Kong (Pocha) - Baltimore, Maryland

MAX WOJCIK

One of the best Koren restaurants I've been to in a while. Really hip and unique atmosphere. Good music playing, and not too loud. Fried chicken- 5 stars perfect crisp level. All the pancake options are good. Only critique were the French fries, they were average on a plate with some of the best fried chicken in the city. Gotta up the French fry game.

Portions are extra large, I recommend split plate a main with one appetizer if you are a party of 2.

Tanay Nayak

If you’re in Baltimore and craving authentic Korean food, this hidden gem is a must-visit. From the outside, it’s unassuming—just a small entrance you could easily walk past—but step inside, and it’s a whole new vibe. The place is dimly lit, with soft, cozy lighting, and the music transports you straight to Korea. It feels intimate and seriously cool.

Before your meal, they bring out this amazing tray of small bites—kimchi, radish, tofu, and beans—that are packed with flavor and perfect to nibble on while you wait. And let me tell you, the food is next-level. I had the fried chicken, and it was mind-blowingly good, honestly better than any fried chicken I’ve had in American restaurants. Crispy, juicy, and seasoned to perfection—it set a new standard. If you’re looking for a spot with great vibes and unforgettable food, this place hits all the marks.

Mahban

I like this place although it's not located in a safe neighborhood. I always get fried chicken and bulgogi. The last time that we visited they took so long to take our orders but the food was worth waiting :)) I think they can improve their service!
I also like the atmosphere. It is unique.
I recommend this place if you like Korean food!

Ahra Jung

Stopped by this past Wednesday night and my goodness have things changed! So good that the place stayed packed ALL night!! They even utilized the front and back private room for more seating.

I was there with a group of 6 for about 6-7 hours catching up with some friends.

For starters, the food tasted sooooo good! Best that I've ever tasted and I've been going here for a while !! The fish cake soup was so flavorful and had a nice kick of spice with the addition of the jalapeno peppers. The chicken was crunchy and stayed crunchy and the sauce was a nice balance of sweet and spicy. The tteokbokki was also well balanced and it was a generous portion!

Since we were there for so long and kept ordering drinks they gave us some free items like the corn cheese which was so creamy. The fries were very crunchy, not soggy at all and the sweet chili sauce was a nice compliment.

The servers kept checking in on us and did their best while they were also managing 8-10 other tables!

I am so glad to see the changes and I hope it stays this way!

Jimmy Bonner

Possibly my favorite place, not just restaurant, in Baltimore. The moment I walk in Kong I feel comforted and relaxed. The food is always great and staff is super friendly. It’s always such an upbeat, chill vibe whenever I’m in there. Can’t wait to visit again.

matsui julia

Wanted get some food before heading home for the night. Was craving some dumplings def hit the spot with the soup

lol although would say they added a lot of onions and put duk bok gi rice cakes which I found interesting was expecting the more flat soup rice cakes to be in the soup like it usually is

But other than that food was great and the place was so cutely decorated

Juhi Pac

A true authentic Korean gem in Baltimore!! It is like a time capsule of the 90s Korean pojangmacha late night experience, down to the decor and style of the menu. The atmosphere is amazing with amazing food to match. The area is not canton safe but is absolutely worth the visit. Am looking forward to returning to try the karaoke for another fun night out. A must try in Baltimore and for any Korean food enthusiasts!

Ken L

Firstly, the fried chicken was very good. Flavorful and crispy. Unfortunately, it was the only positive part of the experience.

From walking in, the atmosphere feels like the owner wanted a restaurant and bought a rundown one with absolutely no idea where to begin with renovations. Randomly placed posters all over. The bar near the main entrance is currently used for storage, and the host is located about halfway through the next room. In other words, you can’t actually see where you’re supposed to go from the entrance. The floors are uneven with peeling finish. Every surface (the floor exempt) looks like it was painted by an amateur. There’s probably more to be said about this, but I’ll leave it at that. If that is the intended aesthetic, awesome, but it isn’t for me.

The service was OK. To be fair, they were busy. Waitress came within moments of us pressing the call button. She forgot my drink, but so did I. I didn’t think to see if we were billed for it until well after we made it home.

The Kongbination came out remarkably quick. Like, within minutes. A large plate to assemble and serve so quickly. Unfortunately, however, I had to wait roughly 15 minutes after my girlfriend received her food for my chicken. I thought it was strange we weren’t served at the same time.

It was pretty pricey for what was overall an unpleasant experience. We paid over $80 for an appetizer, two entrees, and one drink.

Side note, yeah not in a great part of Baltimore.