Volcano Island

I had been avoiding Korean food for quite some time, as it started to feel like too many mediocre Korean places were popping up. My partner and I were on a walk when we saw this place and decided to try it. The service was super personable and the food was some of the best Korean food I have had in a long time. I was very happy to have eaten dinner here and look forward to coming back in the future to try new foods from them.

There were so many good things about my experience at Volcano Island. From the moment we walked in, the owner was very welcoming and conversed with my friend and I. When he found out it was our first time, he made sure to to go over the menu and answer our questions. We got half signature and half sweet heat flavored wings. These were THE BEST wings either of us have ever had. I found myself comparing them to COQODAQ’s wings in NYC, but when you consider the drastic price difference these are better in every way! They were super crispy, juicy on the inside and the seasoning/marinade had a lot of depth in the flavors! The owner even made sure to pack our wings in a specific way (with the lids open) so that they didn’t get soggy on the way home - this little detail really stood out to me. I live super close and will be coming back routinely!

This place is a hidden gem. 110% recommend coming here. The food is amazing and the customer service was so personable. Thank you to Eli for telling us about their story and giving us recommendations. Amazing service and even better food. The Mama Seoul's Signature Wings were delicious and one of the stars of the show, i wish i ordered more. It was crunchy and juicy and filled with so much flavor. The Salt N Pepper Wings were also addicting. The Galbi was so tender and at such an amazing price for the quality. Japchae was flavorful and the Spicy Pork was also great. Everything was a 10/10. So excited to make this spot one of my go-tos! Planning to order catering soon. Can't wait to try more items!

I was craving for Korean fried chicken and I saw this restaurant on google review. I went there and the owner was so chill and friendly. He recommended me this fried chicken. The smell is so good and it’s juicy and crunchy.

We went there expecting to sit down at a restaurant environment not realizing they specialize in take out. For starters, the young man who handled the register and the kitchen was quite charming. The gentleman in the post office gear was very supportive and also charming. These folks are admirable in every way. Next. The food. I ordered the bulgogi ala carte. The meat was tender, the flavor was a perfect blend of smoke and sweet but not overly saturated with caramelized sugar. Its was spot on. My wife ordered the Signature chicken. The perfect tenderness with surprising crunch. The flavor was a blend of sweet and savory that almost melts in your mouth similar to a pork belly. They welcomed us. Made us feel like family even though we were only there the 20 minutes it took to get our take out order. Prices are competitive and not overwhelming. Im really glad we decided to take a chance on some place different.

The service and the food were amazing. They were so nice and attentive when I came in for my food. Every time I get their wings, people ask me where they’re from. Highly recommend mama’s signature wings. They’re my favorite. The picture doesn’t do any justice to the wings. They were crispy and hot, even after a 20 minute drive home.

Delicious! Everything tasted nice and fresh. The cashier was helpful and nice. The food is made to order so you can also customise. I was able to get vegetarian kimbap which was really tasty. The boneless chicken was nice, bite size pieces with crisp batter. The soy garlic sauce is the way to go, it's light and sweet. It's quite a large portion, and for $2 you can get rice and salad. Looking forward to trying other things another time! It is a small shop, you can only order inside, no space to sit, but there are a few tables outside which is good when the weather is nice.

Delicious Korean fried chicken plus unique homemade specialties like 48hr chicken soup. Kids and adults equally happy! Limited seating outside in parking lot so carry out is popular. Super friendly service. Patience and grace needed for orders since a small mom and son run shop!

Wonderful first time experience!! My friends and I purchased the 16 piece chicken meal that came with 2 boxes of rice, 1 box of chopped cabbage, and 2 small cups of radish for only $35 bucks!! We even got a box full of fries on the house. Everything was delicious!!! The service was great too, they offered some gloves and some utensils. The only con I would say is that there isn't any inside dining. They set up an outside dining area with some nice shade. There are also some stray cats that you can pet. 10/10 would come here again.

As a Korean, I am super impressed by the quality of the food here. The food is always so fresh and the prices are not overpriced like many other Korean restaurants. We always get the bibimpap, kimpab, & got the fried chicken which was super crispy and fresh, Considered a "hole in the wall" gem for authentic Korean eats. A family fave and definitely a must try!

Love their wings here! I always order in advance. You can order online just to make the experience, faster and easier. We have been coming here for years. The food just feels like comfort food here. The place is fairly small and only has outdoor seating so hence why we always order and pick up and just enjoy at home

Volcano Island is simply the best! I've already been there over 10 times. My favorite flavors are the soy garlic and Korean spicy. The wings are juicy, portions are generous, and the sauce is delightful. Surprisingly, the French fries are really tasty too. At $25 for 16 wings, which also includes cabbage salad, daikon, and rice? It's a fantastic deal! Go here, and you won't be disappointed!

A tiny Korean restaurant nestled in a corner of a small shopping center in the middle of a neighborhood. I wouldn't have found this without the recommendation from Yelp. I'm so happy I did and they serve vegetarian meals. It's not on their menu, you just have to ask and request. I ordered online and my order was ready when I arrived. It's a small take out place. There are a couple of tables just outside w/ umbrellas if you want to dine in. I ordered the veggie kimbap and the korean donut. The kimbap was delish and I didn't know what to expect w/ the Korean donut but it was really good. Very happy w/ my meal and very happy I found a Korean restaurant next to my office.

This place gives you the bang for your buck. We often order platters for get togethers and they give you so much food. Each time we bring a platter people comment on how good it is and ask where we got it. I'd recommend this spot to anyone.

My daughter discovered this place, almost in the middle of nowhere. A business we can call a "parachute" store, dropped in the middle of a neighborhood. Quality/Quantity - Korean Fried Wings 16pcs - My favorite and my daughter even let me get it in my preferred flavor, Korean Spicy Sauce. Oh by the way, the wings were of good sizes! As they should be for the price, LOL. Boneless Fried Chicken 1lb, Soy Garlic - Her favorite. I really think that she just wants to eat with a fork and not get her hands dirty, lol. Chicken is double fried and made fresh. Small menu, done well. Well you have to figure out a way to keep your fried chicken crispy while traveling, especially since you are a take-out only business. The chicken was mildly crispy when we got back to the house and lukewarm. And we only live 2 cities away, less than 20 minutes. Atmosphere - Small local take-out business in a residential neighborhood. In a small strip mall. Plenty of parking, as most businesses were closed. Really dark, the mall lights were turned off...? I thought they were closed when I pulled into the parking lot. Can I suggest fixing, turning on, or installing outside lights...? See picture. Service - Okay. The owners did not talk much. They did let me use their bathroom in the back, thank you. Price - $47, expensive for what we got. I think that it would have been worth it if I was able to eat it fresh. I can tell that it would have been really good! Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2019. Can I suggest some outside lighting and figuring out how to keep your chicken crispy for take-out?

Extremely solid spot for Korean fried Chicken! This place looked to be a take out only place but I can guarantee that all the chicken was as fresh and made to order as can be. I ordered online but there is an online ordering option. Even with several orders ahead of me, I only had to wait around 12 minutes which isn't too bad! The chicken came out piping hot. I got the Korean spicy, which was a sweet and saucy wing with a very mild kick to it. This flavor was my favorite of the 3 that I tried. I also had the soy garlic, you can never go wrong with soy garlic. A sweet glaze that would keep you wanting more. Lastly, the original. A no-saucy wing with the fry on the batter being near perfection. I'm definitely coming back here next time!

Volcano Island seems like a hole-in-the-wall, but it offers some incredibly tasty Korean fried chicken. It's located in a small plaza and is completely unassuming from the outside, but the food was fantastic. We placed our order on a Friday evening and was able to have it ready within 20 minutes. We ordered the Korean Spicy and Soy Garlic Wings, Japchae, and Sweet Potato Fries. The portions were pretty generous; for 5 people, we had 20 wings total, were able to comfortably split the japchae and fries, and had a few wings leftover. The flavors for everything were fantastic. The wings were cooked perfectly--the chicken was moist, and the outside was nice and crunchy. I also liked both sauces a lot, and they didn't skimp on the flavor; the Soy Garlic has more of that umami vibe, while the Korean Spicy was similar to gochujang. The japchae was a little more oily and had less meat than I would've liked, but it was still a tasty addition. The fries were super yummy; they cost $7 but came in such a huge portion that we were content. The employee was very kind, and you can tell that it's a family-owned spot which I love to support. One thing to note is that it is to-go only. There also isn't a lot of space inside the store, so I would order online ahead so that there's a quick pick-up. Overall, I recommend checking this place out! I'll probably be back the next time I'm in Hayward.

Such a hidden gem for Korean bunsik items: tteokbbokki, kimbap, and Korean fried chicken. I love that they do a boneless of the Korean chili large fried chicken. It comes with a side of radishes and makes it more authentic. Definitely call ahead to place your order ahead of time. There is no seating except some tables outside, so I highly recommend taking it back somewhere else to eat. My go to orders are: kimbap, japchae, tteokkbbokki, & large fried chicken with 1/2 soy garlic / 1/2 korean chili.

I was craving for kimbap and a friend of mine recommended this place so decided to check it out. They have 3 different flavors of kimbap: spam, veggie, and bulgogi. All were good and great size. These are not your small little bite size, these are actually quite filling. I think I ordered few times because it was so good. Their chicken wings are good size too and had your basic flavors: Korean spicy & soy garlic. Both were great but soy garlic is my favorite. I kept seeing everyone got the cabbage salad so decided to try that and man I can see why. The cabbage was very fresh and refreshing. The dressing they used was perfect and not too overpowering. I can see why it was so poplar. Service was great. The estimated timing was on point and there's waiting area in the front too. I like to walk around and checking out other stores/ restaurants since I haven't been in that plaza or neighborhood before. Definitely hidden gem. There are couple small tables outside for people who wants to eat right away, did that once with my friends and it was nice. Otherwise, this is mainly take out spot.

Tbh I just ordered the japche and it was really good. My family enjoyed it! It was a little pricey tho.

Ordered online and yes no inside seating, but a couple of tables & chairs outside. My order was ready when I got there. Young man was nice enough. First time at this place, but I was really craving fried chicken. My usual place doesn't open until 4:30pm, but this place was ok. I ordered the original & soy garlic chicken along with regular fries and sweet potato fries. The original chicken was, but there's an after taste. I'm thinking the soy garlic order is the same, but just tossed in the soy garlic sauce. If it is then I prefer the soy garlic fried chicken cause you can't taste the after taste. Kinda pricey, but i think it's about norm for this kind of place. Id go there again.

This hole in that wall place has one of the BEST wings and beef bulgogi I had, and i had many. The beef bulgogi was very tasty and well flavored. The beef was very tender. I got (4) Korean Spicy & (4) Soy Garlic wings were fried to perfection, crispy on the outside even with the sauce and juicy inside. The service was pretty fast. I would differently come back.

We came here because we really want to get some fried chicken. It was our first time here and we really love It. Definitely have the right amount of flavor. Super crispy ! Service was great ! you would have to eat outside though .. there isn't a place to eat inside.. definitely will come back.

9/08/2023 Lunch Hole. In. The. Wall. That being said, this place is amazing! My co-worker wanted Korean Fried Chicken from here for her birthday lunch, so I ordered the 100 piece wing tray & a small Japchae tray for the office. Their wings are huge! These are not the anorexic wings you'll find at Wing Stop. These bad boys are hefty and packed with flavor. Soy Garlic was my favorite but the Korean Spicy was good if you like it spicy. Their Japchae was excellent! Perfect glass noodles just like your Korean mama would make. This is definitely a "to-go" establishment, as dine in consist of 2 tables outside. This place is tiny. I would still make the drive to Hayward to pick up this tasty chicken.

man oh man! one of my favorite things about having a basketball game 40 minutes from home is that i get to try a new lunch spot in between games. In hayward CA, i landed at volcano island, a cozy family owned business that serves sone of the best korean food i've ever had. the menu is compact and the servers are friendly and warm and you feel like you're really taken care of. an older korean woman took my order of the 8pc soy garlic chicken wings and an order of japchae, arguably my favorite noodle dish. the food came out in about 10 minutes and was piping hot. i had never had such fresh hot noodles and such crispy chicken. the soy garlic flavor was sweet and savory with the perfect amount of crunchiness. the japchae was hot and steamy and the right amount of meat to noodle to veggie ratio. i was extremely satisfied with my food and the next time i'm in hayward (which is hopefully soon), i'll come back and give the tteokboki or bimbap a try

Great service. Helpful workers in explaining the different dishes. I love their Bibimbap, always fresh. I could eat it every week.

I decided to check out some spots in my hometown that I haven't tried before, so we came to Volcano Island on a Friday afternoon. There's a pretty sizeable parking lot since it is a shopping center, so we were able to park out front. The place is pretty small inside. They have the counter and a table that has the menus in it and that is it. We went in and ordered a bibimbap, a bulgogi plate, and Korean spicy wings. That had some tables outside so we sat there to wait. When our food was ready the employee brought it out. It was delicious! I will be returning. The wings were crispy but not greasy. They were super flavorful (though I would not say they were spicy). This bibimbap was my favorite that I've tried in Hayward and Castro Valley. I liked that it had more veggies and meat than it did rice. I really feel like I got my money's worth. I also loved that it was a combination of different temperatures between the cold veggies, the warm rice, and hot meat. (A lot of other spots just have everything room temperature-ish). Overall, I think Volcano Island is a hidden gem and worth a try.

We're in Hayward right now, n' I yelped "restaurants nearby..." this Korean place called Volcano Island popped up and had a 4 and a half star rating. So we checked it out. At first glance, Google Maps had us going into a older established apartment neighborhood thinking it was just a shortcut... it's not! It's tucked away in a shopping plaza inside of the neighborhood! It's like finding a needle in the haystack! Okay, back to the food. Their Korean soy garlic wings is legit delicious. If Bon Chon chicken had a baby brother, it's this place! What hits me is that crunch it makes after the bite, that shuttle crisp followed by a burst of that soy garlic flavor splashing into your mouth. Their Island balls has imitating crab wrapped inside of balls and deep fried. There's also an assortment of Bulgogi combos amongst other traditional Korean dishes. Volcano Island has a distinct taste that reminds me of delicious Asian street food you order at one of those Night Market foodie events here in the Bay Area. Easy to pick up and eat. Will definitely be back! Appreciate the kind and inviting service as well!

This is a fam favorite and not sure why I've never Yelped the place, maybe because the wings are so yummers that I can't get a pic in before we start scarfing! Off the beaten path as in the middle of a sea of older condos. They've removed their indoor seating and set up a couple of picnic tables outside. Menu has extended and now includes spicy pork! We ordered a large garlic soy wings which have a sweet super crunchy soy taste, rather than teriyaki. Like the Costco rotisserie chicken, the wings are huge! They used to include a simple coleslaw. This time when we ordered, we received a small plastic container of what seemed like sweet, pickled daikon. If Korean food is not your thing, don't miss out on some amazing wings. As a tip, we order wings as an appy and go two doors down for some amazing Mexican food as your main course.

Haven't been here in a while. Seems like after the pandemic they added more menu items. Stopped in here for KimBap- left getting much more! Very friendly service, lots of outdoor dining! Everything is made fresh. Great food!

Love this place - flavors, texture, portion size are all great! location is a bit tricky since they are at the corner of a tiny run-down plaza but would definitely recommend if you are in the area

Great food, service and atmosphere; I highly recommend it and will definitely make a return visit soon.

This place is all about the Korean fried chicken (wings) that's so so darn good! My colleague and I wanted something different in the "chicken wing" category and found them through Yelp; couldn't have had a better lunch! It's no frills, with only a small outdoor seating area...sort of reminds me of a food truck. The food is everything here!

Good Korean fried chicken at an affordable price. They do take out only. The flavoring is good but not amazing. This is my go to place since it is closer to home.

We tried KFC wings in both garlic soy and Korean spicy. Half the family likes garlic soy and the others like Korean spicy. Both delicious. To my surprise the wings were meaty. Highly recommend this place!

The original fried chicken is my favorite! The spicy one (not really spicy) or the soy garlic is my second favorite. It's still reasonably priced imo. The kimbab is always really fresh! The seafood tofu soup is hit and miss. It's not super expensive like most places and it does the job of a tofu soup. I eat here at least 2-3x a month.

Amazing fried chicken, and the kimbaps are tasty. Location is tucked away, but isn't too far from the Hayward Costco. We'll definitely be back to get more of the soy and garlic boneless chicken!

amazing chicken beautiful people. I ordered a 4pc chicken and their amazing chefs gave me 5 pcs bless their soul. The chicken was crisp and the sauce was just too good. The kimbap paired so well with it and I love that they give you the end pieces me person I would have eaten them end pieces if I was a chef but they are so generous. When we sat down they gave us two milkis on the house bless this business bless them god bless the food is fire and they are super duper kind may their business prosper and may they get anything they want in life because this experience was mind blowing get the soy garlic and dip the kimbap in the sauce THANK ME later for that hack love you volcano island chicken

A great lunch or dinner spot in an unassuming shopping plaza. It's a to-go spot as there is no indoor seating. The food is always made to order, so we've had to wait for a few minutes for them to fulfill the order (no more than 10 minutes). The food is so good and the prices are reasonable.

Volcano Island is my go-to spot to fulfill my random cravings for Korean take-out. I usually order online through their website and pick up the order, but you can also call or place an order in person. They have a good and simple variety of dishes to choose from their menu, and each item I've tried so far were authentically flavorful. So far, I've tried: Gyoza Sweet Potato Fries Shrimp Dumplings Soy Garlic Wings (Bone in and boneless) Spicy Wings (Bone in and boneless) Bibimbap Bul Go Gi Just Meat There is only a small area for outdoor seating and small space indoors. If you place the order in person, it is best to either hang out in your car or come back for as long as they suggest. For me, it usually takes 20-30 minutes after ordering, but it really all depends on how busy they are and how much you order. I have never been disappointed with their quality of service and food. I can easily say they are one of Hayward's hidden gems.

Food is delicious. Fast service. This is a hole in the wall type of place. Their wings are delicious whether it is soy garlic or spicy flavor. 1000/10!!

Wow wow wow!!!!!! My first time here, and I really loved the Korean fried chicken. Their soy garlic is now my new go to; I don't think I can go anywhere else!! It's soooo incredibly crispy and has a unique deep umami flavor.. I can't quite pinpoint it but it's definitely different than your usual spots. The bulgogi kimbap is solid and filling. I would definitely order this again. I will try their jap chae next time, which looks promising as well. I'm glad to see this mom and pop shop thriving and busy (: I will definitely return for their kimbap and their soy garlic chicken, and to try their other dishes!!

This place is run by the sweetest Korean family ever and Im so glad they made it through the pandemic. I never had a single problem out of the years Ive been here and the service has always been nothing but pleasant. My family and I normally get the original and soy garlic along with some kimbap. The chicken is always piping hot and absolutely crispy. If you want a taste of authentic Korean friend chicken, definitely give Volcano Island a chance, you won't be disappointed.

One of my favorite local restaurants in the East Bay. Volcano Island is a hidden gem for Korean fried chicken. Crispy but still juicy, the fried chicken here will always be my go to. The price and quality of the food is outstanding compared to other more well known Korean fried chicken restaurants like Bonchon. Highly recommend their boneless fried chicken with the soy garlic sauce. The store is small and there is limited outdoor seating, so getting takeout is recommended. I would advise calling the order in beforehand as it takes around ~15-20 minutes for the food to be prepared. All in all if you're in the area craving Korean fried chicken you cannot go wrong with Volcano Island.

Great tasting Korean food. Will be ordering from this place again & again. The only issue is this place is primarily take-out only, though there are a few tables & chairs outside in front of the restaurant which isn't very inviting. I'd rather eat comfortably at home.

This review is for pickup. Whenever I'm craving Korean fried chicken and Japchae, I always go to this spot because it's very close to my home. My aunt was in town so I thought this was a good spot for her try. I called to place the order and the gentleman told me that it would be ready for pick up in 15 min. I ordered the 16 piece fried chicken - half soy garlic and half Korean spicy, Japchea and Kimbap. I love the crispiness of the chicken on the outside and tender meat on the inside. The glass noodles of the Japchea was chewy and the overall dish was flavorful. I always wished that the Kimbap would come with some kind of dipping sauce to make it less dry, but it was still really good.

I would recommend this business. This is my first time eating at this restaurant and I had a good experience. The cashier was very sweet, polite and profession, and he patiently answered my questions. The food was prepared quickly within 10minutes and was yummy and fresh. Food is low priced compared to other Korean restaurants too. They just got broken into last week so please check them out and support them too. I have no personal affiliation with this restaurant or any of the workers. Enjoy!

First impressions? Sketchy. Dirty. I actually contemplated on cancelling my order. But oh well. Ordered japchae and soy chicken. It's not bad, but it's not worth 4.5 stars either. Chicken needs more flavor.

Best Korean fried chicken in the Bay area! We found this place a few years ago and been coming back regularly since. Their kimbap and japchae are good as well!

Tried it for the first time, if we could give 10 stars we would! Great small business. Food was really good, they cook it when you order so it's fresh! Will definitely go back!

Such a great hidden gem/ hole-in-the-wall Korean spot for quick takeout. Nestled in the randomest little strip mall near a Tennyson residential area, Volcano Island is in the most left corner. This place is tiny. Only seating available is outside. I like to call in my order for pickup & it usually takes 15 min until it's ready. Flavors are really good & owners are friendly, which make it easy to support a local small businesses like this. My go-to: * spicy Korean 8 wing combo (included cabbage, rice, pickled daikon) * kimbap Give VI a try next time you're craving Korean wings!

The soy garlic wings are large and meaty with nice crunch and plenty of flavor! We always order a large soy garlic wing meal (2 rice, cabbage slaw, 2 pickled daikon), fries, and a kimbap. It's take-out only.

This was a nice little mom and pop shop, but with very little outdoor seating. Kimbap: Perfect little bites, which tasted even better with gojuchang! Ask for a little container of gojuchang when you order. Island Crab: I thought this would be a fun dish to try out. It was alright. Basically a fried ball of imitation crab. I wouldn't order it again. Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken: Delicious! This was definitely the highlight, and why I would come back!

Hidden gem in Hayward. It's tuck in the residential area, and you would never know there's a small plaza in Oliver street. We always get their chicken, love the island crab, and spicy pork are our go to. We just got TO GO to eat their yummy chicken while watching the big football game for tonight

A hidden gem on the Westside! Ayeee!!! Love hittin' those hole in a wall spots for some comfort Korean Food?! - specifically speakin' - Korean Fried Chicken aka the 'other' KFC?! This small & humble abode of a mpm & pop hole-in-a-wall establishment boasts a plethora of goodness gracious Korean cuisine, with their best-seller - Korean Fried Chicken! Tucked away in a secluded neighborhood in West Hayward, away from the hustle & bustle of Hesperian Boulevard near the former Kaiser Permanente Hayward complex - located in a strip-mall that you would be surprised that such a thing exists in this quiet neighborhood, is a tiny fried chicken shop that seems to have been tailor-made for the takeout times we currently find ourselves in. Don't let the area fool you, as this is truly a destination for foodies like myself who live & work in the immediate region of the heart of the East Bay! I find myself not coming here enough, and I feel that I ought to - especially for lunch! I have to give them credit, since this is some of the best, crispiest, and tastiest Korean fried chicken that's NOT part of a chain (ahem, ya'll know the one that starts with a "B") - haha! And I must give them the kudos for being able to provide boneless pieces, which I'm quite guilty of - as my preferred option. No hate on the bone-in lovers, I just prefer my chicken to be boneless! :) - one signature stand-out is that they double-fry their chicken, and then hand-brushed with their signature sauces! Mouth-watering, right?! Not only they offer chicken, but a small yet diverse menu items - such as a sublime fried crab dish & hotteok, which are famous Korean fried donuts that they make fresh out of the fryer! In addition, some other items that I've tried were their: Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), and Kimbap (rice rolls wrapped with seaweed) - complements well with their fried chicken! Highly recommended ya'll check this place out, and not sleep on it! You'll find yourselves for a real treat at a deal you cannot miss out on! Easy access from the freeways, with ample parking!

First time here and had the hankering for some Korean! This place was awesome food comes out quick and great quality! Dukbokki - great amount of spice and flavor! Kimbap - well made and tasty, I dipped some in the bokki sauce haha KFW - excellent, great flavor and good portions on everything Will be a repeat customer and highly recommend!

Ate here on Saturday and wanted to repeat on Sunday but they were closed First place I've ever been to that usesthigh meat for their boneless chicken wings!! The boneless soy garlic wings were fuckin AMAZING! The rolls were really good too, I forget if we got the kimbap or the bimbap, but it was good! The Korean spicy bone in wings are something worth reordering as well. I will return.