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    Simbongsa

    4.7 (50 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Simbongsa Photos

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    SIMBONGSA ATMOSPHERE

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    Reviews With Photos - Simbongsa

    Doesn't it look so pretty??
    Diana M.

    I've come here multiple times already, bringing friends, family, and anyone willing to try a Korean treat. This place never disappoints, and Jennifer, the owner, is incredibly kind. The croquettes are excellent. They are lightly crispy on the outside, airy yet chewy on the inside, with a rich seasoned meat filling. My favorites are the spicy pork and the beef curry. If you want something sweet, the red bean option is also very good. I'm also a fan of the black sesame donuts, and the hotteok is outstanding. Everything here is consistently delicious. Do not miss this spot.

    Korokke
    Jeff C.

    One day after a bike ride, I noticed Simbongsa's signage from the parking lot and I walked over to check it out. I was intrigued- who doesn't love some fried goodness. It definitely is a "hole in the wall" kind of place, it is literally just a kitchen where you walk up, order off the QR code/menu that is on a table outside, and when the order is ready, they open the door to receive payment and hand you your food. I got 3 of the korokke (croquette)- 2 potato corn and cheese and one pork and vegetable, and 3 of the quabegi (twist donut), one of each flavor- original, black sesame, and injolmi. Everything was made fresh to order so it was still warm and crunchy in the 15 minute drive home. The korokke were good sized and tasty but we liked the pork & vegetable more. The donuts were solid as well, a bit of a chewy texture and good flavors. Overall good, hope they do well and are able to expand in the future!

    Veerawan T.

    This is a small spot located next to Athens Restaurant. We didn't realize it had opened, but they offer Korean street food like twisted donuts and croquettes, with a variety of fillings. We tried pizza, spicy pork, pork, corn and cheese, beef curry, and crab. They were all nicely fried, very crunchy, and with a unique batter. Ordering is online only for pickup, and there is no seating, but it's a fun spot to grab something flavorful on the go.

    Be H.

    I had never tried Korokee before, but they're so good! We ordered the pork and vegetables, spicy pork and cheese, and the crab meat. I love how crispy and crunchy the outside is while the inside is gooey and packed with flavor. What really tops it off are the dipping sauces. I'm not sure what the orange-reddish sauce is, but it's delicious with a nice little kick. The tartar sauce that comes with it is also really good. The crab one was my least favorite, mostly because it leaned more sweet than savory. The pork and vegetables one was really good and perfect to share with my son. The spicy pork and cheddar was my favorite. Definitely not for the weak though--if you can't handle heat, I wouldn't recommend it because it's pretty spicy! We also ordered the bulgogi rice plate. I loved that it came with purple rice. The bulgogi itself wasn't super flavorful, but all the sides were great.

    Menu 3/2026
    Yiuing P.

    Great food, especially the beef curry korokke. my family really enjoyed the mochi donuts as well. However, I would not recommend it as a whole meal as all of the items are very oily. If you want a Korean karaoke, I really enjoyed the mozzarella one as well, you can see in my pictures that the cheese really elongates very nicely. The service was really good. The lady was very nice who received my order. Also, the food was not warm most of it, but it was already ready in 10 minutes.

    Crab meat korokke
    Alisha R.

    I was on the hunt for a quick lunch today and saw that Simbongsa was new. The shop is right next to Athens Burger. Outside is a table with a menu and a QR code to order online. As I was looking at the menu, a lady stepped out to hand a customer her order and she reassured me that she's going to come back out and take my order. She was so sweet! I'm assuming she's the owner. I asked her how long her place has been here and she said they opened up back in December. They were originally here in the Pleasanton/Dublin area, then made their way to Santa Clara, and then came back here. Thank goodness because I'm definitely coming back on my lunch breaks! I ordered a spicy pork, corn potato/cheese, red bean, crab meat, and a pepperoni pizza korokke, and a hotteok. (Yes, it was all for me. And yes, I got too excited and wanted to try everything. lol) Everything is made to order, so it was a little bit of a wait. I tried the crab meat first and OHEMGEE. It was crispy on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside. After every bite I was blown away. IT WAS SO GOOD. Because it was getting close to the end of my lunch hour, I needed something sweet. So, I followed it with the hotteok. It was still piping hot when I took it out of the bag. I should've bought more because it was AMAZING. Honestly, I may just go back after work to pick up more to take home. lol In all, I would most definitely come back! The owner was the sweetest, the korokkes were delicious, and the location had ample parking!

    Order via Clover for takeout only
    Cheryl M.

    Simbongsa Dublin is about a week old and still in soft opening. I came across this spot by accident as I was craving a burger next door at Athens Burgers. Saw the signage for Korean donut twists (quabegi) and croquettes (korokke). Okay...I'll be sure to stop by next time! :) Intrigued with no line, met with the owner, Jennifer who was super friendly and took my order. Since I couldn't decide she suggested ordering 3pcs of the savory croquettes ($12) from a variety of filling options and 3pcs of the donut :: Korokke Spicy Pork - ground pork with visible bits of carrots with a bit of sweetness. Exterior is a mixture of wheat/rice flour so a slight chew with a crispy, panko-like exterior. Accompanied with a spicy, sweet mayo-based sauce of Gochujang (Korean red chili paste), garlic and sugar :: Quabegi - twisted donuts - glazed, sesame and soybean powder - chewy, subtly sweet and best eaten right away. Good but prefer the savory items. Place is set up for take out only. Order via Clover to minimize the wait. Starting Saturday, 12/13/2025 Korean/Japanese-fusion rice boxes (grilled chicken, pork belly, spicy pork, karaage), japchae and bowls (beef curry and kimchi) will be available. Will definitely return to try the beef curry korokke and rice box. Note: Best eaten right away to get that crunchy exterior. Place your order via Clover: https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/simbongsa-sj-santa-clara

    Grilled Pork Belly & Kimchi
    Carson M.

    Returned to try their rice plates and get a different korokke. The beef bulgogi was good, and had the same crispy mochi outer shell. The rice plates were also fairly good for a takeout-only spot. I do like how it comes with a small side of veggies and the japchae and purple rice. There was also macaroni salad which was interesting/different. I do wish the spicy pork was a bit leaner - some of the pieces were slightly thin but fatty at the same time. Flavor was still good though. Grilled pork belly goes well with the sesame ssamjang dip.

    Alicia A.

    My first time here and definitely will not be the last time! I had ordered donuts, croquettes, and bento boxes. The grilled chicken and the rib eye bento boxes were yummy. Small amount of banchan in the bento box makes it a very filling meal. The donuts are out of this world especially when it is fresh and hot. They were super light and airy. I am not a huge fan of donuts but I'm a fan now with these donuts. The croquettes were fluffy and full of fillings. I ended up getting the crab meat, the potato and cheese and the pork and vegetables. They were delicious. Fresh and made to order, I need to come back to try the other fillings for the croquettes and get my hands on the fresh twisted donuts. The 2 ladies that were working there super friendly and welcoming.

    3 black sesame, 2 original & 1 injolmi
    Sandy Q.

    My daughter and I dropped by right after we visited Stoneridge Mall. We ordered 6 twisted donuts (3 black sesame, 2 original & 1 injolmi). The donuts were soft and chewy and my favorite was the original. It was slightly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. I'm a huge fan of black sesame in general. Unfortunately, the black sesame topping from here lacked sweetness so it was my least favorite flavor of them all.

    I only have the bags left to show, oh well, you should know why LOL!

    The food is so good. Very traditional Korean food, way better than all the food court inside H-mart by 200%! Great price, very good value. A lot of parking space available. The lady owner is very nice. The order was ready within 10 minutes. The only down side is it's togo only, but they have tables and chairs available outside . Highly recommended if you're craving for Korean food!!

    Girish B.

    Very unique and interesting experience with the ordering process (clover.com)...order was placed while standing outside this brand new Korean fast food eatery (donuts and korokke (aka croquettes))...door was locked and they bring the food out to you while you're waiting curbside. My order was ready in 15 minutes as promised and was still warm when I had it with my daily cup of homemade chai tea...1 red bean and 2 pork and vegetable croquettes which were delicious and 1 bonus twisted donut which was soft and chewy and hit the spot.

    Daniel H.

    Service was great Love the SIMBONGSA KOROKKE & Donut I got the potato corn & cheese, red bean & pork & vegetable I love the potato corn & cheese My parent love the Donut & the pork & vegetable Will definitely come back to grab the bento & rice

    Soft opening menu

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    8 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Great food to grab on the go! The lady that runs the place is also very nice and informative about the food they sell. Highly recommended

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    8 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

    very delicious twisted donuts and owners are extremely kind!! Definitely a must try spot

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Simbongsa

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    Tasty Pot

    Tasty Pot

    4.4
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    Been coming here since they opened way back when. Always get consistent, solid, filling meals here…read more Defo a go-to when we don't know what to eat for lunch. Bonus free tea with your pot when you dine in for lunch!! Japanese Miso best pot hands down. Tried beef today was also pretty good. Taiwanese flavor was alright. Popcorn chicken is always good. Looks like they added a staff member recently, which is super helpful. Friendly staff & efficient service.

    My sister recommended Tasty Pot because she said it was well known for its soup and good service,…read moreso we decided to give this location a try. Unfortunately, our experience at the Dublin location was extremely disappointing. We visited on August 8, 2026, at around 8:45 PM. We are a family of 9 and were just passing through the area on our way to our hotel. Since the restaurant's website states that the closing time is 9:30 PM, we thought we had enough time to have dinner, especially since this was our first time visiting. As soon as we arrived, however, we were told by the server that 8:45 PM was the last call for orders. We immediately tried to order as quickly as possible using the online ordering system because we did not want to inconvenience the staff. After placing our order, we were then told that green tea and other teas were unavailable, so all of our drink orders were canceled except for water. We understood that items can sometimes run out, so we let that go. The biggest problem was the service and atmosphere after we received our food. It was very difficult to get the attention of the staff because everyone seemed to be rushing around cleaning. We genuinely felt like we were a burden simply because we were still eating. What was especially inappropriate was that while customers were still dining, the staff began putting chairs up on the tables. I even took a picture because I believe management should be aware of what was happening. If the restaurant is still open and customers are still eating, this is not the kind of atmosphere customers should be subjected to. Even worse, it appeared that the AC was turned off while we were still eating, even though it was not yet closing time. With hot pot already being a very warm meal, we were literally sweating while trying to eat. After a long day of traveling, the last thing we wanted was to feel rushed and uncomfortable during dinner. We tried not to make a big issue out of it because we were tired and simply wanted to finish our meal and get to our hotel. But honestly, this type of service is unacceptable. I don't know if this is how every Tasty Pot location operates, but if this is specific to this branch, management really needs to address it and properly train the staff on how to treat customers who are still dining during business hours. Unfortunately, this was our first experience with Tasty Pot, and it will most likely be our last. We were hoping to enjoy the food and understand why my sister recommended it, but the poor service and uncomfortable atmosphere completely ruined the experience. With hot pot, the food is already hot enough. There's no need for the customers to leave with a boiling-hot temper because of the service. Very disappointing, and definitely not a place I would recommend based on this experience.

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    The Sister House

    The Sister House

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    On our way home from Oakland to San Jose, we detoured to Hayward to dodge traffic and look for a…read moresimple meal to kill some time. We stumbled upon this small shop in a seemingly sketchy, empty parking lot and honestly wondered if we made a mistake at first. But once we walked in, the place was almost full at 5 PM--mostly with Korean-speaking customers, which is always the ultimate green flag. We were so blown away! This was easily one of the best Korean meals we've had in the Bay Area. It's authentic, salt-of-the-earth home cooking. The Soups: The Seolleongtang and Galbi Gomtang were totally legit. The broths had amazing depth and were incredibly flavorful. Seafood Pancake: One of the absolute best I've ever eaten. Super crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft and tender with tons of flavorful seafood on the inside. The Banchan: They serve 10 different tasty dishes for banchan! Total score. Portions are large and the pricing is very decent. It's a bit out of the way if you're coming straight from SJ, but we are absolutely keeping this place in mind whenever we're heading up north toward the East Bay! Highly recommend.

    Used to love eating here. Been a little while and what it is now is unrecognizable to me. Menu and…read morefood seem off. Incredibly rude treatment upon arrival this time, and she kept insisting we order immediately. I had never experienced this here in the past, when it was a nice experience. We ended up leaving before even getting to our ordering our meals. Just unfortunate now. Servings are smaller and prices just absurd. Disappointing.

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    Go Goong

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    3.5
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    Just discovered my new favorite Korean restaurant tucked away in a back corner of a small shopping…read moreplaza which houses Paris Baguette and the Bagel Bakery on Regional street in Dublin. Ordered the hot stone (sizzler) beef bibimbap which was delicious and very filling, served with the usual accompaniment of sprouts and kimchi, etc. It was empty on a Friday afternoon when we sat down but had a steady influx of people and was busy by the time we left. It's a hidden gem down the street from the recently opened HMart which has a food court that was overflowing when I swung by this past weekend.

    I've eaten here once or twice in the past when they first opened, and honestly, there are much…read morebetter Korean food options in the Tri-Valley area. I hadn't been back in years until yesterday, when my usual spot was closed and my mother and I stopped by out of convenience. Unfortunately, the experience reminded me why I hadn't returned. The customer service was lacking -- we were never checked on during our meal and I had to repeatedly look for an employee to request a refill of a banchan and later, flag someone down when I was ready to pay. To make matters worse, I was surprised to find that the kimchi fried rice did not include any protein. Charging $20 for kimchi fried rice without any meat or protein is cruel and poor value for the price... I cannot stomach paying high prices for mediocre food and inattentive service. I will not make the same mistake of coming back again.

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    Spicy pork belly - pork was tender with wonderful flavor, a bit like "twice cooked pork" (02/2024)

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    Young Dong Tofu House

    Young Dong Tofu House

    3.6
    (538 reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    Finally made it back here and it did not disappoint. We ordered the seafood pancake, and assorted…read moretofu soup, and everything was delicious. I love the variety of banchan they serve, and the pancake was the perfect dish to share. The soondubu was packed with flavor, and I had to pair it with a Terra beer--great combo. It can get really busy during peak hours, but we came for an early lunch and only had a short wait. That just shows how popular this place is. There were plenty of regulars dining in, including my friend who brought me. If you live in the Tri-Valley, you don't have to drive far for great soondubu. There are definitely more Korean restaurants popping up around here these days, but this spot has been an OG since I was a kid, and it's still one of my favorites.

    I came back with my boys again this past Th as they wanted tofu pot again. I decided to try…read moresomething new, the seafood pancake, but it was a bit disappointing as the seafood pancake was not crunchy, but soggy. I won't get the seafood pancake next time, will stick with my usual tofu pot soup. Service was fine. No side dish fish when you don't order an entree, I didn't get one. Only my boys got the side dish fish this time, the fish was a bit more soggy too this time as I was informed. I am wondering if we got a batch that was left out for awhile like the seafood pancake. We came on a Th night around 6pm. My experience this time was not good as I had a stomachache after eating here and had to go use the restroom after leaving. Let's just say my tummy did not like what I ate. I suspect it was the seafood pancake. Stick with the tofu pot.

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    Interior
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    Seafood tofu soup

    Simbongsa - donuts - Updated August 2026

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