BOBOP
Permanently Closed
Korean hand rolls, boba tea, and Asian snacks
Korean hand rolls, boba tea, and Asian snacks
"There’s a new contender for best easy lunch in the Mission: Bobop. The counter-service Korean spot specializes in yubu chobop, or handheld tofu skin pockets filled with perfectly vinegared rice and topped with flavor-packed meats or vegetables. While getting any of the dozen-ish chobop is a foolproof path to lunch success, you’d be missing out if you didn’t go for the miso pork, which explodes with umami and is crowned with spicy-sweet pickled jalapeño, or tender chopped-up bulgogi. Ordering one chobop (or a set of three or five) will leave you cheerier than you were when you walked in, as will simply soaking in the colorful space with a neon purple “Good Vibes Only” sign and music videos playing in back. There's also boba and canned drinks, plus Turtle Chips, seaweed, and banchan you can take to go. " - Julia Chen
"You won’t find Korean handrolls at most places in this guide, let alone the city. So we’re grateful this incredible quick-hit, counter-service spot exists. The yubu chobop, or tofu skin pockets filled with vinegared rice and topped with flavor-packed meats or vegetables, will single-handedly turn your day around. There are a dozen-ish chobop on the menu, and getting any one of them is a foolproof path to lunch success. Don’t overlook the miso pork, which is crowned with a spicy-sweet pickled jalapeño, or the tender chopped-up bulgogi. This excellent lunch—coupled with the neon purple “Good Vibes Only” sign and music videos playing on loop—make it hard to leave in a bad mood." - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway
"When you need to be in and out within five minutes (like on a quick lunch break or if you’re trying to dodge the meter maids), get to Bobop. Though this counter-service Korean spot is built for takeout, it’s also one of the best lunch spots in the Mission. They specialize in yubu chobop, or fried tofu skin pockets filled with vinegar-y rice and topped with things like miso pork, chopped-up bulgogi, and saucy stir-fried kimchi. On top of the flavor-packed handrolls (available solo, or in sets of three or five), this place is also a one-stop shop for other midday essentials, like banchan, boba, and Asian snacks like Turtle Chips and seaweed packets. " - Julia Chen 1
"Now, whether at her Valencia Street snack spot BoBop or her Excelsior hideout for house music and soju Korner Store, she’s firmly pursuing that mission." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Restaurateur Ina Jungin Lee has an uncanny knack for making quick, surprisingly addictive food. She’s the owner of numerous Korean restaurants in San Francisco including downtown’s Matko and Excelsior’s Korner Store. But it’s not just her — her whole family can crack out everything from soy sauce crab to banchan to-go with speedy excellence. Her latest venture, BoBop on Valencia Street, is no less impressive. The stir-fried kimchi, 100 percent gluten-free and vegan, is a palm-sized medley of aioli, sweet rice, and spicy cabbage. I was asked if I’d like my order heated up or not; thankfully I deferred to the recommendation of my server, who encouraged me to spend the 45 seconds required to warm up the handroll. Biting into this tofu skin-wrapped dish grants the feeling of drinking warm soup on a cold morning. This chobap hit the spot in a rare kind of way. The peppery spice is bracing, yet I still ran through this dish in the same way I’ve dashed through all my favorite snacks: too quick, always wishing for more, staring blankly and wondering who could have eaten my treasure without my noticing, not unlike Patrick Star. For $4.29 (or three for $11.99, five for $17.99, and a party pack of 21 for $72.99) a chobop noob like myself can easily get inducted into Lee’s canon of Korean snack food. Any of those deals make for a worthwhile investment at this Valencia corridor newcomer." - Paolo Bicchieri
