Wanted to upgrade this place to 5 stars because of the fantastic service! The owners are always super friendly and welcoming. The owner (wife) kind of remembers me when I pop in for a meal (I think she recognizes me by name and somewhat by face). The food is still amazing and I've tried karaoke a few times since I've come here and it's tons of fun! There are some amazing singers out there. The owner (the husband) came up and sang with my friends once. It was pretty funny! My only complaint is that the fries were less crispy the last time I came here. Other than that, everything is even better! Especially the wings, because they were more crispy! The Soy & Garlic wings had more flavor and I liked them a lot more this time around. The Sweet & Spicy got more spicy I think...and I approve! I also tried the Yogurt Soju this time around and it tastes like Yakuit, that Asian yogurt thing! I'm glad this place is only 5 minutes from my house! :)
Review Source:The first thing you'd notice is how nondescript the area looks, as it's really easy to miss the place. The place is situated a few doors down from the 7/11 on the corner of the intersection and has one tiny one lane entrance to their ten car lot. It's a small but quaint little establishment.
The first time I went to K-Pop Cafe it was on a whim with some friends and needless to say we were pleasantly surprised. We were informed of a certain special of that night which was 2 dollar Soju bombs, so we decided to start out with two soju bombs each while we skimmed over the menu.
The friendly waitress recommended that we try the troublemaker fries or the gangnam fries, so we ordered both.... We also ordered a bunch of other foods, but to be honest we were about 10 soju bombs in by the end of the meal, so I don't recall much about the other foods. Man those 2 dollar bombs are really a great deal.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays are coincidentally my favorite nights to go because of their 5-9pm Happy Hour specials. On Monday's the special is 8 dollar OB pitchers, Tuesday is 50 cent wings, and Wednesdays is 2 dollar soju bombs.
Okay let's be real doe, I've had better Korean bar food, but for the prices, ambiance and service this place is definitely one of my favorite local hole-in-the-wall watering holes! In fact I think I'm going to go back this Wednesday, see you there!
i went there for the first time on a sunday night for some takeout and we were the only people there. the place is in a terrible location and im assuming its only patrons come from personal recommendations or google. the food is decently priced and delicious; i will come back for some takeout or even check out the karaoke (if the place ever has more than 5 customers at a time).
Review Source:What makes a place great? The people. I left my credit card here and the owners managed to find me on the web. They really didn't have to, it was not their responsibility to find and inform me of my missing credit card. Now that is really going above and beyond. THANK YOU (also helps that their spicy pork tacos and trouble maker fries are super yummy)!
Review Source:Came by for dinner the other night. The restaurant is located in the middle of nowhere with a tiny parking lot in the back that can accommodate less than 10 cars?!?
Started off with the bulgogi tacos and they were okay. Beef was slightly dry but still edible.
Moved on to the Gangnam Fries and they were also mediocre. The fries seem to have been flash fried...
The chicken wings were over fried and not too fresh...they were quite small too...The good thing was that they were only $.5 each?!?
Service was decent and the interior was rather decrepit...
~$14/person after tax and tip.
Out of curiosity, went there for dinner. Â The Spicy Pork taco was good. Â We also ordered the Oden Tang, which was pretty good, but simple enough to make at home. Â We also have the bulgogi entree, which was way too tough. Â Also had the Soy Garlic Chicken Wings, which was slightly too sweet for me.
Will go back again and try other stuff.
Great Atmosphere and people! Close your eyes and pick randomly from the menu. Congrats, you just picked something delicious! My favorite are the sweet and spicy chicken wings and Troublemaker fries. Staff is great, and people are really chill to hang out with in the bar. Make sure to grab some of the mixed soju pitchers for social lubricant, or even just for something tasty to wash your food down with a kick. My friends and I consider this place an extension of our living room, and you guys should too!
Review Source:Heard about this place on FB so I've been wanting to check this place out for a while.
THUMBS UP:
* Troublemaker Fries- Good mix of Korean flavor with the fries. I did think maybe something could be added to the fries to highlight the flavor a bit more (?)
* Ddukbokggi + Ramen noodles: Right amount of spice.
* Bulgogi Taos- Probably my favorite dish. When it first came out I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it because it looked like meat and a mound of cabbage. I'm used to seeing colors on my bulgogi tacos but the cream sauce underneath was pretty good. Caught me off guard.
* Sojutini- Lychee- I'm not a hard alcohol/soju drinker to begin with so I can't really give a fair review on this drink. My friend took a few sips and thought the drink was well balanced and mixed.
*Service: We arrived a little before 6pm and it wasn't packed so service was great. Closer to 730 or so I could tell the place was filling up but still even with two servers, the service was consistent and solid. They were open to conversations and answering the questions I had about the menu items.
COULD IMPROVE:
* Soy Garlic Chicken Wings- was recommended this as their best seller. I think if one thing could've improved on this dish was that the wings be tossed a little bit longer or thoroughly? Many of the bites, we didn't taste anything other than  fried chicken. Once we got a bit of the flavor it was delicious.
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* Atmosphere/Environment control: As soon as I walked into the place it definitely felt stuffy. I don't know if the AC was down but they did have ceiling fans on but it wasn't enough. I think I heard the AC turn on but it only improved the temperature a little bit. Found myself sweating from the heat which did make it a little uncomfortable. Thankfully they were quick to refill our cups with ice cold water =D
My friend realized a lot of the heat was coming from the table decor candle that was lit as soon as we sat down. Maybe during the summer switch out the candles to something that won't affect the the temperature.?
SUGGESTIONS:
*Add some more screens playing MVs. Maybe not limit it to just KPOP songs but include Kdrama OSTs (Compilation videos with Kdrama OST playlists-being a Kdrama fan I could see folks talking about that over their meal with their friends)
* I used to love the idea that you could request songs to be played during your stay at Johnny Rockets. I'm not sure how to execute this but I think it would be pretty cool if customers could request songs from a set playlist  that they wanted to hear esp when the karaoke machine isn't being used.
TWO THUMBS UP:
It's been about 3 hours since I ate at KPOP Cafe....I cannot get over their RICECREAM. I'm not sure if it's on their menu as a regular item but it was listed on the side board under "Today's Special". It was so good I had to tell the server that this was genius. If you're a fan of the Boong Uh Bbang Ice cream they sell in the Korean Markets...Ricecream is the freshest version IMO just minus the red bean. The crunch from the  (Korean flat popcorn snack) and the icecream  sandwiched in between was to die for. The level of sweetness was not overpowering at all.
It was my first time at Kpop Cafe but definitely not my last! 2pm's "I"ll be back" is blaring in my head as I type this final line! Great job KPOP Cafe!
I came here because my friends told me it was a great place to eat. The location is on the side of the road and a little awkward. There is definitely a K-Pop theme. Food was in the $11-$18 range. I didn't feel like there was much to eat since half of their menu was spicy and I cannot eat spicy food. I've had better Korean food and will not be coming back.
Review Source:A small and loud Korean Bar type of setting. We had the fries with spicy pork, which was not bad but the meat was too little for me. The Kim Chee fried rice was a little too bland and not enough kick or meat even tho we asked for super spicy. The Dukbokki was the star here! We had it with Ramen, extra spicy and it really came out very tasty! There were plenty of fish cakes, swimming on the sweet liquid of heaven, and the rice cake was super soft and chewy!! They have happy hours on weekdays and Karaoke from 10:30 to 1 am!
Review Source:Absolutely looved everything that we ordered. From the kim chee fried whatevers to the affordable soju cocktails. Just amaze.
I dont' remember all the names of the dishes. My girls and I ordered a bunch and shared.
Bottom line.... prices are good, food is better! Service is outstanding.
Definitely coming back.
This place is little awkward location for Koreans to visit but it seems to be that they are open for non Korean customers. I tried their soy sauce fried chicken, spicy squid, and fish cake soup. Â They were all amazingly decent quality.
I am kind of pick about Korean food but they were bit above average. I think this place is good enough for me to have a beer time to time.
I went in here the other day and tried their soju! They have a variety of flavors but I decided to try their yogurt soju over the rest since that was the most popular flavor next to the mango. It was pretty good, it had a nice yogurt taste to it and it sort of  masked the alcohol taste. I also got to try their peach boba shot. there is actual boba in the shot so be careful when you take the shot to not drink the boba too or you might choke on it... which almost happened to me. It was interesting. It's not like the normal boba you get in drinks, their boba was passion fruit flavored and when you bite into it, they burst. I'm definitely going to try their other drinks when I get the chance.
Review Source:FUN! FOOD! AND HAPPY HOUR!
PRO:
- Came on a Friday 8pm. The place was empty, but dudee it was happy hour! Not many korean places I know have happy hour! They had $12 pitchers are soju and a lot of small bites for around $4-5. A really great deal
- The food is pretty good here. We got the dubukki w/ ramen, Fries, dumplings, friend chicken, and tacos for the 5 of  us and man that was way too much food! They give pretty generous portions and I can't imagine leaving that place hungry !
- The service was amazing! the waiters were always attentive and the owner would walk around making sure things were running smoothly. He even gave us a free pitcher of soju if my friend would sing karaoke (which she reluctantly did, but wow that's some great incentive).
CON:
- Location is kinda in the middle of a weird intersection, so make sure you pay really close attention when finding the place cause it can be easily missed.
- Not too many TVs, they have 2 i believe, so if you are trying to watch the game on this might not be the best place to go.
WHAT TO GET: The soju happy hour is great! $12 for a pitcher and they have kiwi, lemon, peach, and regular yogurt flavors which I had all 4 of and I thought the kiwi or yogurt were the best ones!
WHAT NOT TO GET: Â I would stay clear of the dumplings. They weren't as good as i thought they would be, but hey who the heck gets dumplings at a korean joint??
OVERALL: I would come back here in a heart beat! More karaoke action and definitely for Happy hour! I don't know if they deals on the weekends, but the weekdays are definitely a fun place to be.
I've seen many of my Fremont friends raving about this place. The building itself seems pretty ghetto, but inside is surprisingly clean and spacious (holds about 50 people). Parking is terrible though. My friends and I ordered a pitcher of beer right before their happy hour ended and I went with the 6 pieces of Chicken Wings (sweet and spicy sauce) and the Bulgogi Tacos (comes with 3). The tacos were very bland and only contained the bulgogi and chopped lettuce. I got it without the special sauce, but even if it came with the sauce, the tacos were not impressive. However, the chicken wings are what would bring me back here! If I were to ever come back, I would for sure get the wings and try their kimchee fried rice that I saw on the menu! Prices are a little high considering the quality you're paying for and service is just mediocre.
Review Source:Ok this is pretty much my go to place in Fremont if all else fails. Yogurt and Mango Soju drinks work for us and the food here is freaking awesome (Gangnam Style Fries and Soy Garlic Wings typically for me). There menu is pretty good too, not too complicated and very modern. Kpop Burger has a nice touch to it with the fried egg and kimchi topping, and the kimchi spicy chicken tacos are also pretty amazing. On top of that it is pretty much family run, so you get that comfortable atmosphere when you get there. Eddy and Linda are amazing owners, very tentative and good people to know. Even the wait staff are pretty personable.
Review Source:This place is great. Used to be BigI Sushi but now it's a fun little Korean restaurant/bar. Came here on a Friday around 8:00pm and didn't leave until 12:30am!!! The owners are also really nice. The owner gave us a free pitcher of Yogurt soju =)
If you're in the area, this is a great place to hang out, karaoke and drink.
Great food. Great atmosphere. Great people.
Got here at 8pm on a Fri. night. Empty except for one big group on 8-10 ppl.
There were 5 of us. After a long day, after a long week, we were hungry, and ready to drink and get the weekend started off right.
Started off with a Kiwi Soju ($12 special), Fried dumplings ($3.95 HH), Troublemaker Fries - large ($10.95), ddubukki w/ ramen ($8.95 + $2), and 20pc fried chicken ($10?) [we ordered an additional 2 orders of the tacos ($8.95 each) but it was unncessary as we were super full]
The soju was great. Even balance of juice and soju so you definately get your money's worth. Kiwi was suprisingly good! We also followed up with Yogurt, Peach, and Lemon. I think I prefer Kiwi and Lemon. Couldn't really taste the peach flavor.
ddubukki was very yummy, although I kinda wish it was a little spicier. maybe you can ask?
Fried chicken was really good! Just as good as bonchon or VIP. Saucy and still very crunchy.
Tacos were okay. Wish they put more meat and less cabbage. The mayo-something sauce was good, but kinda overpowering the bulgogi flavor. just an fyi.
Service is great! The owners are very friendly and helpful. They check up on you just enough without being too pushy. Although beware...they might con you  in to some karoke...but you should have known that was a risk just by coming here. Enjoy!
I am so happy that there is somewhere to grab some food and drinks late in the area. Â The service is friendly and the food is good.
Check this place out! Keep its business going! We need places that are open till 1AM. I just moved out of the East Bay, but I would have loved to do some late night studying here. Â I plan on visiting when I'm in town.
It's also great because it isn't 21 and up only! So if you have some friends that aren't 21 they can tag along for the fun too!
So I missed out on the UYE, but I decided to check out this place last night with my two guy friends. This place is pretty small, but it's soo awesome! They have yummy eats, drinks, and karaoke!
I've been to 7Bamboo, Voiz, Butter, and other karaoke places so I wasn't sure how the karaoke worked at this place. So whenever I asked one of the staff who told me to just pick out the song & they'll input it in for me to sing. It's all complimentary. So that was really cool. They have a big book full of different songs to choose from whether you want to sing Jpop, Kpop, or American Pop. Lol.. and I liked how it was in alphabetical song order. The sound quality was really good; i could actually hear myself sing?! Unlike at Butter, where I could not at all hear myself singing.
I've tried their TroubleMaker fries which was really yummy, and I've had their Sojutini & Sojurita. Both really delish drinks, but I'd have to say the Sojutini was a bit stronger while the Sojurita was much tastier.
I would definitely hit up this place again & again since it's super nearby me and cause it's really fun place to chill with friends. :)
As I write this, I'm listening to the Fin.K.L classics from the 90's and early 00's. Â If you were a fan of Fin.K.L, remember songs like Blue Rain, Ruby, and White? Â Those were the classics from my kpop days even though I didn't understand a single word of Korean. Â But who needs to understand Korean when the music sounds so good??
When it comes to K-Pop Cafe, I had to circle the block a couple times because I didn't know where the parking was for the restaurant. Â The driveway to the back parking lot is pretty narrow and easy to miss when coming for the first time. Â There's what looks like a "Parking" note and arrow marked with black painting on the building which helps slightly. Â Once inside, the place is pretty dark, but there are the bright glares from the televisions showing kpop music videos. Â Not from my Fin.K.L days, but from today's kpop. Â Same spiky hair. Â Same crazy outfits. Â Same catchy remixes.
As for the food, we got a mixture of different foods to try. Â Bulgogi tacos. Â Soy garlic chicken wings. Â Troublemaker fries. Â Dukboki. Â The food was more on the variety of appetizers than actual sit-down food. Â The bulgogi tacos definitely stood out as worth trying because the bulgogi beef was tender and the spices were great. Â Reminded me of the Korean taco trucks around the area. Â Soy garlic chicken wings were good because they came out piping hot and moist. Â Not much of a fan of the troublemaker fries as there wasn't much pork, but mainly sour cream and guacamole. Â Dukboki was an interesting dish and worth a try with the cheese option! Â
Overall, K-Pop Cafe is good place to chill with friends and chow down on some appetizers, but not really a place have a great meal. Â Just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere with kpop songs in the background. Â Fin.K.L come back!
Big Bang chicken wings were what stood out. The kimchi fried rice was alright and many of the other dishes were lackluster.
What I did enjoy was the constant Kpop videos being played in the background and the option of singing karaoke in public at any given time. The happy hour offerings were a welcome treat and the bar area was nice with the option of viewing two TVs featuring different sports.
If you are looking for a restaurant/bar with the availability of singing karaoke in front of everybody, this is the place. For good food, I wouldn't recommend coming here for a solid bite, it's a hit or miss.
* I was contacted by the restaurant owner asking which dishes didn't taste good and was asked for constructive feedback. Definitely recommend this place and recommend yelpers to create an ongoing dialogue with the restaurant owner to make this place the best it can be!
I've been craving for Kimchi fried ice and I definitely didn't want to travel to Oakland or Berkeley for it, so when i found out about this place, I went to check it out.
The place was small and hidden, but inside, there were plenty of space and the decor was cute.
We were immediately seated, and the waitress was really nice.
We ordered Kimchi Fried Rice and Trouble maker fries ( large) ( If you check in on yelp, 2 dollars off your large trouble maker fries)
While you wait, they serve you this soup, which goes well with the rice since it was so spicy! The fried rice was really good. My friend and I devoured it in minutes!!
The fries, it was the first time I had Korean styled fries. I understand why its called the Trouble maker fries because a bit of it made me feel like I'm going to get a heart attack. It's definitely a once a while or once in a lifetime indulgent, but worth a try!
Definitely come check this place out!
Hmm, I feel bad about this review, but I have to be honest.
This place is new and the offerings seem very similar to its nearby competitor, Sia Fusion Cafe. I was interested to see how this place stacks up, so I visited recently...
Food:
Meh. Definitely not as good as I hoped. We ordered three things:
Ddukbokgi with Ramen -- This is a really standard dish at most Korean places, and is supposed to be spicy, but I didn't get any of that kick here. The sauce wasn't hot at all, and the rice sticks were unevenly cooked. Some were overly soft and mushy and others were hard as a rock and cold in the middle. The ramen was a giant clump and overcooked. This as edible but just ok for 11$...
Bulgogi Plate -- Also disappointed by this, as the Bulgogi was tough, and not sweet, but salty. Â EW. As my companion said, it reminded him of Chinese Onion Beef. No Bueno! I barely touched this; just because you sprinkle sesame on it and call it Bulgogi, doesn't mean it is. This dish also came with some fish cake banchan, but it was GROSS. Almost like it sat out all day - tough, and overcooked. At 13$ this was NOT worth it.
Troublemaker Fries -- This was the best out of three dishes, but honestly, who isn't going to like fries, meat, and kimchee with sauce? The special sauce was not that special, kind of a tartar/ranch sauce. Liked the Jalapenos, but I feel like I could get this anywhere.
Service & Atmosphere:
The owner is super nice and talkative. The service is really good - what can I say? The atmosphere is fine and pretty lively. I really like the Karaoke setup, kinda divey without the dirty. Seems like a good, clean, comfy place to bring a big group.
Overall:
A little too expensive for my taste for the food we received at $35 it is almost 10-15$ more expensive than Sia (which has better tasting food). If you wanted a big place nearby to host for rowdy groups and want the Karaoke, its not bad. But if you're more like me who cares a little more about the food, I think I'd choose Sia which is open even later than this place.
Sorry, but only a barely 3* for me. I am planning on coming back later though to see if there's any improvement...
With the obvious marketing gimmick in tow, K-Pop Cafe is entering the local Korean fusion space dominated for the past year or so by Sia in Newark (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sia-fusion-eatery-newark">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>). Located in what appears to be a semi-shady looking old shack with a difficult to access parking lot (make a sharp right immediately following the wooden guardrail), K-Pop is most definitely a welcome addition to a part of town that could use this sort of fare, but how does it measure up to what locals already know and love? Let's break it on down:
Diners: Eric W. with the favorite Yelper
Date: Thursday, April 11, 2013
Time : 9:30 - 10:30 pm
Capacity: 33% full, ethnically mixed group of English speaking Asian Americans
Environment: Other than the obligatory posters from the likes of Big Bang, Shinee, 4PM, etc., there isn't much else about this place that screams K-pop. As a matter of fact, the layout is reminiscent of a saloon from the days of yore, complete with a bar and fireplace. The bar area is a nice touch, as you can enjoy the sports telecast (go A's!) on the two large TVs while conversing with the owner. It's the perfect backdrop to enjoy a low key night after work with the fellas. The rest of the tables seem a bit out of place, as they are more akin to something you'd find at a country steak house.
The main selling point, and likely the reason why most people would come back, is the huge TV in the back room with karaoke! I'm not sure if they only have Korean songs, but based on the crowd of mostly non-Koreans, I think it would be wise, unless they only plan on upholding the theme. When no one is singing, guests are treated to the latest and greatest in K-pop videos.
Food:
Ddukbokki + Ramen ($8.95 + $2.00 add-on for ramen) - This item usually comes out at other places a very dark color, which is an indication that you are in for some hot, spicy goodness. Not here. The rice cakes are almost completely white! Add to that, they are also quite hard, and the ramen is soggy. Â C-
Bulgogi ($12.95) - In comparison to Sia, it's not even close. Portions here are much smaller, not nearly as tasty, and waaaay more expensive to boot! The worst part about it is the egregious amount of onion used to cover up the lack of meat. The beef is not sweet at all, and mostly just salty. The whole dish is similar to onion beef you'd find at an Americanized Chinese restaurant more than bulgogi. Â C+
Large Troublemaker Fries ($6.95 with Yelp check in special) - Interesting name that equates to ordinary fries doused in some type of tartar sauce, jalapeños, a bit of spicy pork and kimchee. If this sounds good to you, well... it is actually fairly decent, but doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts. This was actually the best dish out of the three, but seeing how it wasn't much of a contest, that's not saying much.  B-
Banchan - Hard, leftover fishcake and kimchee. We mostly left this alone. Â D+
Service: The male and female tendem are extremely cordial and welcoming, but not overly chatty. After taking our order, they didn't really come over to speak with us other than the occasional checking if everything was okay. Other patrons did seem to be having a blast chit-chatting with them though.
In the end, I really hate being harsh on new establishments, especially ones that serve a niche that has been sorely lacking. With a few minor adjustments, K-Pop may ultimately have what it takes to succeed in this market, but as it stands, it would not be my first choice. To satisfy a craving for traditional Korean food, there are many better local options, such as Gangnam, formerly known as Andy's <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/gangnam-tofu-house-fremont#hrid:5OImFF8v2Hyf1EOH2yu35A">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>), and for Korean fusion, the aforementioned Sia still gets my vote.
However, if you are more interested in a fun atmosphere with a group of friends after work or on the weekend, K-Pop just might provide what you are looking for. If only you could combine Sia's food with K-Pop's backdrop, we'd definitely have a real winner.
Fremont definitely has a shortage of good mom/pop restaurants and not to mention a lack of nightlife! I wish K-Pop cafe was around when I was living in this area. It's a Korean restaurant, soju bar, and karaoke place all rolled up in one.
Interior is spacious and great for larger parties. When there is no karaoke, K-pop videos play on repeat in the background.
We ordered: bulgogi fries, fishcake soup, chicken wings, and kimchee fried rice. Not to mention endless bottles of soju (add some lemon and it makes a world of a difference!). Food was delicious and reasonably priced. Service was amazing and the owners are such sweethearts!
A cafe with good food, soju and K-Pop karaoke. Sign me up!
This place is not much to look at from the outside. Don't let that dissuade you from going, the inside is much better. I went here for an early dinner Saturday and we had the place to ourselves. There is a big screen TV playing loud K-Pop which was entertaining. Â I got to try the lemon soju and the mango soju. I thought the mango was too sweet and preferred the lemon. Â The menu is pretty small but we liked everything we got. I recommend the gangnam style fries with the bulgogi beef.
We were too early for the karaoke but I guess I got to go back to see it and maybe ever participate (errr...probably not). Â Our waitress was super sweet and helpful. Appears to be family run which gets extra points and support from me. I will admit that I was not too aware of K-Pop until PSY came along and I am fan now of K-Pop and K-Pop Cafe.
The tri-city needed a Korean cafe packaged with soju + good fatty Korean food + karaoke! FINALLY it has arrived. Please support this local joint, they're great!
I came here yesterday with my friend at 5pm. Upon arrival I noticed that the entry can be confusing for some people. You really have to pay attention and turn right once you see the cafe into their driveway. It'll lead you to the back with more parking spots. However, there was only about 10 parking spots, I can see people parking across the street during busy hours.
We ordered kim chi fried rice, 6 sweet & spicy wings, and troublemaker fries. The spicy wings were GOOD, and since it was Tuesday, it was only 50 cents!!! Not spicy, tasted more like spicy bbq., and it was juicy The troublemaker fries were my favorite... spicy pork + white sauce + pickled veggies + hella jalapenos! I LOVE THE JALAPENOS, they had a kick of spice to it and they gave so much! THANK YOU! The white sauce was VERY GOOD with the pork and fries. I felt like I gained 5lbs eating it but I couldn't resist! The only thing I was disappointed in were the kim chi fried rice. They were good still, but they tasted like honey nut cheerios after a few bites... weird. I was expecting it to be salty, kim chi flavored, and spicy. It actually tasted like sweet wheat or something along that line. Some people may like that.
$5.96 soju cocktail... I got mango and it was good given the price. I was buzzed after a glass! Monday nights are $8.08 pitcher... must come back for that! As for service, the waitress was very nice and told us in the beginning a little about the cafe.
I recommend people around the area to try this, they have lots of potential to be even greater! Great place to hang locally with your friends while drinking and enjoying great food with music.
Aside from soju bars in SF, my friends and I were looking for something more local so we wouldn't have to make the drive all the way there. Searching kpop came to K-pop cafe: soju + Korean bar food + Kpop all in one place :)
The entrance is a bit difficult to spot, there's some sort of picket fence to indicate it's a sidewalk, even though there really is none. Upon arrival, you'll see the bar with sports games but the rest of the seating area is purely Kpop, with posters of the most popular bands. We were seated away from the TV, but decided to move closer. Then the owner turned up the volume. Sweet!
We ordered:
-trouble-maker fries (a bit spicy, but good. not sure what the white sauce is)
-dumplings
-ddukbokki with ramen (too chewy, and they should use Shin Ramyun instead of another brand)
-soy & garlic fried chicken wings
-kiwi and mango soju (you don't feel buzzed until you finish half the glass)
They should also serve some tofu soups...might be a good hangover cure if you had too many drinks :)
We'll be back to celebrate our housemate's birthday. We asked about using the karaoke/noraebang area for her birthday celebration and the owner agreed :) My only issue is the variety of MVs....there was about 90% girl groups and a series of 4-5 songs from each artist before it switched into another 5 MV-set from another girl group. Please put some Big Bang, SHINee, Infinite, Beast, 2PM, Teen Top, B1A4, EXO, BAP, MVs in the playlist and have it randomized into a nice playlist medley!
My last review on K-Pop was written just a week ago. However, I came back to experience their grub and I am glad I gave them a second chance. After writing my review, I was immediately contacted by the owner, Liana, who was very apologetic about my experience. She politely suggested I come back and provided her e-mail address so I could contact her personally. I thought this was a kind gesture and I appreciated her professionalism.
Since I hate writing bad reviews, I decided to come back in. I noticed Liana was working and introduced myself. Again she was very apologetic and I loved how down to earth she was. She was very east to talk to and made great food suggestions.
We got the trouble fries (with bulgogi instead of pork) and the bulgogi burger. Since I haven't had a meat cheat day in a while, I decided to use it today. The trouble fries were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. So much flavor and very filling. It was a huge portion even for the small. The bulgogi burger came with kimchi and a sunnyside up egg. Very tasty! Totally worth using my meat cheat day on!
Liana is a great business owner and I can happily say it was well worth the second chance! I definitely see myself becoming a regular here. I cannot wait to experience their happy hour and karaoke!
Just visited here on 3/23/13:
The driveway entrance is pretty much hidden-- watch for the white picket fence next to the gas station, and slow down early enough to not get rear ended. Â :)
Lively atmosphere, extremely friendly owners (Eddie and Liana), delicious and affordable Korean fusion food-- you can't ask for much more than that! Â I tried out the Troublemaker fries and the daily special-- deep fried kimchi-bibimbap-- which were both absolutely amazing.
I'd recommend this place for 6+ groups for special occasions, where at least a majority of the group is familiar with k-pop and karaoke-ing. Â The owners are super friendly and remember all repeat customers here-- so may seem clicquey your first time, and you'd want a strong group with you to explore the full potential of Gangnam Style (and there's no shortage of that here!)
This place is closed on Sunday nights. Â Don't drink and drive.
I was a bit skeptical about eating here because I really enjoyed Big I sushi, which use to be at this location. After coming here for the fourth time I am able to confirm that this is one of my favorite places to grab a beer and some great food.
Food:
Wings - They're pretty big and juicy! I will always order the soy garlic, but their other flavor sweet and spicy has gotten much better since the last time I've had it. The wings and drums are always crispy and juicy.  50¢ On Tuesday nights will have me coming here instead of Buffalo Wild Wings, Smoke Eaters, and Wingstop for a long while.
Troublemaker Fries - The pork is tender and works well with the creamy sauce and jalapenos. I think that the fries themselves could be better, but it might only be because I prefer curly/waffle/wedges compared to straight cut.
Pitchers are $8 on Mondays! Soju bombs are $2 on Wednesdays!
Service:
Excellent. The staff is always friendly and on top of their game. You'll never have to wait for a refill on your drinks or deal with a fumbling waiter trying to make sense of a check.
Had a great time here on Saturday night. Â A few of my friends told me they found a cool spot to grab drinks and grub, so I met up with them at Kpop Cafe, and sure enough, we had a blast.
The place is cozy but pretty well kept, and a far cry from some of the dingier Korean bars you'll find. Â I had actually heard about both the Troublemaker and Gangnam style fries, so I said, "What the hell? Â Let's get both."
Both were tasty, and the Troublemaker really does live up to its name in that it punches you in the mouth with flavor and heat. Â I gotta say, I love me some bulgogi though, so that on top of fries and cheese was the real winner for me.
We ordered rounds of soju and beer, and a few cocktail sojus for the ladies. Â Not me though, because I'm manly like that.
My friend fell in love with Hyori on the Soju label, so we had a few too many bottles of that. Â Fortunately, we were able to wash it down with some beers and wings. Â They've got a number of different kinds of wings, but I think the garlic and soy was the perfect balance I look for when it comes to Korean styled chicken wings: a blend of sweet and savory, the essence of all that is Korean.
I'm not going to lie, I got on the karaoke machine a few times before I eventually called it a night. Â And guess what? Â Killed that ish.
In the end, the Kpop Cafe did everything you could ask for when you want a fun time. Â Good Food, cheap drinks, friendly service, and great friends.
I remember the place being a sushi place beforehand. the parking isnt too great, and if you miss the first one, the other parking spot is a bit more creepy at night.
Although, ignoring that part. It has a cozy atmosphere when you walk in and you feel quite welcome. The service and food is great as well. I went when it was pretty chill, so I didn't experience the karaoke area, but I did enjoy the kpop playing.
My friends and I had trouble picking out food... so we just got half  of the stuff on the menu, and we were not disappointed with any of it.  If you want a chill place to go to, here's the new spot to be
Came here around 9pm on a Friday night. Â The place was half filled, which is a lot better than the business before. Â We ordered Kimchi fried rice, fries and tacos. Â I forgot the name of the fries but it was the spicy one...not Gangnam. Â Love the fries! Â The kimchi fried rice was a little over fried and the portion was really small for $8, on top of that, you can't even taste the kimchi. Â The bf had the taco and said it was good, except that the tortilla wasn't heated. Â It would have tasted much better if it was warmed up. Â The service was great and everyone was really friendly. Â They have just opened up so I am sure things will improve with more feedback. Â I may come back later on and try the chicken and seafood pancake!
update: Â I wrote this review around 11am today and received a very sweet email from the own, Liana, who also happens to be our wonderful server. Â She thanked me for my review and offered to change things to ensure my next visit would be great. Â It is really nice to see owners take action when customers have any input. Â I will for sure be back to dine there real soon and I hope more people are willing to give them a try. Â Customer service is slowly dying in most places now days so it is nice to see owners who actually care!
I went out to the grand opening over the weekend to check it out and shoot, I was not disappointed. Service was fast and friendly and even the owners came out to greet the guests. His name is Eddie and made me feel really welcomed. The place has a lot of tables but doesn't feel too crowded with a bar with 2 tvs and a karaoke machine for those who are feeling brave to sing a song to the crowd.
The food was legit. We got a little bit of everything but let me tell you right now that the special sauce that they use on some of their fusion dishes is THE BOMB. The bulgogi fries and bulgogi tacos with their special sauce, dubbed Gangnam Sauce, was legit. It's a little spicy and together with the sweetness of the marinade is just perfect.
So happy that I discovered this hole in the wall. And I've already brought some friends to have them try it and they were impressed. Definitely will be my go to spot whenever I'm in the area!
Got off work late, was driving down Fremont blvd...........and what the heck? K Pop cafe? GRAND OPENING?! HAPPY HOUR? flipped that b*tch, oh and then I made the U-Turn (get it?.... ) and drove in (get it?!?! hahaha). Warning, the parking lot is in the back, so don't try to park in front of the restaurant.
The place was nice and clean, dimly lit, and had candles on each table. Okay, I just made it sound like it was a high end place... Let me add this. THERE WAS A SMALL AREA IN THE BACK WITH A FLATSCREEN TV AND A KARAOKE MACHINE! Now that's why it's called kpop cafe!! Give me 6 soju bombs, and Ill grab both them mics and start singing and dancing to GANGNAM STYLE. Challenge accepted? There is a bar in the front with 2 big flat screen tvs. So... let me get this straight. Karaoke machine, a soju bar, tvs, and korean inspired food? Sounds like a fun happy hour, or a good night out.
Okay, so it's not the place you would bring your korean grandmother (love you grandma) and eat kim chi jjigae, and expect all the korean side dishes... But it seems like a really chill and fun place to drink beers, soju, and eat delicious korean inspired dishes. Okay. Honestly. Tell me you won't get a foodgasm over this:
"Trouble Maker fries"
French fries topped with spicy pork (i asked for bulgogi instead), cheese, kim chi, jalapenos, and 'special sauce.' OKAY First of all. That Special Sauce, I don't know what it it is... but... here's a bold statement... ALMOST AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE WHITE CREAM SAUCE THEY SERVE WITH CHICKEN AND RICE ON 53RD AND 6TH. It's some spicy... avocado, salsa verde cream sauce.... The whole combination of the sweetness of the bulgogi, the spicy kick of the kim chi, jalapenos, and the special sauce, with crispy thick fries? wow... it really was trouble.. (oh and I also love that you can order this in a small. I try to work out...contrary to what I just ordered, and it would make me feel terrible if i ordered the large size)
Then I got the Sweet and Spicy chicken wings. Don't expect bon chon style. It's different. I can't say that it's your typical korean chicken wing... it definitely is sweet and spicy. I loved them because they were nice and crunchy, also comes with a side of coleslaw and pickled radish (moo).
I can definitely see myself coming back with friends to get my beer and soju drink on and munch on some great food.
Check it out, Oh, and the owner looks kinda like psy.
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