We stopped by for lunch since we were in the area and were seated very quickly. From the start, the service was fantastic. Our server, Kyle, was friendly, attentive, and really knew his stuff. He recommended upgrading our AYCE to the Premium option, saying the price difference was well worth it--and he was absolutely right. The premium cuts were flavorful, tender, and definitely made the upgrade worthwhile. Kyle also recommended a soju that paired really well with the meal, which was a great touch. Overall, we had a fantastic experience from the food to the service. Kyle made the meal even better with his recommendations and hospitality. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

Amazing service from Kyle 10000/10 always attentive and super nice. No matter how busy it is he is always there to get us what we need

This was our first time at GEN Korean BBQ House, and the sides and homemade sauces were absolutely amazing! Riley and Manny were both wonderful, but Manny completely blew us away! He offered to cook for us, introduced us to a new menu item, explained the specials, and brought us a sample. We loved it so much that we ordered about six more! Manny truly went above and beyond, and we're so grateful we got to experience that level of service. Thank you, Riley and Manny, for making our first visit so memorable. We'll definitely be back! Also the manager Lizette was really serious didn't like that at all. read more

Feasted here last night with my family. Have a mixed review of the experience. The place was nearly full, with 15-20 people waiting outside and the front entry area. However, even with the small crowd, we were seated within 15 minutes. The food was very good, and the service was prompt and friendly. We had the premium AYCE and ate our moneys worth from the menu. The floor in the restaurant was very slippery in certain areas (as other reviews stated). The men's bathroom was dirty, and appeared to have water (or some other liquid) across the floor. The bathroom had no paper towels available, and also appeared to have no used paper towels in the trash can... leading me to believe the bathroom had been operating all day with nothing for customers to dry their hands with. While leaving the restaurant, I attempted to drag my shoes across a small carpet that was in the dining area, to discover that the carpet was also slippery with likely grease/fat from the changing of the plates. After leaving the restaurant your clothes, skin, and hair will smell like the food that was cooking in the restaurant read more

2 stars purely for customer service. Read below for the details. I absolutely love GEN as a chain, but the customer service at this location is absolutely abysmal on a Saturday night - I'm even writing this at my booth as I'm at the restaurant because I'm so bothered by my experience. We walked in for a party of 2 and a manager (?) in pink essentially typed something on a screen, told us we would be seated, & then just walked away. Two more employees typed on the screen (are they clocking in? No clue), then ignored us as well. Eventually, a female employee sat us down 5 minutes later, but some kind of update would have been appreciated over being ignored by multiple employees. We waited a total of 10 minutes before somebody finally took our order. I completely understand that the workers are overworked and rushed here (you can see it) and our server did apologize, but I was rubbed the wrong away as the night went on. It took 20 minutes total after being to finally receive something as simple as WATER, but I was frustrated by this because there's a heat wave going on today. The food was as good as always & I have no complaints for the menu. It is mainly the lack of an enjoyable dining experience and feeling like we had to waste a tremendous amount of time before being helped or checked on. At one point, a server left a TON of sides and a huge amount of rice bowls on a tray next to us. I directly asked our server if I could grab a rice bowl because the tray was just sitting next to us for 5 minutes and nothing was happening. He surprisingly ignored my statement (unless he didn't hear me - it's a possibility) so I eventually grabbed one off the tray myself (I normally don't do this, but the service was horrible at this point). Our server eventually checked on us, but I'm mainly upset by the lack of organization, efficient work flow, communication, & management here. I feel that the staff members are nice individually, but need to be trained better on clear communication with customers and a lack of proper training and leadership is to blame here. I don't think I'll be coming back to this location after this experience. Highlights: * Honey Soy Beef Belly * Yangyum Galbi * Potato Salad (side) * Assorted Vegetables (side) Not Worth Ordering: * Red Wine Samgyubsal - used to be really good; not good anymore IMO * Premium Chadol - I don't like it, but my bf thought it was good and I normally love brisket read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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My family and I have been going to Gen for years and years. This time around, the service felt a bit off. I don't know if they used to have call buttons before, but it would be nice to add that touch to the table as we were waiting for our server for a few things and had to wait 5-10 minutes. Our burner's flame kept burning out a few times. Finally, after a maybe the third or fourth time, the server realized that the middle piece had to be centered and fixed it. Our food came before our drinks which was interesting. The food was great, however, and we enjoyed our meal. The dining room was clean and a bit busy. Parking was super easy as well as getting a table on a Sunday afternoon for a party of 6. read more

I remember when I was first introduced to KBBQ Gen was the place to go. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever be back to this location or a gen again. Meat was very fatty. The service was very slow and inconsistent. I think that the server was managing too many tables. For the price point, there are so many other options in Orange County. read more

254 to get lunch there's no lunch rush at this time. It was dead. I was seated in about two minutes and those two minutes were the fastest when seated I was sat in the center where I was seen however, the waiter went around three times and ignored me he never asked me once if I was ready to order he didn't make small talk. He didn't even try to acknowledge my existence. I'm not sure if it was because of the color of my skin or because the way I was dressed and work clothing compared to everybody else apparently it seemed I wasn't gonna tip however I never received help after 12 minutes of waiting. I simply stood up and began walking as soon as I did that the waiter finally took notice of me and asked if I wanted to order I said no you seem busy and I took off. This is by far the worst experience I've ever had at Gen I've never had to wait for more than five minutes to get told that I can get a drink or food. I simply came to eat and enjoy my lunch, but apparently someone's job is too difficult to multitask and come over and simply say hello. If this job is too much for some people simply say you're overwhelmed and ask for help don't try to be a hero and do everything on your own. Please the only person you're hurting is the customer and your reviews at the end of the day. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

I really enjoyed the Bulgogi, the Garlic Pork belly, the short ribs (this one literally melts in your mouth) . The KFC is my favorite but I forgot to order it today. The beef belly was kind of dry not going to lie. I wish they would leave a bottle of brisket available to the table. Love the potato salad side as well as the cucumbers. Service was excellent. The waiters were attentive and worked together nicely to change our grills and to get us what we needed. It's a very dark environment and your eyes will need to adjust to the outside haha just a heads up. If you're easily overstimulated consider wearing earplugs just because it can get loud or ask to be seated outside. Ooo I tried the pancake dessert and I must say that was a 10/10 :D Floors are slippery :( Beware If you want to save $$$ aim to come for lunch. Honorable mention: The women's bathroom has a baby changing station which is awesome news as some places don't read more

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Unfortunately, our experience started off on the wrong foot. The hostess came across as rude and unwelcoming. She never smiled or greeted us warmly, and as the first person guests interact with, I think it's important to make people feel welcome. We were visiting the area after an event and aren't locals. After waiting about 40 minutes, we were seated at a shared table with another couple who spent most of the meal complaining about how close we were sitting. I understood their frustration, but there wasn't much we could do since that's where we were seated. We ordered a couple of appetizers, but only one ever made it to the table. By the time we realized it, our meat had already arrived, so we didn't bother asking about the missing dish. On a positive note, our server, Olivia, was friendly, checked on us several times, and provided good service throughout the meal. Overall, the food was just okay and didn't really stand out. One thing I also noticed was that the floors were very slippery, which could be a safety concern. While the service from our waitress helped, the overall experience wasn't enough to make me want to return. I think I'll be taking a break from Korean BBQ for a while. read more

It was a birthday occasion so we ordered the premium tier. Gen doesn't serve the highest quality of meat but is a reliable ayce Korean bbq Restaurant. The banchans make up for it! read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Premium meats - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

2 hours eating limit. Felt unwelcome and rushed during weekday lunch. Slippery floor. Staff did not welcome our party of 5 upon arriving but sounded a little irritated because 6th person was not there. She asked how many people in the party and started explaining all the rules. It didn't feel welcoming. No smiles just straight up rules and here's your table. She said "oh you'd be surprised how many people stay past 2 hours". Well, I don't care for others, I'm not others. We have 6 people but was told only 1 grill. If you ever eat Korean BBQ - 1 grill is best for 4 people or less because of the space. First grill was turned on almost immediately but the second grill didn't get turn on until 30-40 minutes later after a male waiter noticed that the 5th and 6th person was just sitting there in front of an empty grill while everyone else eat. It was just awkward. Only one order of each meats at a time. So if you want 3 orders of short ribs , you would have to order, wait a long time for waiters to bring it out, grill, eat and then order again and repeat. Yes your two hours clock is still ticking while waiting and waiting for your food and waiters. Staff rushed to take our order and take long time to bring out food especially side dishes. I didn't even finish ordering and they had to rush off so I felt rushed ordering. Lost my appetite honestly. It is hard to enjoy any food because it felt unwelcome and rushed and the waiting for food to come out. Staff running around and never made eye contact unless you call for them. The girls like house steak, bulgogi, fried shrimps, kimchi fried rices. All the side dishes are similar to other places- nothing stand out. I personally like the short ribs but here it was not tender or well marinated. For $28 lunch (tips included)- I won't be coming back after such terrible services and meats are not any better than other nearby Korean BBQ places. Be careful- their floor is slippery. read more

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I finally gave Gen Korean BBQ a try after seeing over 7,000 Yelp reviews and a solid 4-star rating, and unfortunately I left wondering if we visited the same restaurant. The experience started off on the wrong foot. Our booth wobbled every time I shifted in my seat, and the tabletop still had greasy residue from the previous guests. That's not a great first impression. The banchan was probably the biggest disappointment. It felt like very little thought or effort went into it--just a handful of basic sides that lacked the freshness and variety I've come to expect from Korean BBQ. It honestly felt more like an obligation than something the restaurant took pride in. We usually order brisket at every AYCE KBBQ restaurant we visit, so I ordered three servings here. To my surprise, each plate was enormous. Most all-you-can-eat places serve smaller portions so guests can sample different meats without creating unnecessary food waste. Serving such oversized portions right away seemed counterproductive. Throughout dinner the staff repeatedly celebrated birthdays by banging metal plates together. I know some people enjoy that kind of atmosphere, but I personally found it loud, distracting, and a bit tacky when you're just trying to enjoy a meal and conversation. Overall, this restaurant felt like it prioritized serving large quantities of food over attention to quality, cleanliness, and the dining experience. If you're simply looking to eat a lot of meat, you may enjoy it. If you're looking for the kind of Korean BBQ experience where the banchan, service, and overall execution are just as important as the meat, this wasn't it. Personally, I'll gladly drive a little farther for Moran Gak next time. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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I'm not usually a big fan of Gen, but I decided to give this location a try. I normally go to the Gen in Torrance I've had excellent experiences at those locations. Unfortunately, my experience at the Tustin location was very different. I understand that a restaurant can sometimes be short-staffed, but if you're going to operate a restaurant this large, there should be enough staff to properly take care of the customers. During our visit, the service was very inattentive. Staff weren't taking our orders promptly, checking on us, or making us feel taken care of. The only person who really made a difference was Romeo. Romeo was attentive, helpful, and genuinely cared about making sure we had a good experience. We actually gave Romeo a separate $40 tip because we felt he deserved recognition for the effort he put in. Romeo, you're the best! You did an amazing job, and honestly, you deserve much more recognition for your hard work. Don't let anyone take advantage of your kindness and hard work. Unfortunately, this was our first time at the Tustin location, and we left disappointed. Romeo was truly the only person who made our experience better. Thank you, Romeo! read more

Some of the meats were very tough, especially the beef brisket, carne asada and some cuts of the short rib. Beef belly, pork jowl, and large intestine were enjoyable though. Unfortunately, the Korean side dishes didn't taste Korean. The seasoning was way off, and the kimchi and cucumbers tasted old. Don't get the japchae; it's not japchae. Restaurant itself looked clean though and our server Romeo worked hard read more

I have been coming to gen for a long long time, and usually it never disappoints. HOWEVER. .I went on Saturday 9/19/2026 for dinner with my best friend and we had a terrible experience. I asked for a both and the waiter said I will ask my manager turns out the manager said no she said it was only for larger parties 3 or 4 people..but when I looked around there was not only plenty of booths available but there were people sitting in booths that only had two people. Service was slow and I'm extremely disappointed we were treated unfairly. That will be the last time I go back there. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Two customers in a booth that is reserved for 3 or more - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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I love gen Korean bbq not only because they have the best meats but the service and the server Kyle is one the best employees I had ever seen a all you can eat bbq place we got the premium menu and my whole family love it. read more

First time to a Gen BBQ. I'm Korean, and while the meat was fine,some of the other sides & appetizers are definitely not authentic Korean food. For instance, the hottteok is basically a beignet. The doenjang soup wasn't good & was too thick. If you're looking for authentic Korean BBQ and experience, don't go to Gen. Many issues with this restaurant, specifically the service/attitude of the staff that night. There was a hair in one of the appetizers I asked for, and it was never replaced with a new one. Our waiter forgot to bring a drink, never came back to confirm if something wasn't on the menu, and we were later charged us for a drink that wasn't even in stock. This same waiter disappeared for 15 min so we had to flag down other waiters & waitresses for service. Seemed like the staff were harried and ignoring us at certain times. They didn't change our grill after a long time. They'd forget to bring necessary utensils for soups we ordered. The final straw was when trying to check out, some of the employees were blocking and goofing around in the hallway and accidentally stepped back onto on one of our friend's feet (he was wearing sandals), so the grease/grime from the employee's shoes got all over his feet. The manager apologized and ultimately gave us a discount. The environment felt very disorganized & unprofessional. Nobody in our group that night wanted to go back or had a pleasant experience. Just because the staff are feeling rushed and stressed doesn't mean you should make the customers feel stressed too. Will not be returning due to poor customer service and treatment. read more

A solid choice that's not anything premium amongst the AYCE KBBQ greats of LA but at under 30 bucks, it usually delivers. If you're tryna pig out after a big workout or run and wanna just get six or seven.. orders brisket or bulgogi then cant go wrong with gen. if you think you're down for ayce lunch then its not a bad deal either. the wait is LONGGGG almost every day for dinner and if its the weekend just be prepared to wait like 2 hours lol. service is usually top notch especially considering how busy they get so servers always coming around and making sure you got everything you need. Food: 7/10 Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Value: 7/10 read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

The floor was really really greasy and oily. I was slipping and had to hold onto chairs and tables so I don't fall down. It was extremely loud Mexican music playing in the background which I don't mind. It's just I came here to enjoy a meal. It's very dark in here, but there's sunlight blaring in through the partially open partially closed window blinds. There's an exit door that looks like it's from old shed somewhere else stickers and mismatched paint all over the door sunlight barbarian the food was good but sitting down, trying to order a meal and I have to yell to my wife just to talk over the music blaring out of the kitchen just makes me feel as all this place is extremely unprofessional can't believe they would let people working in the kitchen glass music so loud it's ridiculous read more

All-you-can-eat AYCE. Came here for Christmas lunch and had a good experience. The staff was incredibly kind and attentive throughout the entire meal. ​We ordered from the dinner menu, and the galbi and beef bulgogi were the highlights. I appreciated how proactive the servers were with changing our grill at regular intervals. It's a good selection for the price. ​The only downside was the restroom. There was a very intense smell even before entering the door. read more

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We had a fantastic dining experience at GEN Korean BBQ in Tustin, and a huge part of that was because of our server, Romeo. From the moment we were seated, Romeo was attentive, friendly, and on top of everything. His attention to detail really stood out. He consistently checked on us, made sure we had everything we needed, and kept the entire experience running smoothly without ever being intrusive. What impressed us most was his great attitude and genuine commitment to providing excellent service. He made our dinner feel effortless and enjoyable, and his service truly made the difference between a good meal and a flawless dining experience. We were extremely pleased and impressed with Romeo's service. GEN Korean BBQ is lucky to have someone like him representing the restaurant. We will definitely be coming back, and we hope Romeo is there next time! Thank you, Romeo, for making our dinner such a great experience! read more

My son wanted to come to this place for his birthday. I will say one positive thing our server cadence was very nice and always checked on us and did a wonderful job with the service and she got the whole team to sing happy birthday to my son, we tipped her well. The food was terrible, you know how people compare food to levels of fast food chains, I can't even compare it to McDonalds I would be doing them a disservice. I would rate the food equivalent to gas station sushi I wouldn't ever eat it. This place is ghetto, the floors are slippery from all the grilling. They don't turn on the ventilators and put out slip caution signs out to CYA. read more

To begin with my experience started off bad. The hostess was rude, wanted to have her way and gave the nastiest attitude to my husband. Just for asking the approximate wait time for our table that according to her they had to accommodate us because of my baby that needed a high chair which seemed to be a huge inconvenience that she did not care to hide in her face expression. Not only that but she proceeded to talk sh** with a customer who was signing in for a table, saying "a little patience goes a long way" for a simple question that she turned into an argument. After that the server took about 20 mins to come to our table. He did however make everything better for us so shout out to Aldo cuz he changed our whole night! Place was pretty loud, I didn't hear any music playing but there was a lot of loud talk. The food was tasty this is why I keep choosing GEN for my Kbbq. So little advice for the manager at this place. Have your host with the blonde streak on the left side to have a change of attitude. Maybe some customer service classes? She's in need of some. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

It was okay. I've gone to many KBBQ places and Gens used to be at the top of my list, but the food at this location just seemed too sweet. I went around 1pm so it wasn't crazy busy, they were attentive, but you could tell the workers were understaffed. I was in the room without fans and my seat, along with the one next to me, had sauce splattered all over. Wish I could get my money back. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Japchae, rice bowl - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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Our server, Riley, was fantastic today. He was incredibly attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. Even when we had to ask for things multiple times, he remained patient and pleasant. We appreciated his kindness and dedication to providing excellent service. But it was hot today. They left the doors open so that was good. Food tasted yummy ambiance is good for day time eating read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Beef belly - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

Food quality is amazing, they have the best kimchi out of every Korean barbecue I've been to. I will say that they are the most reliable and the safest bet as these restaurants tend to vary in their meat and side selection. I HIGHLY recommend you try the honey soy beef belly! I've been served by Romeo who was very helpful in recommending drinks and specialty meats; and most recently I was taken care of by Francisco. Francisco's service was so perfect, I felt compelled to leave a review. He anticipated our needs and met them quickly and accurately. I was blown away by his service. I have been a loyal customer for a few years now and Francisco's exceptional customer service warranted a 5 star review for the establishment. The environment is clean and well kept, they're usually playing good music and the lighting adds to a beautiful atmosphere. Since they are so good, they tend to be popular especially during weekend evenings. I highly recommend making a reservation especially for larger parties read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - (L to R) Kinchi, Soy Beef Belly, Soju Capri, Radish paper, short rib, pork belly - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

Came during lunch to get at lunch price since I haven't been here in a while to reconfirm if it's mid, unfortunately Gen didn't redeem themselves :( Meat quality was pretty bad. Steak and short rib was so chewy. Beef belly was cut like beef fatty shaved ice?? So it was like tiny minced scraps when it was cooked. Rice paper was hard like it was left out Brisket sauce was lacking flavor They were super short staffed leaving 1 poor waitress to fight for her life on the floor. So things took really long, I don't blame her. Water was absolutely terrible like unfiltered bad tap. Even a lemon couldn't save it I'm sorry I would not recommend or come back. 5/10 read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Beef belly...minced??? - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

Justin is an exceptional server! He made great recommendations on the meats to order. Amazing attentiveness and service! Beef belly and galbi were delicious! No wait on a Saturday night. Thank you for a memorable experience! read more

had a fantastic experience at this location a few days ago! the food was delicious personal fav is the galbi and bulgogi fries everything came out fresh and flavorful what really made our visit stand out was our server ozzy He was friendly and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. His great service and positive attitude made the whole experience even better. We'll definitely be coming back and highly recommend asking for ozzy read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Yangyeom Galbi 1lb - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

Came in on a Friday early afternoon and online shows they have lunch menu and prices but when we got here, they said they only have dinner prices. We decided to still stay and do the dinner prices since we were already there. Our server was KYLE R, We ordered our sides & proteins. Our proteins came out consistently fast, however or sides didn't come out until midway thru & towards the very end. I kept having to ask for the tofu soup & I asked for it 3 times and when we were getting up to leave the 3 soups finally came out. We were told they were out of white rice and soup so we had to wait more time. I think the timing of everything was off. We asked for lemons 4 times. Spoke to the MOD and she said she would check with the kitchen. Lastly the floors here are extremely slippery here. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - No soy sauce... this is what we got instead - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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The worst sevice and place to go, rude management, dirty place, the whole floor is slippery because of too much fat, other than terrible service your physical health is in danger of falling and they will accuse you not paying attention, the whole place is slippery the whole time. Any order you make takes forever or forgetten, if you're a big party don't go to this place at all read more

Love this place! Good ambiance. The staff is very nice and does a good job. Food is really great

This place seems to be going down. We came for early dinner hoping to beat the rush and there was no rush. The last 3x they have fat ass at the same table in the room on the right in the back corner. You share a table with another group if you are smaller than three people. However, it is not a shareable table. In order for the personwho is sitting on the bench side closest to the wall, they can't get out without your party having to get out and move. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm not sure why they do this. But we always seem to sit here. This last time, we asked for 2 corn cheese & it never came until a manager came over and we had to ask her. Even then, they only had 1 available. Supposedly they were making more but it was never brought to us. They changed our grill once during the whole time which doesn't work with galbi. I also asked for hot sauce, they were out! Umm. Really, it's 5pm. I would have liked more salad but never saw our waiter. The galbi has gotten fattier and there was hardly any meat. I'm amazed they hadn't increased their prices too much throughout the years but there's soo many competitions out there now. SYOY! read more

This is probably the best KBBQ we have ever been to The quality of the food, taste and service were all excellent Highly recommended. We will definitely be back. read more

It's a total coin flip on what you're going to be experiencing on any given day, and it entirely depends on the team of servers and runners that are assigned to your section. Sometimes the server is a seasoned vet, sometimes the server is in way over their heads. It's probably just the nature of high maintenance dining, but be prepared to flag down your serving team many, many times if the team isn't that good. However, the food quality is decent and the place is as clean as can be for an AYCE establishment at this low price point. Sometimes your meats come out presented nicely, sometimes it's thrown onto the plate. The only reason we go here is because Costco offers discounted gift cards. read more

I love Gen BBQ and their premium menu. This was our 6th visit here and let me tell you ... KYLE needs a raise ASAP! When I tell you this was the absolute BEST service I ever received. I did not have to worry about one thing during my visit, Kyle took care of everything before I even asked! I was honestly stunned and would definitely recommend this place just because of Kyle. read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Premium menu - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

Gen used to be good YEARS ago but unfortunately there's so many better places now. Bad service from our server who clearly did not care to be there and the sides were not good - rice was hard, "Korean fried chicken" were chicken nuggets with ketchup on top, kimchi rice was inedible. The meat was good which is the only redeeming thing about our visit. read more

This place used to be the it KBBQ spot... back when I was in high school 2015. Quality of meat is not the best and they dilute the dipping sauce. My favorite part! Service here is okay and overall the restaurant is fine. Also, if you get take out they don't even give you any sides... Best to spend your money at Ican Barbeque, Honey Pig or Shik do rak! read more

Gen Korean BBQ House - Gen to go - Korean Near Me - Tustin, California

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Price is much too expensive for this type of food. I understand the price of beef has launched higher than the stock market, but this is absurd. The meat quality is not equal to the price and Gen has lost its original luster it had in the 2010s. read more