Authentic Korean Street Food Experience: Itaewon Pocha

It’s always exciting when a restaurant offers a truly unique experience along with great food. At Itaewon Pocha in Spring Branch, we enjoyed delicious Korean street food while being immersed in the ambiance of an authentic Pocha, a collection of outdoor food and beverage stalls found across Korea!

Inside, the walls are decorated with small neon signs, posters of popular Korean musicians, and sections of shrubbery that really bring you into the outdoor Pocha environment.

Their menu showcases many dishes you would find at the carts within a pocha. On our recent visit, we tried some of their newer menu items and felt like we were right back in South Korea!

For some small bites, we had the Corn Cheese, Bulgogi Kimchi Cheese Fries, and So-Tteok (skewers with sausage and rice cakes). The fries were a perfect mix of rich steak, yummy cheese, and perfectly crisp fries, all tied together with a delightful tang from the Kimchi.

A few of their new specialties are the Bossam (pork belly with radish kimchi), Buldak Rabokki (rice cake stir fry), and Spicy Sea Snails with thin noodles. They’re all definitely worth trying, especially the snails if you’re an adventurous eater.

One of the stars of their menu is their KFC - Korean Fried Chicken! These crispy and well-seasoned wings were a personal favorite of ours. They come in four flavors: Original, Sweet & Spicy, Spicy Soy, and Honey Butter. We loved the Spicy Soy and Honey Butter, which together make a great sweet-heat combo!

Of course, you can’t go to a Korean restaurant without trying the Bulgogi Hot Pot!

To drink, they offer a wide variety of Soju which can be ordered by the glass, in cocktails, or even as a carafe! A unique liquor you can try from their menu is Makgeolli - a milky sparkling rice wine.

We loved our meal here and are sure you will love getting a little taste of Korea right here in Houston!

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