this bland! Frankly, I was so surprised! I hope they can enhance the flavor in the food somehow by changing the marinade process or maybe add more sauce or something.

Sign
Jack R.

Drink review only. Horribly fake tasting banana milk chocolate drink. OMG was this horrible. I took a sip and had enough. Think plastic fake tasting banana with milk and some cheap chocolate syrup for a whopping $7. So not worth it. Also, they were soooo slow in getting this drink.

Hangover soup
Ly P.

I ordered the hangover soup - $11 for pick up. It was perfect for a cold day. It's slightly spicy, tastes like a kimchi soup. It has a decent amount of small pieces of tender beef with cabbage. It's a nice comforting meal. They also sell the soup frozen which is nice.

Fancypants X.

Matko is an adorable shop that sells Korean snacks, packaged & cafe drinks, as well as rice & noodle bowls. I've walked by many times, always just after having dinner in the area. I've never had a chance to sample their made-to-order hot foods, but I always have room for a lil' something sweet; tiny boxes of flavored milk is delicious in taro, strawberry, or banana, & ultra creamy Melona ice cream bars have that cool square shape (both made by the brand Binggrae.) They carry Turtle chips, which I love; the puffy layers are a textural wonderland. A must try. Not as many options as H Mart, but it does the job. Looking forward to trying more from Matko.

One of my favorites for a while now. Tasty, hearty, nutritious. Always very consistent. I get the soft tofu bowl, with all the vegan options.

Danice M.

Good quiet place. Staff excellent and super nice. Food good meat a bit dry. Thank you!

Tofu bowl and ssamjang
Jeanie N.

I came here on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. There was no line, though people did trickle in and it got busier over the next few hours. Seating inside is minimal (maybe 12 stools?) and there are a couple areas to sit outside as well. Service was great, the bathrooms were clean, and the food was good! Because of the small space, the kitchen is essentially right next to the seating area, and whenever they blended something, it was definitely loud enough to pause conversation for a minute. On the food: I got the tofu bowl with half japchae, half purple rice, and added kimchi/seaweed salad/ssamjang. It came out to about $19 with tax/tip, but you do get 1.5 servings (maybe 2 if you got full rice). The flavors blended well and the ssamjang was lovely. It's pretty difficult to find vegetarian dishes in Korean places, but everything here is customizable and very veggie-friendly. I would definitely return if I was craving Korean food in the Mission.

Horrible nasty soup
Michel R.

I was really looking forward to a spicy kimchi and soft tofu soup that I've gotten at other Korean spots and this fell flatter than flat. I don't mean to exaggerate but this was honestly one of the worst bowls of soup I've had in my life and it pissed me off because I was in a pinch before work and decided to stop in and I regret it. I ordered also the misugaru latte WITHOUT cereal and he said with cereal? and I said no without and then he said ok with! and I was like is he playing with me??! Then I said NO CEREAL PLEASE and he just said ok then a few mins later, I was given the latte WITH the cereal. Oy vey. I'm giving two stars cuz the lady refunded me a dollar for the add on he put without my consent so that was decent and honest. But the latte was just a thick mess and I regretted the whole thing then after. Never coming back here ever again.

Katrina R.

Doubled the fishcake on the bulgogi and it was so good! The bulgogi overall is good. Few things though: it took sooo long - i had it delivered and it was transferred to 3 different riders because of the delay; another is the beef , which is quite dry; finally, the japchae is quite bland. Will definitely be back for fish cakes though!

미숱가루 굿

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

The hangover soup was appropriately named and rescued me in my time of need. Also, nice bathroom decor.

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2 years ago

Really excellent fast casual. We had the bulgogi beef bowl and it was delicious, would highly recommend.

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2 years ago

The food was quick, fresh and delicious. I love all the little Korean snacks they have too!

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Seoul Garden - Kimchi Ddok Bokkum

Seoul Garden

3.3(510 reviews)
1.7 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
$$

Giving them 5 stars for the haters that don't understand the restaurant business especially for…read moresmall businesses. Also, because my mother loved it! Yes, it is one person doing everything, but he's super sweet and thorough. So, have patience coming here. Restaurants probably can't afford more labor when their own costs of food, labor, rent and insurance is so high. With that said, the food is expensive. However, the items we ordered were delicious, clean, fresh, and authentic. Ginseng chicken soup was made with love. Can't find this dish in most Korean spots! Longer wait time because it takes longer to make. Meat fell if the bone, stock was rich and not salty! You can salt it yourself! Mackerel was tasty and juicy. Probably, the best pan fried mackerel I've had. The mungbean pancake was good but not for the price. Side dishes were decent. Kimchee could be better. Location is in the heart of Japan town! That's rare. Mother approved and we will be coming back again!

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

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Seoul Garden
Seoul Garden - Crispy fried chicken - very good

Crispy fried chicken - very good

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Bansang - Uni Scallop Toast

Bansang

4.2(603 reviews)
1.7 miWestern Addition, Fillmore

Atmosphere is modern, clean and some elements of korean tradition…read more Service was ok. Seemed pretty busy but the food came out fast. That could be a good or bad thing depending on the vibe you are going for. All the dishes hit their mark for me. We got: Mulhwae: very refreshing white fish sashimi with refreshing greens, citrusy sauce and strawberries. I thought the strawberries added more to the presentation than the taste. However, the dish itself was delicious. Scallops and shrimp: Similar as above, a very refreshing light appetizer. I would get either this of the other because they're kind of the same idea. Potato fritter w/ mentaiko: probably my top 1 or 2 of the night. Think fancy hashbrown with creamy umami pollock row plus more crispy toppings. This is a must-have I would say. Soft tofu soup w/ galbi: I liked the theatrical element of pouring the home-grown soy from Oakland to create the tofu right in front of you. The umami broth and the jang make this dish very rich. Another must have! Pork jowl bossam: this was a delicious take on bossam. Smokey soft jowl. The greens and kimchi accompanied it made this dish taste so healthy while satisfying your craving. If you just love buttery soft tender meat, go for it. However if you like jowl because you like the chew/bounce on every bite, you might be disappointed because this meat is super soft! Drinks: matcha colada was a little too coconuttey for me. It kind of overpowered the taste of any matcha but if you like coconut, this is a perfect visually pleasing and sweet dessert cocktail. The lychee blossom had a pleasant taste of fruit and almost tasted like there was yogurutoo or calpico in it. I much preferred this drink and it was on the sweeter side too. Overall pleasant experience, worth taking some guests or a date. Also we got 4-5 dishes but left super full! We probably would've been fine with 1 or 2 appetizers less.

We came here to celebrate my mother's birthday and everything tasted amazing!…read more We almost ordered everything on the menu and shared family style. The portions were on the smaller side so had we ordered an extra dish or two, I think we would've been very full. We ordered about 3 appetizers, 3 mains and 3 desserts and it was just about perfect. All of the dishes had well rounded flavors and super tasty. The matcha dessert was my favorite! I do have a natural sweet tooth but the presentation and overall execution was cool.

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Bansang - Inside

Inside

Bansang - Mulhwe Noodles

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Yakiniq

Yakiniq

3.3(1.8k reviews)
1.8 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
$$$

YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her."…read more Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards!

Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore…read morelocation in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here.

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Yakiniq - Short ribs

Short ribs

Yakiniq
Yakiniq - Seafood pancake

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San Wang Restaurant - Broccoli Chicken

San Wang Restaurant

3.8(682 reviews)
1.8 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
$$

San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.29 of 5)…read more This restaurant wasn't on our radar, but we're glad we stopped and ate here. The food is excellent to okay, but the service is first rate. Once seated, we were offered a couple of complimentary dishes - kimchi and soup. Their food is decent and their service is great. Every table has white linen, even for lunch hour crowd. The price is awesome - the lunch menu includes a starter, a soup, and a hot pot of tea. (4.75 of 5) Kimchi: This complimentary dish is an excellent start before our lunch order. The delicious taste of tangy, savory, spicy, and sour, together with a complex, pungent, and, crunchy profile is the perfect start before our lunch selection. Its fermented cabbage has a strong, aromatic notes of garlic, ginger, and chili powder, which marries perfectly with our set lunch. (4.5 of 5) Soup: The soup of the day is a mild clear soup with bits of prawns and vegetables. This is lovely when paired with the boisterous kimchi. (4 of 5) Our orders from their Lunch Special: Vegetable Deluxe: A great selection of vegetables, though they're mostly semi-done to near raw. The wontons were really good though. (3 of 5) Broccoli Chicken: The chicken pieces are tender and the broccoli in this dish is cooked well. (4.5 of 5) Braised Tofu: This is my top dish. It's flavour-packed in a savoury, aromatic sauce. The tender, chewy texture acts like a sponge, absorbing the deeply flavourful sauce. Superb! (5 of 5)

San Wang is one of Japantown's oldest and finest restaurants. While some might find it ironic to…read moreeat Chinese food while in Japantown, it's one of the best places you could choose for a meal while visiting the neighborhood. The ambience is warm and family friendly and great for big groups. The staff are incredible and lovely individuals that care very much about the patrons. If you need a break while traversing Japantown, take a seat at San Wang and enjoy the lunch menu if you can. The Sweet and Sour Shrimp is my favorite! If you're a local to the neighborhood like me and craving Chinese food, this is the best option. Try to catch them during lunch time! Everything is tasty and the staff are incredible!

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San Wang Restaurant
San Wang Restaurant - San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.5 of 5)

San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.5 of 5)

San Wang Restaurant - Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce

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Matko - korean - Updated May 2026

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