Wang Dae Bak

This was a huge huge huge disappointment. I’m used to the good korean food located in oakland and sf, but this place was a huge disappointment. The chicken wasn’t great, and the tofu soup was pretty bad. I think my BCD tofu soup packets taste better than this. Service was meh. My bf had to get the spam on the side. Cheese corn was okay, but i mean then again, its like HOW can you mess up cheese corn right? Pretty much, food was ew, and won’t be back anytime soon.

Came here because it’s one of the few places that seemed to be open past 11pm.
My normal go to at Korean places is to order Tofu Soup/​Chicken Wings/​Cheese corn. Honestly all of them just missed it. All were pretty bland.
The only consolation to anything was that I ordered spam on the side, since I really wanted it that day. I’m pretty sure it was just from a can, and they just pan fried it. But nonetheless that spam was on point.

Their kimchi fried rice and jokbal was really good. Worth it to try out. The staffs were kind and knew how to serve customer.

Cool little korean spot where you can eat and drink soju. Although they advertise the clear soju, the fruity soju seems to be popular here.
This place us Very clean… they have the wall that looks like a chalkboard where people can white something with chalk.
Play music in background but they kinda play it loud.
Didn’t get to take pictures of the food since i was sitting in a long table and all the food that we order were all separated. I know we had some tofu soup, fried chicken wings and spicy chicken wings, omelette with fried rice, rice rice with beef, pancake, calameri, bulgogi, the ramen that came in that really big bowl, chicken glizzard and so on. All the food that had are your typical korean food. The food was pretty average but can get you full if you order a lot of food. When we were ordering all the foods, the foods didn’t come in orders for some reasons. What i mean was the appetizers came after the main meal dishes. Its a little more expensive than some korean restaurant
This place has a buzzer on the wall at each of the tables expect for those who sits in the middle of the restaurant to call the waitresses. Sometime it takes them a while and sometimes they come out quick if you use the buzzer.
Only open for dinner. Its also a good place for people who like to come out for a late night food and drinks since they close at 2 am

We got spicy fried chicken wings and seafood hotpot! They’re not really spicy. The hot pot serving was HUGE for just us two lol. Seafood hotpot is legit lol includes like crab legs and mussels, you might have to get messy and use those hands!
We had this one server dude who was super awkward and like mumbling, we’re all. What’d you say?!! Lol. Our hot pot burner kept turning off so that was a nuisance too. But a pretty chill place to get dinner on a weeknight, wasn’t crowded and we could hear each other talk!

Fun place to end at on a night out in SF. Came here for food and drinks for a friends birthday. Lots of soju flavors to choose from, my favorite was the lychee!
Loved the spicy KFC! Crispy with the perfect amount of sauce.
Parking is easy and plentiful, which is rare in SF. Will be back to try more food next time I’m visiting!

Great service with okay food, but that’s expected since this place is meant to be a soju bar.
I came here on a Friday night around 7. Me and my friend called in 5 mins before arrival and they saved us a table even though they do not take reservations for small parties. Overall, this place has excellent service! They go beyond what they usually do and frequently check up on you throughout your whole meal. Parking isn’t bad at all around here, plenty of street parking (even though they have been doing a lot of construction work lately) but there are still free residential parking around.
Between my friend and I, we got the japchae, fried chicken, steamed egg and bulgogi. If I were to rate just the food itself, it would have been a solid. 2.5÷5 stars. The steamed egg was delicious (but I honestly don’t think anywhere can mess this one up.) The fried chicken was just… fried. It had a great crispy texture… yet it was bland and flavorless. Japchae was really clumpy… the noodles were kind of stuck together, like they weren’t able to separate and get the sesame oil in between. And lastly, the bulgogi… was watery? I know it’s suppose to be saucy but it wasn’t. it was watery.
I personally would not recommend coming to eat, because the food here is pretty meh with slightly above average pricing. But overall, the service was great and I would definately come back here for the soju. just not the food.

Went here for the first time last Friday and let me tell ya. This place is awesome!!!
What we ordered:
–Steamed egg
–Kimchee fried rice
–Spicy chicken wings
–Peach soju
The steamed egg was different from the ones Ive tried before because it had veggies in it and broth so it had a good flavor!
Kimchee fried rice was perfect, huge portion too!
The chicken wings were perfectly coated with the sauce! The sauce was sweet, tangy, and spicy nice combo of flavors.
Peach soju was delicious! Wish it was bigger tho.
And the service was great! The servers were very nice and attentive, gave good advice about the food, and even gave is wet naps to clean our hands with after we finished eating the wings lol.
Overall I would def come back, although its a little on the pricey side its worth it!

So convenient that it’s so close to my house. I used to go to Toyose, but I prefer this place much more because service is good, all the waitresses are very welcoming and friendly. Plus there is more seating compared to Toyose so I usually get seated right away.
My bf and I usually get kimchi fried rice, soft tofu soup, kimchi soup. Everything is very tasty and their portions are pretty big.
Perfect place to chill, drink some soju, and eat Korean bar food. I definitely choose this place over all the other Korean restaurants open late at night.

Good, but not amazing. It’s a little pricey here, but so are most other Korean restaurants.
I tried:
–Korean fried chicken wings: a little too fried for my liking, and just tasted like regular fried chicken. Nothing too special and for about $ 12, kind of pricey! Wouldn’t order again.
–Japchae: this was good and came in a good size for sharing. I would order it again
–Soft tofu soup: this was okay, and came with a bowl of rice
The free little appetizers given in the beginning of the meal were okay, but not as many as I am used to at other Korean restaurants.
Overall, it isn’t bad here and if I want convenient Korean food, I would come back.

Great spot for a quick bite.
My friend lives about 5 minutes away and we were looking for a spot that is close by. Parking was a little tricky, however it is quite easy to find since it’s close to many other restaurants.
This looks like a hot spot for soju drinking, and korean-​bar-​esque chillin’. Seats for dinner were quite a wait but we chose to eat by the bar since it is just the two of us.
We got the seafood pancake, which is a huge a hit because it was crispy all around. I love when there are plenty seafood, a great dipping sauce, and crispyness. We also got a meat dish, I wish it was more char-​ed since it was a little soggy meat. Maybe the ribs are a better option.
The food comes out quick! We were in and out in 40 minutes– we were hungry!

Although they offer some Korean favorites lots of the standard dishes are left off their menu. Understandably, as it is firstly a soju bar than a traditional Korean restaurant meaning it’s not a place you’d think to find the traditional ajumma or eemo in the back cooking. So this is an FYI to those who had more of a traditional Korean restaurant in mind, did a Unilocal search in the area for «Korean» and results yielded Wang Dae Bak.
We walked in right at 6:05 and they were opened and ready to go. You are immediately served water and handed a menu. We watched the (embarrassingly) suggestive dancing of the K-​pop girl bands playing in the background, wrote on their chalkboard walls while we browsed through their menu.
I eyed the spicy rice cakes, then the omelette rice, then back to the spicy cakes with the steamed eggs but something steered me away from all that and I ended up ordering the veggie yaki udon. The banchans arrived (really, no kimchi?) and out came the dish looking rather different than what I expected. Seeing that it was «yaki udon» I thought it was more of a stir fried dry noodle/​veggie dish. But it was served with very wet, slippery noodles sitting in a shallow pool of broth and lots of still crunchy broccolis, peppers, cauliflowers. Taste was rather bland and disappointing. Husband had the spicy pork dish which ended up causing him to sweat profusely and only ate about half the dish. He said it was «alright». Potato croquettes were ok until we got to parts of it that was undercooked.
Service is good. The servers were busy catering to customers running up and down the restaurant as the place filled up quickly.
There’s plenty of parking in the area. However after experiencing their food, I’d only go back if I was looking for a night filled with flavored soju.

Came here for the first time last night for a late dinner with my friend at around 9:30. We were immediately greeted by two different servers who asked if we wanted a table or the bar. Didn’t want to sit near the door so we chose the bar. We ordered the kimchi fried rice with beef, the japchae and the fried chicken. Everything came out pretty fast and all at the same time. It also came with some banchan side dishes which was good. The kimchi fried rice was great and full of flavor in every bite. I read some reviews on here about how the fried chicken tastes just like the one at Toyose and it definitely does!!! The japchae was just okay though, I’m not sure if it’s because we didn’t order meat on it but it was a little bland. Service was good. Love how this place is closer to me than the other Korean joints in the sunset as well. Definitely will be back!

Yesss somewhere to go for late night munchies — this place is open until 2:00AM!
The food is really good as well. I’ve only gotten the budaejigae (army stew) $ 28 here but it’s been the best I’ve had aside from NYC. The broth is flavorful and rich — just the right amount of spice and seasoning. Portions are huge as well.
I’m so glad they don’t put canned beans in their budaejigae like others I’ve tried in the area — it really does nothing for the dish besides make it mushy and sweet, blehh.
There’s a good variety of choices on the menu — from more reg stuff like soonduboo and korean fried chicken — to the more adventurous stuff like pigs feet! Prices are on par with other places similar — though I’ve noticed they did raise some menu items a bit from a few months back.
Staff has been friendly and attentive both times I’ve went. At night, it’s pretty easy to find street parking. The space is mid sized and can accommodate larger groups.

Given my love of Korean food, I always think it’s a good thing when a new Korean joint opens up, especially when it’s of the «Korean bar» variety. As somewhat random as Wang Dae Bak may be for the neighborhood, it’s perfect because it’s so refreshingly different. Along with Shabu House up the street, this sleepy stretch of Ocean is finally home to some tasty dining choices!
Taking over the old Kamakura space, Wang Dae Bak is a late night, soju cocktail type of spot cut from the same cloth as Tonight and Toyose (as well as The Spot, though I’ve never been). The food is particularly similar to the latter, which makes sense since Toyose’s old chef now works here. However, Wang Dae Bak’s menu is a bit more extensive, given its wider selections of entrees (as opposed to just the typical «bar bites»).
– BEEF KIMCHI FRIED RICE…$ 11.95
(
)
A must at Korean joints like this! The fried rice was flavorful without being overly acidic or spicy from the kimchi. Plus, the fried egg was still runny when we cut into it. I just wish there was a little more meat in it, though that’s true of a lot of things…
– CORN WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE…$ 5.50
(
)
Another must, as it goes so well with Kimchi Fried Rice (Deanna Y. can attest!). Buttery corn topped with a layer of cheese. Save for the lactose intolerant, who wouldn’t love this? It was a little buttery, perhaps, but delicious nonetheless!
– KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN WINGS…$ 11.95
(
)
Very similar to Toyose’s, though I remember theirs being a little better (had more kick). Still, these were great — juicy meat covered with a crunchy, tasty batter. Perfect with or without alcohol, though a little pricy for the portion size (~8 pieces?).
– ROYAL STIR FRIED RICE CAKE — Stir Fried Rice Cakes, Beef, Fishcakes, and Vegetables in a Sweet Soy Sauce…$ 12.95
(
)
Not what I intended on ordering (ddok bokki), but not bad either. The taste was a little sweet between the sauce all of the fishcakes, but the beef was pretty tender and I liked how the rice noodles had the perfect bite/​chewiness to them.
While I can’t say how they compare to The Spot, I’d rank Wang Dae Bak a shade behind Toyose and well ahead of Tonight. There are a few menu items I want to come back for (like their casseroles/​stews) and I’d definitely like to try their soju cocktails as well. Assuming they don’t disappoint, Wang Dae Bak could easily become my new default for «Korean bar» food, especially given how easy parking is.

This isn’t really a Korean restaurant but more of a Korean bar with food.
Only had the odeng soup and the fried chicken wings.
They were ok. Nothing amazing but not bad either.

I had been waiting for a Korean joint to open up in my ‘hood and I finally got my wish! Taking over the space that was previously the old Japanese restaurant, Kamakura, Wang Dae Bak is truly a refreshing new business amongst the strip of shops on Ocean Ave. Not to mention they’re open ’til 2am everyday. They capitalize on many downsides that other popular soju bars like Tonight and Toyose have: long waits, bad service, and limited parking. The menu ranges from munchies and seafood pancakes to meat platters, soups, and stews to satisfy your need for either a snack or a full meal.
I’ve been here a couple times and my picks would be:
1) Kimchee Fried Rice + Corn Cheese
2) Spicy Fried Chicken Wings
3) Chicken Gizzards
If you’re looking to feed an army, go for the giant stews. They’re definitely not gourmet though so don’t expect much. The sausage stew reminds me of college comfort food, loaded with spam, hot dogs, ramen, and kimchee. Even when we had 4 people, we still had half the pot left!
Wash it all down with some ice cold soju in your choice of strawberry, peach, lychee, cucumber, pineapple, or yogurt, and you’ve got yourself a night.
The servers are friendly and attentive and there’s a service button at each table in case you need them when it’s busy. Most of the tables are partitioned off for added privacy and little chalkboards line the walls for you to draw on, which is a fun touch!

We were craving for some good Korean food so we decided to check out Wang Dae Bak since it’s fairly new. Came here on a weeknight and surprisingly, the restaurant was only half packed. Plenty of meter parking after 6PM.
FOOD–
Korean Style Chicken Wings– Disappointing. We were expecting the wings to be more flavorful, but they weren’t. It was also a bit dry and over-​fried. At least they were crunchy though. I really was expecting more from this dish. Definitely have had way better korean chicken elsewhere.
Seafood Pancake– Big for its portion size. Tons of seafood. Tasty, but sadly SUPER SOGGY… It was not crispy/​crunchy at all. Huge disappointment. Definitely also have had way better seafood pancakes.
Maybe I just came here on an off day or something. :/​However, service was good though. The waitress was friendly. Maybe I’ll give this place another try in the near future to try out their soju. For now, Wang Dae Bak only gets three stars.

It’s weird that I never was too impressed by Toyose but apparently the former chef is now here at wang dae bak and I really liked everything we ordered.
My friend A and I came here for dinner one day. They open at 6 and we were the first ones inside. The restaurant is clean and fairly spacious.
We were seated and immediately brought out water and we decided on kimchee fried rice, chicken wings and the seafood pancake. The food came out pretty fast and I was excited because I was super hungry. Everything tasted good especially the chicken wings. They were juicy, had a crunch to it and were very flavorful. The pancake is huge but it was also tasty. Kimchee fried rice was good too but we didn’t finish it either because their portions are pretty big.
Overall, I would come back here if I ever want Korean bar food. I’d definitely choose this one over the other ones in Sunset.

4.5 STARS
On Friday night, while waiting for a table at Shabu House, there was an AzN beezie loudly broadcasting her Chanel attire, how her mom was going to buy her a Porsche, and how her guy friend needs to buy a Hermès belt and shoes, so that «more girls would like him» (WTF?!). Somebody, please get this girl a slice of humble pie BUT hey, I’m up for adoption! *raises hand*
Anyhow, she was getting on my last nerve so I decided to walk around the block and noticed that Wang Dae Bak Soju House was finally opened in the old Kamakura space. We came back the next day for dinner which was their second day of their grand opening. The hours of operation listed on Unilocal is wrong (in addition to the restaurant name): they’re open everyday from 6 pm — 2 am (kitchen closes at 1:30 am).
We came before 6 pm and a guy who I think was the owner was very apologetic. He brought a menu to us in the car while we waited which I thought was really nice.
Perusing the menu, there was a good variety of items ranging from skewers, mandu (potstickers), fried chicken, jokbal (slices pig’s feet), pajeon (pancake), bibimbap (mixed rice bowl), kimchi fried rice, bulgogi, soups, stews, hotpot, and udon. Everything is reasonably priced at less than $ 20 except for the hotpots which were $ 27.95 but can serve 2 – 3 people. Soju carafes are $ 11 (strawberry, peach, lemon, pineapple, yogurt, lychee, and cucumber).
I recommend coming in a group of 4 or more so you can sample more of the menu. It was just the two of us so we were limited in what we could order.
I heard that the former chef of Toyose (The «Garage») is in the kitchen, so the KFC was a must order. We started with the Naked KFC Wings ($ 11.95):
which was über crunchy, tender, and moist. Great booze drinking food especially with the Cucumber Soju ($ 11):
that was stiff and refreshing.
If you like Chicken Gizzards ($ 8.95), these are a must order app:
. They were stir-​fried with fragrant roasted garlic, onions, jalapeño, and topped with fried garlic. So good with the sesame oil dipping sauce and white rice!
For our main, we shared the Spicy Pork ($ 13.95):
. It was tender, smoky, garlicky, gingery, and spicy with a touch of sweetness. I wish they had kalbi on the menu because we would have ordered that too.
Mr. NSS wasn’t feeling very well but he can’t take the heat from soondubu so he ordered the Seafood Udon ($ 11.95):
. I didn’t have any but he said, he liked it. Judging by the pic, I think it could of used a tad more seafood though.
Since the food was very solid, we ordered Bulgogi ($ 15.95) and Japchae ($ 8.95 +$ 3 beef) to-​go. Mr. NSS took the bulgogi to work so I didn’t try it. The japchae (stir-​fried sweet potato noodles) was nicely al-​dente but needed more sugar.
Service was just as good as the food. The entire staff was super cheery and nice. There’s a call button at every table but we only had to use it once because the staff was attentive. Our waitress, Gahjee (sp?) was a total sweetheart. She says, we were first customers and even walked us out and opened the door for us as we were exiting. Very nice touch.
Décor is sparse but you come to Korean restaurants to drank and eat so that doesn’t matter. There’s 9 four tops, 3 eight tops, and some counter seating.
Parking is plentiful and easy.
Nearby Tonight Soju bar has gone way downhill with their inconsistent food and non-​existent service (waitresses with an attitude) on our last few visits (too lazy to write an update), so Wang Dae Bak Soju House is now going to be our go to spot! Gun Bae!