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    Matko

    4.1 (87 reviews)
    ModerateKorean, Fast Food
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Matko Takeout or Delivery

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    MATKO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Matko

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    Bulgogi rice bowl with cucumber, carrot, radish, japchae, and corn
    Kristy L.

    Great spot for a quick work meal. It's fast casual Korean food where you make your own bowl. You start with a base (rice, greens or both), then select protein and toppings. They also have preset combinations that you can choose from. The food is pretty simple and I like the the variety of food of you get for the price. For $12, I got the bulgogi rice bowl which came with a sizable serving of beef, purple rice, corn, kimchi, pickled cucumber, radish and japchae. They give you a decent serving of each ingredient. If you order in ritual avoid the lunch rush. They leave the orders for pickup on the side. This spot is located in the one market building and has a bunch of open seating and other fast casual restaurants in the same area. A good spot to grab lunch with coworkers if you want variety.

    Montage of images from Matko
    Ed U.

    I must be in some Korean Chipotle mood because this is actually the second spot I've been to based on the same concept. The other one was the even newer Mad Seoul over in the Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley which provided a bit more variety, a tad more freshness, and definitely a more personable owner. This is a food court operation, and expectations should be lowered as such. However, it's definitely one of the better options at One Market if you find yourself milling about here. The concept is well suited for worker bees who follow rote procedures in their jobs anyway. You pick a base and a protein first, and mine was easy, the Soy Sauce Chicken over the Mixed Greens. Then a sauce on the side, and I threw caution to the wind and went for the Mayo which had a welcome dose of sriracha mixed into it. After that, you get four banchan items. Mine were corn, seaweed, kimchi and cucumber. The result was a hefty bowl for $10.99 with a few unexpected extras like a small helping of rice noodles, cherry tomatoes and green onion (photo: http://bit.ly/2LhGcsM). It was genuinely good stuff for a relatively fast lunch in a pretty sterile food court. FOOD - 4 stars...big lunchtime bowl with lots of chicken...and good AMBIANCE - 3 stars...don't even think of a booth, food court gets intensely crowded during the lunch rush SERVICE - 3.5 stars...a lot of fast decisions, get prepared TOTAL - 4 stars...Korean mix bowls are the new black

    Flaming Chicken
    Piyush G.

    Average food, nothing that I would be really excited about. Being in my building it could be a goto spot, however I wasn't impressed as much for it to be in my rotation.

    Chicken with purple rice
    Angela L.

    This is an updated review after they changed menu for 2019. I used to come here for lunch pretty often and I would usually get the bento box with a protein choice and some banchan. This is the first time I tried their new menu. Now they have an original option and a mini option for $1 difference. I got the miniko because I don't eat huge portions and thought that a $9 bowl would feed me. Can't believe I spent almost $10 on this... only a few pieces of chicken, glass noodle that are very hard to chew, some salad and no banchan!! I waited for a super long time as well. My colleague lined up for a neighboring store and I waited 15 minutes longer after she got her meal. Japchae noodle 0/5 This is not japchae noodles at all... the glass noodle was super hard to chew... ended up not able to eat it. Flaming chicken 2/5 The chicken is okay but comparing my attached photos you can clearly see that the portion of meet decreased by 50%... No banchan at all 0/5

    Jarred D.

    Matko is a fantastic spot if you want to sample Korean food! How it works: 1: Pick an entree (or two) from their selection of Seoul Pork, Beef Bulgogi, Spicy Pork, Soy Sauce Chicken, Kimchi Tofu, etc. 2: Pick a base: Purple Rice or Japchae Noodle. 3: Pick a sauce: Red, Mayo, or Teriyaki. 4: Pick 4 Banchan/sides: Radish, Kimchi, Cucumber, Corn, Fishcake, Seaweed, etc. The set above is their OriginalKo. If you want to exclude the Banchan and just have the entree and base, you can get the MiniKo. This is what I did and was pretty satisfied with how flavorful and filling it was. My MiniKo was comprised of the Purple Rice base and the Beef Bulgogi and Spicy Pork as my entrees. The Beef Bulgogi was tender and had great flavor. The Spicy Pork was not too spicy and was enjoyable to eat; however, it had too much of the fat. Portions for the entree are large in comparison to the base. I wish they added more of the base for a better balanced dish. Overall, their meat and side options are pretty wide for a small store. The possibilities for mixing and matching are plenty, so you can try a lot here! Service is pretty quick too, so it's prefect for a quick bite.

    Purple rice, soba noodles, spicy squid, spicy pork, and banchan
    Tina N.

    I found this place on Yelp while looking at all my lunch options in the area. I was excited to try this but I thought the food was just ok. It is similar to Chipotle but Korean food. You start off with the base (salad, rice, noodles), and then the banchan (kimchi, corn, cucumber, bean, radish), then the protein/entree (chicken, pork, beef, squid, tofu, mushroom). Price was around $11 to 14 depending on the number of entrees. I got the purple rice, soba noodles, spicy squid, spicy pork, and banchan to try. I thought it was just ok! A lot of the reviews said the spicy pork is the best but I didn't think so. It was not spicy and didn't have much flavor. The squid also was not spicy and tasted rubbery. I didn't like the soba noodles at all (tasted weird). The purple rice and the banchan were just ok. Overall, the food was average but I don't mind coming back to try other items there.

    Soy Marinated Chicken over Purple Rice - loved it!
    Cindy L.

    I went in with zero expectations, thinking it would be Panda-Express-level Korean fast food, but came out pleasantly surprised. It may not be 100% authentic, but heck... it's way better than all the other "Korean" spots I've tried around here, and it's clean & healthy! When I approached the counter, the extremely welcoming employees immediately offered me samples of all the main entrees. I ended up sampling the spicy pork, chicken, and bulgogi. The chicken was very tender (4/5) and the bulgogi was aite (3/5), but the *flavorful* spicy pork blew it out of the park for me (5/5) - it. was. delicious. Despite loving the spicy pork, the health-conscious-voice in me told me to go with chicken on a Wednesday afternoon. I ordered a purple rice bowl with chicken and most of the banchan (kimchi, cucumber, corn, and pickled radish). The banchan was placed on top of a small bed of mixed greens with a soy vinaigrette dressing. Everything in the bowl was delicious, but what surprisingly hit it home for me was the purple rice. The rice was perfectly warm, soft, and fluffy, and made the whole meal come together. I could not be more satisfied. I've been eating mostly salads for lunch for as long as I can remember, but Matko is so clean and delish that I'm going to start changing up my regiment to include it in my lunches! P.S. Come before 11:30am to avoid the crowd, and take your sweet time to sample the various entrees (: P.P.S. Despite tasting as good as (or even better than) white rice, did you know that purple rice is a whole grain and full of fiber? From a nutritional standpoint, it is very similar to brown rice!

    Soba Noodle w/ Soy Chicken. Spicy Pork and Beef Bolgogi
    Adam B.

    I was hoping for something the caliber of BibimBar, but got worse than Sorabol. I'm usually a fan of the Chipotle-ization of any cuisine, since I love the fast casual concept, but not this time. The meats, all of them, were very disappointing. Soba Noodle: Was expecting to see something like japchae as a noodle option, but soba was fine. Had a nice chewy hefty texture. I appreciated that the noodles didn't stick together. Not an overpowering taste, so to let the other mix-ins take the spotlight. Soy Chicken: Large chunks of what tasted like boiled chicken. It could have been roasted, maybe. Very bland regardless. Spicy Pork: The most tolerable of the meats. Thin slices of soft pork belly in a chili (but not spicy at all) sauce. Could have been better if they upped the spice level and/or crisped the pork belly a bit. Beef Bulgogi: Bulgogi literally translates to "fire meat". So I kinda expected some grill marks or seared bits. None of that, just sogginess and disappointment. Like when you try to stir fry too much meat at once so everything ends up cooked yet wet. Hotteok: Ok, this was decent. Sweet and peanutty filling stuffed inside a fried pancake.

    Mealpal lunch -- Seoul pork bowl
    Bonnie Z.

    I tried the SPICY PORK BOWL from Matko through MEALPAL today. Portion was large and filling -- see water bottle for scale. The bowl came with pork, purple rice, radish kimchi, shredded pickled daikon radish, and steamed corn. I disagree with other reviewers that the pork was fatty and oily -- it was very tender and flavorful! Meat was topped with sesame seeds and green onions. The pork itself actually wasn't too spicy. Radish kimchi gave the dish a spicy kick instead. The daikon was a bit sweet and the corn had good crunch. Loved the three different veggie banchan sides! The purple rice was filling and seems healthier than white rice (it was just a tiny bit overcooked). Flavors were on par with Spice Kit but this place had a bigger portion and more veggies. I only wish they didn't put hot foods in plastic containers because they're sitting in a big heated insulated box by the register for you to grab after scanning your QR code. This may be one of my new favorite Mealpal spots! I noticed this was a new offering in my Mealpal app after the new year. However, searching through Yelp reviews showed that Matko was on it back in 2018. As you can see in my attached pics, the portions seem to be a lot bigger in 2020 compared to 2018! Just putting in my two cents if you weren't sure about trying this place out via Mealpal or just in general.

    Lani S.

    I've eaten here twice. I was looking for Korean food near work and this place popped up on Yelp (thanks, guys!). They don't have things like japchae, but I get the concept. It has the basics and an overall healthier vibe. It might seem like a turn off, but I liked what I had both times. The first time I came here, there was no one in line (I came after the lunch peak). Staff was super friendly, explained the dishes, and offered to let me try anything. I was trying to avoid eating meat that day. I got the mushroom veggie entree with purple rice and all the fixings, which was fine. I decided the next time I'd get something with meat to get my money's worth. I did... the second time I got the soy chicken. Flavor was good. The plate/dish was filling, and I didn't feel all greasy. There are a few signature dishes/bowls (?), but it looks like most people do the Step 1-3 option (choosing a base, veggies, and entree). It is $10.95 for one entree, $12.45 for two, $13.95 for three, and $1.50 for any additional. I didn't love it, but I liked it, and I will probably come back at some point.

    Glass noodle with radish, kimchi, corn, seaweed, and mushroom.
    Emily M.

    I just tried this spot! Perfect for my glass noodle craving!!! I usually go to Bibimbar for glass noodle bowls but I wanted to try something new and I am very glad I did. I prefer not to eat meat for lunch, so I taste-tested the spicy tofu (not too spicy) and the mixed mushrooms (super saucy). Nice of them to let me try a few options. I opted for: mushrooms, seaweed salad, corn, kimchi, and pickled radishes with the glass noodles. LOVED the glass noodles. I cannot get over their texture, their springy-ness. I love that they're translucent, lol. Employees very nice. The interior vibe is really nice, feels very new and cafeteria-like, which looked nice. Good to get away from the hustle and bustle. I ended up taking my dish back to work and sat in front of my computer slurping my noodles. I ended up not combining anything, just eating it all separate, which I actually loved. That way I could keep my noodle experience PURE.

    Portions are pretty big
    Elaine S.

    This place is pretty good. Good option for lunch with big portions. I ordered the 2 item with mixed mushrooms and braided tofu, japchae and mixed greens, and banchan B. I'm happy w the vegetarian options they had! Mushrooms were full of flavor and they gave a good portion of tofu . Flavors are good and service is fast. I'd come back for lunch if i wanted something other than a salad. One complaint is i wish they used different containers. There a lot of food, that gets piled all on top of each other in one bowl. Which would be fine if it was something that you should be eating all mixed up (like a burrito bowl), but i see banchan as something to pick at on the side to compliment your meal. Big ask for a quick lunch spot but just my thoughts. I'd still come back though. Probably just split out the items when i get back to my desk. I'm very particular w the way my food is laid out... as you can tell.

    Beef Bulgogi with Greens and red sauce. Was way too salty for my liking but will be back
    Maila P.

    Two stars because food is still decent. I used to always order from here and feel full. Ordered today and finished hungry Decreased serving size by half!!!!!!!! Same price, less food. Why the change????

    Spicy pork - super fatty and oily

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    8 years ago

    I love Korean food and this is this the perferct fix for my craving. It's quick and healthy and the servers are really friendly!

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    6 years ago

    This place is delicious. And that "hangover soup" is a life saver. The broth is so flavorful!

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    A great place for lunch in San Francisco! I had the delicious spicy squid bento box with soba noodles!

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    8 years ago

    Very fresh, authentic, delicious and healthy Korean food. Also very fast. This is definitely one of my favorite places for lunch in town.

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    8 years ago

    Very fresh, delicious, healthy, and inexpensive Korean food! Will definitely visit again.

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    New place in FiDi, taste is great, not many vegetarian options. Purple Rice is not that great.

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    Ask the Community - Matko

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    Bansang

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    4.1
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    Oh my, what a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting the entire experience to be this impressive…read more Located across from the Fillmore, Bansang's exterior is fairly understated and doesn't immediately hint at what's inside. Once you step through the doors, however, you're greeted by a space that feels both cozy and contemporary, with an effortlessly stylish atmosphere. Even the restroom was thoughtfully designed and remarkably comfortable--a small detail, but one that speaks to the restaurant's overall attention to detail. We began with the Uni Scallop Toast and Mulhwe as appetizers. As someone who is typically not a fan of uni due to its pronounced brininess, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the toast. The bright citrus sauce balanced the richness of the uni beautifully, while the contrasting textures from the crisp toast and delicate scallop created a harmonious bite. The scallop also helped mellow the stronger oceanic notes of the uni. It was a creative and memorable dish unlike anything I've had before. The Mulhwe, a Korean-style fish salad, was dressed in a refreshing apple vinaigrette that gave it a light, summery citrus character. The fish itself had a pleasantly chewy texture--firmer than salmon--with no trace of fishiness. While enjoyable, it didn't leave quite the same impression as the uni toast and was my least favorite dish of the evening. For our entrées, we ordered the Galbi Steak and Pork Jowl Bossam. Both dishes showcased exceptional execution. The meats were cooked perfectly, but what stood out even more was the precision in preparation. The steak was expertly sliced and incredibly tender--so much so that even with braces, it was effortless to enjoy. The pork jowl achieved an ideal balance between lean meat and luscious fat, creating a rich yet satisfying bite. We enjoyed the meal so much that dessert was non-negotiable. The Matcha Tiramisu was a creative interpretation of the classic. A dome of mascarpone cheese encased ladyfinger biscuits at its center, accompanied by a vibrant matcha ganache sauce. The dessert leaned far less sweet than traditional tiramisu, allowing the earthy matcha and creamy mascarpone flavors to shine. It was elegant, balanced, and a wonderful way to end the meal. Lastly, the service was outstanding. Our server was soft-spoken, patient, and genuinely attentive throughout the evening, making the experience feel warm and welcoming. Considering the quality of the food, thoughtful presentation, ambiance, and service, I found the pricing to be completely justified. As a pleasant surprise, I later learned that Bansang is part of the same restaurant group behind Daeho--a detail that certainly explains the level of quality we experienced.

    We tried a bunch of fishes for a friends birthday - everything is meant to be eaten family style!…read more We ordered: - the uni toast: I don't like uni so I only had a bite of the toast but it was great! - shrimp and scallop app: this was such an interesting balance of the shellfish, the charred pineapple, and the bitter radicchio. Kept your tongue guessing -(seasonal) tomato salad: my favorite. I can't even describe the flavor it was so complex but I could have eaten a plate of this by myself - miso black cod: so delicate and flavorful! - galbi steak. More of a western preparation rather than the stew like I've ad at other places but it was seasoned and cooked perfectly! Just a perfect bite of meat - the corn pasta: a big miss. Didn't taste like corn or creamy, just sour. Logistics: - indoor seating only - limited street parking in front but across the street from the Japantown mall underground paid parking garage - limited vegetarian options

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    Yakiniq

    Yakiniq

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    (1.8k reviews)
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    YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her."…read more Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards!

    Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore…read morelocation in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here.

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    Irodori

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    3.8
    (20 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    The service here was so bad that I think about it almost a year later and finally decided to leave…read morethis review. I almost never give bad reviews. The ONLY reason I give a 2 star is 1 star for the food which was decent, but nothing I couldn't get at another restaurant to be honest. And half of that star goes to the sweet waitress who tried her best with us. I came in with my boyfriend maybe an hour before break time midday (unbeknownst to us) as the sign outside is faded and in LIGHT blue marker on a soju standee. Pro tip: maybe you should update that off to the side sign in small letters as well as your closing time on google + Apple Maps before you grumpily yell at your customers to leave AFTER taking our money and giving us food (which btw we were there about 30 minutes). Or don't seat us at all. Thanks! Would not recommend.

    After the cherry blossom festival yesterday my friend and I decided to have dinner. We sat outside…read moreand no one came to take our order. My friend went inside and a server reluctantly came to our table. We ordered $90 worth of food and enjoyed people walking around. When the food came the waitress brought the check with the food and asked for our credit card. We hadn't taken a bite yet. They never offed us to refill our glass of water. When we did go to pay they asked us if the credit we were using was ours and asked for his id. They seemed to treat the other guest better. Maybe it's because we are Black Americans or maybe they just suck. The food was subpar the fried chicken was overcooked and my stomach hurt all last night. I live up the street on Bush so this would be a local spot. The service was terrible so they will never get my business again. Yes black people live in the neighborhood and eat Korean food and have credit cards.

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    San Wang Restaurant

    San Wang Restaurant

    3.8
    (687 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    This place was really good. I found it through yelp. After being at the Japan town mall waiting for…read moremy family to finish shopping, I wanted Chinese food that was further away. So I found this place and we walked in with few customers. We ordered a soup, and were about to order something else when the server/cook suggested we order the meal for 3. He let us substitute the white rice for fried rice and cashew chicken for lemon chicken that we wanted. Boy was it a real treat. We added a chicken chow mein and we weren't disappointed. All in all, we came out stuffed with leftovers, and great service to boot. We were the only ones in the restaurant at the time which was surprising, how great the food and service were. Come here and you won't regret it!

    San Wang Rest, San Francisco 2026 Feb 9 (4.29 of 5)…read more This restaurant wasn't on our radar, but we're glad we stopped and ate here. The food is excellent to okay, but the service is first rate. Once seated, we were offered a couple of complimentary dishes - kimchi and soup. Their food is decent and their service is great. Every table has white linen, even for lunch hour crowd. The price is awesome - the lunch menu includes a starter, a soup, and a hot pot of tea. (4.75 of 5) Kimchi: This complimentary dish is an excellent start before our lunch order. The delicious taste of tangy, savory, spicy, and sour, together with a complex, pungent, and, crunchy profile is the perfect start before our lunch selection. Its fermented cabbage has a strong, aromatic notes of garlic, ginger, and chili powder, which marries perfectly with our set lunch. (4.5 of 5) Soup: The soup of the day is a mild clear soup with bits of prawns and vegetables. This is lovely when paired with the boisterous kimchi. (4 of 5) Our orders from their Lunch Special: Vegetable Deluxe: A great selection of vegetables, though they're mostly semi-done to near raw. The wontons were really good though. (3 of 5) Broccoli Chicken: The chicken pieces are tender and the broccoli in this dish is cooked well. (4.5 of 5) Braised Tofu: This is my top dish. It's flavour-packed in a savoury, aromatic sauce. The tender, chewy texture acts like a sponge, absorbing the deeply flavourful sauce. Superb! (5 of 5)

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    Han Il Kwan

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    4.1
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    4.7 mi
    $$$

    Came here walk-in on a Friday evening at 6:30 and waited for almost 45 mins for a table for 2. Get…read morethe galbijim! It's a steal and It's delicious- so much meat it lasted me 3 meals. The wait for the dish was almost 25 mins but all worth it !The complimentary soup and banchan were huge and alright. The servers know what they were doing but one minor thing about my experience was that the waitress served a really really hot dish at her convenience and I had to move it to the center for sharing. Since they're busy they expect you to finish your meal, pay and go.

    Quality/Quantity - 5 stars for the food. Especially since this is still my wife's favorite Korean…read moreRestaurant in SF. This is my wife's favorite SF Korean restaurant, so I am glad that she was able to join me on this trip. Actually, my guest was the one that requested Korean today. LOL. Today, my guest ordered the following: Soft Tofu Soup - Complimentary. Now this has the most flavor of all the dishes. It also came out piping hot, see picture. Seafood Pancake - Overall good, I appreciate the precut slices, thanks. Makes eating and dividing easier. Marinated Chicken - Decent portions, tender, etc. But with minimum flavor. Broiled Fish, Broiled Mackerel - My guest loves fish, but she did not eat too much of this. So more food to bring back to the house for her. Stir-Fried Vermicelli - Good, but you can almost not mess this up. Actually, I make a pretty good Japchae. :) Banchan - 9 options; good variety and with decent to generous portions. Actually, all the dishes came out steaming, piping hot, and fresh. If you do not like spicy food, this is the place for you. Most, if not all, dishes including the banchan are not spicy. Atmosphere - Good size local restaurant. Table or booth seating. Private room in the back available. Hibachi style dining available. 2 clean bathrooms. See picture. Open 5 days a week from 11am to 8pm or 9pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Street parking, it was not too bad. I got a space a few blocks away. Service - 3 stars. The owner is typically friendly but did not greet us today?!?! One waitress was extremely more professional than the other. I think the other waitress was in a bad mood?!?! It was not easy asking for stuff, tea refills, water, utensils, more banchan, etc. Price - $120 + tip. Reasonably priced for Korean food, especially because my guest will get another meal out of it from all our leftovers. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since...??? I have been coming here for 20+ years. Maybe 30+ years...? Or am I outdating myself...

    Photos
    Comfortable inside space
    Comfortable inside space
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Fish Cake

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    Fish Cake

    Matko - korean - Updated June 2026

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