DNM Hot Pot

I’ve had this place on my list and finally had a chance to give it a try… I went there for lunch with a couple colleagues and we all ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup with the fresh rice noodles. The presentation was beautiful, even though it’s not the typical portion you would get at other Vietnamese restaurants. Taste wise, it was delicious! The broth was fantastic and it was served with the wide rice noodles which was also excellent. Service was friendly and very efficient!

Amazing food! We enjoyed the food from appetizers to dessert. My fave was the oxtail hot pot and green thai milk tea. Everything tasted so good! Highly recommend!

I'm just going to say from the get-go that the food here deserves way more than 5 stars. So delicious! Oxtail, Wagyu, and Angus beef that tastes like butter and melts in your mouth. Lovingly prepared. Presented beautifully and served by the sweetest family we've ever met. Bacogai is a new Vietnamese and Lao spot located in a beautiful, modern space overlooking the estuary on Alameda's east end. If you love Southeast Asian food as much as we do, truly, this will be your new favorite spot. We ordered a ton of food, took our time eating it, and honestly...we were sad when it was time to go. Omg...and the desserts. So good! Cannot wait to come back!

I love Banh Hoi and my wife loves Hot Pot so this restaurant really hit the spot for us. Everything tasted so good. Service was exceptional as well. We went during weekday so no waiting at all. Highly recommend

Abi Hwang Nable

Bacogai always hits the spot when I’m looking for a cozy meal that I can enjoy while catching up with friends or family. They serve traditional Viet food but they’re known for their Viet Hotpot! I’ve been able to try all of their broths except the vegan broth. My go to is their Lau Oxtail because you get little bits of bone marrow in each oxtail piece! Each hotpot comes with a pre-set veggie & add-ins plate but the staff are always so nice and have let me substitute the ramen noodles for udon noodles before. I always appreciate how plentiful the mushrooms are and that they will replace the Sterno (heating mechanism) if it runs out. You can also get a broth refill! Usually the first one is complimentary but I’m not super clear on that policy. Make sure you use the sauces they provide for each table! It’s a fun way to mix up the flavor profile of your hotpot. I always mean to ask what each one is… but I forget every time. Maybe it’s better that way—keeps a little mystery and makes me appreciate them all the more. If you’re looking for something other than hotpot, you should try their variety of Banh Hoi (woven noodles served with mushrooms or meat and lettuce wraps) and Duck Goi-Slaw Salad! The salad is very refreshing and has that classic Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese fish sauce dipping sauce) flavor with the perfect balance of sweet and savory. When I first tried it, I was worried that the roasted duck would be too greasy for the delicate profile of the dish, but the fat was cooked out just enough to where the meat was still juicy and the skin was still light + crispy. On my most recent visit, we placed a takeout order too—we got the beef luc lac garlic noodles and summer rolls. They were out of pork for the rolls, so they doubled up the shrimp. I do hope to try it the original way next time. The peanut sauce was a bit too sweet for my taste, but a little sriracha toned it down. The beef luc lac noodles were fantastic: super tender beef, perfectly cooked noodles, and an even coating of garlicky sauce. I also have to say, the staff always make the experience memorable. They’re incredibly attentive and make sure everyone feels taken care of. The layout helps with that too—low barriers between tables mean they can see the whole dining area from the main counter. The space feels open but still cozy, kind of like being at a big family gathering. Looks like they recently added clay pot dishes to the menu—I’ll definitely be back to try one soon!

Elaine Wang

Overall I liked the food here. Actually I was surprised by how much I liked their 2 appetizers. The duck salad was super refreshing and the shrimp crackers added a nice contrast in texture. It didn't have that much duck, but that made it taste lighter since duck is quite heavy. The spring rolls were crispy and tasty with the sauce. The 2 hot pots we got were good too. If you like sour flavors like my friend you would enjoy the seafood one (I really really liked the catfish in this one, the sour flavor cut the fishyness really well, and it was super tender!!), but I liked the oxtail soup too. The beef I ordered on the side was good but it was quite expensive. Very melt in your mouth.

Tina M Schaffer

An absolute must-visit! From the presentation to the service and the serene atmosphere; everything about this place is exceptional. It’s not posh or pretentious, but quaint, calming, and full of charm. The food is outstanding, and the service is warm and genuine. I’m visiting from the East Coast and already wishing I could find a spot like Bacogai in Florida. This was hands down the best meal I’ve had in California. If I lived here, this would be my go-to place. Huge kudos to the owners, another very happy (and slightly envious) customer!

Jocelyn Lee

What a hidden gem of a Vietnamese restaurant! We had the duck salad (refreshing, flavorful and substantial), the crab rolls (crispy and packed with meat) and the seafood hotpot (clear, flavorful, broth- very unique. Tons of ingredients). And for dessert, we had both the coconut pandan waffles ala mode (delicious but wished the pandan flavor was stronger) and the fried bananas (omg best fried bananas ever). Reasonable prices, great service and tons of free parking. Will definitely come back!

Sheila S

The flavors of the hot pot and the appetizers were good. They are individual pots, but for those of us who have smaller stomach so we can share, some people ate their own. The hot pots 🥘 come with their own set of vegetables to put in to the broth, but you can add on as much as you like. I shared a pork hot pot with Lamb add-on. We also had shaken beef that my friend really loves but she said it was different here as it was not cubed and with rice. Another friend really loved the wrapped beef logs. He said it should come with more herbs, but otherwise enjoyed it. Some people ordered wine and beer. Surprisingly, they also have sangria which one friend enjoyed two of. Had to ask for chilies and they brought a condiment set of three. Thai chilies 🌶️always enhances all my meals. We went with eight people. Made a reservation in advance. There was plenty of seating on a Thursday night. All the ingredients were fresh and everybody enjoy the flavors although the price was a little higher than we are used to paying for Asian type of food. So best for special occasions, or people who really love hot pot. Bathrooms are to the back on the right. Plenty of parking 🚗 as it’s a strip mall Kind of situation.

Edna G

So this was a random find and was only craving some hot pot on a cold Monday sprinkly evening. This place popped up on Yelp while checking in the area I was in and I said let's check it out. We arrived around 6ish and there was not too many people but by the time we left, it was 3/4 full. A very modern ambiance for a Vietnamese restaurant. Nicely decorated and plenty of tables even for a big group. It's located in the old Blanding shopping area now where Nob Hills Market is where they modernized the place from my childhood days in Alameda. Alameda has been changing a lot over the decade and for the better with more places to eat. We ordered their sangria and it was pretty good. We also ordered their Beef Luc Lac. Very good portions of beef. The marinated beef was very good and we finished all of that. We also ordered their Lau Pork Bone Marrow soup, and added Wagyu beef and some enoki mushrooms! Not a disappoint. I actually thought the pot was small and that it was not enough for my husband and I to share but I was so wrong!! Very rich broth but once you add the veggies it makes the broth so much better. The broth was so good and creamy. Since it was only two of us, we couldn't order more or add a dessert to try because we were just too full from two things. Service was great! We will definitely be back to try other things. If you like hot pot style, come try this place.

Matee

Excellent and unique eatery offering Vietnamese personal hot pot, banh hoi, and all the add ons you could want for your hot pot 🍲 All their dishes is a ‘hit’ for my tastes. The personal hot pot is their signature offerings, but their appetizers and pandan waffles dessert are not to be missed. The staff are always attentive and friendly, even on the busiest of evenings. Alameda is lucky to have Bacogai!

Rany M. Truong

First time here and very impressed! Not you typical Vietnamese restaurant you would go to for pho. This place specializes in family style hot pot. The menu says recommended for one person but I shared. We ordered a bunch of sides on top of the hotpot dish. I love canh cua hot pot but this time I went with oxtail. I was not let down. So delicious! Also I can forget the spring rolls. They had fried onions in the peanut sauce, wow impressive! Green Thai tea: it’s okay. I would pass on that and get a Vietnamese coffee next time.

Alan Yao

Very unique personal hot pot. Soup base flavors are top tier, especially the pork and oxtail. Unique craft beer flavors and appetizers are worth trying too!

Elena Uranwala

YUM. Cute space, friendly staff, amazing food. For those who eat a lot of hot-pot, this is the real deal. We ordered the duck salad, beef luc lac, oxtail hot pot, with dessert. Everything was so flavorful! Personally, highly recommend the oxtail order. Whatever you get, add taro to it. And don’t forget the sparkling sake; ‘tis a must. 🥂

Scott P. Hu

I’ve had this place on my list and finally had a chance to give it a try… I went there for lunch with a couple colleagues and we all ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup with the fresh rice noodles. The presentation was beautiful, even though it’s not the typical portion you would get at other Vietnamese restaurants. Taste wise, it was delicious! The broth was fantastic and it was served with the wide rice noodles which was also excellent. Service was friendly and very efficient!

rae ramos

Amazing food! We enjoyed the food from appetizers to dessert. My fave was the oxtail hot pot and green thai milk tea. Everything tasted so good! Highly recommend!

Erik Kolacek

I'm just going to say from the get-go that the food here deserves way more than 5 stars. So delicious! Oxtail, Wagyu, and Angus beef that tastes like butter and melts in your mouth. Lovingly prepared. Presented beautifully and served by the sweetest family we've ever met. Bacogai is a new Vietnamese and Lao spot located in a beautiful, modern space overlooking the estuary on Alameda's east end. If you love Southeast Asian food as much as we do, truly, this will be your new favorite spot. We ordered a ton of food, took our time eating it, and honestly...we were sad when it was time to go. Omg...and the desserts. So good! Cannot wait to come back!

Toanven

I love Banh Hoi and my wife loves Hot Pot so this restaurant really hit the spot for us. Everything tasted so good. Service was exceptional as well. We went during weekday so no waiting at all. Highly recommend

The food here is so good. My daughter and I can't get enough of the duck salad, it's light but so full of flavor. I really enjoy the beef Luc Lac, the beef is so tender and flavorful, and my daughter always steals a couple of the woven vermicelli noodles which are tasty. She like the hot pot, and rotates which one depending on her mood. We try to always end the meal with the pandan waffles.

Lauren Cook

The food here is so good. My daughter and I can't get enough of the duck salad, it's light but so full of flavor. I really enjoy the beef Luc Lac, the beef is so tender and flavorful, and my daughter always steals a couple of the woven vermicelli noodles which are tasty. She like the hot pot, and rotates which one depending on her mood. We try to always end the meal with the pandan waffles.

My friend loves this restaurant and said their hot pot was really good so I came here with her. Service was pretty good and the restaurant looks nice. I like the decor. For food, we ordered lau ox tail (beef hot pot) and lau canh chua (sweet and sour hot pot). My friend said the beef hot pot was good, personally, I thought it was okay because I usually don't eat this hot pot flavor so don't quote me on this. As for sweet and sour hot pot, it has good flavor but not exactly excellent so I'm not sure if I'd order it again. We also ordered fried banana and a Vietnamese coffee. Fried banana batter has good flavor but it was quite hard. The good thing about it is it's not too greasy. Vietnamese coffee is just okay. Overall, it's not bad but I think it's too expensive for an okay experience.

Speial Vietamnese hot pot. Little be too salty. Food portion was not enough. Service was good.

Bacogai surprised me with their atypical take on Vietnamese food. First off, Bacogai does not have an extensive menu. You are limited to a few appetizers and entrees if you are not doing hot pot. This is not the place for you if you're looking for rice plates, banh xeo, or pho. Fortunately, we enjoyed what we ordered. We ordered the Duck Goi Slaw Salad, Crab Cha Gio, and Lemongrass Pork Banh Hoi. The salad was flavorful and refreshing. The Cha Gio was good, but the portion was a bit small. The Lemongrass pork, although a bit too sweet, was cooked nicely. We will have to come back to try their hot pot and Bo Luc Lac (shaking beef). Service was good, except that our waiter brought us our check before we finished eating. Although the waiter said "No rush", we felt like we were being ushered out the door despite the restaurant being half empty. As for the atmosphere...the space used to be a Taco Bell location so it didn't have a cozy feel. We will give it a second visit to try the rest of the menu. Bonus: They have Almanac Love Hazy IPA on tap.

Vietnam style individual hotpot. The environment is relax and chill. The food is unique, just slight westernize but still keep the basics Vietnamese essence.

Limited menu but what they serve is really good.

Ngan Nguyen

My friend loves this restaurant and said their hot pot was really good so I came here with her. Service was pretty good and the restaurant looks nice. I like the decor. For food, we ordered lau ox tail (beef hot pot) and lau canh chua (sweet and sour hot pot). My friend said the beef hot pot was good, personally, I thought it was okay because I usually don't eat this hot pot flavor so don't quote me on this. As for sweet and sour hot pot, it has good flavor but not exactly excellent so I'm not sure if I'd order it again. We also ordered fried banana and a Vietnamese coffee. Fried banana batter has good flavor but it was quite hard. The good thing about it is it's not too greasy. Vietnamese coffee is just okay. Overall, it's not bad but I think it's too expensive for an okay experience.

Jean Tsou

Speial Vietamnese hot pot. Little be too salty. Food portion was not enough. Service was good.

Michael Chang

Bacogai surprised me with their atypical take on Vietnamese food. First off, Bacogai does not have an extensive menu. You are limited to a few appetizers and entrees if you are not doing hot pot. This is not the place for you if you're looking for rice plates, banh xeo, or pho. Fortunately, we enjoyed what we ordered. We ordered the Duck Goi Slaw Salad, Crab Cha Gio, and Lemongrass Pork Banh Hoi. The salad was flavorful and refreshing. The Cha Gio was good, but the portion was a bit small. The Lemongrass pork, although a bit too sweet, was cooked nicely. We will have to come back to try their hot pot and Bo Luc Lac (shaking beef). Service was good, except that our waiter brought us our check before we finished eating. Although the waiter said "No rush", we felt like we were being ushered out the door despite the restaurant being half empty. As for the atmosphere...the space used to be a Taco Bell location so it didn't have a cozy feel. We will give it a second visit to try the rest of the menu. Bonus: They have Almanac Love Hazy IPA on tap.

Kailiang Huang

Vietnam style individual hotpot. The environment is relax and chill. The food is unique, just slight westernize but still keep the basics Vietnamese essence.

Luong Dang

Limited menu but what they serve is really good.