KoJa Kitchen

The hype is real folks.
Food: I ordered and shared the kamikaze fries with my boyfriend & we each got our own beef koja burgers. The fries are epic: waffle-​cut fries, kimchi, green onions, sauces galore, korean bbq, etc. The fries are thick, crispy & crunch… yet soft at the same time. They’re not super oily either, but if they douce them in too much sauce, the fries can get a lot soggy. I always feel satisfied after eating them. A lot of people say they’re good for one person, but I definitely think they’re shareable. The koja burger is heavy in carbs and protein, barely any greens, don’t think greens would go well with the beef anyway. The best part of it is the rice bun, it’s thick and tasty, the outside of the bun has a similar texture to the bottom of a hot stone bowl, crunchy & tasty. You will feel completely satiated after having this meal, but it’s far from healthy.
Service: Great service, quick & friendly.
Price: $ 6 for the fries, I think it’s super reasonable considering the quality and deliciousness. The burgers on the other hand can be pricey, depending on what you get. I don’t have a problem when I get a ton of protein, but I’ve had my koja with barely any meat and that makes me sad. Overall, reasonable price for the amazing taste.
Ambiance: Hip, modern & clean.
Overall: Great fusion eats at a reasonable price! The hype is real. Can’t wait to come back and try the chicken koja!

Sooooooooo packed! I came on a Friday night at dinner time and the line was sooooo long. It moved pretty fast, but the wait for the food was longer than expected. Like around 30 minutes. And when my pager thing finally beeped, they said they called me to inform me they ran out of beef. So then I opted to replace my beef taco with a chicken one. Then it took like another 15 minutes for them to prep that. Really?
I liked the kamikaze fries a lot (yay waffle fries!) but the portion is pretty small — around the size of in-​n-​out fries. I had the chicken taco and the miso pork rice burger. The chicken pieces on the taco were really tender and squeezing a lime on the thing made it really good! The miso pork burger was also good. I don’t really like the way they put sauce on the burger though. They kind of drizzle it over the top of the burger (which is placed on its side), and while it makes it look nicer so the instagram pic will be nicer, the sauce is unevenly distributed! It was like the first 5 bites I took were really saucy and then there was no more sauce.
Food is more expensive than it’s worth, but I understand paying for novelty. I’m glad I came but I’m not sure I’d come again on my own accord. I enjoy regular bread more than rice on my burgers (though all the meat choices were definitely very tender and tasty!)

The hype train just took off, and… I have no idea how I got on.
I only ordered one thing here: Kamikaze Fries. I heard so much about these fries that it was almost annoying. I wanted to be that party-​pooper. I wanted to put an end to this hype. As soon as I got my order, I had the single intent of finding everything wrong about these fries.
But…I did not. I completely forgot my task after I took my first bite. To my unpleasant surprise, It was pretty good! It had some flaws, like the slightly overpowering sauce, and the expensive price tag. Other than those things, there really wasn’t much to hate. It has good sauce, chunky beef, and waffle fries. A college meal doesn’t get better than that.
At one point, I was actually laughing to myself. I was unable to believe that I LIKED this place. I came in thinking that I was going to hate it, but my expectations were smashed. I won’t guarantee that everyone will like it, but it is worth a try.
I road the hype train all the way to Koja Kitchen, and came out smiling, and frankly, astounded. You never know… you might the next one boarding that train.

First off, if I could, I would give this experience a 3 ½ star rating.
Ever since moving up to Berkeley, I have been looking at KOJA on Unilocal pretty intently LOL. I finally had the chance to try it the other night and I was HYPED. I had seen this place on the Food Network and many of my friends had tried it already. Although, one of my friends said that this place is either a hit or miss for most.
I arrived with the intent to try the KOJA, a spin on a burger/​sandwich. It’s made up of rice «buns» that are fried, and the filling depends on whichever you choose.
I got the Cal Combo (discount with your Cal 1 Card!) with the chicken KOJA and a small side of Kamikaze fries. The Cal Combo typically is a rice bowl (I believe), with Cal fries and a fountain drink. With the student discount, it’s around 8.50 I believe? I subbed the rice bowl with the KOJA (no extra charge) and the Cal fries with Kamikaze fries ($ 2.20 charge). My friend got the beef KOJA and we shared the fries together.
Taste, it was pretty good, but I wouldn’t say AMAZING. The fillings of the KOJA, themselves, were good, but the rice buns were a little meh for me (although, I was full from earlier so I feel like I didn’t get to properly enjoy it haha). I sort of just left the buns there. I think the most off putting thing for me about the rice buns were how sticky and mushy the rice was inside, but I did enjoy the crunchy exterior of the rice buns.
The Kamikaze fries were probably my favorite (but I love any fries in general sooooo). They had chopped up beef, kimchi, and some sort of other sauces. But it was so good, I would get a regular portion if I go again. They reminded me of vamped up chili cheese/​carne asada fries. I personally like the idea of Asian/​American fusion flavors so that was why I enjoyed the fries so much.
Overall, I feel like KOJA is definitely a place you want to try. I, for one, am playing to go back and try more of their menu.

We had the chicken bowl. It’s really a fusion of Japaness and Korean in that it has Nori on the rice and kimchi on the side. The chicken is teriyaki and tastes good. The portion is also big enough for a person to be really full.
It’s a small place, but the foods are well-​cooked and it’s a great option to have a quick meal.

This is such a fun place — both the food truck and the restaurant. The concept is Asian fusion meat flavors wrapped in a crispy rice bun. This is always really tasty — my favorite is the coconut braised pork with the crispy wonton!
The real standout is the kamikaze fries — crispy waffle fries drenched in sriracha, bbq meat, and plenty of green onions. The give just the right ratio of potato to sauce and filling — you could almost get this as your whole meal because it is super filling.

Modern, minimalist décor and vibe. Economical prices targeted for college students in the Berkeley area.
Excellent, attentive service. The cashier was so helpful and friendly towards us, providing recommendations and letting us change our bills into smaller bill denominations.
Kamikaze Fries ($ 5.95) — Initially couldn’t choose between this and the Umami Fries but cashier recommended this. Loved the fries. It is a just-​right portion for one person. It can be shared between two people but only if it isn’t taking the place of an actual meal. My husband and I just needed a small snack to tide us over, so sharing one order of Kamikaze fries was perfect.
The Kamikaze Fries embody the works. The waffle fries were fried to perfection and the mixture included generous amounts of minced Korean BBQ beef and Japanese mayo.

Came here after seeing an episode of Triple D… Great idea, the rice patty they use as buns are a nice touch. I went in near closing so they only had chicken and beef available for the Koja sandwich. I had both and was satisfied, although I did go with the intention on ordering the braised pork which seemed to be one of the favorites. Next time I’ll try to go earlier in the day.

This was definitely the hype when my friends and I heard that they opened one up nearby. I only knew about them because of the craze on Instagram.
So I tried their koja burger and kamikaze fries and my best friend got their short rib bowl. Our bill came out to $ 25 ish which is harsh on a poor college students wallet.
My koja burger was delicious but the size is rather small for the price they made me pay. And I will admit that I like my food and I workout hard so that I can pig out as I like!
The kamikaze fries are to die for but once again the price of more than $ 5 for fries is a bit of a turnoff
My best friend’s rice bowl was probably the best deal. You get everything that is in a koja burger but more.
After my experience I would say get the burgers once to get a fun kick out of the experience of eating rice in a burger but if you want to come back for just the food then get the rice bowls for your money’s worth!

This place is great for a quick bite to eat.
Food: I ordered the Kalbi Koja and the Chicken Koja. Services sizes are small for one Koja (at least for me). I thought the rice buns were not that flavorful and will probably try the rice plates next time. If you don’t like to mix sauce with rice, get a Koja. If you like mixing them, get a rice plate. I thought the food was good, but not as flavorful as I expected. The Kalbi wasn’t as tender as I thought they would be and were in chunks. The chicken was good and pretty tender.
Overall, I was hoping for something a little more. Personally, I would get the taco and/​or rice plate as the Koja weren’t that satisfying.
Service: Great! Quick food, clear menu
Other Notes:
1. Gluten-​free options

Pork Koja and Kamikaze Fries — a textbook example of fusion street food done right. If you’re not a fan of getting sauce on your fingers, ordering a bowl might be a better option, but you know you came here for their signature koja burger. Treat yourself.
Seating is pretty basic and while not a large restaurant space, you should be able to sit at a table. The staff are friendly. Ask them for the key to the bathroom. Expect to pay around $ 10 for a meal and a little more with fries.

If you love hyped up food, then this is the place for you. Yes, it’s trendy. Yes, they’re really creative. Yes, the prices were decent. But sometimes less is more… That sweet coconut cream sauce on top of the braised pork overwhelmed the whole dish. It was like eating a candy bar.
PS. I would only come back here for the kamikaze fries… those were freaking delicious.

This place was hopping and busy when we stopped by Sunday at lunch. I really like the way the set up the restaurant with 3 large HD televisions playing NFL football. We stocked up on the short rib koja and kamikaze fries. Really hit the spot.

Pros:
Tasty, Good meat
Cons:
Pricy, meaningless grass to your food (salad? The worst I ever had and very bitter). Their Coke tastes strange as well. And I always get hungry after ordering one meal from them by just 4 hours. I think their food is simply inadequate to make you full

Recommend the Umami fries.
The kamikaze fries were not that appetizing — got really soggy and too much sauce.
Beef koja was alright. If you were to get one get the chicken koja

Nice, attentive service! I don’t go to school around here but they have the patience to deal with all these college kids. Came tonight for a quick dinner — with only 2 people ahead of me in line my order was ready within less than 10 min! Awesome.
Love how they are keeping the menu current with the new additions of the bowls and various meats. Was craving pork belly but didn’t see it on the menu– went with the coconut braised pork instead. I will return to try the umami fries tho! I always get the kamikaze fries and they hit the spot! Yum yum! I have had many other places’ variations on the whole fries with toppings thing but none have ever been so full of flavor as Koja’s! Props dudes
Excited to see them expanding locations (SJ &SF) –would love to see one in Oakland! =D Esp since it’s always so hard to find parking in this area!

Ran out of their short-​rib by 8:30pm on a Wednesday. Darn it.
The kamikaze fries weren’t that great, maybe because it wasn’t fresh. Tasted like the fries had been sitting out for a while. Didn’t hit the spot.
I also got the chicken bowl, which was just okay. Too much of that sauce just everywhere and the chicken wasn’t that fresh or tasty. Didn’t really enjoy the contrast of the chicken with the raw spring mix. I would’ve preferred rice and cooked vegetables.
Le sigh. I guess I just don’t get the hype around this place.

Pros: If you ever wanted Korean-​Mexican fusion kogi tacos, this place does it right. DELICIOUS. I ate at the Berkeley restaurant but apparently they make many appearances through their trucks at events like «The Grid» so you are in luck because there is more than one place to get this delicious awesomeness! I went to eat here before the Cal game and the line wasn’t too long. I got their unami fries and a few tacos… so good! Apparently if you are a Cal student or have their ID, you can get a discount (cool for those alumni I suppose). The meat is extremely flavorful and the quantity is very filling. The place is grab and go so NO TIP necessary!
Cons: If you didn’t know, this food is pretty greasy. Now that you know, you have been warned! The sauces with the flavorful meat can be a little overwhelming but nothing that cannot be corrected with a few more sips of drink.
Overall: Yes, highly recommended Ko-​Mex food! The prices are reasonable and both the quality and quantity in their food is there!

Disclaimer: When I review restaurants I only review the taste of the food. Good/​bad service, décor, or ambiance may be referenced but do not factor into the review unless it effects the experience of the food itself.
Cheap good food? Yeah they got that.
Do you like Korean food, and do you like tacos? If the answer is yes to either you should try this place. It’s good. Messy but good, so grab some napkins and prepare your taste buds. I’ve tried pretty much everything here.
Why this place gets 5 stars is the price point for the food served. It’s really good and really affordable. The kamikaze fries and the rice cake burgers I’ve really never enjoyed, but everything else is really good and worth checking out.
The Korean tacos on a fried wanton skin is what keeps me coming back again and again. Each taco is unique in flavor and accents different flavors to make each thing come alive. Now I certainly enjoy some of the tacos over others, but I have to say try each one and you will absolutely fall in love with at least one of them. Oh yeah and make sure to ask that they serve it on a wanton skin. It will be hard as Hades to eat, but it will be well worth it!
Compared to the tacos or rice combinations the Kamikaze fries lack a big flavor impact of umami that I love about everything else here, and the rice cake burgers despite a cool idea seem to downplay the flavors with the rice cakes themselves (These two offerings I would actually rate at 2*‘s but everything else is so good I just order, eat, and love everything else.)
One way or another if you are doing a big food tour of Berkeley it is absolutely worth checking out!
Small and a little cramped with a ‘hole in the wall place’ kind of feeling, and cleanliness of the eating area can vary by the time of day you go (sparkling clean when they open to a bit ratty and gross by end of dinner rush.)

Let me make this clear: the service gets a clear 4.5−5 stars, but I was so disappointed/​dissatisfied with the food that I have to give it three stars.
Call me crazy, but I came here thinking I could get a decently healthy, yummy and quick meal. It was quick, and kind of yummy, but thats about it.
I ordered the chicken bowl. It was pretty much ¾ rice and ¼ dark meat, fatty chicken. The flavor was actually pretty good, but it was just not that great overall. Decent price, but I barely got any meat so understandable. Sure, I’d have been much happier if I got a beef burger rice thing, or the kamikaze fries that looked amazing, but I wanted something halfway and decently healthy. Next time I go i will get the beef and kamikaze fries and reassess my review.
Til then, 3 stars will have to do.

Ah-​mazing!
If you love Korean food with a unique twist, then head over to any of their food truck locations, where the menu is all about Korean-​Japanese fusion. KoJa kitchen best sellers are their Bulgogi rice burger and the kamikaze fries combo ($ 12. xx. Yes, not cheap!)
The popular bulgogi rice burger reminds me of the rice burgers I had from MOS burger in Asia, but even better. Picture this, grilled and seasoned hand made rice burger, in between being the juicy beef bulgogi with a nice charred taste, and to round things off, it was topped with homemade kimchi. The flavor combination of sweet, salty and the sour crunchiness of the kimchi was brilliant!
Other unique items on the menu includes kamikaze fries, crispy crisscut fries with Korean BBQ beef, sautéed onions, kimchi, green onions, drizzled with their signature sauce and Japanese mayo — Absolutely da bomb!
KoJa Kitchen surely lives up to their name. A must try for all who enjoy unique gourmet food truck with awesome taste and great quality!

I had some time to kill before class and figured that I thought I’d start exploring the local food scene. Even though I was risking the potential of entering serious food coma, I felt that the benefits of eating a KoJa outweighed the costs. I love Korean (inspired) food but the Bay Area has let me down with Korean food more than once. I was cautiously optimistic that this time would lead to a different result.
I ordered a Braised Pork KoJa to go and chowed it down in front of my classmates. I love the crunch of the single wonton skin in the middle and the texture of the rice patty bun. The meat itself was super tender and well-​seasoned. Several of my classmates expressed their envy that my dinner looked superior to theirs. Muahahaha!

Tears. Tears on my face. How does such a thing exist? I stopped asking because I was too busy eating the deliciousness that was chicken, greens, and two buns made of fried garlic rice, which is a miracle in itself. I went to the food truck version of this on 1^st and Mission in the city, and I desperately wished I had more room to eat another rice burger thing, because it was just so, so good.
I can’t have pineapple or mayonnaise, which is a travesty in itself, but even without these additions, the meat was so flavorful, the rice so weirdly crispy and soft and amazing, the sesame vinaigrette on the greens so delicious… needless to say, my taste buds were perfectly fine with not having the things I’m allergic to, because the quality and perfection of this food truck food is fantastic.
On top of that, you can get kamikaze fries, which probably taste even better with mayo, but even without it you are still left with waffle fries topped with kimchi, sauce, and Korean bbq. GOD. MY TASTE BUDS. Sometimes, I think about KoJa and I just want to cry because it is heaven on a fried garlic rice bun. Highly recommended if you’re in the city, especially if you can’t decide between Korean bbq and Japanese food.

A good idea, but an old. When I lived in Korea from 1999 – 2002, a lot of the Korean fast food restaurant developed the replacement of buns with rice buns. They were delicious.
Since we didn’t get to go to a good restaurant for my brother’s birthday, we ended up here. Typical place in Berkeley. The menu was unique, though. It was a fusion of Korean and Japanese food, which are my two favorite food genre. I had their bulgogi burger, and it was decent. It was a little salty for my taste, but overall it wasn’t too bad. I also had to the kamikaze fries, and like the burger it was salty. However, it had an unique favor to it, since it had kimchee.
Rating:
Food: 4
Ambience: 3
Service: N/​A. Just over the counter.
Price: 3. It was a little expensive for my blood.
Would come back to try other items. The big question is «When will someone make kimchee pizza?»

A combo of sandwich, fries and a can of soda runs $ 17.01 with tax. At first it seems a tad pricey for food from a truck, but the food here is delicious and quite unique. Also, it’s pretty rich so you might not even be able to finish the combo. I’m really into their rice patty buns; wish more places offered that.
Short Rib KoJa: I remember having a rice patty bun at McDonalds in Beijing in 2007 and lovin’ it! I’m so glad some folks in the Bay Area are offering this concept. The kalbi is less like the thin charred pieces you get at Korean BBQ, and more like chunks of nicely marinated beef. Some pieces where a bit fatty, which was noticeable since the fat wasn’t charred away nor was it slow cooked into submission. The rice patties are nice and crispy on the exterior, kind of like the rice at the bottom of a hot stone bowl. Just a few shreds of lettuce join the beef and rice, but that’s actually just fine.
Kamikaze Fries: I love that bulgogi fries are catching on; way more exciting than chili cheese fries. Love the waffle cut since it maximizes surface area and isn’t too thick. The kimchi was minced finely to help spread around. Lots of nice hot sauce and cream sauce.

De los mejores restaurantes de Berkeley. Es comida fusión asiático-​americana. Barato, muy original, y delicioso. Lo más recomendable son las patatas fritas y las hamburguesas (hechas con bollos de arroz en vez de pan).
El local no es nada del otro mundo. Quizás demasiado iluminado, con aspecto de comida rápida, pero merece la pena.