Dan Sung Sa Restaurant

Came here with some friends and overall had a good time. The chicken was on the dry side, but the seasoning powder had great flavor and definitely helped. Tried the seafood pot too — contents were fine, pretty standard taste, nothing that stood out but it hit the spot. The real highlight here is the vibe. Fun atmosphere, good energy, and a nice place to just hang out for a while. Service was friendly and the space felt lively without being too overwhelming. Not perfect on the food, but I’d still come back for the overall experience.

Cool spot to grab food with friends, especially for a late night vibe. Got the Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup. It’s a very good amount of food. The soup alone (plus banchan) was enough food for 2 people. Flavor of the broth is pretty good. Contains udon noodles, shrimp, mussels, clams, squid, and some cabbage and other veggies. Pretty good amount of seafood. The flavor of the seafood wasn’t super combined with the noodles and broth, but overall satisfying.

Everything about this place is perfect. The atmosphere is awesome, the food is excellent and so flavorful. It’s just a very good time. Go with friends and get a bunch of plates to share and giant bottles of beer. Wings and noodles are so good.

Great place to go for a late night meal. The food was good. The peach yogurt soju was delicious. I liked how each table was partitioned off for privacy, yet it still felt like you were hanging out a trendy spot. A truly Korean vibe! The restaurant was super busy by the time we left. I would go back.

Love the vibe here and food is fantastic. Kimchi fried rice with spam was our favorite! The chicken wings were also crispy and delicious! I personally would prefer to order some with sauce so I’ll try that next time. Price was affordable too. The booths were a great way to enjoy our meal and I think I’ll bring my toddler back because it will be nice to have the booth to kind of isolate us haha. Am planning on coming back. Waiters were nice and helpful too.

Ordered the “garlic and soy chicken wings” and got this. Asked the server if this was the right dish. The sauce only had honey, no soy or garlic (see pics). We were unhappy with this and wanted to send it back. We wanted to order something else, but was met with, “If you want us to take this off your bill, we won’t take your order for anything else.” We wanted to order something else and pay. Horrible service and very incompetent server.

Amazing seafood pancake when ordered extra crispy. Great whole fried chicken and teokbokki! This is the type restaurant that one would go to with colleagues after work in Seoul. Sort of like an Izakaya to go for drinks and various beer food. Eclectic decor, shielded by walls from the street. It's in its own world. Feels like you're in South Korean joint at night. The food is amazingly authentic and the drinks too!

My group of friend came here after an A’s game. It’s a great place for a late night gathering. We had some great Korean food and soju. It’s a go to place for us for late night social gatherings.

Dan Sung Sa is undoubtedly the top dining spot in Oakland. We enjoyed a remarkable meal, featuring spicy chicken wings, SF noodle soup, and short ribs, all of which were packed with incredible flavor. The corn cheese was a standout, being the best I've ever tasted. The service was excellent as well; the staff were not only attentive but also provided great recommendations. This place is a must-try for anyone in the area!

What's all this talk about a Porno Bar? This Korean spot has been here for years, but Jamie W and I didn't know about it until a bartender at the White Horse Inn suggested the Porno Palace as THE place to get big portions of good Korean food. We were hesitant our patronage would mean bodaciously endowed strippers flinging banchan at us, but no such titillation did occur. However, there was a sign for the Happy Hour at the Porno Bar, Mon-Thu 5-7PM. It turned out the references to porno relate to provocative long-ago movie posters that have since been removed from the walls. What's left is a dark, clubby kind of a vibe with a fully loaded bar and a series of wooden booths where we gorged in private. We knew we needed to try the $22 Korean Whole Fried Chicken, which came with a dipping sauce, salt seasoning, pickled jalapeños, and daikon (photo: https://yelp.to/O0uF9TuTAA). It was slightly overcooked, but that didn't stop us from exhibiting buzzard-like behavior. I should mention the Banchan. There were fewer dishes than most Korean spots, but they were all tasty, including an unexpected mac salad (photo: https://yelp.to/VuTtVhbpVz). The $10 Corn Cheese arrived at the same time, and it was decadently creamy (photo: https://yelp.to/U43JNum-sv). The best dish of the night though was the $20 Seafood Pancake which was generously stuffed with squid, shrimp, clams, and scallions. So large, it was drawn and quartered and still huge (photo: https://yelp.to/T1NvPo9BPR). We really didn't miss the porno and came back just recently after downing a cocktail or two at Thee Stork Club. This time, we shared three other Korean favorites. First up was the Banchan but then the $16 Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam topped with a fried egg (photo: https://yelp.to/DxS2iEQSVp). That's total comfort food to us and well executed. Next was the $22 Stone Bowl Bibimbap with Beef. There was quite a bit of delicious grilled beef still sizzling in the stone vessel. The rice was browning the way we like it, and the fried egg provided a nice runny texture (photo: https://yelp.to/dOA8hMYUSq). Lady on the table was the $33 Korean Short Ribs, a generous portion of bone-in beef ribs grilled and tender over a bed of grilled onions on a cast-iron platter (photo: https://yelp.to/U_THaheVLm). A carnivorous delight with each savory bite of the meat. We had yet to try the soju which appears to be the major get here regardless of the lack of porno. Maybe next time. FOOD - 4 stars...hearty plates of familiar Korean favorites unlikely to disappoint AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...felt like a dark bar with plenty of privacy and pop culture decor SERVICE - 3.5 stars...fairly stealth crew TOTAL - 4 stars...come starving RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

DSS is bananas! It's like every kdrama divey snack and lounge bar. I wish we had more kpop music blaring in the background, but I respect the 90s hiphop and alternative/indy nostalgic music... We just left a concert at Fox and we'd hankering for some good kfood snacks! Thanks to Yelper's recommendation, Dan Sung Sa was chosen one. We ordered all the snacks and they were snackin! Garlic fries, tteokbokki w/ hella cheese pull perfect combo of sweet-savory-spicy, kimchi fried rice, seafood pancake and Makgeolli combo...filled our table along w/ some delightful banchans! Service was friendly and accommodating! I was curious about these porn-fries but did not order...already too much food to take home. Even earlier from dinner. There is always next time...Oakland had to the best divey Korean food and lounges...

My first time at Dang Sung Sa was a fever dream. I was exhausted and starving. I am trying to remember if I liked the food, the only thing I took away was the decorations, and that it reminded me of spots I went to in Seoul. When my friend reached out to grab dinner and wanted Korean, we decided on this since it was a new spot for her. We left disappointed and found it lacking. We came on a weekday evening for an early dinner. The restaurant is dark but spacious with semi-closed-off booth seating. Late in the evening, it's a popular spot for friends and groups, but not a family-friendly place because, on the walls of the restaurant, you'll find interesting and hilarious photos. We both agreed service was extremely slow. We were at the restaurant for 2 hours and never once were checked in on. The food came out staggered too. With it being colder out, soup sounded ideal. I ordered the Fish Cake Soup while my friend had the Stone Bowl Bimbimbap with Korean Short Ribs. The portion of my soup was the only pro. The broth was saltier, the fish cake was similar to the frozen ones, and all the other toppings and proteins (fish balls, imitation crab) were lacking in flavor and taste. Even the side dishes, banchan, could have been better. My friend wasn't too excited to only see three small pieces of meat and a hefty amount of rice for her dish. I would steer clear of these items. Oakland has a lot of options for Korean food. I found the quality and quantity at Dang Sung Sa to be less than average compared to others. The restaurant is located off Telegraph Ave. with street parking out front.

Interesting find ! I love the ambiance . We ordered the pork belly lettuce wraps , squid TOGO, and kimchi spam fried rice . Everything was delicious ! We would def come back again to try all the other dishes

Late night food at its best! A name that you can't remember later so make sure you put it in your category on yelp! Korean food is always worth a try and this spot is definitely one of the better once's. The corn cheese is just something you never want to stop eating. Almost ordered a second serving. Then I'll had the fried pork with cheese (filing) almost like a cordon bleu but without deli meat - just delicious cheese. With a small side salad and the curry sauce it's a perfect late night snack. But don't fool yourself it's not a small portion it will fill ya up. Hubby had one of their bowls with rice and lots of veggies and the fried tofu with a sunny side egg. You could taste the bowl was cooked with sesame oil and so tasty! Overall a night meal we wanna go back again when we are in town.

Went here on a Friday night around 9:30pm/10:00pm with 13 people and we were seated right away. They also brought two extra chairs for us to fit in the booth haha. Parking is street parking btw. Since we had a big group, we decided to order our own dishes, and I ordered the spicy soft tofu soup with beef and it was really good and spicy!! My friends & I also shared the cheese corn and it was sweet but not as cheesy, it was still good though. I also had a taste of some of my friend's porno fries & spicy rice cakes w/ everything and it was good! My friends also had the kimchi fried rice with spam and thought that was okay. The rest of the group also ordered other spicy soft tofu soups, wings, etc and it was good to them. I love the interior of the restaurant, it felt like an underground pub/speakeasy type of vibes. The seats are also in a booth as well, and they played SUCH good music, like late 90s/early 2000s r&b and hip hop. The vibes were good. They also gave us 3 free soju bottles, so that was nice! If you have a big group, they can split the checks up to 4 cards.

Probably my favorite Korean bar/restaurant in Oakland! I love coming on weekend nights and it feels lively, but also casual so you won't necessarily feel rushed to leave your table! I've gone a bunch of times honestly because the vibe is great and nice to bring friends to and share family style. I've also gotten a hot pot shareable, and whole fried chicken combo with the huge beer! It is super fun and I would come back for the fun environment! I also enjoy their banchan and they are pretty good about refilling if you ask!

Came here for a pre-concert meal with my date. We waited around 5 minutes for a table and the entire place had lots of groups of friends in a busy Friday night. It can be a bit loud so we opted to sit next to each other instead of across. We got the gizzard and spicy chicken wings. I'm a big fan of Korean gizzard! This came stir-fried with jalapeños and garlic. The portion is like tapas; it's not a whole meal. It paired nicely with our green grape soju shots. A few wings per person satisfied us as the size of the wings were larger than your average American wing. The spice had a kick but nothing too crazy. We finished the whole plate between two people. I liked the amount of banchan they gave us too! The service was exceptional. I'd come back!

We were initially headed to another Korean restaurant, but fate led us here, and boy, are we glad it did! This place is a gem - the atmosphere is laid-back, and the folks are as chill as a winter breeze. Our order included the bibimbap, green onion cake, and fried chicken wings, and let me tell you, it was a culinary adventure worth taking. Each dish was a symphony of flavors that left our taste buds doing a happy dance. What's even better? The portions are generous enough to make any foodie's heart skip a beat. So, our accidental detour turned into a delightful discovery. If you're in the mood for fantastic Korean cuisine served with a side of good vibes, this place is a winner. Highly recommend!

Biased but "Pornos" is the best Korean restaurant in the East Bay! This is theeee spot especially if you go with a larger group and do family style. I've gone with 12~ friends and have ordered so many entrees and kept it at 25/30$ each person - which is great because you get to try many menu items. If you're going with a date or a couple people, they do have great combos as well. Their food is extremely flavorful and satisfying, my personal favorites are the tteok-bokki, cheese corn, kimchi tofu soup and seafood pancake. The vibe inside feels like a dim lit late night adult spot (prob not the best for kids since it's a bar!) Prices and pitchers of beer and soju are great too! As for service, there's a crowd on weekends so they're overloaded and sometimes can't quite check on you as quickly as they can but they try their best. This, or the hour long wait lines during First Fridays doesn't keep me and many others from coming back. I love it here!

Oakland's "Porno Bar" came to our stomachs' rescue late Saturday night. It was after 10p one chilly night, we hadn't eaten dinner, and we sitting in the car, furiously searching on Yelp for a remedy. We decided that Dan Sung Sa--a popular, late-night Korean hole-in-the-wall--would hit the spot. Indeed, it did. We enjoyed fantastic Korean fried chicken (soy and garlic), piping-hot spicy tofu soup (seafood), and standard-but-tasty soju (lychee). Along with their good banchan. It was a done deal. The soy and garlic fried chicken was wonderful. Had an infusion of flavor and sauce, while providing a satisfyingly thick and crispy exterior. Must-get. Opted for soy and garlic because my partner couldn't do spicy, and it was delicious. My guess is every flavor is delicious. The spicy tofu soup with seafood was pretty good. The banchan was surprisingly pretty good too. They provided muk and potatoes, which I sometimes don't find at Korean restaurants. Notably great flavor for the kim chi. Big fan of their semi-private booths, the Korean movie posters plastering the wall, and the 90s hip hop and r&b. Overall: fantastic Korean fried chicken, good atmosphere, and good late evening service. Simply a good time.

The food was great, service was awful! Sami, as she introduced herself, was a rude and unprofessional waiter. We got there on August 3rd around 11 pm and explained to her that we had never been in that place before. I asked for any recommendations, and one of my friends said he could not eat spicy food. Maybe the waiter was tired or in a bad mood, but she was annoyed by a big group of people (7 of us), so we didn't get any recommendations except "Here are the hot picks on the menu," and we chose them ourselves. Thanks, Yelp, for the pictures and hot picks. Before ordering, my friend once again said he could not eat spicy food. Guess what he got? A spicy dish (Stone Bowl Bibimbap with Seafood), and he couldn't eat a bite; he asked if he could have the same dish but not spicy; the waiter started arguing and saying that it was food waste and that somebody else in the group could eat that dish. Maybe we could, if the waiter's tone and attitude were different because the other food was great! In the end, we got a check with 18% tips, paid in full, and left the place. We will never come back again! Two stars are for good food and decor.

I'm so surprised when I see the poster of "I'm Samsoon", my favorite Korean tv show!!! Love the vibe here! Service was good, they're relax, funny and helpful. The signature corn was really good! I like it a lot. Tofu soup is actually spicy!

Delicious and cheap! Fast service and cool wall decor. Chicken wings were flavorful and crispy!

Really cool place. The booths are closed off and there's a good amount of privacy, dim lighting and pretty loud inside. My group of 4 ordered the garlic soy chicken wings, short ribs and pork belly. The chicken wings were delicious, super crunchy and a large portion. Short ribs were soooo good, highly recommend ordering these. I would pass on the pork belly, it lacked flavor and it wasn't very crispy. Service was a bit slow, it took us awhile to flag down a server to get our check. It was a fun place to drink and eat with friends, I'd come again.

one of my favorite asian restaurants in oakland. the vibe is way more casual, making it a good spot for friday night dinners. the music is good and the decor is really unique. the bartender (the owner i think?) is great. the staff seem to work well together, as every time i've been, it's been extremely busy. now the food... amazing. i always leave with leftovers because the potions are so big. sharing style or independent plates are both a solid choice. we ordered chewy noodles, wings, corn cheese (my favorite) and bulgogi. 10/10 every single time

Overall: 4.4/5 (dine in) We went to Dan Sung Sa in LA and it was pretty different. The LA location's main menu was yakitori which I don't believe the Oakland location has. This location had much cooler vibes and great throwback music too. We came around 10 PM and got the long middle table so we had plenty of space. The service wasn't that great though, and they brought out the wrong item. Cass Fresh Cold Brew Beer XL ($14): Oh my goodness. When this came out, I was shocked by the massive sive of this beer. It was the equivalent to a 2 L soda bottle! I don't like beer either but this one wasn't bad since it had a bit of the coffee taste. It's a great chase for soju as well. Spicy Rice Cake With Ramen ($19): This is one of the best spicy rice cake I had. They usually taste the same but this one stood out. I think the sauce is what was different. The flavors were just really good. The rice cake & ramen were the perfect texture. This was probably my favorite dish of the meal. Korean Short Ribs ($33): Solid short ribs. Great portion, meat to fat ratio, & quality. This was a close second to the spicy rice cake with ramen. Regular Fish Cake Soup With Jinro is Back Soju ($22): This was under the "Double Feature" section of the menu in which each food item is paired with a drink but there's a limit of 1 per table. You can choose regular or spicy for the fish cake soup. For the drink, you can choose 1 bottle of soju or beer. We got the Jinro is Back soju which is pretty strong. The fish cake soup was okay. I wasn't a huge fan and didn't think it was worth it but my friend loves it. Garlic & Soy Chicken Wings ($24): This looked good on paper but it was not that great. The marinade was off but I like the toppings and sides that it came with.

God bless Dan Sung Sa. One of the few sit-downs open past 9pm serving great food in Oakland. Hell, the place could even serve just mediocre and I would still give it 5- that's how damn hard it is to find good late night food in not just Oakland- but the bay in general

We were craving Korean food and found this place in our area to try out. The inside was very unique! There were separate booths lined up so people can sit and eat privately. The walls were lined up with korean drama posters and others advertisements, making the interior even more aesthetic. We ordered a seafood pancake, tteobokki rice cakes, and Bulgogi for our dinner. The seafood pancake was very crispy and the portion size was huge, easily able to feed a party of 4 or more people. The rice cakes and Bulgogi were alright, nothing too special. I felt the flavors of the dishes were a little toned down, possibly to accommodate to those who have never had Korean food before. Our waitress checked in on us every so often, which was nice, so I have no complaints about service. Overall, a decent place to get Korean food if you're in the area

There aren't too many restaurants open late let alone Korean restaurants! For that reason alone, this is one of my favorite restaurants for a late night meal. The kalbi and japchae are my favorite dishes to order from the menu. The fried chicken is okay, but it's kinda on the sweet side. I recommend this place. Just be aware of where you park and do not leave valuables in your car.

The 'porno bar' is always a fun oakland hole in the wall. This place used to be the post club, post bar, post party aftermath meet up spot where you drink more soju and beer and feast on their fried chicken, fries, and corn cheese. Their fried chicken is superbly made, with interesting flavors depending on your liking (spicy, hot and sweet, garlicy). They also have a lot of stew options, grilled meats, and appetizers to go with more alcohol. The servers are super attentive and give great recommendations depending on your mood. This hidden gem used to be decorated with actual Porn/ hentai posters, but is now covered with movie/ drama posters (more family friendly), so don't be afraid to bring the kiddos. 100% would recommend bringing friends and family visiting the bay.

The interior definitely caught me by surprise, in a good way! The ambiance and design of the restaurant was able to captivate a sense of the lively vibes of Korea. There were bar seating, private booths, and large picnic tables along the center. Because of where we were seated, it was harder for us to get the attention of a server. This is still an awesome spot to eat, drink, and socialize with friends though! Banchan: I enjoyed the little side dishes. Refills were provided upon request. 2.5/5 Seafood Pancake: This fell short for me. It was very flat and had little sustenance. It just tasted like pancakes with no seafood. For the price, I expected the quality to be a lot better. 4/5 Porno Fries with Spicy Pork: Delicious! There was a generous amount of cheese and pork loaded ontop. It was hot, crispy, and fresh. 5/5 Corn Cheese: This was my favorite dish I tried! There was a sweetness to it that I was not expecting. It was different from corn cheese dishes that I have tried at other restaurants.

Poisoned me on a food allergy, flagged a sesame allergy, came to pick up, saw the sesame seeds, had them remake it, and came back with a portion that was less than half the size THIS WAS A $40 entry, before tip. There were 5 short ribs for $40. This was virtually $8 per short rib. They punished me because they did not accommodate the allergy and I did not want to be poisoned. Avoid this awful unethical trash restaurants

The whole chicken and extra large beer is a huge steal. The chicken was lightly crispy fried and very succulent. Both the chicken and the beer are pretty large and is probably good for 2 people with an app

Casual ambience, good for groups, and large portions. The food itself was mediocre. Seafood and kimchi pancake was my favorite bite of the night. Stodgy vegetable tempura, basic tteokbokki, so-so wings. The banchan were decent. I left feeling full but heavy and unsatisfied. Service was fine, as were prices.

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place. I've been here so many times already. Great spot to drink and have dinner/snacks. The seating on the sides of the restaurant are benches but with barriers, so there is some privacy. The seating in the center is one giant picnic table. Our usual order is spicy rice cakes fully loaded with soju (I believe it's a "double feature" so you get soju with it), spicy tofu soup with seafood, and spicy chicken wings. This is more than enough food for 2! Spicy rice cakes fully loaded: 4/5 - this comes with 2 types of noodles, ramen and chewy noodles, potstickers, 2 eggs, zucchini, mushroom, fish cake, and rice cakes, of course! This is one of the best places to have this. The sauce is so good and everything comes together well. The sauce used to be a darker red and a bit spicier. Spicy chicken wings: 3.5/5 - this used to be so good, maybe it was a miss this time. It used to be super crispy and has a good balance of sweet and spicy. This time, it wasn't as crispy and the flavor of the sauce was milder. Spicy soft tofu soup with seafood: 4/5 - super soft tofu, with seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp) with zucchini, onions and raw egg. Very good umami flavor with just a little heat. Yogurt soju: 4/5 - a little on the sweet side this time, but oh so good. You can't even taste the soju. Definitely can creep up on you without noticing it!

Meh. I ordered through doordash and the food came hot and ready to be eaten, but I was less than impressed with the kimchi rice. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I've had kimchi fried rice before at the Metreon in the city and figured with this being a restaurant with good reviews about the kimchi rice that I'd like it too. I didn't. Something was lacking and I cannot quite put my finger on it. The spice from the kimchi was there. Maybe I'll try another dish based on recommendations another time.

My fav late night Korean spot! Tucked away and has awesome night time vibes for hanging with friends over great food. Lots of drinks and foods and ambiance is like an underground pub, speakeasy, and Korean restaurant.

This is a cool casual place to hangout with friends, enjoy some good food, and drink some soju. The outside might seem a little sketch, but it's all good vibes inside. Service is what you would expect as well. Nothing bad, but nothing amazing either. The pricing might seem a bit expensive, but the portions are big and easily shareable with other people. The corn cheese is something you MUST get here. We got three orders of it and we finished it all (between four people). The nachos were surprisingly good too though I'm not sure how I feel about it sitting on a bed of lettuce. The short ribs are also flavorful as you would expect of any short ribs. The cheese pork cutlets were good and had a good amount of cheese, though I wish I had asked for more katsu sauce on the side. My only real complaint was that our table/booth was a little small for four people. You could probably comfortably fit two or three people. The booths here are walled off from other booths so there's a sense of privacy, but the space felt really cramped together. Eventually we had to really play Tetris with our food to make space on the table or rush to finish one dish so we can make more space for more food.

Was just looking for some late night eats, so I ordered food from Dan Sung Sa. I ordered some fried chicken and some chicken gizzards. While the food was ok, I wish the chicken gizzards was less oily, and the fried chicken less dry. The chicken gizzards was stir fry in lots of oil, and then it came with more oil as a dipping sauce. The sauce on the fried chicken was decent tho.

Went to the Oakland first Fridays and the food looked kind of mid so we ended up here. Lively atmosphere and vibes that brought me back to Itaewon. Can never go wrong with a stone bowl bibimbap. The table was a little small for 4 in my opinion and my friend kept burning her hand on it. The others in our party said they were going to order a Korean pancake, but what we got seems to me like army stew, so maybe they changed their mind while ordering but apologies if my caption is wrong (or maybe I just don't know what a Korean pancake is). Really great deals with soju.

Love coming here for some late night food. Ordered the soy garlic wings, strawberry soju capri drink (no pic), and kimchi pancake (no pic). Garlic wings are super flavorful here. Sweet and tangy, the flavor is not typical to other chicken places so I love coming here. I didn't like that they chopped each wing though. I know it's to make sure the chicken cooks, but it disturbed my experience . Soju Capri. So I thought this was gonna taste more on the "juice" side, but the alcohol is strong. So fair warning on that. Kimchi pancake was served on a huge plate. It was tasty and fresh. Also comes with sauce and that was great too.

This spot has a cool and intimate vibe for groups of all sizes. If you come here alone I recommend just getting one thing as the portions are meant for sharing. I love the pork belly in the lettuce wraps and the noodles are AMAZING. The one in LA is definitely my favorite and way more affordable, with some dishes only costing $1.99.

My friends and I decided to try Dan Sung Sa to ~*get in the mood*~ before going to a kpop concert, but we were all sorely disappointed. From what I understand, this is a popular late night joint, and maybe that explains the high rating because food always tastes better when drunk, but we were not impressed while dining sober. The banchan were all decent (kimchi was a little sour for my taste, but I usually prefer mine more garlicky so not a big deal), but the dishes we ordered ranged from average to inedible. - Kimchi fried rice with spam: this was easily the best dish, though it was a little weird to see peas among the rice. - Porno fries with pork: I'm a big fan of thin fries so these were right up my alley, but the pork was nothing too special. - Seafood pancake: the edges of the pancake were sooo crispy! If the pancake overall hadn't been so thick, this would've been even better. - Spicy chicken wings: flavor wise these had potential - the smell took over the table when it was brought out. But for some reason they chopped the meat while still on the bone? Not sure if it was to cook faster or get a higher sauce to surface ratio, but this ended up overcooking the chicken, making it not tender at all. I was very confused by this. - Corn cheese: this was the biggest disappointment by far. When it came out, it straight up looked like Kraft Mac n cheese but with corn instead of macaroni. The cheese coated each kernel, but there was no satisfying cheese pull and the cheese tasted so artificial. The plate wasn't even very full when brought out. Service was decent at least - our server politely answered our questions on the menu and the food came out pretty quickly. They only checked on us once or twice, but that wasn't a big deal. It was a little concerning to see when we left that the restaurant was barely half full, on a Friday no less. I had heard Oakland had some good Korean restaurants, but this was a big disappointment. Maybe we came on an off day, but I wasn't left with a great impression and definitely wouldn't drive out of SF just to come back here.

I'm hesitant to even write a review about this place, because a part of me wants to gatekeep it. This place looks super inconspicuous on the outside, almost like it's not even an operating business. Inside, it's dimly lit with a pretty cool seating arrangement consisting of walled off booths, providing lots of privacy. Locals call this place "porno bar", don't look like a schmuck and call it by it's actual name - Dan Sung Sa. No, I'm not joking. The restaurant acknowledges the nickname themselves and I've even seen it on a sign or menu, I've tried a whole bunch of their offerings and pretty much everything is amazing. It's hard to go wrong. My top two favs are their kimchi fried rice with spam and their cheese corn. For an extra good time, order a pitcher (or a few) of flavored soju. This is one of my favorite restaurants so obviously, I give this place a 10/10 and my highest of recommendations.

Food: 3/5 The food is alright. Nothing super impressive. However it does get the job done. I like this place as more of a late night spot after a long night, this is a better alternative than having fast food. The food is pretty comforting however nothing super impressive. I got the tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes) and the texture of them were a little too soft and I added ramen to it which was good but yeah nothing will surprise you here. I've also had the Korean cold noodles here and those for me were not that good like a 2/5 for me. Service: 3/5 The service seems a little slower but it could also be the times that I come in. They are pretty nice and accommodating. Ambiance: 4/5 It's a vibe here that's hard to describe. It is kind of loud if people are talking loudly. It's kind of a dark environment. The tables are a little sticky.

The food here is really amazing. Deep, rich flavors and so satisfying. The service was prompt and helpful. We all loved the cozy vibe of the booths, it feels very private. Already planning our return!

I'm gonna be honest with you, when I pulled up, the place seemed kinda sketchy but I was meeting people so I was committed. Once you walk through the door you find yourself in another world. Warm and comfortable, with a long bar and walls lined with 4 person snugs and a few large central tables. Service was efficient but not overly friendly. The food, however, from banchan to Kalbi was top notch. We ordered a large Terra beer which comes in a weird 2 liter plastic bottle but tasted good. The have draft but the choices (blue moon and lagunitas) weren't interesting. Banchan- little bowls of excellent Kimchi, tofu skin, seaweed, pasta salad and jelly cubes. Really loved the kimchi, tasted homemade. Refills were provided on request. Spicy Korean wings - good sized with a thick, crunchy crust and tasty, but not overly spicy sauce. Kalbi - Perfectly grilled and super tasty Seafood pancake - Ginormous and fresh with a fair bit of shrimp and squid Whole fried chicken - interesting, crunchy on the outside with tender meat. Loved the skin but some parts were a little dry. Dipping sauce helped with that. Tofu and seafood soup - very rich flavor and just the right amount of heat. I missed out on the squid and gizzards, so I guess I will have to come back. Definitely a fun place to eat and drink with friends. The vibe is funky and chill with great food.

Dined for the first time on a Monday evening -- fast service despite a non-stop crowd. The table booths had a really cool vibe with movie posters in Korean. The food was spot on - the beef tofu soup was fire, the green onion pancake was the best I've ever had, and the fried kimchi rice with spam was yummy. Topped it off with a grape soju. 10/10

Great spot for Korean food ambiance was chill staff were exceptional. Food was delicious price point was well worth it. Overall I recommend you give this spot a go!

Great place for a cold night with many selection of foods and beverages. We came here many times and always loved the corn cheeses and soft tofu soup. Just noticed that they served the spicy fish roe soup and it was amazing. Spicy rice cake and seafood pancakes are delicious and give a try clams soup with the bbq selection such as pork belly and Galbi. All of them were delicious!! Good service and definitely be back!

I am torn writing this review because it is a nice concept. The food was just underwhelming with the prices. It is a nifty spot with plenty of booths and tables and the atmosphere was lively. I would come here with a big group as the other reviews mentioned. Beginning with the appetizers, it was alright. They had bean sprouts, a macaroni salad and clear jelly?. I only really ate the kimchi. The others really didn't hit the spot, seaweed salad ? Pickled cucumbers/radishes ? Braised potatoes ? . The bean sprouts and macaroni were a bit bland. We ordered the Korean fried chicken, Korean pancakes and fried rice. The rice was good. The Korean chicken wasn't crunchy and again a little bland. The Korean pancakes were thick (pics). Prices are higher but they are larger sizes. Recommend to share. I wouldn't have mind if they had more flavor. Overall would go with a group of friends, but maybe I'll try other menu items? Other people on here seem to like their food. Would like to try.

I love this this place, I've been going here for years. But recently just came back a few weeks ago on a Monday night. They just opened, so we got sat right away. I love the seating g bc you have booths with walls between the tables so you feel like you're separated from everyone else. It's casual and loud which I love. For food, we ordered the cheese corn, kimchi spam fried rice, short ribs, and porno fries. It came out fast! Everything was amazing, just as I remembered. We also made a mess doing soju bombs. But the staff didn't care. They brought us extra napkins, haha. I will always love this place. OH and the staff is always so quick and friendly! :)

I have been here a few times, and the food is always amazing. This is always a must for me when I'm in this area. It's conveniently located right off the highway. Parking isn't fun. The music is loud (todays hits) but we like that because my kids are loud! Service is mediocre, but not terrible. Do not judge this place from the outside! The portions are not huge, they do a lot of fluffing techniques (placing meat on bed of onions or lettuce) to make the portions look bigger than they are. Flavor is AMAZING! You do have to be careful because there are some deceiving HOT sauces! The nachos were so yummy! But the cheese sauce on the side had my sons eyes watering! I think it's pretty good for Bay Area as far as food & pricing go!

One of the few restaurants that close late on a Saturday in Oakland. Def more of a drinking snack bar than a full blown Korean restaurant. We came on a late Saturday and it was very loud inside. We ordered sweet potato fries, and galbi. For $12 bucks, the sweet potato fries tasted like frozen ones you get from Costco. The galbi was decent but such a small portion for $33. We were also given white rice and banchan but they all tasted old. The service was fine but overall not a fan of the food.

This was my 3rd time at Pornos and it never disappoints! It's the perfect place to go with friends for dinner and share dishes. The tteokbokki here is my favorite of all time because it's the perfect texture of soft and chewy, and the spicy sauce is so delicious. The corn cheese is sweet and tasty and we always have to get 2 orders bc 1 isn't enough, although it technically doesn't have much of a cheese pull. We also got seafood sundubu which is always yummy, bulgogi which was pretty standard, and a kimchi pancake which was the perfect level of crispiness. I tried the soy garlic wings for the first time and I think I'd pass on it next time in favor of getting a spicy flavor or wet wings, although the Korean fried chicken style crunch was still great. This place is somewhere I can see myself coming back to many times in the future without getting tired, truly a gem of a restaurant in Oakland.

I came here when the sun was still out and happy to report the food is just as good as it is after midnight. Banchan is always solid, 4 good tastings Spicy wings were crispy, juicy, and spicy. Great crunch and big portions just like everything else. Kimchi/seafood pancake was delicious and crispy. Right amount of crunch to tender interior. The seafood was a little lacking but altogether a solid dish. Fire chicken was my favorite. I had not ordered it here before but It rounded out the way too much food we ordered for two people on a Monday night meal. Fire chicken was spicy and the heat kept building. The insane amount of cheese on there helped cool it off. Under all that cheese is chicken, rice cakes, veg, and kimchi. Really liked the rice cakes here. You're likely coming here late at night after some drinks. Can't recommend a better spot for Late night grubs.

What joy it is to live in the Easy Bay Area- we get the coolest bits from the many different cultures that have settled here these years. This wonderful spot is a Korean hangout known colloquially as the Porno Bar, and they serve well portioned and exceptionally seasoned snacky dishes that though good anytime of day are tailor made for a late night birthday dinner or group date. Sitting in private cozy booths a party of 2-6 can really relax and curb those late dinner cravings. We shared the fabulous cheesecorn, some top shelf japchae, spicy fried wings, and calamari tempura. All our dishes were deeply flavorful, and as the wall of kpop news clippings and wall mounted classic vinyl LPs looked on we laughed and ate and had a really fun bday dinner for our friend. I'd say for the experience this place is a value, and along with our party the staff attended the 5-7 tables like true pro's. Although I'm a old fogy it's not lost on me that our co-customers were tattooed and fashionable folk, and so if I want to impress a date I'd be sure to bring her to Dan Sung Sa. Five easy stars for this fresh, hip, gritty little spot !