I think I get the concept behind this genuine fast food operation, I.e., ready-made ingredients are assembled to produce Korean-style bowls as quickly as possible. This might work well in a bustling location full of non-exempt office workers who have strict limits on their lunch hours. However, I decided to try this particular spot and arrived when there was not a single customer. Then a deranged homeless woman came in. Fortunately I was able to dodge her as I was reviewing the giant backlit menu. I didn't think anything about the emptiness of the space until my order was ready. I decided to try the $13.99 Samgyeopal Ssam-jang, which featured grilled pork belly mixed with veggie soybean paste topped with fried onion, roasted seaweed, and sesame oil, all over rice (Photo 7). The bowl was a strange contrast of textures. Flavor wise, there were more misses than hits. The pork belly was overcooked with the chewy meat rendered almost inedible. The rice was weirdly mushy like it was sitting in lukewarm water far too long. The rest of the ingredients were nondescript. Definitely a hard pass on this bowl in the future. The only reason I'm not leaving one star for this business is that I felt bad for the one soft-spoken server who had the temerity to deal with the unrelenting rantings of the homeless woman. FOOD - 1.5 stars...pre-made ingredients kill the real flavors expected from the bowl AMBIANCE - 2 stars...certainly spacious but nothing cozy in here SERVICE - 2 stars...quiet until she had to confront the woman TOTAL - 2 stars...I was left more steamed than simmered RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/3Hv4fBG5La read more

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I used to like this place.... Ordered to go for lunch. Got back to the office to eat. First bite was dry and crunchy, thought it was because of the onion flakes but I was wrong. They served me day old fucking rice! No it was not the crunchy bits from the bottom of the rice cooker, this was day old fucking rice!! No manger onsite, the worker Elijah said Izzy (Manger) was going to call... it's the next day. I'm still waiting. Check your order! Unless you like the day old rice... read more

Came for a quick bite, no wait on a weekday, lots of seating available and service was good. Ordered the Korean cheese corndog, which they said takes 5 minutes to cook. They warned "be careful it's very hot", however it was COLD. No cheese pull, no sauces available. $6 read more

Simmer & Steamer - Mozzarella Cheese Corndog - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

I LOVE THE BERKELEY SIMMER AND STEAMER. The avacado roe mayo is so delicious and so cheap during their lunch special (under 10 dollars). I've ordered this once a week AT LEAST! They closed for two weeks and I was so sad. The roe is so yummy and the portions are so huge; half a bowl makes me full. I love this place never close read more

I really wanted to like this place. Pretty affordable rice bowls with a variety of toppings drew me in, but the flavor and quality is why I will not be coming back. My friend and I ordered 4 bowls (2/3 of their menu): their galbi beef, pork belly curry, soft tofu, and kimchi fried rice. They're all around $10 and cost $3/$6 for a large/mega respectively. We ordered the galbi beef as a large and didn't see a noticeable difference with the other bowls (even though it says more rice/more sauce on the menu for the bigger sizes) Everything came with an egg (soft boiled but more on the raw side) The galbi beef tasted like American shredded bbq meat. The kimchi rice was okay, but "healthy" as my friend phrased it with not a lot of sesame oil, kimchi, or soy sauce flavor (the beef hotdog helped). The pork belly curry tasted very watered down like from a box and the crispy onion toppings reminded me of American bbq again. The best bowl by far was the soft tofu with seaweed, kimchi, and a brown sauce which was simple and had the stronger Asian flavor I expected. The service was straightforward and quick, you serve yourself water and bus the table after. Atmosphere is pretty simple with bright cold white lighting and a photo booth. Presentation and pricing was really appealing, but there need to be major improvements to taste. I understand it's more of a Korean fusion restaurant, but the flavor did not remind me of any particular cuisine read more

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The Korean food was the same everywhere, but it was nice to meet the food that actually had many stores in Korea, and it was nice to have a cheap price, friendly and cost-effective. It's so nice to have a photo booth in the store read more

Simmer & Steamer - The Korean food was the same everywhere, but it was nice to meet the foods - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

It is a real treat these days when you can find good quality rice bowls for less than $10, especially in pricey downtown SF! We read about this brand in the local paper and decided to try the downtown SF location. We came in a late Saturday afternoon, between meal times, so the place was empty, but we saw a lot of to-go delivery orders being picked up. We placed our order at the kiosk (did not recall that tip was asked), and selected the preference for the egg that comes with it (soft is the recommended choice). You have the option to add other ingredients (ie. kimchee). We picked up water, napkins and utensils at the self-serve station and sat down. One peculiar thing we noticed is that at every table there is a cup with hair bands inside that are offered to the customers. We wondered what these are for and speculated that it is to help get long hairs out of the food! LOL. Soon the food was brought to us at the table. The food was served in disposable-containers, but it was expected due to the low price. While the food was not as pretty as you see in the menu pictures, the portions were decent, and the taste was pretty good. We had the galbi beef bowl, sausage curry, and the avocado with caviar. My wife and two kids all thought the food was tasty. The avocado with caviar was the surprise hit. My daughter ate it all up and proclaimed she could have another bowl. Simmer&Steamer have other locations in the Bay Area, so we have marked it down as a new favorite and plan to visit the other locations! read more

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Stopped here on a whim mainly because it wasn't crowded and it was finally a place that had a public restroom. The guy working was so nice, and our food came out so quickly! I enjoyed the kimchi fried rice and the soft boiled egg. The sausage that came with the fried rice was a generous portion too. The galbi beef was okay, but reminded me more of a shredded beef texture you'd find in Mexican food, rather than your typical galbi in Korean food. I would have rather had a beef bulgogi option than this type of beef. Other than that, the prices are fair for the smaller size portion. This is something you'd want for lunch or a light dinner. The space is very open too unlike most fast casual places in this area, and still within walking distance from drinks and desserts. read more

Simmer & Steamer - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious home-cooked meal vibes at super affordable prices (meals for $6-11)! I got the sausage curry, but was initially very thrown off by the color of the sausage.. I was told that it's because they combine multiple sausages together to make a mega one. It ended up tasting pretty good though! The curry egg rice was also really yummy for the price! The restaurant is also very spacious with lots of tables. It has a simple, no frills setup with a limited menu, but offers really affordable and yummy meals for when you want home-cooking but don't got that time or energy to cook! read more

Simmer & Steamer - sausage curry - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Got the Galbi rice bowl and was very underwhelmed by the amount of food (was still starving after) and the flavor and texture of the beef. It was shredded vs what you'd expect for galbi short ribs and I even question if it was short ribs as the texture resembled stew meat more. They really need to add some veggie sides as well, kimchi is the only available option and it came with a few slices of jalapeños which I don't consider a veggie side. read more

A decent and reasonably priced lunch spot (can't find fried rice under $10 anywhere else!) Kimchi fried rice was flavorful but a bit dry. I came here during a Sunday and it was empty. There's also a Korean style photobooth in the restaurant if that's of interest to you. Service was above and beyond and they even brought the food to my table even though I ordered through a kiosk. read more

Simmer & Steamer - Kimchi Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

The food was so delicious and was prepared fast! Lots of seating and even a cute Photo Booth inside too. Very clean and a perfect place to enjoy a warm beef or curry bowl. We tried the Super Bowl, the meat was so tender and the rice with egg paired well. Portions were good too! Perfect for one person. Our server/cashier was very helpful and kind too. 10/10 will come again soon. read more

The food was terrible. Payed 50 bucks for some mediocre food that resembled gas station food. I should have known when I saw there were no people in the restaurant. The staff were nice but the restaurant needs to work on the food quality. read more

Ok the first time was good I got the gochujang chicken and it was good simple would have liked a veggie on the side instead of onion flakes but whatever. Place is clean and service is good just to add. So, I told my manager about it, she treated me and ordered it for pick up. She payed extra for avocado $3 omg the avocado was so dark and nasty :( it was so sad y'all made me look bad ! Quality control please. read more

Simmer & Steamer - The Gochu-jang Chicken Rice Bowl - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food was good but very small portions. I guess the price makes up for it. I did take out so it was also a little cold by the time I got to it which could be my fault. The location is great and it was pretty empty. The egg was sooooo good but the rest was lackluster . I probably won't visit again but it's good to try once. Maybe worth it for a light lunch. read more

Ambiance was very clean and tidy Pork belly with rice/kim chi was okay, decent but not wow I want to have it again or to the level of I Need to when that again read more

Tried their Pork Belly Curry, it was really good. The portion was perfect size, the pork belly was cut into bite size and the curry was perfectly seasoned! The staff is very friendly and welcoming. I love all the UC Berkeley paintings and items. The music and different seating make the space different versus what is in the area. Will definitely visit again! read more

Good service and clean space. The portions are decent for the price. However, I didn't enjoy the galbi bowl (rating: 1/5). The meat and sauce tasted sour for some reason. The pork curry bowl (rating: 3.5/5) tasted like a typical curry, which was fine. Nothing extraordinary, but OK if you need something quick. I don't think I'd come back unfortunately. read more

Simmer & Steamer - Galbi bowl and curry bowl - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

BEAST ALERT! Great food and great service! Cheaper and better quality than many places downtown! I WILL BE BACK read more

This place recently opened up and is quite spacious inside. I believe I was greeted by Yeonsuk, based on the responses in the reviews. He was very polite and helped me with ordering the Kimchi Fried rice. The service was fast and the ambiance was very open and friendly. The food was priced well and even came with a free drink of your choice. The kimchi rice was very well seasoned and perfectly spiced. You can choose between a hard boiled egg or soft egg option, I chose the soft egg option and it went very well with the dish. Overall the experience and the food was excellent. It really has a home cooked feel and for the price it is 5 stars for sure! Final comment: Support local businesses that bring a different flavor to the neighborhood. Have lunch or dinner here with a relaxed environment and don't be too critical. This place isn't trying to compete with Korean BBQ restaurant so don't rate it as such. I like it and will recommend to family and friends. 5 Stars! read more

How this place has 4 stars is beyond me. Came for a late lunch on the weekend and it was essentially empty. That should have been my first sign. I got the curry, large; not only was the curry lacking spices, flavor but it didn't seem like a large, not to mention lack of salt. A friend got some type of beef and it was super dry. Idk, it felt like someone said "let's try to make Korean food" and had a semblance of what it should taste like but not the whole picture. read more

Great spot for Korean fusion! The portions are super generous, and the food is incredibly affordable. The staff is nice and attentive, making the whole experience even better! I can wholeheartedly recommend if you're looking for quality, comfort food with excellent service...SWING BY p.s. thanks for free drinks kings (u dropped this) read more

Simmer & Steamer - Pork Belly Curry Rice Bowl - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I tried the pork belly bowl, and it is yum. It's basically a rice topped with pork belly in sauce. Slightly spicy, topped with an egg whose doneness you can specify at ordering time. The pork belly was a good texture, with good balance of fat. Other things can be added (for extra). Not much greenery though. There are two sizes. I got the regular which is a decent portion, sufficient, I'd say, but if you have a big appetite, get the large. Their space is cavernous. read more

I had the pork belly curry with the Mega option size, which had a lot of food for only $12. The soft egg was perfectly cooked and the pork belly was delicious. Service was great and food came out pretty fast. read more

Ordered the galbi and it tasted like beef jerky. Also tried the pork belly curry which was also a miss, barely tasted like curry. The sliced jalapeno peppers were my favorite. Service was quick, place was empty although clean. read more

Authentic casual Korean meal with great flavors and variety. The prices are very reasonable, and the service is excellent. Orders are prepared incredibly fast, making it perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. read more

Simmer & Steamer - Kimchi Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wow. Great new find. Korean fast and delicious. Kimchee rice was on point. I also got the galbi beef which was equally impressive. I have a dental office around the corner and will definitely be back. Oh the service was very nice too read more

Simmer & Steamer - Delicious. Kimchee rice - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Love! A rare gem in Berkeley for asian dishes that taste like home. Very clean, friendly service, good food,

I love Korean food and was pretty disappointed with my first try at this place, eating the pork belly curry. Tasted like cafeteria food...and the kimchi portion for $2 extra was just a couple bites. The music was also way too loud. read more

This place was good but price increases happened quickly after their soft opening. To go to large: :$2 extra large: $3. Now it's $4 and $6. They doubled in price, just for extra rice... read more

I noticed this new spot recently and finally decided today to try it. I ordered the kimchi fried rice and unfortunately did not snap a picture because I dove straight in. I can confirm my meal looked just like the others who've posted pictures. This was the closest, if not, the most home-cooked tasting kimchi fried rice I've had in a while. It's definitely one of the more simpler dishes to cook in general, but this was spot on for how I prefer it. I was greeted by a young gentleman at the register and he was very kind and polite. I came in during an off-peak hour so my food came out very quickly and he kindly handed to me. Shop is pretty cool inside and very clean. His service was also very welcoming. Food was portioned well and the taste had me surprisingly impressed. Overall this spot is going to be my new go-to when I don't bring my lunches to work. read more

I got the galbi beef. It was delicious. The staff were very nice, the portion was generous, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I hope this business gets a lot of traffic!! read more

Great portions. Great vibes. Very fast service. I had the galbi bowl and it was delicious. It feels like home style cooking. I'm glad to have something in the neighborhood that's filling this niche. I'll definitely be back to try the rest of their selection. read more

I love this place! Food is soooo good and the employees are always the sweetest, this is my go to place!