POCHA 1989 in North York

Had a great get together to celebrate a birthday. Food was incredible and loved the atmosphere! Definitely will come back multiple times. ODEN SOUP - so goooooood Staff was super friendly and service was amazing!

Very pretty restaurant /bar with a tropical themed interior. We got here at 6 and the resto was empty but it filled up the later it got. We ordered oden soup, soy boneless chicken and kimchi jiggae with instant noodles and cheese. Also had a couple drinks. The food was extremelyyy salty n had a lot of MSG. The food was pricey for being MSG + frozen ingredients. All three dishes were about $25-$30 each! Don t think I ll return because I don t think the food was worth it

Food is very good ,especially enjoyed with sojo

I tasted the worst seafood jjamppong soup ever.

Blown away Perfect service Food portion phenomenal Food : 5/5

I find the food really salty. Especially the oden soup and bulgogi. The sweet and sour chicken was ok. The background music was playing really loud. Does not recommend this place.

I went to Pocha 1989 last night with a friend. The server was friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was chilling. The smoothies that my friend and I ordered were great. My friends order of beef bulgogi was large and decent; however he was surprised that there werent any side dishes. My rice cake carbonara was also very large in size however I find it to be too salty

Very good place and their food is 10/10. Huge portions in a very affordable price.

food price is decent. A nice and cozy place to chill with friends or with your family over some soju. Must try the strawberry and pineapple smoothie made of makgeolli and soju, both taste good but the strawberry taste better.

Good atmosphere. Good amount of food

The food was enjoyable, and we had a great time until we were asked to leave due to a 2-hour cap. Surprisingly, there was an 18% gratuity charge on the bill, which was unexpected. We would have gladly tipped the staff if our Friday night hadnt been ruined. We intent to order more beer and food, 6 guys with almost 5 bills, and still get treat badly. So disappointed!

THEY KICKED US OUT AFTER 2 HOURS WITHOUT TELLING US IN ADVANCE. We were not even informed about the time limit. And automatically charged 18% on the bill. Since when 18% tips are mandatory? And especially with that type of customer service? Even though let say there were 2 hr limited, no one came to tell us about any last call. They ruined hour friday night and ripped off. Dont ever think that because you have customers come to you so you can treat them like trash. NEVER EVER COME BACK!!!!!!

We had a group of 7 gathering on Friday night for good food , good drink after a long week. We ordered many food, drinks and we were having so much fun until the waitress showed up with the bill. We thought she was coming for last call so we were ready to order more, BUT NO, they gave us the bill and LITERALLY KICKED US OUT. The reasons were they need more seats even there were many empty tables around and customers only allowed to sit maximum 2 hours???! The bill automatically charged with 18% tip (~$80 per person), we did not want to tip that much with that kind of services and they rolled their eyes. Like really? They deserve no tip Ruined our night. Ruined the fun. Never coming back and would not recommend. Ps: definitely we were not loud or bothered anyone. Ps 2: I had to edit this cause of your reply. We weren t told the limit 2 hours time. If there was, we could ve left before getting the table because we always sit for hours enjoying food, drink and laughter. What was the point to explain when the staff was giving the bill and asking us to leave? Again, there were plenty empty tables around! Unpleasant experience, bad attitude, disappointing reply.

Im satisfied with the good taste and service!! come try it out!!!

The best kimchi stew in Toronto!!!.

food is ok but service is extremely poor. No napkins no service, waitress left the table without letting us finish ordering food . waitresses and waiter just chat with each other all the time.

One of the best Korean bar/restaurant Ive been to. The food is amazing, the beer is cold, the staff is great, and the atmosphere is incredible! Highly recommended. I need to go back to try the other dishes the photo is for the fried tteobokki... Almonds on top, delicious

this place is mad cute love the interior design! the food was also delicious and the portions were pretty big. we ordered the jigae and boneless soy chicken and that was good for like 3-4 people! the servers were really sweet and accomodating! would def recommend this place !

1 out of 10

Went to Pocha 1989 for the first time and it was so delicious! My friends and I tried the rose tteokbokki, bulgogi cheese fries, pork belly kimchi stew and the soy boneless fried chicken. Everything was flavourful and the portion sizes were quite large! Staff were also super friendly and answered all of our questions. Would definitely visit again!

The atmosphere is nice and the food is very delicious. I had pasta and soy sauce chicken and I recommend it!

I am really glad Pocha also opened up in North York! With this being said.. compared to their original location in Downtown, the rice cake was noticeably spicier.. I did not taste Rosé flavour as much even though we ordered Rosé rice cake. The flat glass noodles ( ) was undercooked as well in my opinion. If the Downtown one is .. here it tasted . (Felt slightly more chewy) Not sure if the original owner of downtown location also cooks here but hope it tastes more like the original one next time! I am looking forward to try out spicy cream udon next time which is another favourite dish of mine. But overall. I am happy they opened up their second location in North York!

Great service, food, and atmosphere for a night out with friends. The decor is Instagramable! Parking: Green P parking lot behind the restaurant + Green P street parking on the side.

Great spot for pocha (korean bar) experience! Good music & vibe. It was cool to see them playing Korean birthday music with request. Servers were attentive and quickly responded to requests. But be aware of long wait time (1hr or more) when you go around 7-8pm on weekends. *recommend oden/fish cake soup! *Budae Jjigae was a bit too salty but paired well with soju. *paid parking area behind the building

One star for the interior Second star for the alcohol

Bad food

All the tables get filled up as soon as it opens! Great place for food and drinks.

Amazing atmosphere for a group of friends, the Fried Chicken in Soy Sauce was amazing , there are so many delicious options for Tteok-bokki and the variety of Soju makes for the perfect night out!

Very cute spot for soju and army stew. Absolutely attentive staff. Definitely will be back.

The food and service was good however after I ate here I was sick for two full days. I even had to take off work. I was throwing up, nauseous, headache and non stop diarrhea. Im pretty sure either the sausage in the tteoboki was not cooked properly or the chicken. I liked the decor and such but Im scared to come back after my sickness. portions and price were good too. we had combo, with chicken and soju and two tteoboki dishes.

Very busy, usually a wait of 30-60 minutes during peak times

Solid place to visit with friends. Portions were huge especially with the tteokbokki. I wish they would refill the soup for the oden soup (80% fish cake, 10% fried bean curd, 10% soup). In all honestly the dish could do without the bean curds they weren t great. Make sure you look at the combos if you choose to get drinks since you can get a side of fries with the order.

Good atmosphere, chill place to hang out after hours.

Do not sleep on the rice balls tell me why the rice balls were SO good especially paired with soju!! Such a great vibe and place to drink late at night with a big group! (We had 10 people and it was super easy to accommodate!)

Chill atmosphere, and the food came in big portions! The highlight for me was the oden soup - lots of fish cakes in a light + spicy clear broth. Almond chicken was delicious. The only thing was that it was a bit on the pricier side, but all in all pretty worth it once in a while/for special occasions.

Iris is the best

the staff is very very rude not friendly and helpful at all. My friends and I are traumatized. Will not come back

Really enjoyed this place. The food was great and the vibe was cool. We got the cheesy bulgogi fries (so yummy!), the creamy teokbokki (good but a soup might have been nice with the rest of the food instead), amd the boneless chicken (really tasty). The portions were pretty big. My group of 3 didnt finish. We went on a Saturday evening so you can make reservation. When we joined the waitlist there were 9 groups ahead of us. We only waited 30 mins though. I think a lot of ppl left the waitlist. Lucky us!

We had arrived to a very busy restaurant and been told there was a 30 minute wait but it actually got cut short and had only been about 15 minutes when they called us to come back. We ordered: Budae Jigae Bulgogi Tteok Bokki Rice Balls (forgot what it was called) Ginger Ale Food was very delicious, but the real star was the service from one particular staff member who was incredibly sharp. There was a girl with a collarbone tattoo who was very friendly and super attentive. When we were packing up the leftovers that we couldn t finish, she saw us pouring sauce/stew into the container and ran over to help us grab it, take it to the kitchen to wrap it up so it wouldn t spill on the ride home. Felt like she just showed up out of nowhere. Always appreciate when someone sees something and thinks ahead without having to ask. It just seemed like she genuinely cared. Small gesture, but things like that seem to be more and more rare, in an ever growing city. Definitely impressed us and made the overall dining experience even better. That alone will make us come back. 5/5 Food 5/5 Service PS. I should mention the portion sizes were huge. Definitely why they were around $25 each. Probably meant for 2 people.

Amazing food and vibes on point. Authentic spot

Great comfort food with great portions interior is also super cute!!

The vibe is perfect. I tried their new dishes. It was pricey but it is worth it! The portion is so huge!

The decor and vibe is great for all occasions, whether you are on a date or hanging out with friends. The food is excellent, but the portion is massive so it is meant to be shared. The service is a bit lacking because we waited a long time every time we needed something.

Follow my Tiktok or Youtube channel for full video food reviews update weekly: Tiktok: _kristalsiu_ Youtube: Kristal-Siu Facebook Page: Sius Corner Cons: they dont take reservations, so the waiting time was usually 45 minutes to an hour, based on your party size I have tried Pocha 1989 before. Im so excited to know when they open the new location. This new location was decorated nicely and impressive compared to the one downtown. Spicy, creamy udon: - highly recommended; this is one of their signature dish and our go-to dishes every time we come here.

If you like Korean food, this place is for you. The portions are huge and the food tasteful. The place is a little bit noisy.

Love this place. Ive been to Pocha 1989 a couple of times. Out of all the Korean bars uptown, this place has the best food. The interior is top-notch as well. Highly recommended.

Ordered their rose tteokbokki, soy sauce chicken and fries and they were all so delicious!!

A nice spot for late night eats. We got the braised spicy chicken which was very warm and comforting. Highly recommend getting additional sides. It s a bit loud and a good spot for drinks. This place has flavourful food however it is a bit pricer. Great location, right beside the subway and highway. This is a great spot for groups as it s very accessible. We went on a Monday and it was mildly busy so make sure to keep in mind the spot gets busy on other weeknights.

One of my friend visited on Friday night around 7 pm. Lot of people in there of course Friday night. Manager came to him and asked to get out due to very busy and lined up outside. He stayed only 30min. He was very embarrassed and take a look around all Korean inside except him. Manager told you dont need to pay and get out..Omg. He felt he was kicked out without no reason.. How they can kicked out customer even no reason????? Definitely no words to explain...What a shame Korean restaurant.

I am only taking one star off because the prices are more expensive than other Korean restaurants in the area for the same items. Otherwise, it is a wonderful experience.

Very fast and friendly service, food was great. Ordered the budae jjigae (army stew) and Pocha udon (both pictured)

got soy garlic boneless chicken & kimchi jjigae with pork belly < was so good!!! customer service amazing too and very friendly

Vibe and interior design are unique and shine.

One of the best Korean restaurants Ive tried recently. Food portions were great and everything tasted delicious. Service was attentive and kind. My only gripe was the music was really loud so my friend and I had to yell to talk to each other, and even then it was hard to hear (although I sat near the window where the speakers were so it might have been better if I was seated farther from it?) Otherwise, the interior decoration is really pretty too.

Extremely mid Neat decor and lighting but everything else (food, quality/price ratio, portion size, service) was honestly really mediocre. Food : 2/5

The budae jjigae was a bit salty but it does come with a good amount of meats esp for the price. But absolutely fell in love with the rose tteokbokki, definitely one of the best Ive had so far. Its super creamy and garlic-y and loved that it came with glass noodles. The vibes here was almost immaculate with the nice aesthetic and the new kpop songs playing in the background.

Good service and food. Will definitely be back

Perfect spot for a casual hangout over some drinks with a small group. Very similar energy as the downtown location. The Jinro soju pink frog is the cherry on top for the vibes.

First time visiting the Yonge location and let me just say, the interior was so pretty! There was ample space to walk and sit down, and the service here was quick and easy. We got our food really quickly and the portion size was great - with the food we got (spicy rose tteokbokki + jumeok-bap) was enough to share between the five of us. Overall, had an amazing time here, have no complaints at all!

Everything about Pocha 1989 is fantastic. Their staff, right from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out, are the sweetest people. The aesthetic and vibe they have going on in their North York location are absolutely incredible and would highly recommend a visit. We got the bulgogi fries, the soy garlic chicken, and the spicy creamy udon which were all hits. That spicy creamy udon dish is something out of this world - if youre getting 1 thing, let it be that.

The music is really loud (but it is a bar of some sort) the staff are super nice, quick and understanding they even moved us after we complained about the loud music - the food is pretty standard and indefinitely yummy.

Excited to try this new restaurant. It is definitely instagram worthy bar and restaurant, so good to come with friends or celebration. I visited on Sunday night, so it was quite busy but no waiting time. It is a bar, so expect the place to be loud. Food: lots of bar food and sharing items, but I have to say it is quite expensive for what it is. An army soup in a regular Korean restaurant could be $15 ish but here is $25+, though they do add more bacon and sausages. If you are not here to drink, the restaurant may not be as fun for you. I ordered the chicken feet as it was recommended by my friends, but I think it is slightly overpriced.

Search on Google for late night dinner, saw it was open till 2:30 then drive all the way from Markham, when we arrive, we were told the kitchen closed. Why dont u just change your working hours then........

Coming from New Jersey, we didnt quite know what to expect. We knew Cantonese offerings in Toronto were significantly better than back home, but weve never tried Korean in Canada. Jersey is home to many pochas that offer quite a good experience, so our bar was set quite high. Im happy to say that other than the soju costing significantly more than what we thought it should be, the food and the specialty drinks were excellent. I highly recommend this place and I can see my friends and I coming back in the future. If you dont live in the area, get the expensive shot, its a great shot to try once

Pochas serve up Korean street food and comfort food, often on the street under tents. After a viewing of the Barbie movie, my friends and I made our way to Pocha 1989 for dinner at their North York location. What we got: - Kimchi Fried Rice - Budaejigae (Army Stew) - Spicy Creamy Udon Final Thoughts: The space was such a vibe and we left full. The portion sizes were good and the staff were nice. We were seated towards the front of the restaurant where the speakers are so it was a bit loud. The creamy udon is always a favourite of mine. The budaejigae was also quite good, but could have used more soup to mix in with your rice as the noodles soaked up alot of the broth.

Pocha1989 - Korean Bar Restaurant The atmosphere of the restaurant is very comforting. Bulgogi Cheese Fries - 7/10 Really Good! Crispy Fries, generous Bulgogi portions. Spicy Creamy Udon - 5/10 Okay. Great creamy texture, medium spice levels, low meat portions. Korean Garlic Soy Sauce Chicken - 5/10 Okay. Over fried, nice sauce, very tender Chicken. Overall - 6/10

Overall vibe and atmosphere of restaurant was amazing and the service was good put the food was a little salty and the bit pricey for the portions.

Food was mediocre. Fried chicken was super overcooked. Definitely a place where being sober doesnt help the food quality. Drinking before is a plus and recommended. They do refill your water though.

When we come in, it takes us over 5min to get a sit, during this time they see us, and they just ignore us. After we get a sit, they keep ignore us, they don t give us menu, or QR code, we try many times to get there attention but nothing happened. Its worth noting that this didnt happen at a particularly busy time for them, as the seats werent even filled. We came here the day before when it was full and there was a line we left and returned the next day only to have this experience. It was awful.

Great place to get food and drinks. Food taste great, fairly priced drinks. You can get combos for a better deal too. Love the decor and atmosphere. Gets pretty crowded and loud with all the different groups getting drunk and talking. But very enjoyable place.

I ve been to this location and the downtown location on a few occasions. Always felt the food was decent but the service I received my most recent visit left me feeling like I might not return. The visit was a Thursday evening, with empty tables I asked to be seated for my party of 2 and was told that there was a waitlist and that my table would need at least 10-15 minutes. I assumed that the empty tables (at least 2 empty four-top tables) were reserved so I didn t question it at first. After a while the server told me that there s still no table and that s when I asked if the empty four-tops were reserved. I was then informed that they were in fact not reserved and they just leave them empty IN CASE a party of 3 or more enter. I would understand if this was a busier evening, but considering that it was relatively quiet and that there were at least two empty tables in plain sight, I had to vocalize that it seemed a little stupid that they re about to lose the business of two people who were ALREADY in the restaurant for the CHANCE that a party with one additional person shows up. It took that for the server to seat my party. Just overall a very foolish and unnecessary interaction lol. If you re looking for good vibes I d place my bets elsewhere, quite a buzzkill if they continue operating like this.

Foods are always amazing and sooooo pretty interior!! Servers are nice as well, I love their customer service my recent favorite place to go out to chill!!!

Fantastic!!! First time here, the atmosphere and service were great however the food was the best part of the night! The soju drink was fantastic! Tried it for first time and loved it. And their signature chicken in soy sauce was one of the BEST chicken i ever had! Overall loved this place and will return for sure!

Overpriced .... small portion ... Its okay ... wouldnt go back... Food was okay ... not the best Food : 3/5

Awesome food with decent portion. The atmosphere is perfect for drinking and snacking. The servers were not attentive though.

Really cozy place with a nice aesthetic. Food was delicious! Portions are big and good for sharing.

Went there with 6 friends around 11PM for drinks and snacks last night. Food was ok but service was pretty disappointing. They charged mandatory 20% tip on top of the total bill, but did not provide any quality services. We literally had to walk around to find the servers and get their attention to order food and drinks, as all the servers seemed busy cleaning up to close the store. Also they didn t even tell us that the tip was included in the bill so we ended up tipping on top of that. So be careful when going in a group of 4+ and make sure you ask for the receipt to double check the amount.

They are all pretty good, suitable for checking in. Parking: Limited street parking

A bit too loud like a bar but food & atmosphere was good.

We had an absolutely horrible experience at this restaurant tonight, and it completely ruined my friends birthday. The staffs behavior was beyond unacceptable yelling, harassing, and swearing at us in Korean. When we politely asked the waitress to clean the table for the cake, she shockingly brought the cake out in its original box and plastic bag, completely ruining the surprise. When we mentioned our expectation of a lit candle, two staff members rolled their eyes at us. That s NOT ALL!! we discovered an 18% service fee on the bill. When we questioned this fixed tip, the waitress insisted it was their policy and even claimed it was mandated by law. She not only refused to adjust the percentage but also rolled her eyes again while apologizing for the awful night. Be cautious of this toxic restaurant and spare yourself the disgusting experience like we had. Its disheartening when a place meant for celebration turns into a nightmare.

Horrible experience!!! Definitely my first and last visit to this place. The staff was incredibly rude, yelling, and swearing at us. We were trying to have a good time celebrating my birthday, but the staff there completely ruined it! When we asked for the table to be cleaned for the cake, they brought it out in the original box with no candle! Plus, they added an 18% service fee to the bill and insisted it was mandatory BY LAW! This is not some service deserve an 18% tips LOL Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this place for any kind of celebration. Its a nightmare, not a party spot.

Awful night at a restaurant for a friends birthday. Staff yelled, harassed, swore, ruined the cake surprise, eye-rolled at candle request, and forced an 18% service fee, claiming its the law. Plus, no line, but asked to leave due to a 2-hour dining limit. Beware of this toxic place!

I had an unpleasant experience at Pocha 1989 that I feel compelled to share. The service was marred by unfriendly waitstaff, and during our friends birthday celebration, a waitress ruined the surprise by bringing out the cake in its box. Additionally, the establishment enforced a mandatory 18% service charge, coupled with eye-rolling when we questioned it. Overall, a disappointing visit that left us frustrated.

Extremely bad experience!! Those Korean server scroll her eye to use when we had confusion about the tips!!

This is my first time to go to Pocha1989 which is very popular recently! The service attitude is also very good, and the food is very delicious! No wonder it s so popular! Those who want to try it out should hurry up!

Its very comfortable to come here for a drink or two.

I visited this place last week and the food was sooooo good, the servers were super friendly and the atmosphere was very cute and pretty! This place is a perfect place to spend your time with your friends! I will definitely come back again and try other foods Its so delicious and the servers are pretty and kind Next time Ill come for the kimchi stew.

This is my go-to place for night out ! I went to several bars in the area, and Pocha1989 is another level. The interior, atmosphere, and foods are really x10000 good. I always forgot to take a pic when i come here (yea it s that good lol) Service was really great and they re very attentive. I requested a song to play and the server was gladly played it for me. Overall, food 5/5, Service 5/5, Atmosphere 5/5. Highly recommend !!

Its a lovely place that I visit every week. I was surprised by the generous portion sizes of the food! The interior is also really stylish.

The atmosphere is great for drinking~!~!! I really miss the taste of Korea...,, food... The servers were also very friendly.

Why do you give guests hot water from the tap water pipe? Do you have common sense?

It is a cozy Corean place. The food was good so was the service. It definitely a spot I will return to.

Yummy Yummy!! Nice service and nice vibe!