43 Best Korean Restaurants near Alameda

“Enjoyed the different meals thoroughly. Have had the Chicken Curry Rice Bowl, the Spicy Chicken Ramen Bowl, Bulgogi, and a few other dishes. Easy to become a repeat customer“

“Came here quite often but first time writing the review. This place is neat and clean with good service and yummy food. I like the tofu soup the most. The combo for two people can easily feed four if you are not big eaters.“

“We eat here about once a month. There’s a large all you care to eat selection, service is fast and they have decent list of beers to go with all the meat. The only problem we’ve had is that their scissors aren’t sharpened- that’s ok, next time we’ll bring our own.“

“This is a good, casual KBBQ experience for a group. Not the tastiest or the best bang for buck, but definitely serves as a good fix.

We had a reservation for five and a toddler on a Friday night and were seated pretty quickly. Parking spaces were tight in the lot but fortunately there was a lot of street parking a couple blocks away.

We ordered the supreme set A, a seafood pancake, corn cheese and bossom to share. Between us we shared a grill and had our designated cooks at the table (which is how we prefer it but some might prefer a place that cooks for you). The highlight was easily the galbi (as if often is) and we did wish that the bossom was a little less dry. The others were good (as expected) but nothing to write home about. The banchan was also very standard.

Service wise, the waiters were a little slow to take our order and to give refills (for water, lettuce, etc.). Though, the yogurt soju special for our friend’s birthday was a really nice touch.

Like most KBBQ places, it’s helpful to bring your own bags for your clothes as the hoods aren’t the strongest, and it can get loud, but again - it’s a fairly standard experience.“

“We had a very nice lunch. We sat in the courtyard, which is very inviting. The portion of the dishes are huge, with lots of meat. It is a unique place where they also sell groceries and the groceries line up of the walls of the restaurant. When you enter the building, you don't realize that they have a very nice seating area with the groceries in the back. We also bought some homemade Kimchi and snacks to take. We live in the Peninsula and we will definitely go back to Berkeley to eat here again.“

“Such a refreshing and delicious lunch spot! The set comes with different fresh and pickled dishes made daily using seasonal ingredients, including fresh tofu. Acorn noodle was really flavorful too. Since it is plant forward meal and portion is just right, I always feel good and satisfied afterwards, and not heavy.“

“Have been coming to this place for more than six years now and have always enjoyed the food here. My favorites are the blood sausage, pork rib soup, acorn cold noodle, and assorted pork soup. Very authentic Korean menu items that you can hardly find anywhere else in the Bay Area.“

“Picked up dinner twice this week. Delicious.“

“I finally got to try the dishes here and I am not disappointed.
I got the soup and it was just right amount of jalapeños for the spice. I lobe the simplistic it had, but it was still tasty ?
I also tried the island poke dish and it was very delicious as well.
I like how you have options for the rice or a salad base, or both.
Very flavorful and right amount of sauces.
I am looking forward to trying more dishes as time goes by.“

“This place is a hidden gem. 110% recommend coming here. The food is amazing and the customer service was so personable. Thank you to Eli for telling us about their story and giving us recommendations. Amazing service and even better food. The Mama Seoul's Signature Wings were delicious and one of the stars of the show, i wish i ordered more. It was crunchy and juicy and filled with so much flavor. The Salt N Pepper Wings were also addicting. The Galbi was so tender and at such an amazing price for the quality. Japchae was flavorful and the Spicy Pork was also great. Everything was a 10/10. So excited to make this spot one of my go-tos! Planning to order catering soon. Can't wait to try more items!“

“I went there on Thursday evening, and the female staff serving was so kind. I filled my beer glass with ice and mixed lemon with soju, and she brought me lemon with a kind smile. The food is quite palatable. I didn't have a parking space, so I had to park somewhere else and walk, but I think it will be a good memory.“

“Great little friendly, locally owned Korean take out place. The meals are good - “lunch boxes”, kimchi fried rice, sandwiches - and for mine are usually best with beef bulgogi. They’re also big enough to share between 2. The fried chicken is addictively good! Soy garlic and cheddar are favorites. Plus as the name suggests they have a wide selection of tasty banchan.“

“Two words: seafood pancake. This place nails the seafood pancake - it’s thin, crispy, not too oily, large, and yes; loaded with seafood!
The soups here are nourishing on a cold day. We got the ox knee soup which tbh was a bit bland, it’s only got ox knee in it. But the rice cake soup was delish.“

“Food is so good!! So comforting as an international Asian student! The lady that owns the shop is also so kind and welcoming! She remembered me after coming just a few times

My favorite restaurant around Berkeley <3 highly recommended“

“Love this spot, we’ve been going for years. All the renovations they have done really cleaned the place up.

Our favorite dishes jajangmyeon and the fried pork. Their noodles are so good!!! Big portions also. There’s no other place like it in the bay, would highly recommend.

Staff is also very attentive and always so welcoming and nice.“

“everything is freshly made. very good. 💯🔥“

“What a great surprise. The food was delicious, and the service was great. We look forward to trying the rest of the menu. I highly recommend the Loco Moco.“

“This was not my first visit to Jong Ga House, and it is most certainly not my last. I frequent Jong Ga House when I’m craving korean bbq that reminds me of home.

I have celebrated several birthdays amongst my friends here because it is perfect for large groups and they even throw in a birthday discount ($22.99 for the birthday person), two scoops of ice cream, and they play happy birthday through the speakers across the restaurant! They never fail to provide excellent, attentive service as well as authentic Korean bbq that keeps you wanting more.

This is also one of the more affordable all you can eat (AYCE) kbbq spots in the East Bay. Lunch & happy hour (9pm-11pm) is $29.99/person and dinner is only $32.99. Compared to other spots that charge nearly $50/person and often have slower service or marinades that don’t quite capture traditional Korean flavors, Jong Ga House knocks it out of the park in every category.

I especially love that they offer Mul Naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy buckwheat noodles) on the AYCE menu. These noodle dishes pair perfectly with freshly grilled Kalbi, so it is always a delight to be able to order one of these with my meal here. Mul Naengmyeon is always served with a side of hot mustard and vinegar to mix in to taste. It is such a refreshing dish that brightens your whole meal, make it as spicy or as sour as you want! Pro Tip: Be sure to cut your noodles into smaller pieces, they are super-duper chewy!

Everything here is an absolute hit, but you have to try their Kimchi Pancake, Caramelized Fried potatoes, and, of course, the corn cheese! (Usually I order one of each per 2 people) You don’t have to worry about filling up too fast on the sides—the portion sizes are thoughtful, and you can always let them know if your table wants more or less of a serving.

In addition to their banchan (complimentary side dishes that you can refill at most Korean restaurants), they also offer Booricha (roasted barley tea) which helps to cut the grease of some richer meats, like pork belly and intestine.

Beyond the food, the stellar service has kept me coming back. During one of my first visits, I came with a party of eight, and one of our friends was vegetarian. The staff kindly let her order from the regular menu while the rest of us enjoyed the AYCE KBBQ + hotpot combo.
(FYI: the hotpot add-on is available for parties of 5+ for just $10 more.)

It’s the little things that they continue to do that make them my favorite Korean bbq spot in the east bay. Come give this small business a visit and eat your heart out!“

“人生吃過最好吃的士林大雞排，竟然不是在士林！是在柏克萊！好吃到爆炸！爆汁！皮超脆粉超好吃！瘋掉！ 葡萄柚綠茶裡面有葡萄柚本人！超好喝！它們家是用有機茶～成本比一般的飲料店貴兩倍～烏梅汁也超好喝很濃～ 旁邊的貢茶不只奶蓋是我喝過美國最好喝，裡面賣的雞蛋仔超級好吃！滿滿的紅豆抹茶 日本麻糬鬆餅好吃到，回台灣開都會爆的那種！“

“Wow, my mouth was drooling from every part of this meal. I have never had banchan so fresh and so flavorful. The meal was perfection - the beef stew was creamy and slow cooked. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy. The seafood pancake was so fresh and perfectly put together. 10/10. No notes.“

“Called in for takeout late on a Saturday night. It was 11:30 PM. Surprisingly, the restaurant was completely empty. I thought there would be more people hanging out here! Not too familiar with Oakland, but maybe it was a location issue? Anyways, we called and had an estimate of 25 minutes, but our food was ready in 15 minutes. Going inside, paying and checking out was easy.

We specifically wanted bossam. We also got the tteokbokki.

Service was quick and friendly.

At home, when we started to eat, we wish the bossam had more cabbage than the portion of steamed napa cabbage they gave us. The sauce flavors were good though and they gave us some banchan. The tteokbokki was tasty.

We were also able to takeout some makgeolli since the H-Marts and other Asian grocers were closed at this time.

All in all it got our bossam fix taken care of.“

“A good Korean restaurant in Albany, close to Berkeley in a safe neighborhood. What more could you ask for?

The banchan is plentiful and fresh (especially the kimchi). The food is on the sweeter side and not as spicy as similar Korean restaurants and that’s okay. It is what makes it special and unique. I would recommend going one level up of spice level to what you’re normally accustomed to.

Portions are big, so I’d recommend sharing family style and expect to take leftovers home.“

“A little overpriced, but what isn't. The food is always good. Portions are hit or miss. I was full on my last visit, and I like that they have a low carb option. I've had the pork, beef, and chicken and it's all good. Need to try the seafood some time. Self serve water is always a nice touch.

Parking: Good luck finding parking.“

“The food is good, the portions are generous, and the prices are a bargain. The restaurant seems to cater towards the student lunch crowd, so the lines can get long.
I have tried the kimchi fried rice, the popcorn chicken, and the beef Bulgari, and I can recommend them all“

“This is a spot right across the street from campus in the alley cutting through Bancroft and Durant. It’s not the best Korean food I’ve ever had, but it’s still really delicious, and the price is very reasonable for something so close to campus. The portions are also pretty generous. Sometimes I feel like I can spend $20 on something at a restaurant and still not be filled, but they offer a lot of food for a good price. I would definitely recommend going into the physical location and ordering at the kiosks, even if you’re ordering takeout. Ordering on something like DoorDash will give you inflated prices, even if you do pickup. Even ordering on Snackpass isn’t the best because I’ve found that I don’t get the discounts/daily deals the in store kiosks do (maybe I’m tripping).

It’s all self-service. You order at the kiosk, pick up your food at the counter when it’s ready, choose your utensils as needed, and then you empty and return your tray yourself. There’s also a free water dispenser for patrons and you can get ice cold water. It’s pretty consistently busy throughout most hours of the day, and people seem to be in generally good spirits. There’s kpop blasting all the time too, if you’re into that.“

“Came here with some friends and overall had a good time. The chicken was on the dry side, but the seasoning powder had great flavor and definitely helped. Tried the seafood pot too — contents were fine, pretty standard taste, nothing that stood out but it hit the spot.

The real highlight here is the vibe. Fun atmosphere, good energy, and a nice place to just hang out for a while. Service was friendly and the space felt lively without being too overwhelming. Not perfect on the food, but I’d still come back for the overall experience.“

“The banchan were the highlight of the meal, the stewed potato, seasoned fishcake, and sprouts with seaweed--all delicious and fresh. The mushroom tofu stew was nice, and the galbi tang was good but not my favorite. It was savory, meaty, and salty, but too simple for my taste. The mung bean pancakes were bland, even with dipping sauce. Overall I wished I'd ordered other food--with such good side dishes the bibimbap is probably great. The prices were very high, though to be fair, the most expensive dishes serve multiple people.“

“Very good food and great atmosphere“

“First timer, great experience and great food! Loved it! Will be going back.“

“I am glad that they are located in Montclair. They have a clean store with good selection of items. Great customer service!“

“Delicious! Amazing tofu kimchi stew, kimchi pancakes and bibimbap. Highly recommend for authentic Korean food beyond Korean bbq.“

“A good place to taste Korean and Japanese cuisine with a twist.“

“Great if you’re feeling introverted. Decent food. But they don’t provide takeout bags without cash, which is a frustrating experience when you spend 35$ and leave a tip. I would come again, just wouldn’t tip next time (you do all your own ordering & bussing anyways)“

“It was my first time having Korean Food, besides Kimchi. I love Kimchi. My BFF works at Brother’s, and recommended me trying them out for my first time. I really liked all the different varieties of dishes.

It’s a place to hang out with your friends and enjoying amazing food.

I am excited to try it again when I am back in town.

I highly recommend this place.

I would love to know how your experience went?

🫶🏻Nina“

“Flavorful food & good customer service“

“Very customer friendly with speedy service. Staying on top when it is time to change the grill plate. Food is amazing. Service staying on top of checking with customer on the next round of all you can eat. Thumbs up!“

“traveling and yelped this .. just go..“

“Man, this spot just started serving bubble tea! I grabbed the Thai tea with boba today, and it’s seriously good. Highly recommend it. The flavor’s legit. Service is on point, and everything’s made fresh. Hands down, my go-to fried chicken joint in the Bay Area!“

“In all my travels, I look for what I call "happy food." Happy food for me is healthy, nutritious, tasty, nicely prepared, and served by smiling people in a clean environment. Oori exceeded all my happy food requirements and then took me for a ride through food blissfulness worth each bite. I had chicken teriyaki, grilled salmon, and spicy tuna triangles. On the side, I complimented it with miso soup and ginger. Each flavor was distinct and made my taste buds ooh, ahh, and wow for more. I'll be back here for more without question. I felt like I was dining at a 5-star restaurant and found the food reasonably priced.“

“Great food and quick service! A must try place if you’re in the area!“

“The food was pretty good, though from what I've seen the prices are pretty high. GBO gave us an item included, but otherwise, even though the food tastes good and has great portions, it's very expensive.

Also, for any GBOers who see this, the spicy rice cakes (Tteokbokki) is not portioned for a full meal!

Otherwise the dine out area is quite nice!

Vegetarian options: There is the miso tofu ramen and maybe one other option, so vegetarians won't be left out!“

“Walked in and ordered the Bento House sushi roll and the garlic fried chicken rice bowl. The sushi was fresh and delicious! The chicken was good but just a tiny bit salty. Overall, I had a great experience ordering, interacting w the staff and the food was good. Would definitely recommend and order from here again.“