Pocha 32

“One of my favorite places in New York City and Korea Town as well! Amazing food and drinks. Watermelon Soju is a must get!”

“Ambiance (5/5): Located on the second floor, the restaurant has soju caps hanging from the ceiling and lights strung up to provide a cozy but also fun atmosphere. The music was a little too loud for my taste but I could see being fun. Expect only seating hanging as there is no place to stand to drink/hang out. We were seated immediately for our reservation slot (there was also plenty of tables available at 6p on a weekday) Service (5/5): We were helped immediately and serviced throughout our dining experience! Pineapple cocktail (4/5): The pineapple comes pre-scooped and we even got an extra serving on the side! My only qualm is that the inside left a 1-inch perimeter of pineapple wasted. The cocktail is also served in bowls which was weird to me, definitely would prefer a cup over a bowl. The serving size was approximately 4 small bowls. Cantaloupe cocktail (4/5): This was sizable and comes with a popsicle stick. When melted, the sugar/taste of the popsicle will command the taste of the remainder of the bowl (became too sweet for us towards the end!) Dumplings (5/5): I thought that the fried outside was perfect. The inside was seasoned well! Stir-fried Spicy Pork (5/5): Super flavorful, tender cuts of meat, and great portion. Not too spicy for those that can’t handle heat. May be a smidge on the salty side. Looking over to my neighbors who ordered the grilled variety, I’m glad I went with the stir fry option because our dish looked more seasoned and ingredients were incorporated into the dish.”

“Fun place to drink in koreatown! We got the Watermelon soju and the melon soju. The watermelon soju was delicious! I do not like bottled fruit soju as they are too sweet for me but this fresh watermelon soju was very refreshing and not overly sweet! The melon soju was nice but I would recommend just getting the watermelon soju. The ddeokbbeoki was decent but very small for $20. Overall the service was good, they are very fast.”

“Unfortunately, this place feels very different now. It used to be such a cool spot to hang out after work or grab dinner, especially late at night when it was packed with energy and the food was great. This time, the experience was not the same. The atmosphere felt off and the food quality has definitely gone down compared to before. The only positive was that the service was still on point. It’s disappointing because this used to be one of my favorite late-night places.”

“After liquors, my friends suggested we grab some late-night food here. The overall taste was just average, and based on my friends' opinions, the quality seems inconsistent. BBQ Beef: The best dish! The beef was tender and juicy, with a delicious aroma of fat and rich meat juices. The seasoning was primarily sweet but not overpowering, enhancing the overall flavor. BBQ Chicken Feet: It was a bit spicy for me, a Cantonese, but still tasty. The chicken feet were so tender that the bones came off easily with just a bite. Japche / Beef: Disappointing. Generally, Japche, or in China, Chao He Cai炒合菜(Stir-fried mixed vegetables), shouldn't have much sauce, but this place had a thick layer of sauce. Besides being excessively salty and sweet, I couldn't taste any other flavors. The restaurant lighting was really dim; if you plan to take photos, remember to use extra lighting.”