For those who’ve hit peak Toronto dating-app fatigue, a new concept making the rounds on Instagram might tempt you back into the wild! Woosuk Pocha is a new-ish Korean late-night spot at Yonge and Wellesley that’s being pitched as a sort of “blind date pocha.”
You enter via Dakgogi (look for the chicken sign out front), order some Korean comfort food, and if you’re feeling bold, perhaps connect with strangers and maybe even meet your future love interest!
While Woosuk Pocha hasn’t officially put ‘dating service’ on the menu, the internet has already decided its fate. One influencer,’s review recently went viral for claiming the spot is basically ‘Hinge or Bumble but offline,’ suggesting it’s the new go-to for meeting Toronto’s most stylish singles. Whether or not you actually walk out with a phone number, the ‘offline dating’ hype has turned this corner of Wellesley into a major late-night social hub
Even if you don’t meet the love of your life at Woosuk Pocha, you can still indulge in late-night Korean faves! The super-crispy fried chicken is the headliner at Woosuk, and pairs amazingly with their selection of soju. Try the half-and-half chicken option if you want two flavours in one order. For bold picks, opt for the cult-fave “prinkle” (cheese powder) and saucier choices like snow red and snow prinkle.
If you’re a wings person, there’s an entire section to order from: one pound of wings in flavours like buffalo, honey garlic, BBQ, soy, yangnyeom, and green onion, and premium flavours like soy garlic, hot soy garlic and even a spicy “volcano” option (visit on Tuesdays for 50 per cent off wings).
Or head over with a group of friends! The menu bundles crowd-pleasers like a half chicken paired with loaded fries: kimchi fries and a pitcher/soju or bulgogi/kimchi pork fries and a pitcher/soju. There are also more pocha-coded pairings, like chicken feet, egg soup, a rice ball and soju, as well as drink-forward options like egg soup with two bottles of soju! For something simpler, you can do a soup-and-soju set, like tuna kimchi soup or sliced pork kimchi soup and soju. And if you’re really hungry, go all out with the Dakgogi nachos!
Complement your meal with a grape-blueberry sparkling rice wine!
Woosuk Pocha is located at 25 Wellesley St E., about two minutes from the Wellesley subway station.
