On our way home from Oakland to San Jose, we detoured to Hayward to dodge traffic and look for a simple meal to kill some time. We stumbled upon this small shop in a seemingly sketchy, empty parking lot and honestly wondered if we made a mistake at first. But once we walked in, the place was almost full at 5 PM--mostly with Korean-speaking customers, which is always the ultimate green flag. We were so blown away! This was easily one of the best Korean meals we've had in the Bay Area. It's authentic, salt-of-the-earth home cooking. The Soups: The Seolleongtang and Galbi Gomtang were totally legit. The broths had amazing depth and were incredibly flavorful. Seafood Pancake: One of the absolute best I've ever eaten. Super crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft and tender with tons of flavorful seafood on the inside. The Banchan: They serve 10 different tasty dishes for banchan! Total score. Portions are large and the pricing is very decent. It's a bit out of the way if you're coming straight from SJ, but we are absolutely keeping this place in mind whenever we're heading up north toward the East Bay! Highly recommend. read more

Used to love eating here. Been a little while and what it is now is unrecognizable to me. Menu and food seem off. Incredibly rude treatment upon arrival this time, and she kept insisting we order immediately. I had never experienced this here in the past, when it was a nice experience. We ended up leaving before even getting to our ordering our meals. Just unfortunate now. Servings are smaller and prices just absurd. Disappointing. read more

8:10pm arrived and sat. 8:12pm asked if we are ready to order we said not yet. We were told, "we are closing soon Hurry up". 8:14pm we ordered. 8:40pm after getting food and eating we were finished Culturally i understand my family saying hurry up but an establishment not so much. Disappointed in Sisters We come here often but this might be the last time. We ordered and ate knowing that they were closing at 9pm read more

I've come here for many years sporadically because I typically have the same issue: the service. Whenever we come here, the servers are condescending and constantly question our orders. I don't know if every patron gets treated this way and it's truly unfortunate. However, I will say that the food is consistently good and the restaurant itself has a cozy homey ambiance. If you're ordering take out or are okay with bad service then come on in. read more

The Sister House - 3. Kimchi Jeon / 김치전 - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

See all

Absolutely delicious, wide variety of choices. Clean and old school style. Service was excellent, fast and delicious. read more

The Sister House - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

I used to eat at The Sister House years ago when I was little, but haven't been back in over 15 years. I have always had fond memories of this place, even with it being constantly packed and busy, and with limited seating. I finally had the chance to revisit recently, and brought my husband along. We went on a Sunday, so it was inevitably packed. The parking lot is as crusty as I remember, but that's part of what makes no-frills, hole-in-the-wall restaurants solid. The ambiance inside is loud and cramped, but we were here for the food. Service was decent, all the servers were so busy taking care of everyone, I can only imagine the chaos in the kitchen. And hands down did the food deliver. The price of everything was reasonable, and the flavors were delicious. I went with the dduk bulgogi while my husband went with the mixed soondubu (medium spicy). The banchan variety was splendid, and honestly I couldn't choose a favorite. I loved the creamy potato and corn mixture, since that was unique. Sometimes restaurants skimp on banchan portions, but not here. My dduk bulgogi was packed with veggies, rice cakes, tender beef, and glass noodles. The broth had a good depth of flavor, and was not oily or rich. My husband's mixed soondubu was also delightful. I had a quick sip of his broth and it had a lovely umami flavor. The spice level was perfect. We did both wonder, however, why his bowl didn't come out bubbling while mine did. Regardless, it was still steaming hot. Both portions of soup were served with rice, and we thoroughly enjoyed taking our time savoring each bite. I dumped the remainder of my rice into the broth at the very end and that was the perfect way to end our meal. We are almost never in Hayward, since we generally frequent other parts of the bay, but I would definitely return and try some other dishes next time. Everyone always orders the seafood pancake (and a ton of people were when we went and it looked so good). Of course if I had enough stomach space, I would have ordered that too. Well that just means I have to go back, haha. All in all, don't let the location or exterior fool you. The food is solid and The Sister House is definitely one of my favorite Korean spots in the bay. read more

See all

The food could be better, especially if you're looking for authentic Korean cuisine. I'm very particular about Korean food and have had better elsewhere. The service was average, but I think the staff could be friendlier and more welcoming. The ambiance was also not the best, and the restroom was dirty during my visit. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, but there are other Korean restaurants I would choose over this one. read more

See all

Reasonable price and love the varieties of banchan! Two of us tried Galbi, seafood package and Seolleong Tang. Galbi is nicely marinated and tender. Seafood pancake is crispy and portion is big, perfect for sharing! Seolleong Tang is smaller in size, but cheaper than other restaurants. Honestly we didn't mind since we ordered other stuff to share. Portion is good. Two of us couldn't finish the meal and still had leftover for to go. Seems like lots of locals eating here and chatting when we visited around 4 pm. read more

See all

Never judge a book by its cover.. although the location is lackluster, the food is authentic and unforgettable. The service was fast. We went on a weekday, so it wasn't very busy. I highly recommend!! read more

The Sister House - 21. BBQ Combo - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

Family owned business and the food is amazing! Service as well was on point with the owners checking in multiple times to see how everything was. Tried the tofu soup combos and thy are a great bang for your buck and excited to try everything else on the menu. Very intimate restaurant but really feels like you are in your mom's kitchen waiting for the food to come out. Also the flavors remind me of home cooked meal. read more

The Sister House - 37. Gogi Soondubu - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

Ate here on multiple occasions. Food is good but also, there are only 2-3 Korean options in this area - so either way, it's limited. Service was always ok - not great, not the worst until today. Especially when you have another Korean restaurant to compare it to now in the same area. We arrived and waited 45 minutes, with a party of 4 ahead of us and a party of 5 after us and another party of 3 (who arrived 30 minutes after we waited) after the 5. We were a party of 2. A table for 6 was open for 25 minutes and they didn't seat any of us. 20 minutes later, they clear another table and they finally seat the 4. The 6 seater is still open. They then proceed to seat the 5 at a different table that opened up 10 minutes later and the 3 at the table for 6. There's no rhyme or reason to how they did this. They didn't address it. The party of 5 even advocated for us and they just dismissed them saying they'll seat us later without addressing us. I also want to say, I fully recognize that they were 1.5 hours before closing and it seemed like they were prioritizing all of the to-go / DoorDash orders, but providing a time or some update is still common courtesy especially if strangers have to call it out while in line. Extremely disappointed as the only reason why I didn't go to the other Korean restaurant was because this one had Korean cold noodles. But waiting 40+ minutes, you're better off going to To the Moon or Moo Bong Ri in Berkeley. *We went to Tang Jip right after, full house - but got seated in 3 minutes, ordered and got food in less than 5. read more

If you are craving comforting korean food, this is the place to be. The restaurant serves generous portions that are both hearty and satisfying. Their seafood pancake is a standout - the large portion that's crispy on the outside, packed with seafood and flavors, making it perfect for sharing. The galbi tang is also excellent, with tender beef short ribs and a comforting broth. I also love their banchan, they compliment the meal really well. The restaurant can get quite busy during peak dinner hours, so expect a bit of wait if you come during peak hours. read more

The Sister House - 47. Galbi Tang - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

There's no K Town here but eating at The Sister House will immerse you in the authentic Korean food culture many of the locals know and love! Situated in a tiny, overlooked lot near downtown Hayward, The Sister House occupies a small shop with about 10 tables for small parties. There are plenty of parking spots as there's low traffic here (aside from the busy street full of commuters trying to get onto the highway or bridge). The place is typically filled up during weekend dinners but if you come early, you should be able to get seated right away. Upon sitting down, the staff will provide you a few menus and waters to get you started. Their menu is quite exhaustive of options for different dishes popular in Korean cuisine. Among them, classics like BBQ, tofu soup, beef bone broth, bibimbap, ramyun, and rice cakes can be found. We ordered a variety to get a taste but will definitely have to come back to try the rest! They also have a lunch menu that seems to be very reasonable priced. For those looking to drink, they do have beer, sake and soju options. Side dishes (banchan) - great variety including silky tofu, fish cakes, kimchi (good spice), pickles, bean sprouts, broccoli, potato salad, radish and a few others. Goon mandu - crispy potsticker-like morsels with a balanced filling of noodles, protein, and vegetables. Seafood pancake - very crispy, good portioned, and great balance of protein and vegetables. Combo BBQ - lots of protein and comes with a few options. We ended up with combo A, which included grilled marinated sliced tender beef, spicy pork, boneless chicken, and squid. Everything came piping hot in two separate hot pans. It said it serves two but it was definitely enough protein to serve four. Bibimbap - good size, extremely crispy rice, and colorful myriad of toppings. Could probably be shared but one hungry person can totally take this down! Seolleong tang - the soup was so cleansing and the beef brisket was so tender. It was served with glass noodles that served as another element of texture and also filled you up as you slurped up the soup. The staff provided quick and friendly service. The food came out fast so kudos to the kitchen staff and the food was super fresh and hot as the front of the house staff brought the dishes to our table. Couldn't have asked for a better experience! There is one bathroom and like the place itself, is tiny but serviceable. Didn't see a whole lot of people using it but it's available for patrons should the need arise. Overall, The Sister House is a gem in this pocket of Hayward and should you be in the area, is definitely a strong consideration for lunch or dinner. Regardless of your craving among Korean cuisine, this place probably has it and they do an exceptional job in serving quality, portions/value, and speed. You'll likely be paying a bit more but for all the food you are getting, prepared so well by this mom and pop shop, it is worth it for an occasional dine out. Welcome to the family, because next time you want a delicious home cooked Korean meal, come to your newfound sister's house! read more

See all

Came here for the first time for lunch on a Saturday and we ordered the Buddae Jjigae & seafood pancake. The Buddae Jjigae was so good and enough to share between 3 people. We each got 2 small bowls out of it. I wish there was more noodle haha, but other than that, it was good. The seafood pancake was a lot and thick - which was good...the sauce was good to dip in. Love the sides as well. Also, if you want to take things ToGo, they will charge you extra for the containers. Service was fine. Only 1 Star down because of the sanitation. The waitress grabbed the top of our cup with her gloves to refill it with water...and I'm just not sure if her gloves touched other things. There's also a free large parking lot outside. I would come back here again! read more

See all

We went on a Friday night at 8pm and it was crowded. The space is small but kept clean. The bonchons were served first and the variety was impressive. All of them tasted well. Then the kimchi tofu soup came and it was flavorful and comforting. The japchee was pretty good too, I don't eat beef so they made a veggie one for me. The kimchi pancake was also pretty good and filling. The meats - pork and chicken were well cooked and well flavored, the spicy pork especially. Overall decent place with good variety of Korean dishes. The parking was easy and service was quick. Would recommend this place! read more

See all

We just moved around this area and first time try " The Sister House"! Food is amazing, service is great, new favorite spot! We will definitely be back! read more

See all

if you are craving for authentic korean food, this is the place to go to. they have an array of ban chan being served. their kimchi is the best for me. i had their beef tofu soup and it was really good. akso tried their bulgogi which wasn't a let down as well. the place needed some updating though. looks old which I guess gives it an authentic vibe. the ajuma who served us was really nice and friendly. such an authentic experience which reminded me of when I travelled to Seoul with friends. read more

The food was good. The meat was my favorite. Portions are big/decent. Right when I walked in, I felt out of place. Sometimes this could be a good thing. But I felt like my family and this other couple next to us, that came later, were treated a little different that everyone else. Not terrible, but enough for everyone to notice in my family. read more

See all

이곳 서비스가 이렇게까지 형편없을 줄은 정말 믿기 어렵습니다. 들어간 순간부터 제대로 응대를 받지 못했습니다. 메뉴판도 제 손에서 거의 빼앗듯 가져갔고, 물이나 콜라 같은 것을 부탁하려고 손을 들어도 계속 완전히 무시했습니다. 식사를 다 끝내지도 않았는데 중간에 계산서를 가져다주고, 더 필요한 게 있는지나 음식이 괜찮은지조차 물어보지 않았습니다. 게다가 먹고 싶었던 음식들도 안 된다고만 했습니다. 그리고 계산할 때는 왜 팁을 안 주냐고 묻더군요. 저는 팁은 의무가 아니라고 말했습니다. 그런데 직원이 굉장히 공격적으로 영수증을 가리키며 팁을 줘야 한다는 식으로 말했습니다. 저는 서비스가 너무 안 좋아서 팁을 주고 싶지 않았고, 팁은 강제가 아니라고 다시 말했습니다. 그 후 직원이 제 앞에 앉아서 다른 사람과 한국어로 저희에 대해 험담하기 시작했습니다. 제가 한국어를 못 알아들을 거라고 생각했겠지만, 저는 한국어를 이해합니다. 저희를 구두쇠라고 하고 돈도 못 내는 사람처럼 이야기하는 걸 다 들었습니다. 하지만 그 직원은 제가 현금으로 팁을 남겼다는 건 몰랐겠죠. 현금 팁을 줄 건지 물어보지도 않았으니까요. 정말 최악의 서비스였습니다. 절대 추천하지 않습니다. read more

I was craving Korean food while in Hayward and came across The Sister House on Yelp. It's a small mom and pop spot, so I decided to give it a try. We had to wait about 15 to 20 minutes before being seated, which wasn't too bad considering how busy it was. The place is definitely small and nothing fancy, but that's part of its charm. It has that cozy, mom and pop feel. There's not much space to stand inside while waiting, so just be prepared to stand outside to wait. We ordered the Galbi, Galbi Tang, Bulgogi, Seafood Pancake, and Japchae. They also brought out a generous amount of banchan. Everything we ordered was pretty good. The Galbi was flavorful and cooked just right, the Galbi Tang was comforting and hearty, and the Seafood Pancake had a nice crisp to it. The Japchae and Bulgogi were also tasty and well-seasoned. On top of that, the service was really friendly and welcoming, which added to the experience. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in the area and craving Korean food. read more

See all

Lunch was quick and there lots of side dishes. I ordered spicy beef soup . There is a lunch menu. read more

See all

delicious food, FAST service. While busy, they make it happen and it tastes great. highly highly recommend this hole in the wall in Hayward. read more

The Sister House - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

Great value!! The lunch specials are smaller portions so keep that in mind but you'll get half full on their yummy banchan anyway so it works out well. There was a large variety of different banchan and they were all super tasty. Tried three different soups -galbi tang, seolleongtang and beef soondubu. The soondubu had a good amount of tofu and tender beef and had a unique smoky flavor. I preferred the broth of the galbitang over the seolleongtang but both were rich and flavorful. I wish the meat in the galbitang was a bit more tender but overall everything was tasty with good size portions and very reasonable prices. For three soups it was $59 before tax (one was the lunch special price). read more

The Sister House - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

See all

Had the Grilled Mackerel lunch Came with a full complement of ban chan and rice Hot tea was included Most delicious lunch in a long while Service was quick and efficient A great experience! read more

See all

[IN A NUTSHELL] classic korean food, great soup, lots of bonchon [VERDICT] - APPROVED [RUN-DOWN] A classic mom and pop shop that had some good Korean food. I don't think that anything stood out from eating here but if you are ever in the area and want some comfort Korean food, this is a good spot. They do have some good bonchon dishes and I really enjoyed it. They also have a lunch menu that is pretty affordable. [SCORE & ORDER] OVERALL: 3.33/5 Seafood Pancake $16.99 (3/5) -The seafood pancake could've been a little crispier. The flavoring and the texture was there but I would have wanted it to be on the grill a lot longer to give it that crisp on the outside. The portion was super huge which I enjoyed. The batter to seafood ratio was also good. Seolleong Tang $14.99 (3.5/5) -Beef bone soup with bulgogi, clear noodles, sliced rice cake, and vegetables -This noodle soup was super good and delicious. It came out super hot and the flavoring was deep with the bone broth. The clear noodles was super chewy and was a great time for some good soup. I would recommend getting this soup especially at the lunch prices. Daeji Gul (Spicy Pork) $15.99 (3.5/5) -Grilled sliced tender pork marinated in spicy sauce -Honestly you can not go wrong with spicy pork since the flavor is so good and strong. This was not that spicy to me, and I wish it was more spicy. The flavoring was also deep and I would recommend getting this dish. [SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE] (not reflected upon review score): The atmosphere was super cozy and there are decent amount of seats. There were not that many people when we came for lunch but the atmosphere overall was good. read more

See all

Friendly and fast service. Wish they had chicken wings, but other than that, the food we got was yummy. I liked the banchan selection too and that u can do some plates as combos/half orders of various proteins. It's a small place, and they seem to have some repeat/loyal customers and a steady flow of customers on a Friday night. read more

See all

Authentic Korean food! The flavors are spot on and everything tasted freshly made. It's a small, casual spot, so expect a bit of a wait if you go on a Friday night. Prices are a little on the higher side, but the quality makes up for it. The only downside is that the parking lot can be a bit dark at night, so just keep that in mind. Overall, great food and a cozy place for Korean comfort dishes! read more

The Sister House - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

See all

I thought the name of the restaurant was cool. This place was located in a hole in the wall like plaza. Its a small place and not impressive at all. The staff was efficient however was not very welcoming at all. The food felt the same way for me. Everything tasted and felt weak and savorless. The did have several customers dining and ordering out. Their portion size were decent. But that's it. read more

See all

I almost forgot about this place because I had been going to Hang Yang BBQ for years until they recently shut down. It's a small restaurant with about 8-10 tables, located across from a karaoke spot. So if you're down to sing after a few soju bombs, this is the place! I went to try this spot last week with a friend, and they have very tasty bulgogi and spicy pork. Their lunch special was decent at $17.99 per plate. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. Service was also fast, and they constantly refilled our side dishes. read more

We stopped by to eat dinner before heading home on a Sunday night. This is a small hole in a wall restaurant. The lighting is bright and the interior is simple. Food is good. The price is good too. We were just disappointed when the server started cleaning up everything when we were not completely done eating. She even took the glass of water and tried to return it when we said we still wanted to drink. She touched the tip of the glass though, so no thanks. read more

See all

Got the cold noodle and dumpling rice cake soup. The cold noodle (naengmyun) was not cold the flavor was good but there was no ice in it or didn't feel cold at all. The dumpling rice cake soup was tasty though which there were more rice cake in the soup but was good overall. The place is a small restaurant with maximum seating but parking is no problem. Good service and vibes very homey vibes read more

The Sister House - 52. Mandu Guk - Korean Near Me - Hayward, California

See all

This place is very popular. We came here on a weekend night and it was packed. There were waits of about 5-10 minutes for people who came after us, but overall, the wait was not too bad. We've been here a couple of times and each time the food is pretty good and it's a no frills and also very cozy. We ordered the beef short ribs, bibimbap with bulgogi, kimchi tofu soup, and sides. Overall the food is pretty standards Korean fare, and there are plenty of complimentary sides to choose from, which is nice. They don't offer to refill your sides or anything though. But the dishes have good flavor overall. The place is very small and a little hard to get around. The bathroom and the floors a bit sticky, which means they could use some mopping. There is a spacious parking lot out front as well. The staff there are not super friendly, but they will help get you what you need if you need anything. They charge $0.75 for to-go boxes, which we found it interesting because we didn't see signs about that. read more

See all

I brought my grandma for her bday a couple years ago, and we were waiting for so long and had to ask for sides, but they told us to just wait until the food came out. Actually they were pretty rude about it. Then 30 mins later we asked why our food wasn't ready. Mind you, we had been waiting over an hour by now. They came back 5 mins later and asked me what I ordered! I was legitimately so appalled. Like you basically lost my order, was rude to me for asking for banchan and I had to basically demand attention from them. Took over 4 other people arriving after me getting food before me before they realized it. Never coming back here. The ambiance is good. But the service has gone down. Not worth the price of the food if I'm treated like a pain for asking what the deal is with my food. Wont be coming back. read more

Solid 4. We enjoyed the bulgogi and the spicy pork. Ribs were good too. Lady servers were kind and attentive. Good place to go when cold and looking for some hot barley tea they said organic and extra deep tasting read more

See all

Perfect spot for that comfort Korean food! The staff is friendly and the food comes out fast. Our party got seated immediately, although when they are busy they do hope you call before so you can alert the staff. Our party of 4 might have ordered too much. We started with the army stew, galbi tang, seafood pancake and the hot stone bibimbap. The army stew was full of kimchi, spam,bacon, tofu and mushrooms. The soup wasn't overly spicy and wasn't over the top salty. The unexpected star of the meal of the seafood pancake! It was light crispy and not oily. I always struggle with seafood pancakes being mops of oil but this one seemed to have the perfect ratio of batter to green onion and seafood. Get the galbi tang if you're in the mood for soup.its fall apart tender and the broth is so soothing, perfectly seasoned and the glass noddles make for a chewy bite. A spoonful of rice and the soup is heavenly. read more

See all

2.5 stars rounded up... We like and try to support locals as much as possible, so it saddens me to write this review. Quality/Quantity - Today we got the following: Banchan - Side dishes. 9 options Both my wife and daughter really liked the potato salad. My preference is always the "fish cake." We were able to get refills. #2 Seafood Pancake - My daughter and I liked this but my wife has had much better. Decent size. Good fry, but I would have preferred just a little more crispy. Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but very generous amounts of scallions. A way to keep the cost down. #8 Bulgogi - My daughter's order, I was the only one that liked this. My wife & daughter said it needed much more flavor and NOT just soy sauce. My wife also said the meat should have been cut thinner. I was surprised how little onions there were; many places fill the plate with onions to make it look like there is more meat. Decent portions (for meat). #31. Sauteed Squid w/ Noodle - My option; then to find out both my wife and daughter did not want or like this dish... This is one of my favorite Korean dishes. I felt that it could have had much more flavor, more spices, etc. Decent portions. In summary, if you like mild flavors, this is the place for you. Atmosphere - Very small local family business. Sadly, we got a table right where the windy door was. There were only two options as she would NOT let us sit further in due to our 3 person party. Then we noticed there was a HUGE fan above us. My poor wife had to keep her jacket and hood on while dining. Additionally, we did NOT feel this place was clean, sorry. The plates were sticky. When the table next to us complained, the waitress (I believe the owner) said that all of them were that way and it is what it is... Sadly, more than likely, we will not be back. There are too many options and too many great restaurants. Restroom - I did not even bother checking it out... Open 7 days a week from 11am to 9pm and on Sundays from noon to 9pm. Plenty of mall parking. Service - Poor, from the greeting to our seating. She struggled with helping the few people in the restaurant, then after we sat down, it got crazy busy. And this was a really late dinner for us! So that was basically the end of service, the end of what little service we got. In summary, due to her stress of handing the few tables, it was VERY reflective in her service, attitude, etc. We try to be understanding and patient, but as a customer that got here "first/early," we should have gotten "some" service. Lastly, we had to go up to the register twice to get to-go boxes and then to finally pay so we could leave. Some positives were that we were able to get a second helping of Banchan (long wait) and she refilled our water, near the very end of our meal. Price - $85, expensive for the experience. Included $1.50 for two to-go boxes; one small and one medium size. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since "forever." wishing you the best. I actually really like your website, you should link it to Yelp. read more

See all

Came to Sister House with my sister! The place is a smaller area but neat. The food was good, it took a while for it to come out though. The service was alright, but it felt like they kept forgetting about us. But it could've just been us though. The prices were pretty standard as well. Overall, if I'm around Hayward and craving korean food I'd come again. read more

See all

Great spot for korean food. Delicious and relatively good price. Some of my favorite from this place is their seafood pancake and galbi tang. The seafood pancake is nice and crispy, great favor as well and the Galbi tang was rich in beef flavor, doesn't taste like it has msg and comforting. This spot also does a great job delivering when you order take out. read more

Sister House is still my go-to spot for Korean food in Hayward! Came here twice recently with family and friends, once for Saturday lunch and then for Friday dinner. Both times the restaurant was a little busy but we were able to get seated right away. I highly recommend the combo meals, especially the sundubu + fish and the galbi + mul naengmyeon (cold noodles). Each combo is enough for two people to share and the dishes are fantastic! Their seafood pancake is really good as well. read more

We got the combo and while you definitely get a lot of protein, the meat wasn't of great quality and we plan to try the kalbi the next time we come. That said, the seafood pancake was huge and one of the best we've ever had. Good enough to give it another go if we're in the mood for local Korean food. read more