Published by Angie. Last Updated on November 30, 2025.
Disclaimer: We were hosted for this experience. Our site uses demographic data, email opt-ins, display advertising, and affiliate links. Please check out our Terms and Conditions. Pricing, operating hours, or menus may have changed since our initial visit and may not be reflected in subsequent updates. Please confirm these directly with any business or attraction prior to visiting.
Every once in a while a restaurant leaves us feeling so happy, nourished, and cared for that we are still thinking about it weeks later. Pocha by Kye-Won in Saxonburg is just that kind of restaurant.
The food includes classics like mandu; bibimbap; and complete meals with meats, japchae, and rice, but it also includes American classics with Kye-Won's own personal spin like burgers topped with kimchi and gochujang mayo. On top of all that, the hospitality here is off the charts- you're guaranteed to leave feeling like family.
We were guests of Pocha courtesy of Butler County Tourism, and immediately fell in love with this unassuming gem in Saxonburg.
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Pocha by Kye-Won Serves Authentic Korean Dishes and More
Tucked into the back of Sprankles Market in Saxonburg, Pocha's location may at first seem a little odd. But once you step in to the bustling restaurant, are greeted warmly by the staff, and smell the delicious food, you'll know you've come to the right place.
The restaurant is tiny and is an order at the counter kind of place. It's a family run with business with everyone pitching in from Kye-Won's mom making the mandu every day to Kye-Won's husband helping with front of house tasks and making sure everyone is happy. And then there's Kye-Won herself, of course- her journey in to the restaurant business was a wild and somewhat spontaneous one, and the stories she has to tell are amazing.
But her delicious cooking and genuine care for her customers are what set this spot apart.
We perused the menu and wanted to try nearly everything, so we did.
We started with the pan-fried mandu stuffed with pork, tofu, onions, scallions, and sprouts and served with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. The dumplings had just the right crispness on the outside and tenderness on the inside, and were perfect dipped in the sauce. We also tried the fried chicken which was some of the best fried chicken we've had in the area.
The wings were double-fried so they were ultra light and crispy, with some of the best texture we've had in the region (an impressive feat), and they were served with a savory soy-garlic sauce and a gochujang sauce that was spicy with just the right touch of sweetness.
For something a little different, try the crab cakes. Influenced by the family's time living in the east coast, these crab cakes are almost entirely plump, juicy crab meat, and a spicy Korean-inspired remoulade for dipping is the perfect match.
We got to talking with Kye-Won about our travels in Korea and how much we love Korean food, and a few minutes later a bowl of kimchi jiggae appeared in front of us (which we should note was not served on menu at the time). We were so surprised and delighted!
This humble kimchi stew is one of our favorite Korean dishes, and it's almost like Kye-Won knew. Her version has just the right acidity and spiciness. If it ever graces the menu, which it absolutely should, be sure to order it!
Next we moved on to entrees- we got the classic Korean meals, one with beef and one with spicy pork. The meats were tender and juicy, and they were served alongside rice and excellent japchae, a classic Korean dish with glass noodles and veggies with a sesame-soy flavor.
Of course, one of the best parts about Korean meals is the banchan, or side dishes, that can be ordered with each meal.
Kye-Won's banchan are all homemade, vegetarian, and they change frequently. When Kye-won brought out bowl after bowl of banchan until our table was completely full, we reached peak happiness (three per order are typical). We tried kimchi, pickled garlic scapes (spicy-sweet, one of our favorites!), cucumbers, radish, and bellflower, the latter of which we hadn't had since our trip to Korea- so good!
Lettuce leaves were also served on the side to make wraps- take a lettuce leaf and stuff it with rice, meat, japchae, and a dollop of gochujang or ssamjang (a savory condiment made with doenjang, a fermented bean paste) and you'll be in Korean food bliss.
The other amazing thing about this spot is that it also serves as a tap room of sorts for the popular local brewery, Grist House, meaning you can pair your Korean feast with excellent craft beer. On our visit there were approximately ten beers on tap, so we had no problem finding a beer to satisfy our tastes. Who knew an IPA and Korean went so well together?
Pocha also offers Korean barbecue in their outdoor heated tent. For this experience, it's best to come with a group of people, and to reserve ahead of time. We are already rounding up our friends to come back soon for this experience as Korean barbecue is something we have deeply missed since our time traveling in the country!
As it often feels like authentic Korean dining is limited in the region, we are really pleased to see Pocha delivering all the classics just as perfect as we remember (as well as some fun twists thrown in the mix as well- like the crab cakes)! If you've never had Korean food before, don't hesitate to check this place out. We heard story after story when we were here about people not liking certain foods or never having certain Korean foods, but Kye-Won isn't shy about getting people to try things and making them converts.
It's just one of the many things to love about this place!
Pocha is a gem of a restaurant serving up traditional, satisfying Korean meals bursting with flavor. Best of all, the entire staff is so caring- we feel like we're part of the family after our experience here. We can't wait to return!
Pocha by Kye-Won is located at 270 W Water Street in the back of Sprankles Market in Saxonburg. We were hosted as part of our visit, but as always, all opinions are our own. Please note that Pocha is a smaller restaurant, and reservations are recommended- especially for Korean barbecue.
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