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    Gaboja

    3.9 (198 reviews)
    ModerateKorean, Barbeque
    Closed 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Gaboja Reservations

    Gaboja Photos

    Business Info

    GABOJA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Gaboja

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fried Chicken
    Kelsey S.

    Ive been meaning to try naengmyeon and found this place on yelp. I came with friends on a Monday around 6. The place is smaller and has limited parking. It was empty the whole time we were here. The only server is a friendly woman. She was great! We ordered naengmyeon, fried chicken, short ribs, and tteokbokki. The naengmyeon was great. I've never had it, but it had great flavor and the noodles had a nice chewy texture. The only drawback was the noodles were hard to bite through. Not sure if I was supposed to cut the noodles up more with the scissors, but I enjoyed it anyways! The tteokbokki was huge and had great flavor and texture. There were fish cakes, noodles, cabbage, and rice cakes. Loved it! The galbi was tender and flavorful, but on the smaller side for the price. The banchan was good too. The server refilled our kimchi and banchan plate. The chicken was also super crispy, but it was also a smaller portion for the price. Overall, this place was pretty good with great service. It's definitely a bit expensive for the portions, but it's a small family owned shop so I think it's worth it!

    Bibim Naengmyeon
    Josh K.

    Very disappointed in my experience here, considering I was looking forward to trying this place. We didn't try their bbq, so maybe that was why it was disappointing but their bibim naengmyeon was very overpriced, especially since it didn't even come with meat and didn't taste all that great. The soondubu, however, was decent and maybe I should've ordered that for myself.

    kimchi
    Emily L.

    This spot is very small - only a couple tables. It was pretty smoky when we went. We decided not to get bbq, and we ordered a seafood pancake, kimchi jjigae, and a lychee soju. 4/5 - Seafood Pancake - I would have liked it crispier, but it good quality. It was also HUGE! Definitely a portion to share between 3-4 people. 3/5 - Kimchi Jjigae - This was decent. It looked like a sundubu to me. Pork and tofu was alright . Service was very great. You can tell the servers are super sweet and have a great sense of humor. We definitely felt welcome there from start to finish. Side dishes were a lot better and more flavorful than the typical kbbq spots. I'd come back to try their bbq!

    Tracy L.

    I came in wanting to order the Mandu appetizer but they ended up giving me Mandu Guk which was Beef Dumpling Soup and a totally different vibe! I decided to just try it and thought it was average. It was a little hard to eat, because it kept breaking, being that it was like wonton texture, and I felt like the dumplings were okay but could've been better. I definitely feel like I would have liked it better if it was the pan-fried dumplings. If you plan on getting those, make sure you specify the appetizer and not the entree! Besides that, I felt that service was pretty good and the waitress was very welcoming! The parking lot here is a bit small, so may be difficult to find parking during busy hours!

    Eva C.

    3.5/5, but rounded up to 4 because good service. Visited this KBBQ spot and while the service was good, I found it to be quite overpriced for what you get--definitely not the best value in my opinion. The interior was clean and well-maintained, and they gave us a private room, which made the experience more enjoyable. We ordered Combo #3, which included beef brisket, fresh boneless ribeye, pork belly, pork jowl, steamed egg, and soybean soup, along with an extra order of Galbijjim. The food was cooked for us by the staff, which was a nice touch, but given the price, I was expecting something a bit more exceptional and more in quantity. Parking was a bit of a challenge, as the lot was full, so we had to park further away and walk over, which was slightly inconvenient. Overall, a decent experience, but I would just get kbbq elsewhere.

    Hurjane V.

    A cute family own shop! Menu items were plentiful. A lot of people came for KBBQ. Parking was decent but darkly lit, so beware. We all ordered our own entrees, and it came with plenty of banchan. I honestly don't remember what I ordered. Maybe a noodle soup dish? Regardless, it was unfortunately not memorable enough for me to come here again.

    Spicy Dweji Bulgogi
    Ron P.

    Was craving naengmyun but wanted to try another place than Kunjip, so found this place on Yelp! Parking is hard, we had to park on the street next to it and walk a bit. The restaurant seems like a hole in the wall place from the outside, and the inside isn't that much better either. I was surprised at the price point of the meats for being on the expensive end, we all ordered a naengmyun each (which was meh) and got the spicy pork bulgogi which was really sweet. That could be a good or bad thing depending on what you like. The lady is very friendly though! And their banchans are amazing!

    Tiger W.

    Service - 5/5 Food - 4/5. Most things were great, especially banchan. Avoid the bibimnaengmyun. Value - 2/5 ... charging $24 for tofu soup and $29 for pork bulgogi. Ambiance - typical

    Kingsley L.

    It's a rustic, family-run, restaurant with everything you want. The decor is minimal but the food's outstanding and the service is friendly and homey. Can't go wrong with Gaboja. It's a rustic, family-run, restaurant with everything you want. The decor is minimal but the food's outstanding and the service is friendly and homey. Can't go wrong with Gaboja.

    Sides
    Linz C.

    My fiancé and I came on a Monday night around 8 and the restaurant was pretty empty. I was originally drawn to the restaurant to try their cold noodles but we decided on the barbecue set for 2. It came with brisket meat and pork belly, tofu soup, steamed egg, side dishes, rice, and lettuce. At first we thought the plate of meat looked a little small, however we were pretty full by the time we finished. Service was great, friendly, and the lady even brought us different sauces for the meats. Would come back to try their other dishes! Parking lot is small and parking can be scarce. We ended up parking on the street.

    Bon chon
    Vanessa C.

    I used to live in LA where I could easily find restaurants that served food late! Harder to come by in the South Bay so I'm glad to have stumbled on this little gem. Small intimate space; went in on a Monday around 10pm. Had not problem with parking (I read that this lot can get full even on a weekday) K-pop music played in the background but loud enough where you can still carry a conversation with your group. I was shocked when reading the prices for the appetizers. They don't compromise on quality and they provide a good portion but I don't think potato pancake should cost $20. Mouth ate first. I forgot to picture it but we ordered 2 orders of L.A. Galbi. Good char, flavorful and quality meat. Potato pancake was like a creamy hash brown with crispy edges. It was great quality appetizer but I think for what it is, it's pricey. Steamed egg, nothing bad to say about it. Great flavor, fluffy. Bon chan was quality flavor! It was our first time here. We asked for more cucumbers but they said they were sold out. We ran out of other bon chan and never got refills. Wondering if they didn't refill because they didn't have a lot of product or they only give you one serving. Service was good, they checked up on us frequently. My -star is because the price of the appetizers are entree prices and because I wanted more bon chan.

    Dried and hard tiny pieces of beef in bibimbap dolsot. Tasted like jerky!
    Julienne P.

    We ordered beef bibimbap, potato pancake and cold noodles. Everything was very good. This may be the best place for cold noodles. The beef bibimbap doesn't have much beef in it so keep that in mind if you're in the mood for more beef. It just has some small beef pieces and not much rice as well. Upon trying a few of the beef pieces, they tasted like jerky and very chewy. They were dry and hard as well.

    Seafood pancake, delicious

    Small but nice, although hard to park. Service was done by a kind lady. Night time opening.

    Fried Chicken

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    The food was good, but quite expensive. Service took long, and the place was not well maintained at all.

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    Food was great! Service was excellent The owner and all servers are amazing and friendly!

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    1 year ago

    This is a surprisingly good family-owned hole-in-the-wall with by far the most underrated naengmyeon in the south bay.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Gaboja

    Do the servers cook the kbbq for you or do you have to cook it yourelf?

    The servers assist with cooking but you can cook it yourself if you prefer.

    Hello there, is outdoor seating still available? Thanks in advance!

    They currently only have indoor dining!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    South Winchester BBQ - Brisket

    South Winchester BBQ

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    3.8 miWest San Jose
    $$

    Great food and hospitality!!! Get the brisket and bread pudding!! They also have a great beer and…read morecider selection with rotating taps.

    The best barbecue in the South Bay, and well-deserved, South Winchester BBQ offers juicy, smoked…read moremeat sandwiches, delicious sides, and community. Meat-lovers' heaven? An unforgettable barbecue sandwich experience? You'll find both here at South Winchester BBQ. I was in the mood for a good barbecue sandwich and found myself at South Winchester BBQ. The sun shone high, the breezes blew gently, and it was busy with lunch goers that day. I ordered the tri-tip sandwich with a side of coleslaw and got myself a glass of water. Then I went outside to the patio where families and friends ate their lunches while their dogs looked on. The patio was sheltered from the street and provided a quiet place for community to gather over good food and drink. It would be a wonderful spot to enjoy my meal. My name was called, and I went to get my sandwich. The first bite was excellent! Juicy meat slices accented with the robust, savory, light sweet notes of smoked California oak wood. Fresh buns buttered and lightly toasted on the flats. Brought together as a well-done sandwich, every bite was savory meat and spiced rub, sweet barbecue sauce, and light crunch of toasted bread. The coleslaw was finely chopped cabbage tossed in a creamy, mildly sweet dressing, with a dusting of cracked black peppercorn on top. A welcome refreshing side to my tri-tip sandwich, the coleslaw cleansed the palate and balanced out my rich meal. The tri-tip sandwich and coleslaw sure paired up to pack a delicious punch. South Winchester BBQ was a definite win in my books. Next time I want a good barbecue sandwich, I'll come back for more. I know I'll be in for a delightful time!

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    South Winchester BBQ - Inside

    Inside

    South Winchester BBQ - Ribs  -- IG: @phuoodwithvicks

    Ribs -- IG: @phuoodwithvicks

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    Tri-tip -- IG: @phuoodwithvicks

    Smoking Pig BBQ - Spareribs

    Smoking Pig BBQ

    3.9(3.5k reviews)
    3.5 miDowntown
    $$

    What a solid spot! It definitely hit a craving for amazingly tasty meat…read more Brisket: 10/10 the texture couldn't have been better! They have three options, fatty, lean, or mixed. The mixed brisket was perfect and the meat was not tough whatsoever. The fat lent juiciness to each bite. This brisket was the perfect vehicle for the BBQ sauces on the table and it was super fun mixing and matching the different flavors. I do wish it had a bit more flavor on its own though, like just a little touch more salt and pepper would've perfected this! Burnt ends : 10/10!!! OMG this was heaven!! The pork belly was perfectly charred and coated in this amazing sweet glaze that kind of reminded me a bit of charsiu, but even better! It's almost dessert-like in its carmelization, lending a new spin on sweet and savory. You definitely have to try this fresh! Collard Greens: 6/10 They were alright, nothing special. Corn bread: 6/10 Almost sponge bread-like in texture. Not too sweet. Price: A 2 meat combo for $30 is a bit much. I wish they had better valued lunch deals. Ambiance : 7/10 normal nothing special Service: 10/10 consistently checked on us to make sure we were okay, and gave us extra plates to share without us having to ask! plus the free soda refills are great!

    We came to celebrate our anniversary and wanted a bbq joint and happen to chance this place for…read morelunch. They use fresh woods to grill their meats in the back, which i was excited to see as I walked inside. We were greeted upon arrival and sat at their many booth tables. The simple wall portraits, the front counter, and southern music brought a southern accent to the restaurant which added to their charm. They promptly tended to our orders and customers started trinkling in for the next 30 min. We ordered the classic beef ribs, pulled pork, and sliced briskets with a side of coleslaw and rice. We were excited to try their many sauces at the table. They had a mustard sauce that paired nicely with the brisket and pulled pork. The sweet, honey bbq and the spicy bbq paired nicely with the ribs. Only let down was the meats didnt have enough of that wood-smoked taste i was hoping for. Additionally, the coleslaw was was bland and the taste and consistency to it, so probably would skip it next time. Other than that, I wouldnt mind coming back to try more off their menu. :)

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    Smoking Pig BBQ - Seating

    Seating

    Smoking Pig BBQ - Premium Combo Platter: mixed brisket, spareribs, greens, and cornbread. Decent, but hoped for a little more smoke.

    Premium Combo Platter: mixed brisket, spareribs, greens, and cornbread. Decent, but hoped for a little more smoke.

    Smoking Pig BBQ - Banana Pudding

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    Sauced BBQ & Spirits - San Jose

    Sauced BBQ & Spirits - San Jose

    3.8(852 reviews)
    2.4 miWest San Jose
    $$$

    My boyfriend and I made a reservation through OpenTable for late lunch here (which definitely was…read morenot needed as it wasn't busy when we went) to try some of the BBQ before meeting up with some of my friends. The location that we went to is located next to Maggiano's Little Italy in Santana Row on Olin Ave. There is a free 2 hour parking structure across of the restaurant where my boyfriend and I parked at. We came during their Lunch Specials (until 4pm) and Happy Hour (from 3-5:30pm) which worked perfectly as we wanted something smaller in portion compared to the dinner portions. We started off with drinks. I got their Pig Ol' Bitties Blonde Ale, and my boyfriend got their Friday Beer & Shot special of This Little Piggy Went to [Mark]et with a 16 oz Dirty Little Pig IPA and a shot of Benchmark whiskey. My fault for having him get a whiskey shot on an empty stomach, though HAHA. He did like how smooth the whiskey was at least! We shared a 2-meat BBQ Lunch Combo Plate, and honestly, we should have gotten 3 meats because of how tender and delicious everything was! We got their Tri Tip and Sliced Brisket with their Garlic Mash and server recommended Sweet Potato Tots. Ahhh, everything was so good! Aside from the tender, flavorful meats, the two sides, especially the garlic mash, were sooooo good. We both loved everything! It was definitely a great choice coming during lunch as we were quite full after ordering one of their happy hour shareables of Chips & Queso (kind of pricey even for happy hour in my opinion for chips and cheese). Honestly wished we got their Chili Cheese Fries or their other fries which were the same price than just chips and dip LOL. But it was a good hold over food with us drinking a bit (at least for me). Shoutout to the only server who was working on a late Friday afternoon as she was doing her best to accommodate everyone + trying to clean up the previous tables. It was kind of sad seeing that the other workers didn't help bus the tables in my opinion. Overall, a great place to watch sports and have some good whiskey as this restaurant is known for their whiskey selections! The lunch BBQ exceeded our expectations, and we would definitely come back for another lunch special meal but probably with 3 meats this time!

    This is located in Santana Row. i placed in order online for a pick up and it was such an easy…read moreprocess too. i've never been here before, but have been dying to try it out. My sister wanted bbq for her birthday and so we opted for this place. i loved they way that it was decorated. it's like a bar and bbq served in one place. Since i've never been here before i was really surprised by their portion sizes. it was well worth the money spent and picking up was easy too. super nice guys who helped me. i was a bit confused on what kind of sauces they had. the person who helped me gave me a run down and explained their sauces. they also gave me some samples to try to take home as welll. by far i think id have to agree that their tin roof sauce is the best sauce my sister even wanted to know if she could just buy their bbq sauce. other then that we ordered roughly a good portion of bbq- pulled pork, cheddar cheese jalapeño sausage, burnt ends, brisket, chicken wings, and ribs. our sides were the cajun rice, green beans, cole slaw and corn succatash. would probably love to come back for their lunch special one of these days.

    Photos
    Sauced BBQ & Spirits - San Jose - Best hostess ever, thank you Kowana for making us feel so welcomed

    Best hostess ever, thank you Kowana for making us feel so welcomed

    Sauced BBQ & Spirits - San Jose
    Sauced BBQ & Spirits - San Jose - You won't go home empty handed trust me!!

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    Jackie's Place - Party Wings Peach-Habanero ($7.50/12)

    Jackie's Place

    4.4(2k reviews)
    3.5 miDowntown
    $$

    Food was solid and the vibe was nice, but the service really missed the mark. It wasn't that busy,,…read moreyet there were no waiters around for long stretches, and the lady working the checkout/ drink fountain was surprisingly rude and an awful attitude Also, tipping in advance through the app doesn't help, good service can be easily forgotten when the staff knows the tip is already locked in. Overall, still a good spot, but the service needs attention.

    Best BBQ by far in the Bay!…read more Ribs.. on point Collard Greens.. on point Corn bread.. yumm (but they can be a little bigger) Mac n cheese.. great portion (could be a little more creamier) we also ordered the banana pudding, which is super yummy. We had the seafood gumbo, not too spicy, but spicy enough and it was good with big portions of seafood and sausage with a scoop of rice over it. Ordering was easy we scanned a barcode put in our order and got our food within 10 minutes. Great customer service very clean and while we were eating, we could see that the employees put a lot of care into cleaning the tables and seats. Plenty of parking in back very spacious. They have overhead fans, but no need to turn them on because the restaurant was cool and airy not stuffy or hot. The waiters or servers always checked up on us to make sure that we were OK and if we needed anything else. This restaurant knows what they're doing! Added to one of my fav spots!

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    Jackie's Place - Stairs to downstairs bathroom and elevator

    Stairs to downstairs bathroom and elevator

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    Chungdam

    Chungdam

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    Food and service were excellent. This is our third time eating here. We were here from Texas…read morevisiting our son and his wife. All Staff were great and very friendly. See you next time we are in town. Thanks again Chungdam for excellent food and service

    Chungdam is conveniently located at the corner right off El Camino Real. You won't miss its bold…read moresignage with an all-black background and white text. Another landmark is that it's right next to the Super 8 by Wyndham. Both share the parking lot, so finding a spot can be difficult, but there's street parking available too. RESERVATION/HOST I made a reservation for 3 at 7:30PM on a Saturday evening. I'm glad I planned ahead because, upon entering, there were about 5 parties waiting to be seated. My party was greeted warmly and was quickly seated after my reservation was confirmed. SERVICE Very prompt and professional service. The BBQ meats were cooked consistently, and every request was accommodated. FOOD Chungdam focuses on delivering high-quality meats for your Korean BBQ experience. The banchan was delicious! I was surprised that three spicy raw baby crabs were served. To be honest, it was my first time trying it despite hearing about the hype. It paired pretty well with rice. The dressing and condiments were perfect. I appreciated that salt was provided since we ordered all non-marinade meats. The fermented bean curd dip was my favorite. The seafood pancake we ordered took a bit longer to arrive, but it was delicious and crispy! The seafood was cut into perfect bite-sized pieces, so you get seafood in every bite. -USDA PRIME 차돌박이 100z - Cha-Dol (Beef Brisket, Thinly Sliced) -USDA PRIME 생갈비 16oz - Seng Galbi (Non marinaded Prime short rib) -Seafood Pancake Overall, the Korean food was delicious, and the customer service was excellent. We were even greeted when leaving. They offer kimchi for takeout in jars, available in 16oz and 32oz sizes. I particularly enjoyed the kimchi and had it refilled during dinner, so I decided to buy a 16oz jar to enjoy at home.

    Photos
    Chungdam - Inside (7/1)

    Inside (7/1)

    Chungdam - Chungdam Bibimbap

    Chungdam Bibimbap

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    Seafood Pancake

    Gaboja - korean - Updated May 2026

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