The best kalbi burrito I've had and I'm lucky that it's in Castro Valley... don't forget the kimchi

This place is expensive as hell for the portions they give and the K-BBQ isn't all that great. The concept is nice inside the Lake Chabot Market but overall quality/quantity is off. I wouldn't waste your time/money. read more

Food is always great here. Had the short ribs both the LA and Oakland style. The price is a little high but I thought it was worth it and would come back again. My wife likes the burritos read more

I've been here a couple times and I can't believe I've been slippin' so hard and haven't gotten the burrito here! I got the spicy pork burrito the other day and was completely overwhelmed with how great it was. I must've said "oh my goodness" 5 times while eating it. I was a little sketch on ordering it because I've never thought of that combo being legit, but I was so wrong, it was amazing! Definitely the next time you are at the Public market, pick one of these bad boys up you won't regret it! read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Spicy pork burrito... so amazing! - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Mama Cho's is great! My grandmother is Korean and makes her own doenjang, gochujang, and soy sauce. She only uses gochugaru her sister brings her from Korea. She generally doesn't approve of buying Korean food products. I'd buy their gochujang, for sure! The fresh kimchi is good. With all fresh kimchee, they are mostly water but the flavor is better than most and less soggy than most! The broccoli and mung bean had good sesame flavor and was a good palate cleanser. Rice is ok. LA Kalbi was great! So was the spicy pork. I got a combo plate with those two, and was thoroughly pleased! My boyfriend got a burrito. He also really enjoyed it. We split some sweet potato tots. Get some of the red sauce at the end of the counter. Tastes very authentic!! Not too spicy for us, but try it bit by bit if you're spice-shy or not sure. When you've had too much spice, the sauce they pair with the tots bring back some of the balance to your palate. We agree we would return! Hopefully for more combo plates or to try the burger. I'd also like to see some Kalbi fried rice! Or japchae! Mmmmm... Japchae and Kalbi. I'll express this opinion in person when we next return! UPDATE The Oakland kalbi is amazing!! Very meaty and they score it so the marinade penetrates the thicker rib style better. When we last went they also had a hot deli area with cooked meats. Would love to try their beef ribs! read more

Such genuine and great customer service every time! The Kalbi tacos are my go to. Can't forget the perfectly made fries! read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Went for the corn and flour! Can't beat the service and deliciousness. - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I love me some mama chos kalabi burgers!! I always buy the frozen patties and make them for the family. I highly recommend great meats!

Wow, that's my first reaction after consuming my meal. The meat is cooked after you order and the quality is impressive. Marinated meat and very good seasoning. Will be coming back for more. read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Awesome place that is a one stop shop for korean. You can get fresh stuff for dinner and grab a quick snack! I usually shop during the day so it's nice that I can stop by and grab lunch while I am shopping for dinner. They sell veggies too so it's really a one stop shop! They sell awesome steaks. They also have wagyu grade so you have to ask for it. read more

Had marinated meats delivered for the first time and WOW! Amazing quality and cuts of meat and you could just taste the fresh garlic and ginger and other goodies in the marinade. Definitely very reasonable price for the quantity and quality. The delivery minimum is really reasonable too. Will definitely be ordering again, even after lockdown is over! Tip: grill the meats if you have one, really tastes like K BBQ like aunty would make for you. read more

Ordered the taco fiesta catering package and it was a hit at our event! Plenty of food and toppings. Also, the service was impeccable. Everything was completed on time, and they even helped me bring the trays to my car. Would definitely recommend Mama Cho's for catering! read more

Summary: SOLID Korean BBQ meats in creative fusion combos First off, most of the Korean food in the Bay Area is really disappointing. After living in LA and growing up with homemade Korean food all the time, I've learned to cope by making my own Korean food. But Mama Cho's... I'm happy to skip cooking and pay to be fed from here! :) The best meat here is definitely the Kalbi. The meat is well marinated and tender. Not too sweet, not too salty. Perfect amount of chew and char. But I think the biggest factor in the tasty Kalbi is the quality of the meat itself. I've bought meat from the adjacent C&H Meat counter, which I assume is the supplier for the Mama Cho's meats, and everything I've purchased and cooked at home has been superb. The kalbi meat I purchase was well marbled with great flavor. The pork belly had the right balance of fat and meat. I can't rave enough about the quality of the meat. But back to the food at Mama Cho's... we've worked our way through most of the menu, and while anything with Kalbi is great, we especially like the burritos. The portions are very generous. They fill the burrito with a heap of freshly grilled meat, beans, rice, and KIMCHI all wrapped in a melty, cheesy tortilla. The kimchi they use is good (I wish they sold this at C&H, too!!), brightening and balancing the heavier ingredients. Of all of the foodshops at Lake Chabot Public Market, we eat here most often. If you're not sold on Korean fusion, I noticed they also offer rice plates for the more traditional palettes. Meat and rice and sides. Can't go wrong there. And I can't say enough about the quality of the meat itself. I've mainly purchased the meats in the refrigerated case that are packaged and ready to go, but the one time I couldn't find what I was looking for, a butcher from the back came out to help me, dug up a frozen cut of meat I wanted, and sliced it to the thickness I desired. It was awesome to enjoy such personal service for a small fry customer like me, but it definitely left an impression on me to continue to come back for any and all of my meat needs. read more

This place offers tasty Korean x Mexican fusion. I got the spicy pork nachos with some extra short rib meat which were pretty tasty. My only complaint is that the chips were a little soggy. The meat on the other hand was very fresh and grilled/cooked to perfection. I would definitely go back to try some if their other offerings like the burritos or tacos. This place is located in the Lake Chabot Public Market which is this cool little indoor market place that opened up recently. They have their own parking lot so parking is easy which is great considering Mama Cho's offers take out as well! read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

So I'm officially 3/3 at the public market. I will admit, I wasn't expecting much from mama cho's but I'm really happy I was wrong in this case. The spicy pork burrito was outstanding, and the hot sauce was the perfect complement to it. I was kind of secretly hoping this place sucked so I wouldn't have to come back and try the bulgogi cheesesteak, but guess what..... read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Spicy pork burrito - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This is located in the Lake Chabot Public Market in a food court. Ordered the Kalbi cheeseburger, which was $9. It was kind of disappointing, bland and small for $9. It's like the size of a McDonald cheeseburger for the price of 9 of them. I'd recommend trying something else here. Service here is good though. read more

Their produce selection comes in handy when I don't have time to make a trip to an Asian market. They have napa cabbage, mushroom, etc and a selection of frozen items too. And their prepared food is great, I usually get a combo plate. Their meats are flavorful and tender, can't go wrong! And their fries hit the spot. I think the only downside is the garlic fries were soggy one time, and I've since stuck to plain fries. read more

heard good things and went to try it myself. got the cheesesteak and the chicken burrito. The cheesesteak i loved b/c the bread was soft but can't believe it held together w/ so much melty tender cheesesteak. The pickled veggies was a nice tangy touch to even out the bbq-ness of it all. The chicken burrito was ok. But try the cheese steak! A little out of the way from my place but I'd be willing to try their other items if i pass by and also grab me another cheesesteeaak. read more

Just a quick little review. I was honestly impressed by the meat shop here. Their selection appeared to be good quality and I enjoyed the fact that the same kalbi used in their tacos and burritos is available for sale uncooked so you can BBQ at home. Additionally, I was interested in some of the Oakland Dust spice blends they sell on top of the meat counter but I try to avoid buying spices without tasting them first. The employees were pretty helpful in describing the flavor profiles to me and one of them asked if I wanted to try a sample. I thought he was just going to put a dash of spices into a small cup for me to try but they grilled a couple pieces of short rib with some spices for me! That was rather nice. Not necessary, though. Wish they could just place a few shakers on the countertop so I could just sample these spices as-is before I make a purchase but I understand that isn't really feasible in this venue. People may just shake some spices onto their food without actually making a purchase... Still, Mama Cho's is worth checking out. I'll be back soon. read more

YUMMY! That's what I say to their Spicy Pork Korean Style Burrito! The pork is juicy and flavorful and spiced perfectly. It comes with Garlic Rice, I chose pinto beans, but black beans are available, kimchi, pico de Gallo, jack cheese, sour cream, guac and salsa verde..I'm def going back for another one! They are huge too!! I made 2 meals out of my burrito. The service is friendly and helpful.. read more

Their Korean BBQ burritos are incredible. I also have to get their sweet potato tots every time I visit. They come with some white dipping sauce (mayonnaise based?) and the combo of the tots and sauce is one of the best things you will eat in your life. You can get it to go, but everything is best enjoyed while it's still piping hot at their location. (The burritos hold up fine in transit, but the tots can lose some of the crispness on the outside when they're steaming and you put them in a box for 10-15 minutes) There's plenty of seating, so really no reason not to stay and enjoy it fresh. read more

Absolutely delicious. I got the Ma'Chos fries with spicy pork and beef and it was really flavorful. It was a great portion and it was really filling as well. It cost a little extra to get two types of meats but it was worth the price. read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Ma'Chos Fries with BBQ short rib and spicy pork - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Hi, someone who went for the kalbi burger here. I'll give a brief explanation of how it was. To start the Kalbi burger does a really good job of being an excellent burger. Your first bite will be satisfying and the veggies are fresh. You won't even feel like your having a kalbi burger! It'll taste like a really good cheese burger. And that was my only problem. I eat a lot of Korean and love Fusions of it with American or Mexican foods. In this case the fusion isn't there. The kalbi will feel a little tough but not hard. Thick and filling. I felt like the kalbi could have been juicier, spicier, maybe add some marinated onlions with korean spices. Needed more korean TLC. However this has none of that. This burger relies too much on the cheese to be the flavour here. Which I was disappointed by. I was expecting more of a complete fusion of korean spices and taste with support of some fresh lettuce tomato and onions. I guess I just expected something else. TLDR. It's gonna taste like any other cheese burger. The kalbi has hardly any say in the taste. read more

I am not kidding when I say the burrito is the best thing on the menu. it literally has so much flavor and it's so filling. its worth the trip! the burger is also good! read more

Korean burritos??? Korean tacos??? Thank you God for creating this hybrid of deliciousness that should be enjoyed and devoured by all human kind. *bows* read more

Hubby liked it, which is rare for him to say, even when he ate some of it cold. He had the pork and he was satisfied.

My east bay go to for Korean BBQ meats - and you can pick up hot food while you are there. The burrito with spicy pork is the jam - and my kids love their chicken wings. read more

I would say the food is about a 3 but Mama Cho's needs to succeed so we keep getting food like this in CV. The kalbi korean burrito was okay. Kalbi costs an extra $2 but there wasn't THAT much meat. The meat was marinated a bit on the sweet side. If you add the red sauce (chili pepper paste based), it'll be even more sweet. The jalapeno cheese tots were so good though. You probably think it's tater tots topped with nacho cheese and jalapenos, but they were more like hush puppies in that the jalapenos and cheeses are inside the balls. I was surprised that the food takes a bit more time to come out, but that just means some TLC is going into it. read more

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Tip: Call ahead to order and then go in to pick up your food. Their food is good but it can take a while for them to make it. So call ahead and you'll be just fine. My husband has noticed that they don't seem to wash their hands very often after they are handling raw meat, however. If that grosses you out, you might not want to eat here. read more

Food is good, but the guy that takes the order has zero personality and needs to speak up! Zero customer service skills. Act like you want to be there. 2 stars for service and 4 stars for food. read more

Hubs ran in to place a take out order while I waiting with the girls in the car. He tried to order 2 burritos. After being told they needed to make rice and the wait would be 20 minutes, he ordered 2 burgers ($9 each) and an order of tots ($3) since we were in a rush. Waiting and toddlers don't mix. After 30 minutes and my cell call for a status he was handed our bag of food. If I would have known it was going to take so damn long we would have ordered burritos. He was pissed a lady that ordered 10 minutes after him complained and got her order before us. He even told the order taker that we couldn't wait 20 minutes for rice to cook. I guess she thought we could wait 30 minutes instead. It would have been nice to have a courtesy warning. They weren't busy when he placed the order. He was told they were short staffed when he tried to cancel the order at the same time the food was being wrapped up. Of course he took the food. The sweet potato tots were really good. They weren't mushy and had crunch with loads of flavor. The meat patty had really good flavor. The bun was okay and produce was sad. A tiny thin slice of tomato, one piece of lettuce and a pickle. Not worth the price. I might come back to try a burrito if I have time to wait. read more

I'm upset. I heard such great things but I left disappointed. The girl who rang me up said the food would take "like 12 minutes". I get that that is an estimate but it wasn't busy at all. I waited 30+ minutes for my food with at least 3-4 guys making the food and 3 people standing around at the register. My food wasn't even hot, maybe luke warm at best. Some of the cheese on our fries wasn't even fully melted. Many others at this time were waiting around for their food too but I just don't understand with all the staff standing around and talking. It seemed as if they were working on one single order at a time. The guy who called my number didn't even make eye contact or greet me or thank me at all for my business, not even a "sorry for the wait" and I thought that would be a courtesy for any service position. I believe quality food takes time but the quality came up very short. read more

Went here with a group of friends to try some food delights at the Lake Chabot Public Market. I wanted some tacos and tried Mama Cho's BBQ! I had their chicken tacos and wow, they were tasty! read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Oh man. As far as food short ribs and rice goes this place is at the top. I'm not just taking about short ribs either. Their meat selection is is excellent. Always fresh. Since I'm rating for taste and not price I'll give them 5 stars. Their only down fall is the price... They charge top dollar for their meats. I love their OAKLAND style short ribs but I can never expect the same price whenever I go there. It's always changing as the market goes up. Taste is always the same though. Delicious and fresh. read more

I was here with my boyfriend today for lunch. We ordered the rice plate, meat bulgogi,taco pork w/ corn tortilla, and a drink which was the honest tea. The bulgogi taste really good. I didn't try the taco since I was pretty full. Although this us just a small place, I think it taste pretty good. read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Every time I'm in the East Bay I MUST stop by here! They're meat is better quality and much cheaper than your local supermarkets. Plus, they have pre marinated Korean BBQ ready to go, which saves you hours of marinating time. Their hot food is really good too! It's not an extensive menu, which makes it easier to make a choice. I've tried everything and my favorite is the Kalbi burger w/ an egg. Can you say "To die for??" Next would be the Pork tacos. If you're with a big group, order everything and share it, so you get the chance to sample everything. I will definitely be back!! read more

Visited for lunch on Saturday and split a Beef Bulgogi Cheesesteak Hoagie and a Spicy Pork Cheesesteak Hoagie with the wife. Beef was excellent, soft roll, melted cheese and perfectly cooked beef, however, the Spicy Pork was fantastic. Great flavor, just the right spiciness. Went back to the meat counter and bought a couple pounds of Marinated Spicy Pork and cooked it that night, Wow. And they have some of the nicest people working the counter and register, fun place with great atmosphere. read more

I ordered the chicken rice plate to go. I get home and there's no chicken, just rice and the sides. I have never experienced this before. By the time I realized this error, the restaurant had closed for the night. read more

Mama Cho's BBQ - They forgot to put the chicken in my chicken rice plate. Didn't figure this out till I got home and the restaurant closed. - Barbeque Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This place is delicious! The burger is made of rib meat that is to die for. The rice plate is huge portions that are super tasty and the cheesesteak is out of this world! read more

Mama Cho's is a great lunch spot in Castro valley located in the lake Chabot public market. If you like Korean BBQ you will love their menu. Perfect for a grab and go. My favorite is their burrito, but everything is great. read more

The lightskin cashier was rude when trying to order, specifically saying "you cant read the screen" 1/20/21