50 Best Korean Restaurants near Emeryville

“Located on the Bay Street Plaza in Emeryville, on the second floor next to Barnes and Nobles. Saucy Asian is a Korean fusion restaurant. It’s a trendy place and is pretty busy all the way to closing time. We came in today after shopping at the new Tokyo Central across the street for a late dinner. We ordered at 7:58pm and did not receive our food until 8:26pm which was quite long wait for what we ordered. There is some indoor seating as well as outdoor seating.

As for food we ordered:
- Saucy Asian Bowl
- Saucy Asian Fries
- Island Style Poke Bowl (combo: half tuna/half Salmon)

All the food were good, have no complaints, but have had better elsewhere. Overall, if we’re in the mood for their food, we would come back.“

“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.“

“Flavorful food & good customer service“

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

“What a life changing meal. These photos are actually from over 2 years ago but I still think about this place regularly. I’ve had my fair share of renowned modern, refined korean food / Korean fine dining in NY and LA, and nothing quite elevates Korean food as authentically as SSAL.

This meal quite literally changed my life and showed me that fine dining can both be deeply comforting and beautifully refined at the same time.

Will probably travel to the bay just to dine here again at some point.“

“Says feed 2-3, but with the cheese and glass noodles our family of four now have lunch boxes for a week. This is the kind of meal that will send you into a regenerative coma where you will meet your ancestors. Perfect after a hard weeks work or an arduous adventure with the gang at the local watering hole.“

“Such a fun unique place to dine and shop! It’s a small set up and the walls are lined with shelves and freezers to shop for food. Need to run in to the market? Suuuure thing. Wanna have a cute date night? Cute spot. The garden area is such a vibe too! Not to mention the food is yummy. I love coming back here whenever I’m in the area!“

“We returned to this restaurant twice during our visit to SF, it was that good. Very much enjoyed the garlic soy chicken wings, salmon eggs benedict, kimchi, bulgogi, pimped up ramyun, and of course the bacon.“

“they have a tofu subscription which i highly recommend! it’s really the best in the town, even beats hodo. food is always fresh, everyone always friendly, and check out the dooboo-making video on the bon appetit youtube channel, it’s really fun to watch. i love this spot. Updated from previous review on 2026-02-18“

“Our food came out fast after ordering. We ordered the soy garlic boneless chicken and I was drooling. The picture doesnt do it justice but it’s really good. We also got rose teokbokki and the teokbokki was the perfect chewiness. Would recommend coming here!“

“One of the best Korean Restaurant in town. I ate with my 2 friends, and we ordered the Rose Galbi Jim. I really liked the spices and the soup of the galbi, blended really well with the mozzarella cheese. Moreover, the texture of the tteokbokki was so soft and tasty. At the same time, the portion of the Galbi was so big, we couldn’t finish it so we took some back home.
the other best part was that you could refill the banchan. Would recommend you to ask more for the tofu and kimchi, really mouthwatering. the waiter and waitress were kind and friendly, they served you fast.
we visited the restaurant quite late in the afternoon, so we didn’t need to queue since there were plenty tables. the parking area was big too.“

“Super yum sushi-to-go, fresh at 10:45am, this was a lovely surprise for a late breakfast/early lunch when I just stopped in to warm up with a coffee. Kimbap on Tuesdays and Thursdays can’t wait to try that!!! Also they have what looks like a great quick-serve menu of Korean kimbap shop staples like dolsot bibimbap and galbi set menus. Great surprise!!! Musubi looked awesome too. Coffee was hot, fresh and perfect strength. Bonus hazelnut flavored and decaf also. Nice neighbourhood vibe, tables chatting to each other about sports and local news, owners seemed super cool. Good hot breakfast menu. What a lovely find on my emergency de-icing stop in!!! Will be back!!“

“The food tastes like a homemade meal my mom used to cook in Korea. It’s not Americanized Korean food, but truly authentic Korean cuisine. The restaurant is clean with a modern atmosphere, and the staff are incredibly friendly. Everything is absolutely delicious, and the whole experience is wonderful. I highly recommend this place.“

“Fantastic soondubu jjigae! Popped by for lunch on a cold rainy day and ordered some to go. The food came out fairly quick, considering I hadn't ordered ahead. Super flavorful broth, generously packed with pork, tofu, and some veggies. The rice was also very soft and had a good chew.“

“Picked up dinner twice this week. Delicious.“

“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“

“This place is an absolute gem. We are so lucky to have such a place in the Richmond/El Cerrito area.

I haven’t had a bad meal here. Fried chicken and tofu soups are all excellent. Portions are ample. Highly recommended if you love Korean cuisine.“

“My cousin and I went for dinner at 530 on a Wednesay and glad we did because we missed a big group that filled that filled the restaurant. Soy & Garlic chicken was great and the noodle dish was also delicious. I will return to try the other chicken flavor. We recommend this place. Small seating so good early.“

“Peter and his team are flawless. The food is exceptional and the service is even better. From cocktails to apps to the main event, everything is executed at a very high level. The ambiance is superb, honestly the designer needs an award. I would highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone.“

“I came here for the smashburger, but i guess they dont do lunch untill later in the day. I ordered a breakfast sandwich instead, and it was really good! Hopefully i can try the lunch menu one day but i dont think it lines up with my work schedule. 🙃 will be comming back for breakfast though.😇“

“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.“

“I have been coming to Seoul Gom Tang for more than three years. It is a family-run restaurant owned by a Korean family, and that sense of family is visible throughout the space. There is a hanbok hanging on the wall, which I believe may have belonged to the owners’ daughter when she was young. Every family member is attentive and welcoming. In the evenings, the father often sits in his SUV in the parking lot right outside the restaurant, wearing something that is visibly similar to a security uniform and keeping a flashlight on, trying his best to make customers feel safe. The atmosphere is cozy and comforting.

As for the food, my favorites are the Beef Soondubu (soft tofu and beef soup) and the Haemul Pajeon (seafood pancake). The soup is consistently smooth, the tofu retains its natural flavor, and the pancake is generously topped with seafood. The food here is not “Instagram-friendly” in a trendy sense; it is traditional, which I personally prefer.

One additional note: there are two restaurants in the Bay Area named Seoul Gom Tang. The owners’ daughter confirmed that the one in Santa Clara is owned by a different owner.“

“I visited this place with my sister during one of our outings in San Francisco. We got there around 2:30 pm on a Saturday and the place was pretty full. But lucky for us, there was people leaving right when we got there so we immediately got a table and head to the counter to place our order.

What we ordered:

☕ Black Sesame Latte • 9/10
A very well-made Black Sesame Latte. Not too sweet and comforting. Will definitely order again next time.

🍹 Raspberry Omija Soda • 9/10
Very refreshing drink. The cream on top was delicious—not too thick and sweet—and complimented the raspberry soda really well. Could probably have that cream with any other drinks if I’m being honest.

🥪 Umami Kimchi Panini • 9.5/10
This was our first time having a Kimchi Panini and we both agreed it was really good. Bursts of Korean flavors in every bite and super flavorful. It was very well executed, delicious and the portion was pretty generous too. Although maybe worth mentioning, it was a tad spicy for me who can’t really eat spicy food (that kimchi really had a pretty spicy kick for me) but it was fine for my sister who can.

Also, met the owner, Esther, during our visit and she was super nice and friendly and helped us with menu recommendations. If you’re looking for a dessert cafe in San Francisco/Hayes Valley area with unique Korean flavors, this place is definitely worth trying.“

“Korean Soul Chicken was absolutely delicious. We ordered the fried chicken, which was crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. I also had the BBQ pork, and it was tender and full of flavor. The potstickers were amazing, crisp, fresh, and not greasy at all.

The service was excellent and very attentive. The food was super affordable and everything tasted fresh and well made. I would definitely recommend“

“We got the Supreme Set A for three people a bit to much food for 3 but go figure it feeds 4-5 people. But overall food and sides were hella good kimchi sour level was great and meat well seasoned. The staff were very attentive and even cooked all the meat for us. Definitely gonna be coming back“

“Under appreciated restaurant in the financial district. Picture yourself sitting here with just your thoughts. I came here for a meeting. The staff gave me my food and I sat down at one of their tables to eat and do my video call. Some people want a cafe, but I prefer a place with kimchi and rice.“

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

“couldn’t be happier with my visit here!! The banchan was unforgettably fresh and flavorful, and the bulgogi paired perfectly with it. I only regret not getting our waitresses’ name because she was so kind and friendly to us! Super glad I have a new favorite spot to come back to :)“

“This late night Korean food in Oakland was much needed after our time at Lake Merrit.

We especially loved their galbi and spicy pork with cheese. We even took an order to go of the pork!

It's a good place to hang out for late night eats and vibes.“

“This is our local, “go to” place whenever we’re craving Korean food. It never disappoints. At night, they generally project K-pop music videos onto a large wall, which brings the whole room to life. Lotsa fun!“

“I got the gan-jang beef bowl for $16.53 after tax. I think the beef flavor was good, but the beef texture itself was inconsistent. There were tender/fatty portions, but parts of the beef were quite tough & hard to chew. It came with a soft boiled egg, rice, sesame, and seaweed flakes.

They charge $2.50 extra for kimchi. I feel like if you order the meal without kimchi, it lacks veggies & something to help you finish the rice. If you were to compare that experience to sit-down korean restaurants with free kimchi/banchan, it’s stingier. I would feel better paying this price if it came with kimchi, which seems like a necessary part of the meal.

The owner was nice enough to offer me extra beef/free kimchi as a one-time service, and I took him up on that.“

“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.“

“My husband and I actually door dashed this on a night in while visiting San Fran. I am a huge tofu soup fan but it’s always either too spicy or just water. There is never a perfect in between… until Ollei! The spice was perfect, just a little punch without it being too over powering. And with it being door-dashed it travelled well and was still warm when it arrived. The only complaints I have was there was hardly any beef in my tofu soup and it was very oily. I cannot speak to the service or atmosphere as I never physically went to the restaurant.“

“My foodie coworkers have nothing but praises every time you guys cater for us. Impressive how you pull off such tasty AND healthy food. Thank you!“

“Just incredible Korean contemporary fusion cuisine. Kept the fundamentals of the Korean authenticity with unique broad appealing western gastronomic desires. Well done!!!👍“

“This place should have a line out the door every day. Incredible value. Excellent service. Delicious food. Warm and friendly staff. They greeted all their regulars by name like old friends. I can't wait to become a regular myself. I can't recommend enough. Coming back as often as I can.“

“Hankki (previously T-toust) has been a STAPLE in my Berkeley experience. Amazing food and staff is always welcoming and sweet. I can't even count how many times the food here made me feel right at home!! The pork kimchi stew is my favorite ❤️“

“I knew exactly what I wanted as I walked in. I smelled the Bibimbop and my tummy was already smiling. the service was great! and the food was delicious! our 3 year old approved the Chicken Cutlets with their special sauce! we're definitely coming back the next time we're in town!“

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

“Food Very tasty 🤤 authentic Korean food delicious friendly staff decor trendy modern nice clean.“

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

“My foodie coworkers have nothing but praises every time you guys cater for us. Impressive how you pull off such tasty AND healthy food. Thank you!“

“Love their marinated meats, pickels and fermented vegetables. Their Kimchi is my favorite.“

“I got the romano beans and the fried chicken. I didn't know the fried chicken was chicken wings--- which it doesn't say and I don't like, but I ate it anyway. Wanted to try the chocolate cake (which is on the online menu) but it wasn't on the menu anymore. Will come back to try other things another time. Good service and nice ambience.“

“So glad to find out they reopened after being closed a while during the pandemic. Currently you have to pre-order a day in advance for pickup so it takes a little planning but so worth it.Their fried chicken is so crispy. I ordered it with waffle fries and they say they only fire up the fries just before your pickup time so that they're fresh. When I went to pick up my order, they let me know it would just be a few minutes because the fries were finishing and when he came out with my order, he said he accidentally made the salad but included both the fries and salad and threw in a vanilla pudding. Everything was so delicious. Even the bonus pudding had flecks of vanilla bean and tasted so much better than the instant stuff. The chicken and fries were enough for 2 meals.“

“I recently revisited Valencia Street after a few years and decided to try out a new restaurant. I was impressed by the excellent customer service. I visited on Sunday, May 19, 2024, after 5 PM. The restaurant was pleasantly quiet, which was perfect since I have a toddler who likes to run around.

Although it wasn't my first time eating Korean food, the meal was outstanding. I had the Spicy Pork Bowl, and it was absolutely delicious. If you enjoy spicy food, I highly recommend it!
we will be back :)

Kid-friendliness: yes !

Wheelchair accessibility: yes,“

“Excellent food and great service. I had the Kimchi fried rice with additional spicy pork. Make sure to stir the rice for a few minutes as it comes in a stone bowl just as the name of the restaurant suggests, otherwise your bowl will burn the rice and it’ll become hard. I liked their banchan a lot personally, and during the lunch rush this place is pretty empty and I was served my food seemingly in record time. Prices were very fair. Their gyoza was pretty good. Curious about their dubu, but that’s for next time.

All in all, I will come back again and bring some coworkers. This place is so good.“

“Wow! The Bimbop bowl is CAUTIOUSLY warm. Move with discretion. However, contents inside included rice. Music was played. Portions were a size that could easily defeat a child, or an adult that recently snacked. Booths were private yet public. You are seen, and at times not seen. If your teeth are viable, may I recommend the chewy noodles. We will be back, but I am busy for the next two weeks.“

“Extra busy here tonight. Yet we were still seated right away. Service was slow. We had to wait a looong time for our orders to be taken. But the food came quickly. The Short ribs was yummy. The sliced pork was yummy. The seafood pancake was yummy. The beef rib soup was different than what I was used to. Peppery and I liked it!!! Korean restaurants tend to be more expensive but you get better quality food.“

“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！“