Finally made it to Urban Pocha and honestly Pasadena needed a spot like this. Has that lively Korean pocha energy without feeling overly forced or trendy. Great late night atmosphere with good music and solid food across the board. Standouts for me were the fried chicken gizzard and pork jowl w/ shishito. The gizzard was super crispy and addicting, while the pork jowl had a great smoky flavor and went perfect with drinks. The budae jjigae also hit the spot -- rich, comforting, and loaded. Really liked the crispy corn pancake too. Crunchy edges with that sweet-savory combo done right. The Urban Honey Garlic Chicken was an easy crowd favorite at the table. Also gotta mention the matcha makgeolli which was surprisingly good. Creamy, lightly sweet, and actually paired well with the food. Overall one of the more fun food spots in Pasadena right now and definitely somewhere I'd come back with friends. read more

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Me and my bestie had a blast here, eating at the bar on a Monday night. Shoutout Jonah!! Made it just in time for happy hour. Food was amazing! Loved everything we ordered. Overall, great service, great food, fun vibe-- felt like I was in Seoul, LOL! Ttebokki + Sausage Skewers - 5/5 Brisket Rosé ttebokki - 5/5 Spicier than I expected but very tasty. The rice cakes were cooked just right! Corn Cheese - 5/5 A staple can't go wrong with these Garlic Edamame - 4/5 Pretty good, nothing super noteworthy Steamed Egg - 4/5 marked down only because it was so hot that some of the egg burned by the time we got to eating it read more

(I gave four stars but it's really more of a 3.5) Super cute and hip place! Came here for my birthday, and they gave a little choco pie with a sparkler. They were pretty attentive despite being busy. Food-wise, the risotto was the star of the show. The army stew was also good, but you can't ever really go wrong with army stew. All the other dishes we thought was only okay. Still prefer the chicken feet from Hanshin Pocha in Rowland Heights. Drinks were good. Would come back again just to have the risotto! read more

Urban Pocha - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

Urban Pocha is easily one of the best spots I've been to in a long time. The food is consistently on point--flavorful, authentic, and hits every time. The vibe is fun, energetic, and perfect whether you're going out with friends or just want a great night out. What really made the experience stand out was Phin. He went above and beyond--attentive without being overbearing, genuinely kind, and made sure everything was seamless from start to finish. It's rare to come across service like that. Highly recommend this place. Ask for Phin if you can--he'll take care of you. read more

If you're looking for a fun spot to hang out with friends while enjoying Korean street food and drinks, visit Urban Pocha! My friends and I came for NYE and didn't realize how spacious it was. The atmosphere was energetic, with a live DJ that night, tons of neon lights, K-pop music, and even a photo booth inside. Despite it being a busy night, the wait was fairly short. We were seated at a table between two parties, which felt a bit cramped, so I'd recommend the round tables if possible - they seem more comfortable. The menu offers a variety of fun drinks and bar-style food, though unfortunately they were out of a few popular drinks. We ordered beer, honey maksa, strawberry sojitos, and the cocktails were strong and well made. For food, we shared the corn cheese, chicken gizzard, brisket rose tteokbokki, and tofu with grilled pork collar and kimchi. Everything was good, but the rose tteokbokki and tofu with pork collar stood out. It was a fun choice and I really loved the vibes here! read more

We stumbled upon here because of the interior. It's a huge spot with lots of colors and neon table centers. This is a korean food spot so you'll see TVs everywhere showing kpop music videos. A fun spot because everyone is have a good time and drinking. Another plus is this place closes later than other spots! The menu is extensive with many korean dishes. I enjoyed a lot of them and if you haven't tried korean foods before, this is a good spot to try it out for a modern-ish take. read more

Thursday night had several table open. The service was ok. By 9 most of the tables were available. Come during the weekends! They play kpop and have multiple TVs inside. Two TVs for sports. Good place to just talk and catch up. - Sea Snail Salad with noodle 5/5 Always delicious. Fresh. Big pieces of sea snail. Veggies are sooooo delicious. Sauce isn't too spicy. - Bulgogi Risotto 2.1/5 On the creamier side, it's VERY heavy. The rice is overcooked and it also has cheese.. so I won't think I would get this again. So so so heavy. - Spicy Chicken Feet 1.7/5 Very hard to eat. The bones don't even come apart easily. The seasoning is good. Wouldn't get again. - Rose Ddukbokee (spicy rice cake) 1.8/5 It's not even spicy at all, and almost bland. The sausage is good and the beef pieces are good. Wouldn't get again. Parking is street or lot parking. read more

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Ambiance is super nice!! Not many pochas in the SGV so I was glad I found one nearby. My favorite part about this place is that they have games (like Chi Chis) in ktown you can play your waiter. If you win you can get a free drink!! Luckily our waiter was so fun and I think it made our night overall. Lots of space for big groups, but I will say their portions are pretty small. We had to order about 7 dishes for 7 ppl, usually I would get a bit less since pochas are lots of food. I recommend the chicken gizzard here if you had to pick one! Chicken wings were also kind of small too. read more

Urban Pocha - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Urban Pocha is located in the old town Pasadena area. I went with a friend on a Friday night around 6:30 pm and it was definitely busy. For parking, we parked at a paid structure nearby and walked over. As we checked in, there was no wait time for a table for two. After looking at their menu, we decided to get the corn cheese, rose tteokbokki, and honey garlic chicken. The corn cheese was good and had a lot of cheese. For the tteokbokki, I think the ratio of beef, sausage, and rice cakes was good. However, the texture of the rice cake was a bit mushy. As for the fried chicken, it had a good amount of crunchiness to it. It was definitely on the sweeter side. I also asked for ranch and the mustard dip to try, but both didn't pair well with the chicken. The food was decent, the lighting was good, and the vibe was great! Note: American Express is accepted. read more

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Went on Tuesday evening. Been here before and I do love the cocktails they offer. They have seasonal ones too that are pretty unique. Drinks did come out slow but they made me aware that there was a new bartender. If you love k pop you should check this place out. They did have the dodger game on as well. read more

The food is good and very nightclub/ restaurant vibes! We ordered the spicy stir fried Bulgogi japchae and it was good. The sauce takes away a lot of the meats flavor but overall I'd rate it a 7/10. This was my first time trying a stir fried Bulgogi with glass noodles and not bad. We also ordered the whole fried chicken which came with a side salad and dipping sauces. The chicken was really good but the sauce they bring on the side was amazing!!! Kinda like a honey, garlic, onion glaze which was phenomenal!!!!!! We went on a Wednesday night and place was pretty empty. There were about 10 people total and 2 servers but food came out pretty quick 5-10 mins and service was good. This place has a lot of seating with nightclub vibes, a lot of tv's showing sports, and great choice of music. I'd recommend giving it a try! read more

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Okay this place is very cute and has a fun late night vibe! The food is okay, some hits and misses. Overall, it's a fun place to come with friends, but the food won't impress your Korean in-laws. The rose tteokbokki was so good!! Perfect chewiness, and we loved the udon in it too. The army stew (budae jjigae) was like a 6/10, could be better and have more flavor but not bad. It was mostly just super salty. My Korean parents would never haha Lastly, our least favorite was the spicy chicken w cheese and fried sweet potatoes. I'm really not sure what this dish was trying to be tbh, but the chicken was just kind of dry and not spicy and then it was topped with soggy fried sweet potatoes and then a thick layer of cheese on top that which was super gummy and inedible. Definite no on this one. read more

Urban Pocha - Rose Ddeokbokki - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Nice spot for your Korean cravings! I got the Kim chi fried rice with cheese and it hit the spot! read more

Urban Pocha - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

Urban pocha is fantastic! I had my birthday here with 75 people and we had the back half to ourselves! Everyone had an amazing time and the food was amazing too! Jason was super helpful with coordinating this event and everything came together flawlessly. We definitely will be back soon, such an amazing experience. read more

Urban Pocha - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The place looks nice and is a decent size for Old Town Pasadena, but unfortunately our overall experience was disappointing. Both the service and food fell short of expectations, especially considering the price. The steamed eggs were dry and lacked flavor. The fried chicken was average and felt overpriced--$22 for about 6-7 pieces. The corn pancake was very heavy on the corn and didn't have much flavor beyond sweetness. The staff member who helped us at the beginning was kind and helpful. However, after that we were assisted by an asian male w goatee (he seems like he doesn't want to be there and had such bad energy). There was some initial confusion with our order, which is understandable, but when we asked for help, Mr goatee responded was dismissive and the issue wasn't addressed clearly. We also experienced multiple order issues during our visit, including missing items and an extra item added that we didn't order. Overall, the service felt unorganized, and the food did not match the pricing. I don't usually leave reviews, but I wanted to share this experience for others to be aware others if you were looking forward to a good night out and catch up w your friends. Recommend driving an extra 10-15 mins to Ktown or Buena Park if you want Korean food. read more

Cool, casual vibes with some edge. Service was great. Food was decent. We got the chicken wings--soy honey garlic. Great texture just a tad too too too sweet though I did appreciate the smack/punch of pure pungent garlic that tried to balance it. We also got the pork belly wraps, which could have been better seasoned. Or I hope they served with a bit of sesame oil. The spicy seafood pancake was a tad soggy but flavorful. Could have been a tad spicier. Overall, fun place to grab drinks. read more

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Food, service, and ambiance were all great. It's super spacious inside with lots of seating and a photo booth. The Bossam and Fried Chicken were stand outs, and they balanced each other out well because the fried chicken was heavy and flavorful. The Rose Tteokbokki was good, too, but I've had better at Nolza in Buena Park. This is a really solid spot but I prefer Honey Night & Nolza. Slightly better vibes, food quality, and service there read more

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Going to recommend parking at one of the lots, we parked in the Delacey lot but the one on green is fine too. Our server was such a little cutie twink who was so fun and gave some lovely recommendations. The strawberry soju cocktail thing was good, maybe not worth the price for amount of alcohol but it was tasty. He also strongly recommend corn cheese, which I like but my friend does not. The thing is it's like $14 for corn cheese and $15 for brisket stew with rice lol I can't understand the pricing for it other than it must be very popular or the ingredient cost must be quite high. I got the honey garlic wings, which were $18.95 pretax and they did taste good but wow the oil was insane amount. It did come out quickly so I'm pretty sure it was plated without draining. Loved that they start you off with some shrimp chips. I'll probably consider coming back I've had better and worse Korean bar food. Good vibes for casual hang out. read more

Urban Pocha - Honey garlic chicken - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Natalie was very pleasant this location has a nice outdoor patio. Tried the free rage chicken with chimichuri read more

What a fun new addition to Old Town Pas! Urban Pocha is a great Korean American-style bar to hang out with friends, a great nighttime third place. I came with some friends when we were waiting for dinner at another place in Old Town Pas that was going to be a two hour wait. We decided to stop by for some drinks and snacks in the meantime. Urban Pocha is located on Fair Oaks, walkable from Colorado. The inside is spacious with lots of seats. It's dark with some fun neon light decor on the tables. There's also one Asian-style photo booth in the corner which we didn't use. For snacks, we got the tteokbokki and sausage skewers, steamed egg, and kimchi pancake. We thought these were snacks, but they were not snack-sized. The egg and pancake were huge, like full-on entree portion sizes! The food was good though, and I'd want to come back to try some other items. The drink menu has a good variety of drinks based on different hard liquors, beer, soju, and even makgeolli. I got the peach sour and it was delicious. Will def be back with friends again in the future! read more

If I could rate this place 10/10 stars I would! The food and drinks were incredible but what truly made the experience so amazing was the kind, attentive, and wonderful service! Stopped in with my party of 11 for my 30th birthday party but we did have a last minute add on to the reservation. They were so understanding and accommodating! Also special shout-out to Bianca for making it such an incredible and fun celebration! She brought us soju on the house and she was such a great vibe! Plus she took amazing group photos as well! Could not have asked for a better birthday experience and the food did NOT disappoint. You have to get the Rose Tteeokbokki and the Bulgogi Cream Risotto! Truly to die for! Will definitely be coming back for special celebrations or fun weekend drinks, and thank you Urban Pocha staff for cultivating + providing such a great evening!! read more

My family hosted a 50th birthday party here and it was fantastic! We had 75 people attend and everything was Beyond amazing! Food was fantastic and everyone had An amazing time! read more

First time trying out this restaurant. It's in the heart of Old Town Pasadena where the old Guppy's Teahouse used to be. Great modern decor inside. The service was excellent and all the wait staff was super attentive. The honey garlic fried chicken was very crispy, but a little overly sweet. The kimchi fried rice was a decent portion, but for the price, I expected a little more. The kalbi short ribs weren't marinated as well and a bit tough, but a good amount of food. The Tteok-bokki was soft, flavorful and well done. We also tried the brisket stew with the rice on the bottom of the clay pot, also very good. All in all, it was a good experience! read more

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There arent many Korean bar food restaurants within the 626 so this is the best we can get without going all the way to ktown. The restaurant is alot bigger than it looks, super spacious and decorated super cutely inside with kpop, kdrama, and media posters all over. After looking over the menu several times, we ordered the buy one get one Makgeolli deal, the corn and seafood pancake, the brisket rose tteokbokki, and the bossam plate. The pancakes came out first, the corn one is exactly how it sounds just corn and batter fried, super basic. The seafood one had more onions than batter or seafood but still pretty good. I wish the onions were chopped smaller because it took up way too much room of the actual pancake. I probably would skip on the both of these. The rose brisket tteokbokki was actually not bad. The sauce was mild in taste and not too sweet. It came with udon, brisket, and sausages that were snappy. This was yummy and sharable, but for me I got tired of the flavor fast. The bossam was a bit odd and not your typical bossam plate. Instead of pickled cabbage it came with just lettuce which I feel like throws the whole thing off. The sauce it came with was too sugary. The actual pork belly was cooked okay, but not thin and boiled enough to be considered for a Korean Bossam. I don't think I would get this again. Overall I think if I were to come back here itd be to try other menu items, the pricepoint is steep for the portions, but its nice to come here with friends if you're nearby. However if you can make it to ktown, id always prefer going directly to ktown for korean food ~ read more

Decent Korean food with a really nice vibe, but nowhere near the quality and taste of Koreatown's. We got the Brisket Ddukbokki, Mussel and Clam Soup and Bossam. Bossam was kind of bland compared to other Bossam I've had - it wasn't marinated as much to really absorb flavors. But, the vegetable sides were very good - the sliced pickled radish was so tasty. The sliced brisket in the ddukbokki was dry and the sauce pretty bland. The dduk wasn't over cooked, but it could have been chewier. It came with udon noodles, and those were over cooked. I think I enjoyed the soup the most because the flavor was really rich and the mussel and clams were easy to de-shell. Cocktails were pretty good. We got the Korean Iced Tea and the Strawberry Sojito. It tasted a bit like the alcohol was diluted, but I think it ended up being pretty strong because it snuck up on me... read more

Urban Pocha - Bossam, Brisket Ddukbokki, Mussel and Clam Soup - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Came here with a group of friends on a weekend for dinner/pocha. The restaurant was really clean and spacious and there were so many tables - great for large groups! There were plenty of tv's to watch. Our waiter was also really attentive and came back to refill our water jugs. As for food, we weren't impressed. Everything was mediocre. We ordered the rose ttebokki, clam/mussel soup, fries, and the honey garlic fried chicken. The rose ttebokki was way too watered down/diluted so it didn't have any taste really, which was really disappointing. The soup was overly salty. Maybe the best part of the order were the fries and the chicken but it's not enough to make me come back. I wanted to love this place but for food, I think I'd rather try other pochas before returning. read more

Urban Pocha - Rose ttebokki - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

If you're looking for a chill drinking hangout with friends, Urban Pocha is the way to go! Inside, tables are spacious so bring as many people as you want! The lights and decorations give off a nightlife vibe that energizes the environment around you. My party was greeted by very friendly, jovial staff who entertained my dad's corny jokes. They kept checking in throughout the night and were making sure we enjoyed our food. Speaking of which, food was very tasty. We got a seafood pancake, rolled egg, and army stew that were well complimented with some alcoholic beverages. Food was very flavorable, rich in the kimchi, seafood, and spice. And in combination with some alcohol, made for a very enjoyable experience I would expect from a pocha. read more

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The Korean bar food far exceeded my expectations! Everything was delicious but the best part was the honey garlic chicken. The size of the chicken was large and filling. I love the cabbage salad and radish with the dressing- honestly one of my favorite parts of Korean fried chicken. Service was great on a weekday evening. Seated immediately. Not too many customers, great for having conversations without the nearby tables overhearing. Service was quick and plenty of water refills as needed! Kudos to Jane for quick and high energy service. Dim neon lights and kpop playing in the background create a nice environment to decompress with friends after work. Honestly a classic Korean fried chicken spot to go with friends. Would definitely go again! and focus on eating more chicken. read more

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Came here recently to eat with a few friends, and we were all pretty stoked by the food and atmosphere of this restaurant. For one, they are relatively busy, especially on the weekends so plan to come early or book a reservation. They're located on Fair Oaks, so definitely need to plan for parking at one of the lots or opt for paid street parking. We came on a Sunday evening and the place was already pretty full. Everything from the menu sounded pretty good, so we went with a few different items to share. Out of what we ordered, I think we all enjoyed every dish. Not sure about the prices, but I do know that prices have raised since I visited. Tteokbokki - around $12-15; this dish was really good. Not too spicy, had a good amount of rice cake and fish cakes. Kind of wish we had ordered the brisket rose tteokbokki, but I guess I'll have to come back to try! Urban honey garlic chicken - probably one of my favorites; around $18-20, there were about 6 pieces along with some salad and pickled radishes. I really liked the crisp from the chicken as well as the super soft and juicy inside of the chicken. Flavor was on point and incredibly flavorful. Stir-fried pork jowl with shishito pepper -$21.95 definitely flavorful as it came out on one of those sizzling plates. Slightly spicy from the pepper; liked the bite/chewiness of the pork jowl. A bit on the pricey side, but it was worth the try. Kimchi fried rice with egg - standard and nothing too special. Taste was there, and we enjoyed the egg on top of the rice. Kimchi pancake - really tasty and fun to eat. Not too memorable, but I do remember enjoying this dish. They also give you some shrimp crackers before any food comes out. Each table has a light-up decoration, keeping with the theme of the restaurant. Definitely can see myself coming back and ordering some other dishes to try. read more

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I love this restaurant! Although, I feel like it's a bit underrated. The vibes and interior gives pocha. This is our 3-4th time here. I fell in love with this place the first time we came. However... I do feel like the quality of the food is going downhill. We ordered the honey chicken and yangnyum chicken. They are way too saucy. The sauce is delicious but it is SO slathered, it's almost soup-y. The fries were either fried for too long or fried in old oil. The steamed egg was my favorite. So jiggly and soft. The spam and Kimchi fried rice is okay. May be spicy, if you don't have a high spice tolerance. They have a bar in the back and TV's lining the restaurants. Nice place to watch a game and get drinks with friends ! Service is always good but the quality of food has gone down since our first visit. I will keep giving this place a try though because the flavors are there ! read more

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Went out for drinks with a friend and was craving some Korean bar food/snacks, so we were happy to find Urban Pocha! We ordered the Strawberry Sojito, which was sweet and refreshing, and the corn cheese, which was solid. Portions were decent, so I'd definitely recommend ordering a few different dishes to get a good taste of the menu. The price point can be a bit steep, so it's probably best to come with a group to share and try more items. A nice surprise was the free shrimp chips they gave us while we waited for our food - such a small touch but much appreciated! The vibes were cool, and I'd be down to come back to hang out with friends and try more of the menu. read more

Urban Pocha - Strawberry Sojito Cocktail & Corn cheese - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love the food here, esp the Korean chicken wings, so unhealthy but sooo good The army stew here is also really good! The vibes here are upbeat and they have a decent selection of drinks. Don't forget to order a seafood pancake too. read more

Surprising and yummy, modern Korean restaurant. This place was a fun sports bar meets K-pop Korean restaurant. The food was really good in a relaxing atmosphere. Staff were running around to help all of the table and pretty friendly. read more

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I have no idea how to properly review this place due to the extremely eclectic nature of this restaurant/bar, but I will do my best. First and foremost, the service and staff were excellent--super friendly and responsive. As for the restaurant itself, not sure what it is trying to be with a mix of K Pop culture, a sports bar element, a traditional bar area and an extensive Korean menu. The design and decor was extremely eclectic--I honestly don't think of "sports" when I think Korean restaurant or K Pop in general, yet the giant TV screens each had a different sporting event, except for one which had a K Pop music video channel thrown in for good measure. The atmosphere/music was loud. Food was ok--I wasn't blown away with anything I ate --short ribs ($34.95), mussel and clam soup ($23.95), Korean tacos ($12 for 3) and fried chicken ($18.95). Nothing bad, but nothing spectacular. It would probably be a great place to throw a party, however, but just not the atmosphere i was looking for, for a dinner for four. read more

Service going down the hill.. food took over 30 mnts to come. It came the minute we asked for it. that means it had been sitting and no one take it to our table. The chicken was lukewarm! Unacceptable! read more

Urban Pocha - This takes over 30 mnts to come - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

We came late at night (around 9pm) looking for a Bossam place still open near 626. The bossam was alright, we found they gave way more meat than the sides which made the ratio of meat to veg somewhat off, and there was only one size. We also had to ask the waitress to give us an extra serving of their soybean paste. Personally I found the honey garlic chicken to be too soaked in their honey sauce (I prefer savory wings over sweet, but this tasted overpowering), but my boyfriend said this was the best Korean fried chicken he's ever had. read more

Urban Pocha - bossam urban honey garlic chicken - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

Finally got to try this place with hubby recently for dinner. They serve Asian shrimp chips as snacks as soon as you are seated. We shared: Egg omelette roll - this looks great however the taste is kinda bland. It comes with ketchup, but I only like ketchup with fries. Honey Garlic chicken wings - not very good for Korean style chicken wings. Again kinda bland.  I do see honey dripping everywhere, however no garlic flavored and a lot of batter. Beef bulgogi plate - flavorful however a lot of bones and not much meat. Corn Pancake - simple dish with cheese, it was good but you cannot mess this up. We don't drink and I get that the food here is to compliment alcohol. So maybe it would be better for people who enjoy drinking here and food is only secondary. Parking is much better than here in Old Pas than K-town, but overall 3.5 stars. read more

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Came here for dinner on a Saturday night with about 18 people. There are some nearby parking structures as well as metered street parking if you get lucky. I entered through the back in the alley and was surprised to find how huge this establishment is! There's a bar area with a table for a group, then there's the main restaurant in the front, and in between those two areas was where my large party was seated. One side of the table had to sit on these tiny stools with no back support and that was tough! (iykyk my fellow 30s folks lol) The vibe was very casual. They had many TVs around the restaurant and they had on the lakers vs. warriors game (with a double OT!) so it was pretty lively throughout the restaurant. The TVs near us weren't displaying anything and after asking for a waiter to help us put the game on, they were able to help keep us entertained! I ordered the honey garlic chicken wings and the kim chi fried rice. The wings came out pretty fast and they were pretty delicious. The skin was the perfect kind of crunchy and it was saucy! The chicken was juicy and tender as well. I thoroughly enjoyed these wings. My kim chi fried rice was literally the last thing to come out because they had forgotten about it. When I asked about it, the waiter looked at my table to see if maybe it came out and someone else had it. It took a minute before I got my dish and I waited sooooo long. Other people had already gotten their kim chi fried rice too so that was a bit disappointing and the main reason I'm taking off one star. My friends got a bunch of other dishes to try and they seemed like their food overall. I tried a bit of the korean military soup and it was quite salty. Overall, a cool place to check out that accommodates both small and large groups and has a good menu selection! read more

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What a great place to get some drinks and hang out with your friends. We came in on a busier Friday night and the only seats available were by the bar instead of the main room. At first we seemed secluded from the rest of the patrons, but the bar area slowly filled up throughout the night and our bartender gave us excellent service! Had some great laughs and I'm super grateful that he made me a free mock-tail after hearing I was the dd. Will be coming back! read more

Urban Pocha - Korean Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Cool vibe for the restaurant, came for drinks and apps before we went to dinner, service was good and we had garlic Edamame. Not over powering taste good portion read more

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