FuseBox

Delicious from start to finish .We went here for happy hour. We had beef and pork belly bap and 2 orders of the marinade cream cheese w/​a mushroom gastric, finishing with their KFC. (a must) Everything was outstanding. We had good service even though the waitress was all by herself. This place is pretty small but worth the visit. It will defiantly be on the repeat list.

I have been here several times now and each time I was wowed by the food and the service. I’m sincerely baffled by the Unilocalers on here who complain about the prices. Where do they typically dine? We were four last night and we opted for the Omakaze menu. There is a $ 40/​person minimum and we opted for $ 50/​person. Wow — it was a lot of food. I’m probably forgetting a few dishes but here is what I remember. Skewers: Bacon wrapped mushroom (forget the type), oyster mushroom, zucchini, brussel sprouts and Pork Jowl. The Korean Fried Chicken, Clams in broth, Grilled beef with Crispy carrots. Steamed Pork Buns. Duck Proscuitto crostini. Housed smoked salmon on pumpernickel waffle. Chicken and Kabota squash stew. Monkfish and clam stew. House made tofu, bone marrow, and kimchi. Then persimmon pudding for dessert.
Its hard to pick a favorite — but for me the KFC is a must. The tofu was outstanding. The special house smoked salmon over a pumpernickel waffle was super tasty and so unique. I could go on and on. Everything was so high quality. There is zero chance to eat more reasonable with this kind of quality and inventiveness in the Bay Area. My least favorite thing was the bone marrow. It was well done — just not my thing.
Finally, the service was top notch. Our table was not quite ready when we arrived so they set us up by the fire pit. Only had to wait 15 minutes. Server was very helpful. The runners and table clearers were super nice and helpful. And did and outstanding job of fitting the numerous plates down on our table. Thanks for another great dining experience.

a bit over priced, but some delicious options. Wings were out of sight, but skewered veggies were lacking pizzaz.

We split 2 main dishes — the beef and the chicken stew (can’t remember the actual NAME of anything and don’t see menu online) — and they were DELICIOUS. SO delicious we practically licked the bowl. I can’t remember EVER eating an interesting ‘chicken’ stew — sounds so boring, but NOT BORING at all. Also shared 5 or 6 skewers, bite size and pretty ho hum with the exception of the eggplant which was slightly better but nothing to write home about.
Service was good, vibe is very hipster Oakland. They would get more stars if they put more food on the plate! Portions are TOO SMALL.
Will be back eventually, but will skip the skimpy appetizers and go straight for the main course. VERY VERY TASTY! YUM YUM!

Let me start with the GOOD.
Servers and Services were excellent!!!
Fried Pig Ear fries GOOD
The Bad (do not try!)
somen noodle was blended no way worth $ 17 just kimchi broth and few chop up mushrooms, tasted like instant noodle broth flavor wise. Too pricey for the quality of the food they dish out, I don’t mind spend money but it has to be justified. Unless you like to get rip off.
COD CAKES WERE WAY TOO SALTY.
The average
KFC tbh Korean/​Porno bar’s was way better in terms of taste, portion and presentation.
Bacon mochi average
Soju cocktail above average, decent
Dinning experience: We were sat the bar and we were sprinkled by the dish washing machine’s streaming water when the dishwasher open the machine/​tray before it completely stopped. Lucky no food on the table at the time, but it was pretty gross.
Anyways, I can’t really judge this place on my first try, but I know I am not going back for second time for sure.

Maybe it was just hyped up too much for me going in to the meal. While everything was absolutely delicious and the experience itself was totally fine… I did walk away feeling like it was just ‘ok’. It was solid. Good. Delicious. But… not mind-​blowing.

I’m updating my review of FuseBox based on my recent interaction with the owner. After my disappointing experience on Xmas Eve, I contacted FuseBox through their FB page about replacing my damaged jacket. I was surprised to have my message answered by one of the owners. Not only was she apologetic, she seemed sincerely concerned about getting to the bottom of the situation. Long story short, I’m now satisfied with how things were resolved.
After having read some of FuseBox’s other Unilocal reviews, two things are clear: 1) the food is bomb — so much so that most people wish there was simply more of it for the price; 2) there’s room for real improvement on the service/​management front. I look forward to experiencing positive changes from FuseBox on my next visit.

Another good lunch option around Emeryville. I give it 3 stars for the Korean fusion combos but 4 stars for the sandwiches. I recommend trying the fried chicken sandwich. It gives Bakesale Bettys a run for its money.
It’s is located in an industrial area so look for the signs or you’ll pass by. However, it is a cool spot for a hipster photo shoot…

My views of the poor service at Fusebox has only been reinforced by the owner, Ellen Chang. In response to my review, she sent an unkind message to my Unilocal inbox. She claimed that my review was fabricated and expressed concerns about how my life was deeply troubled for spending time writing that review. Wow.

As someone who loves korean food and grew up eating a lot of it, I really wanted to love this place.
I did love the small, intimate feeling of the restaurant itself. Service was great.
As for the food… The pork belly skewers, bacon wrapped Mochi, and KFC wings were enjoyable, but nothing innovative or amazing in my opinion. The mushroom noodles were simple and refreshing given the heavier items on the menu, but disappointing as well. Its simple broth, noodles, and assorted veggies was hardly worth the $ 17.
Overall for a restaurant that has high prices and small portion sizes, I expected them to really deliver on quality of food. Sadly, FuseBox did not do that for me.

I’ve been to Korea a lot, like 30 – 40 times. Love the country, love the food. Fusebox is a great Californiaized take on Korean cuisine. I’ve been here twice: once for lunch, one for dinner. My take…
The pluses:
–The food is good, really good. No strike outs.
–It’s creative, I especially liked the raw tuna, KFC, kimchi and pork belly/​bacon. (BTW: I went with a friend and somehow we got on the topic of sauerkraut. My friend called it «kimchi for white people.» Digression, but it cracked me up).
–Pig ear fries. I saw pig ears for sale at Costco. I had pig ears in Hong Kong and they were gross. At Fusebox, major highlight. Restored my faith in pork products.
–Service was very good.
Minuses:
–Portions are small. And I’m not a big dude who lives on Costco food. But portions here don’t work for larger groups. Perhaps for two people its ok. The second time I came here was with six people. We went to Fenton’s afterwards – see my point?
–While service was good, one thing bugged me. Once I made my reservation, the hostess said, «please be done by X o’clock so we can seat the next party.»
–Sake was ok. If you’re going to offer high-​end Korean food, pair it with high-​end booze. The warm sake was disappointing.
So here’s my summary: Fusebox is great, but go here but only in with 2 or 3 people. No more. Order pig ears, tuna, steak, KFC and pork belly. Those with larger metabolisms should plan a trip to Fenton’s afterwards.

Places like this make me want to explore a lot more of Oakland. FuseBox is a definite gem you should visit while in Oakland for some delicious Korean-​inspired lunch or dinner. Make sure to get on that Bacon Mochi and the Pork Belly. I enjoyed the warm corn tea in the beginning of the meal. Service is great and the furniture is inviting. They had a nice but small dining area inside and a bigger courtyard outside for those nice days. If you don’t know where to go for lunch in Oakland, please proceed to FuseBox!

Hipster place. Knowledgable staff, but mediocre, very overpriced food. Really not that special, though they think they are.
I want to like it. I love Korean food, and I live in West Oakland and want to see local business succeed. But the food was just not that good (not to mention tiny portions and high cost).
The kicker for me is that we ordered a small plate of brussel sprouts for $ 2.50. It was literally one brussel sprout cut in half, on a skewer (see photo). That about sums it up.
My second time going here and will not be coming back.

FuseBox is fantastic. One of the best dining experiencing I have had recently in the Bay. Food and atmosphere are on point. Tucked away in an industrial area — this is a hidden gem that would make for a great first date or to bring friends out in a group.
Outdoor fire pit is awesome as well while you wait for dinner or after and have a few drinks.

Adore this place — especially on a sunny weekday in this hidden gem. Sit in the garden where the hummingbird comes to visit and drink the nectar from the flowers.
When you first arrive at the place, there are barbed wire around the wall and graffiti outside the garden wall, one wonders if you have been dropped off at the right place.
When you walk in, the garden is a completely different experience — a little oasis from the hustle and bustle of tech life in the Bay Area.
Each dish is cooked with refined technique. The chef has extracted the best essence of Korean food and infuse it with western technique. The kimchi hasn’t lost its spicy palette but with an added complexity and depth that is unique and surprising.
I loved the bacon wrapped Mochi — the texture is divine — must try.
All of the vegetable skewers are amazing — sweet eggplant, perfectly cooked and picked shishito pepper, and Brussels sprouts.
The sauce for the octopus skewer is fantastic. The mung beans (or relative of those) in the appetizer selection are a lot of fun to try.
The aged soju is made by the restaurant is probably the best soju I have had in my life — tastes very smoky and non aggressive.
Come and you will not be disappointed!

«I BLEED KIMCHI!» states the sign welcoming you to FuseBox, and you already know these people understand your love for the wonderful fermented goodness.
Although we were initially a little. «on edge» due to the sketchy-​looking neighborhood they are located in, upon entering the establishment, our concerns were quickly put to rest. The staff was friendly and helpful with our questions about the Korean fusion menu, which consisted of several «bap» dinners (pork belly, galbi, or tofu with rice and banchan), some novelty appetizers (pig ear fries, fried chicken, bacon mochi), and a variety of skewers.
Resisting against the urge to order too many appetizers (eyes bigger than my stomach), I decided on simply the bacon mochi and pork belly bap dinner. The bacon mochi came out looking like a fried blob of a thing, BUT upon biting into it, was packed full of flavor and deliciousness. As for my entrée, the pork belly was fatty, well seasoned, and flavorful. The accompanying banchan had some familiar dishes — kimchi, pickled spicy cucumber, mushroom — but unlike your typical banchan, had things like mung bean, which I’ve never seen as a side dish before.
I can safely say that the food was amazing, but I couldn’t help but notice that the prices were a little steep for the small amount of food that you get. For $ 22.50, I would’ve hoped for a larger portion of banchan and perhaps more pork belly. And for $ 3.50, I had hoped the bacon mochi would come with multiple pieces, but I guess I paid for the novelty of an item not commonly found elsewhere.
Overall, a hidden (literally, a little hidden, especially at night) gem in Oakland for some great Korean fusion food. Just remember to come with both taste buds and wallet ready!

We knew this would be one of those hipster expensive restaurants when we found out it was located by a car part dumpster area. But we wanted to try it anyways!
The food was interesting (and really expensive). I enjoyed the pig ear fries with the Vietnamese sauce. Super crispy and rich with ginger and tamarin flavor. The steak was actually my favorite dish! The flavor was out of this world! So good & a must try! It comes with a side of lots of pickled veggies (including kimchi)!
Unfortunately, we left still hungry and even more broke. But! It was still worth the experience.

My wife and I went to FuseBox for a recent dinner. We arrived around 5:30 without reservations. The staff say us at a small community table, and were apparently booked up otherwise.
The neighborhood is an industrial park. There ain’t anything else to do around here unless you want to sell scrap metal. The restaurant itself is cute, a nice outdoor patio and a tiny interior with about ten seats.
Food is amazing. My wife and I split a few skewers (pork belly with briny-​ass shrimp was the easy favorite), a plate of hamachi and avocado, pig ear fries, and wings. Each dish was delicious. Rice flour batter on the wings was crunchy, and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Octopus and hamachi were tasty.
The tab plus two drinks each came out to about $ 70. Value’s good given how tasty the food is.

This was our first stop off the plane… both of us were starving and it was all we could do to stop ourselves from ordering one of everything. Common sense prevailed… for once we listened. Thank goodness.
Lets just say that the food was alright, but the service was somewhere between abysmal, inept and confused.
The only reason that this place got 2 stars is for the food.
The food:
— KFC (chicken wings): delicious! This is a must try… and it was definitely the **ONLY** highlight of our meal. Juicy chicken wings coated with a rice cracker batter (literally tastes as it sounds!) .then coated with a sweet spicy tangy sauce… mmm!
— Bacon mochi: meh. Looked pretty but it was a sticky tastless goopy mess with some bacon pieces hiding inside… served with a honey wasabi or dijon like sauce.
— Chicken sandwich: decent. Nothing special.
— Pork belly bi bim bap: interesting. This was a deconstructed bibimbap… no stone bowl here.
The service :
Where do I start…
1 — We were initially seated outside, but moved in because it got chilly. We had to notify 3 different wait staff of our move… as they clearly cannot communicate with each other in the small 400-​ish sq feet of dining area.
2 — Lets just say our wings were the only thing that made it to the table in a decent amount of time and while still hot.
3 — Someone messed up our order and for our entrees we were served the chicken sandwich (correct) and Galbee Beef bibimbap (instead of Pork Belly). No apology was made. Both dishes were taken away without an explanation. Finally the chicken sandwich (the same one) was brought back from the counter, now freshly seasoned with spit… as the staff had a mini arguement over it.
4 — Our pork belly bibimbap came after all other dishes were long gone. with one caveat… no more rice! Wtf!!!
We were told it would be 5 mins as they made more. 5 mins turned into 16 mins. In that time, other customers who had ordered AFTER us already gotten their rice. Again wtf?! Needless to say we had cold gelatinous pork belly and rice. There were a couple of half-​hearted sorries. no offer of any sort of gesture to make for it at all. Disappointing.
Other :
I was initially attacted to this place by the pictures of fellow Unilocalers eating delicious little tapas… those are available for dinner only! The lunch menu is substantially smaller so consider yourself forewarned. My bad… I should have read deeper into other reviews too.

I work not too far from FuseBox and there aren’t many places to eat close by. So I was delighted to find someplace so serene. The restaurant itself is pretty small, maybe seating for 20 or so, but they have a lovely courtyard. It quadruples the space and is a terrific option on a sunny day.
The menu can be very limited, which is why it’s a good thing that the food is really good. I got a kick out of my fried chicken po“boy. The chicken was just the right amount of crispy and the slaw and remoulade were both delicious. So was the bun. The sandwich was perfectly balanced and just the right size. They served it with a small bowl of corn nuts (I love corn nuts!), which made me smile.
On my previous visit I was particularly blown away by the bacon mochi (Eat some. Now!) and one of the specials, which was a chicken stew. The serving sizes were small for both, but I didn’t mind. It just meant I could try more things. I did want a bit more spice, and maybe a surprise or two. think I might be inclined to try the omakase on a future visit just to see what I can discover.
The service on both my visits was ok. I purposely picked off times so I could linger a bit if I felt so inclined. Suffice it to say, I kind of wanted to be left to my own devices. Based on what I saw today, I suspect you might get a bit neglected if you sit outside.
I think if you with a specific idea in your head you might be disappointed. So I-​if you go to FuseBox, go with an open mind and be prepared to try several things., i