Dae Bak

Came in on a rainy weekend after a full dinner and dessert primarily looking for a late night drink to spend time with friends. We only ordered a fresh pineapple soju, so this review will only be centered around their drinks!

We asked the server which fruit soju cocktail he recommended since we were curious about the watermelon and melon. Unfortunately, it isn't watermelon season and he mentioned that the pineapple was his favorite. We waited about 10 minutes (there weren't that many customers, maybe 3-4 other tables besides us) and the pineapple came out with a sparkler! It was really cool seeing how festive the sparkler made our night

I would give the drink itself a 3/5: the soju flavor was strong and it will get you buzzed. Be wary that there is pulp since it's a fresh fruit cocktail - as we kept drinking there consistency became more pulpy.

Overall, a chill place to hang and drink with friends. I'd come again to check out their food.

We came with a large group, and the location was very accommodating! We were able to get our orders down quickly, and they served us nicely

However, the food is a little hit or miss. The hotpot and kimchi fried rice were pretty decent, but on the pricier side. As for the watermelon soju, it was very bland. The garlic fries were also very bland, and did not taste fresh. I probably wouldn't go to this restaurant again.

We ordered dinner from here through uber eats.

The banchan was delicious and included a mushroom salad that I haven't tried anywhere else. The kimchi and fish cake were also great!

We had seafood + tofu soup. There were clams, shrimp and octopus in the soup. It was the perfect spice level and more than enough for two people. We also had the fried chicken which arrived with the sauce on the side.

The chicken was so crispy + came with fries. The sauce was next level!

Great service, we requested extra jalepenos and pickled radish on the side and they came through! We will def order again

3.9 stars!
Came on a Sunday night around 10 pm for a very late dinner. We were craving for korean food and hotpot. This place has it all! Menu was quite extensive and offers everything from tapas to hotpot and traditional dishes. Restaurant vibes were cool and hip, and the staff is the friendliest. Plenty of parking as well. Our nee late night food spot for sure.

Came on a Sunday night with a large group (13 people) and they were able to accommodate us! They were busy but was able to attend to whenever we needed something. There's a button you can press to let them know you need assistance.

We decided to share to our food amongst 5 people and it was more than enough! We loved everything except the fried chicken in kalbi sauce. I think it was a tad weird with the sauce and it made it a little soggy. Would try it again without the sauce.

Loved that the seafood pancake had a lot of seafood in it.

Overall, a great experience with friends. The food may not have been the best Korean we've had, but it did the job. We were full, got to try different items, and got to hangout with everyone!

My friends and I came here after playing volleyball because we saw it was open late night yesterday. Quite a lot of people on a Tuesday night but not too packed.

I got their hot pot with beef, udon and kimchi style soup. It was quite yummy, satisfying and filling. The broth is savory, not too salty and flavorful. I love kimchi soups! The hot pot also came with a dumpling, rice cakes, tofu and more cabbage. I would definitely get this again and am happy that this place opens late night.

I like how inside the restaurant it's not too bright. They also play Kpop and have booths and chairs if you prefer one over the other. I recommend coming here :)

Dae bak is a perfect weeknight drinking place for me that's open late! I always venture between Pocha K and Dae bak but recently I've really been feeling Dae bak!!

Your typical late-night Korean drinking spot with a wide selection of drunk food and soju fruits! We always get the dae bak fries, Kimchi fried rice, and a pancake & ofc a soju.

Be warned when you get the watermelon soju! If you eat the watermelon you'll be stumbling out of the restaurant!!! It's strong and yummy and such a good time here. Good service and cozy, fun drinking vibes.

Tip: they close at 2 but last call is around 1 so they won't seat you if you come after

Came here with friends to get dinner and we had a great experience! We came here around 8pm on a Wednesday and got seated right away.

I'm constantly trying korean restaurants in Berkeley and so I was excited to try this place! The food was overall super good and the service was great.

Chicken bulgogi - first time trying this since I usually get beef bulgogi! The chicken was so juicy and tasted amazing. Would say that the sauce was a little on the watery side and could have clung to the chicken a bit better

Tteokboki w/ ramen - was super good and tasted like the ones I've tried in Berkeley! Definitely recommend this dish for a big group of friends because there's a little of everything in it

Chicken fried rice - the omelette was literal perfection! The fried rice was also good as well and a little on the wetter side if you like ur fried rice that way!

Seafood pancake - so crispy and delicious! It was packed with seafood and loved the dipping sauce. There also seemed to be some pasta in there which was new to me lol

It's a great place for friends and loved the atmosphere. Will definitely be bringing more friends here!

Really good late night food. My friend and I came back from a concert pretty late, and we were craving something! Additional precursor: prices are a tad steep, and their suggested tip starts at 20%. Don't let this scare you when you get there!

My friend ordered their garlic fried chicken and sweet potato fries, while I ordered their bulgogi kimbap and spicy pork kimbap. The kimbap was so delicious and hit the spot! The perfect blend of umami flavors along with the fresh and pickled vegetables. My friend said she'd had better Korean fried chicken, but it was quite tender and juicy. The breading was also very crispy and was hot hot hot! The garlic fried chicken came with a small portion of fries on top which came to a surprise to both of us. Had she known, she wouldn't have bought the sweet potato fries. However, the sweet potato fries were also delicious. We took everything we couldn't finish to go and paid. The entire process was great. The interior is very new and elevated, much more spacious than some of the other Korean late night spots nearby on the same street.

Corn cheese? Yes. Watermelon soju? Yes. Sparklers on top of the watermelon soju?? Heck yes!

I love Korean bars and Dae Bak is one of my favorites in Bay Area. There's just something about sharing delicious Korean pub food with a group and washing it all down with shots of soju. Dae Bak serves their watermelon soju inside a small melon and they light a cute sparkler on top of it! I personally prefer the pineapple soju (served in a pineapple of course) because the tartness really works well with the soju flavor.

As for food my table shared the japchae, kalbi, corn cheese, and seafood pancake. The japchae and seafood pancake were a bit too oily for me but otherwise all the dishes were delicious. I kept eyeing the beautiful korean fried chicken on the table next to us but unfortunately I was too full to order any more food!

I found that the alcohol in the drinks were a bit inconsistent. For instance our watermelon soju was VERY strong but our pineapple soju was on the lighter side. It might depend on which server is making your drinks. The service, by the way, is pretty good but you do have to press the button at the table if you want to get their attention. Dae Bak can get pretty busy.

The interior is small so I recommend making a reservation during peak Friday and Saturday nighttime hours.