HOM Korean Kitchen

Firecracker pork 4.6 not very spicy
Bbq Chicken 3.9
Braised short ribs 3.7 sweet
Carrots 4.1
Mushrooms 3.8
Spinach 3.5
Zucchini 3.4
Potatoes 3.4
Green beans 3
Broccoli 3
Toasted rice 4
White Rice 3.9

Ive missed Korean food since moving from Chicago. Ordered the salad for my base. It’s a mixture of Napa cabbage, kale & broccoli slaw. Ordered braised short ribs for my protein. Along with this you select 3 banChan. I had bean sprouts, daikon (radish) and kimchi. Along with the red such they provide, I used their house made chili paste. Since I didn’t get the firecracker pork, I wanted to add something hot! Wow! The ribs were moist and delicious. The slaw had a nice crunch to it. The banChans were quite good. I personally could use more vinegar & hot on my banChans.
The place is small and you can eat on benches at the bar or at the long table in the middle. I chose the table. Other customers came and sat at the table but were far enough away, it didn’t feel crowded.
I will return to try their firecracker pork & their whole-​grain base.

Pros:
— flavorful marinated meat
— tons of variety in choices
— great value
Cons:
— cafeteria style seating
The customizable build-​your-​own style has finally hit Korean food as well. I’m probably one of the biggest skeptics of this kind of restaurant, but HOM blew me away. The meat is fresh and flavorful. Whenever they run low on meat, you see them grill it and cut it, which enhances the aroma in the restaurant that whets your appetite.
You get the choice of rice, protein, and 3 banchans, and you really can’t go wrong with any of the choices. The braised short ribs are heavenly. They’re rich in flavor and the sauce has a great sweetness that seeps and mixes with the rice to create a delicious mix that you just can’t get enough of. The Korean steak has great texture and flavor for bite-​size cubes of steak. Some pieces have a bit of gristle but still delicious. The banchans could be pickled a little more to add a touch more vinegary flavor, but that night just be a personal preference. They’re kept cool and they give you a decent amount of each one.
Bottom Line: Go to lunch spot and late night meals!

Came in for Togo on a Saturday evening.
Customer service here is awesome btw! It wasn’t too busy this night so we were able to take our time figuring out what we wanted.
Both the boyfriend and I got toasted rice w/​Korean steak but my veggies were broccoli, cucumbers & green beans whereas my boyfriend got broccoli, kimchi & carrots.
The overall flavor and texture of the steak is to die for, the green beans and cucumber have a slight kimchi flavor everything else is superb.
Overall thoughts; definitely coming back for more !

Delicious food, great for vegetarians too! I got the salad with tofu, broccoli, carrots and kimchi. Large portion, yummy taste!!!

Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, this place is phenomenal. The menu is simply organized. The cashier introduced this place as being similar to chipotle, but serving Korean food. The quality of the food was not like a fast food chain whatsoever. Step 1, pick a base. I was initially interested in the toasted rice, but they were out today. I ended up with the mixed grain rice (purple-​looking in color) that was tasty and certainly a healthy option. The second step was to choose a protein. I had the firecracker pork and it was the highlight of this entire place. The pork was well-​marinated & tender with the right amount of heat. I highly recommend trying the firecracker pork, especially for all you spicy lovers out there. Step 3, pick three veggies as the side. I had mushrooms, green beans, and broccoli. It was the perfect, balanced meal with carbs, protein, and veggies. They give very fair portions. I honestly could only finish half in one sitting, which means I’ll have leftover for lunch tomorrow. Yes!
The food is all packaged in togo boxes, which makes it convenient for take out. They have this red sauce on the counter — try it! It adds so much flavor to the meal, and runs on the spicy side. I love the seating arrangement of this place, especially the high stool seating area where I was able to simultaneously eat my meal and people watch the downtown scene. I will be returning in the near future for more.

Delicious and packed with flavor, these rice plates are unreal and such a good deal. This is legit.
I’ve gone here several times, trying different combinations of protein and «toppings» and my mouth always ends up achieving multiple orgasms. Panda Express is a festering tumor of Asian fast food compared to this humble little gem of a place.
The staff are always friendly and they have great taste in music (Sneaker Pimps just came on as I type this!) Looove this place!

First review of 2016!
MOVE OVER CHIPOTLE BECAUSE HOM KOREAN KITCHEN HAS TAKEN OVER.
(Ok, I don’t mean to compare Chipotle and HOM Korean Kitchen but this place certainly reminded me of Chipotle… :D)
I’ve been here with the bf twice already and both times left my tummy very, very satisfied. How does it work? Get in line to pick your base (white rice as default, mixed grains rice, toasted rice and salad), protein (organic tofu, BBQ Chicken, firecracker pork, braised short ribs, Korean steak and veggies only) and you get to pick 3 ban chan of your choice (kimchi bean sprouts, kimchi, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, green beans, radish, spinach and zucchini).
I had the Korean steak with mixed grains rice and kimchi, carrots and cucumbers. Meat was juicy and tasty and I also loved the kimchi and cucumbers… the carrots were just okay but other than that I was impressed with the flavor. The bf had the firecracker pork with mixed grains rice, broccoli and zucchini. He liked everything except the broccoli. Also, our second time coming here, I had the braised short ribs with mixed grains rice, kimchi, cucumbers and potatoes. What did I not like? The potatoes. I thought it was one of those cut up, pickled potatoes like Korean restaurants give you as a mini appetizer but this one was… shredded form. Just look at the picture. Lol. Other than that, everything was delicious. I do prefer the Korean steak more than the braised short ribs though. Oh, the bf took his bff here while in town form Seattle and he loved this place too.
I tried their homemade ginger ale — it comes in a container from which they fill about ½ of your cup. You are supposed to go to the fountain machine and fill the remaining with carbonated water and ice. It ain’t your Canada Dry Ginger Ale drink. Try it!
The staff are friendly. Both times we came to eat here it was empty or had one person eating. They aren’t stingy with their portions especially with the meat which I really like. I love me some delicious mmmmmmmeat in my mouth.
Overall, I (or we) love coming here for a quick lunch. It’s filling, satisfying and will definitely keep coming back.

3.5 stars
I work nearby and my coworkers told me this place was decent. It’s like a Korean chipotle style joint where you choose the protein, base, and toppings. I had the BBQ chicken with salad. I also had a cup of the beef bone soup, which was a bit salty, but was flavorful and had pieces of beef and rice. The price and amount of food was decent, but I have an issue with the customer service provided.
There were a number of employees that were new and still in training, but the more experienced workers should not be telling the newbies what to do with all the extra rice or ingredients out loud within earshot of the customers. IMO these are things that should’ve been sorted before opening. Do you really want everyone in the store to hear what you do with leftover rice and ingredients? Also, the newbie didn’t charge me for the soup and I pointed it out. I’m not saying I should have the soup for free, but all I got was «thanks for being honest, your total is this_​_​_​ (for just the soup)», which to me sounded a bit too money hungry. They should be glad I actually stuck around waiting to tell them I didn’t pay for the soup instead of being so quick to demand payment right afterwards.

This place is solid!
My friend Byron was talking about it one night, telling us how he got super hungry but couldn’t find a place open at midnight that had real food. Then he stumbled upon HOM and ordered delivery… He loved it, and said it was reasonable price-​wise, so I checked it out here on Unilocal to see what the hype was.
First of all, I’m a vegetarian, so I wasn’t expecting to be able to eat much at a Korean BBQ in terms of protein, but HOM actually had Hodo Soy Co.‘s Organic tofu! I was STOKED! Cheapest protein there, too, which was pretty sweet. I knew I had to go.
We ended up going and actually eating there so we could get the full experience– and it was great! I can see how it could get crowded, though, because it’s a SUPER tiny venue and there just aren’t a lot of places to sit.
The food itself was dank (that means «super yummy and awesome» for those of you who aren’t down with post-​grunge and millennial lingo), and it was a fair deal for the price! My tofu had a nice, mild flavor, and the green kale, broccoli, cabbage slaw I got it on was crisp and fresh, which made for a nice texture and temperature contrast! I got zucchini (nicely seasoned/​marinated), mushrooms (real Asian mushrooms! Reminded me of doong goo), and broccoli (which was possibly the best part because it was so tender and had a fantastic flavor– I just wish they’d given me a little more of it!
I was totally satisfied and will definitely be back. Very simple, really wholesome, and affordable!

Finally got to try this place! Woohoo!
Came here for lunch on a Sunday… PACKED. It was so busy! A lot of options to choose from! First you choose your base: white rice, mixed grain (+.75), toasted rice (+1.25), or salad (+1.25). From then on, you choose your protein: tofu ($ 6.75), BBQ chicken ($ 7.25), firecracker pork ($ 7.50), braised short ribs ($ 8.50), Korean steak ($ 9.25) or veggies ($ 6.50). And lastly, you choose 3 banchan sides ! (kimchi, spinach, zucchini, mushroom, carrots, potatoes, string beans, cucumbers, bell sprouts, broccoli)
I decided to go with the firecracker pork (spicy) with mixed grain rice (+75c) with kimchi, spinach, and string beans for the banchan. I love purple rice… I also got to try the braised short rib !
Superrr flavorful! The meats are cooked in front of you and definitely made to order. I think I prefer the braised short rib over the firecracker pork. Both are good! If you want a kick in your food, get the firecracker pork. The meats are marinated so well! All in all, definitely satisfying :)
Yummyyy! I will definitely be coming back :)

I always love finding new restaurants opening in the Downtown SJ area because that means I can try something new for lunch whenever I am on campus! This is one of my favorite new opening restaurants in town. It’s basically a Korean styled Chipotle. It’s a bit on the pricier side, but I do understand that it probably takes a lot to keep a local business running, especially when you’re in Downtown SJ. It’s also because their ingredients are fresh and definitely healthier than most places. I don’t mind paying a little extra for something more healthier once in a while.
At HOM, you get to choose what you want in your meal so this is basically why they are known as the Korean Chipotle. You first pick a base (rice, salad), a protein (meat marinated in different sauces), and three banchan (side dishes you typically get at Korean restaurants). For me, I usually get rice and the firecracker pork with cucumbers, bean sprouts, and radish. The meat is cooked to order for the most part so you get it when it’s hot! For the portion and quality, the meal comes out to around $ 9, which isn’t that bad considering the great ingredients they use.
I always enjoy my meal here. The firecracker pork is delicious. It’s not too spicy and I definitely enjoy the little kick to it in my meal. The banchan are fresh and works nicely into your meal. For $ 9, I am definitely stuffed every time!
Overall, I love coming here for a lunch to-​go. It’s filling and very satisfying. I’ve been here a few times and I am definitely coming back for sure.

I blame Alex L.
Pronounced like «home».
I love that the items offered here are all house-​made and that they used GMO-​free ingredients. When I was a kid, my mom would put MSG in everything and I believe she still does up to this day but I never did and never will. My eyes lit up when I saw that they do not use MSG.
Eating healthy and clean is different than being on a diet. On a diet, you aim to reduce your caloric intake but when you eat healthy and clean, consuming (and buying) local and fresh ingredients is THE key.
This is a great place for some inexpensive, fairly quick, healthy, and delicious. The menu is customizable for the most part and everything is under $ 10.
Pick a base.
Pick a protein.
Pick 3 banchan.
I picked white rice w/​firecracker pork along w/​spinach, bean sprouts, and mushrooms. I ordered that so Gavin can share some w/​me but little did I know, the firecracker pork was a bit too much for him to handle. Thankfully, I ordered the soup for him as well only because it was chilly out.
I did not care for the soup. ’twas incredibly bland.
My entrée was great. The rice was fluffy, the pork had a kick to it and very flavorful, the bean sprouts were sautéed w/​green onions and chili flakes but the one thing that needed to be seasoned was the mushrooms. I tasted nothing after every bite of it.
Friendly service. Clean place.
I kind of want to go right now if I could.

Went here the other night and it wasn’t busy @ all. We even found a parking spot right outside the shop lol. The older asian man took our meat orders and what we wanted as our three sides. He was nice and chill, but hard working. He cooked my meat to where it was cooked, but not over doing it where it was burnt. Still soft. He didn’t greet us, but he made up for it with the meat. He told us and showed us where the sauce, napkins, chopsticks, and even water cups were incase we were thirsty. He was a nice guy. He didn’t smile, but very nice.
The person who put our food together was a younger guy. He was nice, but I felt like he could have gave me more. The portion sizes of my three sides (BanChan) seemed skimpy compared to my boyfriends. Just because I’m a girl, doesn’t mean I can’t eat or don’t want the same portion size as a guy. I’ll just save it for the next day lol.
I got the BBQ Chicken, $ 7.25, on top of the toasted rice, extra $ 1.25, which is fried rice. Along with broccoli, cucumbers and vegan kimchi. I wanted more cucumbers and kimchi! It had a kick of spice, but it was good. But I didn’t a lot so I ran out of sides way before I was done eating. the chicken, I didn’t taste much BBQ in it, but it was cooked nicely. Still soft. My boyfriend got the Braised Short Ribs, $ 8.50. He wasn’t expecting the way it was. He thought it was the meat with the bone in it. He said it was okay.
Now, the location of the menu is in a bad spot. You have to tilt your head back to read it and it hurts your neck; or stand far back. Thankfully there’s menus by the register that you could look @ rather than killing your neck. Sadly I didn’t see them till I was paying so my neck wasn’t too happy with me.
They also make ginger ale which I want to try next time. Overall this place is good. Small place, so I would suggest take out. This place is still new, so I would say give them some time, but I think they will be getting the business they deserve soon. It’s a nice quick fix if you’re craving Korean food. Plus it’s all natural, gluten free, no MSG, made fresh too. Totally coming back!

HOM Korean Kitchen is an awesome option if you want some quick (and delicious) Korean food! Prices are very reasonable and this place is open late.
Set up like a fast food joint, you get in line to pick your base, protein & 3 ban chan choices. Bases include white rice (default), mixed grains rice (+$ 0.75), toasted rice (+$ 1.25) & salad (+$ 1.25). Protein options are organic tofu ($ 6.75), bbq chicken ($ 7.25), firecracker pork ($ 7.50), braised short ribs ($ 8.50), Korean steak ($ 9.25) & veggies only ($ 6.50). Their protein is made when you order so it may take some time. The ban chan options include kimchi bean sprouts, kimchi, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, green beans, radish, spinach & zucchini. Beef bone soup (cup $ 3.50/bowl $ 4.50) is also available.
I had the firecracker pork w/​white rice & kimchi, green beans & radish. I was soooo impressed with everything I tasted! Sure there were a few fatty pieces of pork but better quality than some other places I’ve been too. My bf had the braised short ribs & it was amazing! I would probably do half & half next time because both were really good. There is also some spicy chili sauce but the food was already so flavorful that I didn’t need any (though the sauce was tasty as well). I also ordered their homemade ginger ale ($ 2.95). They fill the cup about half way with a fresh ginger base & you fill the rest with ice & soda water. There’s also some simple sugar on the counter so you can make it sweeter since it is pretty tart.
Overall I highly recommend this place but be warned that seating is limited!

Nestled right by Dive Bar in DTSJ, you’ll find this new Korean gem. We came by to try out this new place at the suggestion of the my wonderful gf along with the Southbay Slumdogs because we wanted to dine at a place close by and didn’t want to endure any weekend long lines for dinner. Voila! Welcome Hom homey!
We got here and the place was pretty much deserted. You start with a base (rice or greens), choose your meat (I chose braised shortrib), and 3 banchan to add to your plate. I ordered a fountain drink so I could try out their ice teas while the bae ordered their homemade ginger ale. It comes in a container from which they fill about ½ of your cup. You are supposed to go to the fountain machine and fill the remaining with carbonated water and ice. It’s a must try! Ginger ale like this don’t come in green cans.
Food came out lickity split and OMG the braised shortrib meat was SO delicious! It had the tenderness of the rib meat without having to gnaw on the bone to get it. I also got to try out the gf’s firecracker pork and that was equally as delicious!
I turn around and the line is now getting long. Thank goodness we scored a place to eat because space is limited here. I loved everything I tried except their ice tea. It tasted like it was infused with tree bark from some enchanted forest in North Korea. Luckily I was able to cleanse my palate with Cherry Coke.

Don’t have time to spend 1 – 2 hours waiting for an all you can eat Korean buffet, then come to HOM Korean Kitchen in downtown San Jose to get your Gangnam style Korean fix!
This is the new hot spot for quick and great tasting Korean food. This place is setup like Chipotle where you pick your base and then meat and then veggies, let’s breakdown the process:
Pick your base:
* White Rice
* Mixed Grain Rice
* Toasted Rice
* Salad
Add your meat/​protein:
* Organic Tofu
* BBQ Chicken
* Firecracker Pork
* Braised Short Ribs
* Korean Steak
* Veggies Only
Add Veggies (BanChan):
* Bean Sprouts
* Broccoli
* Carrots
* Cucumbers
* Green Beans
* Kimchi
* Mushrooms
* Potato
* Radish
* Spinach
* Zucchini
Now prices vary depending on what you pick, like no way the Tofu is going to be the same price as the Korean steak. The prices for the base/​protein/​veggies are listed on the big menu when you walk in and order. Let me tell you the Korean steak taste amazing, the quality is comparable to you the AYCE place like Gen House and Palace BBQ; and the best part is you don’t have to cook it yourself!?! Dining here for 2 – 4 people is ok but not recommended for large crowds. I would call this the best Korean fast food place in the bay area as they are quick and the food does not disappoint!!!

Hom is a great place to grab a quick, delicious, healthy bite to eat. It’s similar to chipotle where you pick your rice, protein and veggies (3). I got their braised short rib which wasn’t really what I was expecting because it was more like shredded beef stew with the marinated galbi sauce. It was still good although next time, the steak is what I will go for. Get the toasted rice, it’s delicious! Kinda gets stuck in your teeth a bit but it’s yummy. Price isn’t too bad, toasted rice was an extra $ 1.25. Don’t forget to put their hot sauce over it!
Service was good. Overall very filling. I left with a happy belly :). Wish there was one in Campbell!

When will they stop?! Actually, scratch that — I love places like this.
HOM Korean Kitchen is yet another incarnation of the ever-​popular «build-​your-​own-​X» type of casual eatery, but this time specializing in, you guessed it, Korean food! And as both a lover of Korean-​shortribs/​spicy pork and Chipotle-​everything, I just had to check it out. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.
If you’ve been to Asian Box in Mountain View/​Palo Alto, it’s basically the same deal: pick a base (I chose the mixed grains), protein (firecracker pork), and three sides (bean sprouts, kimchi, and cucumbers). Honestly, they’re not terribly descriptive about the vegetables (what, is everyone supposed to know how those ingredients are prepared in traditional banchan?), but they all mix pretty well with the seasoning they serve with protein, if that helps. No wrong answers here, just pick whatever you think you’d like.
The pork was very well seasoned, to the point where I wished they drizzled a little more sauce on, the pickled vegetables were exactly as you’d expect from a sit-​down Korean place, and the mixed-​grain rice, while a little overwhelming (SO MANY CARBS), offered just enough texture to keep things interesting. Their portions are pretty respectable too, if only because they give you quite a bit of rice — again, some extra sauce would have been handy here, but I don’t think there will be too many tears shed over a couple spoons of rice.
Overall, a solid addition to Downtown San Jose, if a little far from the business «core» where I live :(. Still, given how close it is to Dive Bar, it seems like an awesome start or stop on my next DTSJ bar crawl. Will definitely be back.
—
sweet: tasty, inexpensive eats served on a mountain of carbs (if that’s your thing)
bitter: could use some sauce, maybe add vermicelli/​shirataki noodles as a «base» option?

I came in here after reading the Unilocal reviews. The restaurant was pretty nice, I really like how it was set up and decorated. There was a big community table in the center of the place and it was very clean.
Ordering was very simple: you order a base, protein, and three banchans (sides). I ordered the salad with Korean steak, kimchi, spicy bean sprouts, and spinach. The Korean steak was good and I liked that they made it on the spot and it wasn’t pre-​cooked. The banchans were okay. I guess I’m just a little picky with my banchans, because I’m Korean. The salad came with a vinaigrette, but there’s also the option of the HOM sauce (it was like gochujang). I also ordered the oxtail soup. It came with daikon, onion, meat, potatoes, and rice. The soup was tasty and a pretty good take on gori gomtang.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience. The guys working there were friendly and funny. The food was good, but it’s more Korean/​Asian fusion than Korean!