Koja Kitchen Sacramento — Restaurant in Sacramento

I was really looking forward to try this Japanese Korean Fusion restaurant in Midtown sadly it was disappointing. First off I guess I'm just an old school restaurant person where I feel like if it's not busy in the establishment and there are people behind the counter then why do I have to order at a touch screen which I may or may not be able to navigate to order what I would like. It feels even more disconcerting when you're trying to get their touch screen ordering system to work and an employee walks over touches the screen and when you try to say hi to them they say hi but then walk away it didn't leave a very good impression. The menu is interesting they have a lot of choices they all sounded very amazing we decided on the original koja & a short rib bun "burger". The original KOJA is an interesting menu item it has rice cakes that are that have been crisped as a bun so it's very filling there's a lot of rice and it's served like a sandwich the flavor profile was good and the temperature was right however the short rib bun Burger came out lukewarm not even room temperature I really didn't feel like trying to get someone's attention when the ordering process had been not the greatest I forgot to mention that they also wanted you to put in a number for your order and there were no numbers so there's that. Back to the food the fries were definitely an end of the bag order IYKYK . They had a slight freezer burn taste to them and we're quite Hollow in the middle like there was no meat to the fries. My husband and I ended up sharing bites off of each sandwich it tasted okay but there was no reason to want to go back. you know nobody talked to us, or greeted us or it felt very automated almost like a computer, you just put your money in and the food shoots out at you and it's there's nobody to make it a personal experience. It's really unfortunate. The meat tasted good just half the meal wasn't to temp. So no matter how interesting their menu is half way warm food and no real customer service means we probably won't return to this...

I came here as a yelp Elite invited guest. The restaurant is right at the k Street light rail...so you will need to park a block away...which is not too far.

The entrance to the restaurant is through the black iron fence...there is no side entrance.

The staff is friendly and greeted me upon arrival. They were very busy...yeah for them.

There is inside and outdoor seating whichever you prefer.

I was able to try the Korean Buffalo wing...soy garlic wing...kamikaze fries...crispy chicken nuggets...and braised pork bowl.

The wings had great flavor...not as crispy as I like. The Korean Buffalo sauce definitely had heat with a little sweet...it was so good...I just wished they were more crispy...

The kamikaze fries...mmm. they start with a bed of crispy criss cross fries...then they are topped with minced Korean BBQ beef...oh my goodness the flavor was so good...COUPLED with kitchen red sauce..if you don't like spicy...ask them to hold the spice...Japanese mayo and green onions...these are very filling and delicious.

Crispy chicken nuggets...these are so good. I really liked the batter on them they were crispy and tender. These are brined in sake...and they put a drizzle of honey Sriracha sauce on them...I wished there was more sauce...it was that good...

The braised pork bowl...now this was my favorite...oh my goodness...the pork is braised in a miso coconut broth...then it's coupled with a garlic aioli...and other things...

The meat is kind of like a shredded meat with everything mixed in and served with white rice.

The food here is so delicious...

The also sell boba teas..lemonade and soda...beer ect.

If your downtown around 9th and k street...you should try...

I didn't know the kabob place next door wasn't open. The cuties at the nightclub on the second floor didn't seem to know what happened either. They offered Taco Bell as a recommendation but I was looking for something local. Koja was on my radar for a night place spot with decent food at a reasonable price. It was definitely that and they do offer some intriguing options. I went with the Korean beef waffle fries based on the recommendation from a friendly bartender, who awaited me. When I entered, I had to show ID and run it through a machine, I wasn't happy with that. Not sure why that was necessary. Inside in the basement is where the bathrooms were and I entered a black light tunnel, it felt like something else was going on here but I'll never know. We just wanted food and within minutes it came out, just in time for us to wash our hands, grab our food and sit down on the patio and enjoy the chaotic scene that was K Street. It was a Friday night and K Street was popping. We had a pint of Big Dog lager and the tap blew. It was the only local beer they had, they seem to have all the commercial light beer options such as Corona, pacifico, and madelo. It just seemed like there was a lot going on....