Kong Pocha brings the spirit of a Korean pojangmacha — the beloved late-night street-food tent — to Baltimore's Station North neighborhood and Columbia, MD. Founded around 2019 by Sobin Kang, the restaurant built a cult following through word-of-mouth, serving homemade Korean fried chicken, sizzling BBQ, spicy rice cakes, and army stew until the early hours of the morning.
Signature items
Signature bone-in fried chicken
Opened May 2025 at 9350 Snowden River Pkwy — same beloved menu as Baltimore.
$$Price comparison of Kong Pocha's most frequently ordered dishes across both Maryland locations.
| Item | Category | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Corn Cheese | Street Food | $9.99 |
| Jjajangmyeon | Noodles | $10.99 |
| Cheese Tteokbokki | Street Food | $16.99 |
| Kongbination Bowl | Rice Bowl | $18.99 |
| Curry Omu-rice | Rice Bowl | $18.99 |
| Seafood Cream Udon | Noodles | $22.99 |
| Kong-Pocha Chicken | Fried Chicken | $25.99 |
| Bulgogi | Korean BBQ | $28.99 |
Like-for-like comparison of common Korean restaurant categories.
| Category | Kong Pocha | Bae Korean Grill | Gen Korean BBQ | Shinhwa Korean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fried chicken entree | $25.99 | $22.99 | $24.99 | $27.99 |
| BBQ pork belly | $19.99 | $19.99 | $21.99 | $24.99 |
| Marinated beef (bulgogi) | $28.99 | $26.99 | $25.99 | $29.99 |
| Tteokbokki / rice cakes | $16.99 | $14.99 | $15.99 | $17.99 |
| Rice bowl / bibimbap | $17.99 | $15.99 | $16.99 | $18.99 |
Kong Pocha opened around 2019 on West 20th Street in Baltimore's Station North arts district, the brainchild of Sobin Kang. The name references the pojangmacha — a traditional Korean street-food tent that springs to life after dark, offering cheap eats, cold beer, and warm company. Kang transplanted that same unpretentious energy indoors, creating a dimly lit, K-pop-soundtracked dining room that functions as much as a neighborhood gathering place as a restaurant.
The menu focuses on the kind of food Koreans actually eat late at night: snappy bone-in fried chicken glazed with house sauces, bubbling budae-jjigae (army stew) packed with ramen and spam, spicy tteokbokki slicked with melted mozzarella, and marinated BBQ meats grilled at the table. Kong Pocha built its following almost entirely through word of mouth, with no flashy marketing — just consistently good food and generous hospitality.
After years of being a Baltimore cult favorite, Kong Pocha expanded in May 2025, opening a second location at 9350 Snowden River Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. Both spots keep the same late-night hours (open until 1:30–2 AM most nights) and the same commitment to approachable, homemade Korean cooking that made the original a neighborhood institution.
Find your nearest location in Baltimore or Columbia, MD, check current hours, and confirm today's prices on the official site.
Find a Kong Pocha near youKong Pocha has two Maryland locations: the original at 12 W 20th St, Baltimore, MD 21218 (phone: 410-801-8963), and a second location that opened in May 2025 at 9350 Snowden River Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21045 (phone: 443-542-0090).
The Baltimore location is generally open Monday and Wednesday through Sunday from 4:00 PM to 1:30 AM, and until 2:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is typically closed on Tuesdays. The Columbia location keeps similar late-night hours. Always confirm current hours directly with the restaurant as they can change.
A pojangmacha (포장마차) is a traditional Korean street-food tent or stall that comes alive after dark. They serve affordable comfort food — fried items, tteokbokki, noodles, stews — alongside soju and beer. Kong Pocha recreates this informal, communal late-night atmosphere in a sit-down restaurant setting.
Kong Pocha's signature fried chicken is widely considered the must-order dish. The bone-in Kong-Pocha Chicken ($25.99) comes in Original, Sweet Chili, and Butter and Lemon styles. The Cheese Tteokbokki and Budae-Jungol (army stew) are also fan favorites mentioned consistently in reviews.
Expect to spend roughly $20–$40 per person for a full meal, depending on what you order. Affordable rice bowls and noodles start around $11–$15, while shareable fried chicken and BBQ dishes run $19–$29. The Budae-Jungol (army stew) is priced at $48.99 and is meant to feed 2–3 people.
There are some vegetarian-friendly choices, including Corn Cheese, Sweet Corn Pancake, and Hwa Chae (Korean fruit punch). The menu is primarily meat- and seafood-forward, however. Ask your server about modifications if you have dietary restrictions, as many dishes can be adapted.
Yes. As a pojangmacha-style establishment, Kong Pocha serves Korean alcoholic drinks including soju and makgeolli alongside local beers, making late-night drinking a core part of the experience. The restaurant operates until 1:30–2:00 AM most nights to accommodate this.
Kong Pocha is generally a walk-in restaurant without a formal reservations system, in keeping with its casual pocha vibe. For large groups or weekend visits, it's worth calling ahead. Delivery is available via Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grubhub for the Baltimore location.
Kong Pocha distinguishes itself from most Korean restaurants by focusing on pojangmacha-style street food and late-night dining rather than traditional Korean BBQ grill tables. Prices are comparable to or slightly higher than Korean BBQ chains like Gen Korean BBQ, but the atmosphere, the housemade sauces on the fried chicken, and the extended late-night hours make it a unique option in the Maryland Korean dining scene.