Pricey but worth it. It isnt Ayce but cuts are delicious, owners/waiters are freindly and service is good.

If you're looking for this place, and you're not Korean, check the photos out. The name isn't shown in English. Just look for the #1! Somebody who comes here often suggested the place to us. I felt like it was pretty popular amongst the local Korean population, but other's don't try it because they can't find it or don't notice it. We were served a fishcake soup. I've never had it before, but it was good. I'm not a big fish-eater, but the broth was great. The banchans were really good. The kimchi was okay, but the potato salad was really good. It was fairly sweet, in a good way, and pureed rather than just chopped potatoes. The tables at the restaurant are really small, but luckily the bbq is exactly what I expected. This is the first time I've ever seen naturally raised pork belly. It didn't taste that much different that I normally know, but the waitress gladly explained it to us. We had that and the meat platter for 3, which had brisket, new york strip, filet mignon, and short rib, too. The meats were really fresh and all of them were surprisingly tender. They used great quality red meats. We also got the stone-plate beef kimchi fried rice. This was the best fried rice I've ever had. The small hints of kimchi were perfect and the stone kept it hot. The waitress was super friendly and gave us great suggestions for combinations to eat the meat with. I'd definitely come here again, and probably will within the next two weeks of being in the area. read more

Ilbunjee - You got beef, bro?! - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

I have yet to find something here that I don't like. Especially the cold kimchi noodles, I could eat them everyday (I love noodles). Their meat plates and quality are amazing! Their food is so well packaged. I am definitely a frequent visitor during these times because they're food is so good and feels so safe read more

Never been to Korea but you get a small taste of visiting Asia in here. Tiny mom and pop business which generally means slower than normal service. Owners spoke little and broken English. Loads of older Korean dudes here after working eating and drinking. But hey, that's what you call authentic. If you're picky about the freshness of your meat then this is definitely your spot. You really pay for the quality of meat. However, it didn't really cut it for me because I like variety with my meals. Everyone else that came here seemed okay with just grilling the meat, dipping it in sauce and drinking. Standard meat plates require a 2 order minimum at about $20-$30/each plate. I opted for the Beef and Pork combo for 3 people at $70-$80 (forgot the exact price) which could really feed 4-5 people. The oyster kimchee fried rice was okay. Not sure if it was because of the oysters but it gave off a stronger than normal fish flavor. Try the pork belly one instead. Size is good for 5 people. Not as many banchan dishes (side dishes) like I'm used at other Korean restaurants. WARNING: Don't order any soups here. The free house soup was bland. Just a strong spice flavor. The fish egg soup which was recommended by the server (assuming is the owner) was not good either. So 5 of us and only 3 dishes (the combo, fried rice, soup and 1 beer) came out to about $130 before tip. I'd rather go spend that $130 elsewhere for smaller portions and more variety (5-6 dishes). read more

Ilbunjee - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Everything was SOOOOOO GOOD. One of the juiciest meats i've ever had! Their service was top tier as well, so friendly & so fast! Even their salad was good MUST CHECK OUT!!!!!!!! read more

Ever since we have tried this place 3 months ago, we have been back at least 6 times. I brought our cousins, our Aunt and our parents and they agreed that this was one of the best Korean places they have eaten. They were very satisfied when we left. My husband and I have never been disappointed with the food especially the meat quality. The Owner, Grace, is the sweetest and her son, Chris, is very kind as well. I definitely feel like it's a home style Korean restaurant. We rarely eat out but when we do, we treat ourselves to Ibunjee. We love it! Thanks Grace & Chris for always being so sweet when we spoil ourselves and enjoy our delicious dinner! read more

I just picked up some top quality meat at SUCH a good price! I got sliced brisket, filet, and pork jowl. Everything was fresh and packaged nicely. We've had some brisket so far, and wow it melts in your mouth!! I ordered way more meat than my husband and I can consume, but i portioned them out and put them in the freezer. I also got some side dishes. Cucumber, fish cake, and dried radish in sweet and spicy sauce. Wow... the radish was spectacular!! Especially wrapped in a slice of brisket. I texted my order and picked it up without any hassle. Can't wait to dine here once COVID19 is a memory! read more

They wouldn't serve me. They said that they wouldn't turn on the table's grill for one person. Which is understandable I suppose, but when I asked what else I could get, they said there was nothing. Everything they serve other than a side of broth requires the grill. So I said "alright I'll leave". :( kind of a shame, the other reviews say the food is good. Would have liked to try it. read more

I need to eat at Ilbunjee every now and then to fulfill my craving for meat goodness. Service is good and usually it's less crowded then Tobang, where the waiters cooked the meat hastily and customers were pressured to finish eating and leave. Particularly the brisket slices and wagyu short ribs are the best in town. read more

If I can give zero, I would give a negative. #1) why is price so expensive if no server helps with the first round of grilling? Normally all k bbq place helps with grilling in first round of served meat. even servers in an unlimited bbq sometimes help. No one here is attentive to customers' needs. I would rather go gooyi gooyi or gaboja. 2) no one watches the counter. Cant even ask for water or extra side dishes. I dont still understand as to why the lady gave us tuna 3)skimpy portion and low quality meat. read more

Came back with buddy for a quick dinner. The salad is great as normal and the side dishes always make me wanting more. Beef combo again. So good!! read more

Ilbunjee is one of my all time favorite Korean bbq restaurant here in the Bay Area. I've been coming to this restaurant for the past five years and finally putting a review. Way past due. Let's first talk about the food. The food is authentic. As a Korean, it makes me feel right at home with all these side dishes that comes out. I can just eat the side dishes and be satisfied. All meats are great. My favorite though would be the wagyu combo! We usually try to find really good wagyu in Japanese restaurants, but you gotta get perfected wagyu from here. It's so good. I can't explain how juicy and tasty the wagyu is from here. Super yummy. The lady who owns the restaurant is so kind and friendly. She always has a smile on her face. My husband and I moved here not too long ago and she immediately made us feel welcomed and at home. Great service. If you're in the Bay Area, you really need to try this place. I bring my friends here all the time from different states and they love it. read more

My dogs LOOOOVE me after I eat here. They follow me around sniffing and licking me. My intestines HAAAATE me after I eat here. All that beef and raw garlic. I like this place. Every time I go I get all nostalgic and miss Korea. Dont forget to leave your jacket in the car. One of these days Im going to try eating with one of those lab suits on complete with hair cover. "Lovely aroma you have there Mr. L." "Why thank you..its eau de boeuf" Meat and soju. Yin and Yang. Ebony and Ivory. Pitt and Clooney. It just works on so many levels. Davids bottom line- Whered the mushrooms go??? Sigh bring back the mushrooms!!!!!! If we all keep asking for the mushrooms maybe they will add them back to the menu. Solidarity my friends. read more

This place is more commonly referred to as "Pojangmacha" rather than their DBA "Ilbunjee" or "#1" place. The term "pojangmacha" refers to the old and shabby blue/white tents that were commonly placed all over Korean cities where people had access to cheap drinks, cheap comfort foods as well as appetizers, noodles, etc. while sitting at a metal table on a probably wobbly stool or bench. Just as is the case with many things in life, things of days gone by have acquired a sort of novelty now, and eating in this fashion (which was originally for those who could never afford a restaurant) has become a cool way of eating/drinking. I have frequented this place since the week it opened, and have been loyal to this establishment even to this date. Great owners, terrific food, and really good atmosphere in which to chat, catch up, drink, and eat some good food. They bring to your metal tables a burner and grill on which you will be grilling your meat. There are ample side dishes including a nice potato salad, kimchi and bean sprouts as well as a mini-shrimp thingie with your share of garlic/peppers, and "ssam" which is a variety of lettuce. They always serve you "o-daeng guk" first, which is a fishcake soup, which is a perfect chaser if you're drinking soju (as well as being terrific when you're freezing). Sidenote: this soup was perhaps one of the most common servings in the real "pojangmachas". Then your meat is brought out. #1 is has mostly non-marinated fresh meats that you grill at your table and dip into specific sauces that are provided for you. This is not the same as the galbi you get at other BBQ houses, but rather just plain fresh meat. Some of the choices you have are ribeye, galbi sans marinade, "heuk dwaejee dam gyub sal" which is pork belly, and even "chun gyub sal" which means 1000 layered pork belly (actually less fat than the 3-layered, go figure), rather than the other variety which means 3 layers. All of them are good. You dip the cooked meat into the sauce. Place it into a big piece of lettuce, add a piece of roasted or raw garlic, add a pepper, put a dab of soy bean paste in, as well as some green onions, wrap it all up and CHOW DOWN. Take a sip of soju and start all over again. :-) #1 also brought in some interesting seafood items, all raw. First is something they call "Pan Jogae" - which is actually a sliced raw scallop variety. REALLY yummy eaten totally raw, or even slightly roasted on your grill. They also frequently have live "haesam" (sea cucumber) and "mung-gae" (forgive me, I have no idea what this is called in English). These two are more acquired taste but perfect companions to Soju, in any case. Served fresh, chilled and absolutely delicious. They always let me know when they get a great batch in - and I don't hesitate for a second before I order more than we can consume. (Hint: get there before I do if you want any!) Another item I usually order, or the owners will often give me as "service" since I am always there and have perhaps taken more business there than anyone in history, haha - is "Gool Tofu-tang". This is an oyster/tofu soup, extremely light, slightly spicy and so refreshing - - definitely worth a try is you like oysters and/or tofu. This is not a fancy restaurant, and given the definition I provided above of what "pojangmacha" actually refers to, that is no surprise. Dress code is completely casual - perfect to go to after a game of golf, or just as a dinner after a lazy day. What this restaurant provides is a totally relaxing environment in which guys and girls alike can hang out and eat good food while getting toasty on soju. Some only have a shot or two while here, and others will leave more intoxicated than they have ever been due to the good aura of #1 and still, others don't drink at all and come solely to eat. Whatever you choose to do, if you like meat, you are sure to enjoy making this establishment one of your favorites. It's definitely a place that you can call a "home away from home", you feel it the first time you enter - and before you know it, you find yourself craving the food there. It's as authentically Korean as you will get in the Bay Area, for sure. As a sidenote, the clientele is generally all Korean. People can get a bit loud or rowdy amongst themselves as they drink too much, but that is rare. FYI - they are closed on Sundays.... it's such a bummer that all of my favorite places are closed on Sundays!! I can't tell you how many times I used to drive out to these restaurants only to scream in horror when I notice the dimmed out signs. "WHAT? NO POJANGMACHA FOR ME TODAY?" It's like my whole world falls to pieces.....as I begrudgingly try yet another substandard restaurant in lieu of my favorite place due to my hunger pangs..... For people who eat sparingly, it will cost about $25pp. If you order like me, the sky is the limit.... read more

Korean food never fails me, and so this place... For those of you who can't decide if Gooyi-Gooyi or this place is better, they're both pretty equal to me. Meat wise is excellent, and so their banchans, but only a few of them I really like that surpasses my expectations. This place is a great example of quintessential meat. If you're not Korean or even fluent at it, just look for the #1 sign and this is the spot. There are 2 other Korean KBBQ joints on your left side next to adult shops, too. Ilbunjee #1 is located between Thai and Mexican restaurant. Parking is small and compact. This place isn't open for lunch. Only opens for dinner time, I think at 5pm? Moving on, I love this place because of their high quality meat. They aren't even marinated that are laden in sugar, msg, sauces and some other type of crap they put in at other low end Korean joints to satisfy customers' expenses. YES - this place is pricey as hell but it's worth it. We got the 2 ppl combo, which totals to about $55 with tax. The total bill isn't so bad considering it's about $25 a person with fresh and natural ingredients you can get from this place. This place has a very homey Korean feel, which I love because it's cozy. Very Korea like. You'll start off with banchans in the beginning of the meal with odeng soup (omfg, so bomb). The soup they serve you is super homemade-style. I'm not a person who loves fish so much but this lives up for it! Their sides are great but not the best. I really do have a big weakness for their potato salad...... So out of this world! They aren't dice or anything but in puree-like form with eggs and some other vegetables I couldn't identify. I've had like 4 refills of these because it's that freakin' delicious! Not overwhelming sweet. TRY IT and you'll thank me. The kimchis are okay, seemed to be really watered down and not well-spiced. They serve water in one of those small metal cups (this is a traditional way of serving water in Korea, from where I've heard). It's not even a cup of water, it's small like a baby cup. I hate having to ask servers to refill all the time but I have no choice. I drink water like fish. On to the main thing! MEAT - ordered the #1 with beef, pork and steak. It comes with steamed rice that's so fresh and hot. I couldn't even hold my metal rice bowl, or I'll end up with a 2nd degree burn. The meat itself is just fantastic, wonderful and excellent. They do give you romaine lettuce to wrap around with your meat with dipping sauces, which are great too. I say hit up this place if you're tired of eating bibimbap, bulgogi or teriyaki chicken at low-end Korean joints. This will rock your Seoul! read more

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I get angry when I read noob yelp reviews. Let me clarify some things for all the meat noobs out there: 1) For those who complain that there aren't any traditional korean meats such as kalbi, bulgogi and ddeujibulgogi....well, you came to a wrong place. You see, when meats are marinated, restaurants can use low-end meats to satisfy their customers (if you put buncha msg and suger...it's bound to taste good). However, this place confident puts out high-end meats with no marination to prove their quality. It's bright pink and their meats freaking melt in their mouth. They carry pork from England, prime angus, ribeye and beef ribs which are hard to come by in the typical korean bbq joints. 2) It's pricy and the portions may be a bit smaller. OF COURSE....because you are eating high quality cuts....if this is your problem, just go to a korean bbq joint that's cheaper but you will be just chewing sugar and salt. 3) This restaurant does not use MSG at all and all their products are prepared and washed in filtered water. You see, these kinds of efforts are rarely noticed but are important to customers like me. Are they honest behind the scenes? Are they using healthy methods of preparing my food so that I don't die after eating them? Try their kimchi soup and you will know that it's not msg filled soup. It's refreshing because they use healthy ingredients. 4) Their odeng soup and kimchi fried rice....so bomb. 5) I love their roundtable set-up...it's very korea like...it's so communal and friendly. I love it. read more

My favorite new discovery! We were originally going to go eat at Gooyi Gooyi but there was an hour long wait. Since my bro said that this was one of the restaurants that was supposed to be amazing, we skipped out on the wait and chowed down on #1. FOOD: --Banchan: They give some sides and a few of them were different than the ones served at regular Korean restaurants. However, I found this very disappointing since they gave a much weaker and much more minuscule amount of the banchan dishes. They also provided a pretty tasty soup that contained fishcakes and a few chili flakes to heat things up. Lastly, there was a salad that was included as well but nothing really special. --Beef Tongue ($26): This had to be the best meat of the night and the best beef tongue that I had ever had. The beef tongue was everything that I had hoped it to be. It was tender and wasn't overly chewy whereas pretty much every other place uses much lower quality of meat making their meat super chewy. This is for sure a must try! --Combination ($50): This is comprised of slabs of ribeye, beef brisket, neck meat, and pork belly. My favorites in order were the neck meat first, then the pork belly, then the beef brisket, and lastly the ribeye. However, my folks seemed to like the ribeye more than the beef brisket. The pork belly had the most flavor along with the neck meat. Personally, the pork belly was the best I have ever had and the neck meat was above average. The beef brisket was light and tasted pretty good. The ribeye was not tender but was quite flavorful. SERVICE: Surprisingly, the few servers were friendly which I did not expect. One of the waiters was very efficient and got everything out to us quickly. She even volunteered to help us cut up our meat and serve it to us. Not amazing service but much better than any other Korean restaurant! SEATING/DECOR: There was a lot of seating and the place was empty when we entered at 7 PM on a Friday night. However, the place started to fill up as the hour passed by. The place had a few posters on the wall and there was a cute sign indicating which farm they sourced their meat from. I thought that was pretty cool of them. OVERALL: The meat quality is much better than most Korean restaurants and in my opinion surpasses Gooyi Gooyi's. The big distinction between the two is that Gooyi Gooyi marinates their meat while #1 does not. Personally, I would prefer my meat to be a tiny bit seasoned, which will be much less nutritious but a whole lot more tasty. However, I do prefer my meat to be less marinated more than more marinated. All in all I will return because there was no wait and the meat quality was top notch. OTHER INFO: -Highlights: Beef Tongue, Pork Belly, Neck Meat -Avoid: Nothing really -No reservations -Credit cards are usable -No wifi read more

The morning after eating a meal here, I thought I had died and gone to meat heaven. I think that was the side effect of my skin smelling like beef and pork belly after an evening of sitting around a little propane griller with several different kinds of meat sizzling away, including beef brisket, rib eye steak (yes, the whole thing...thankfully, they came by and cut it for us midway through grilling...we were all puzzled as to how to eat it), pork belly, and I think kalbi was the last cut. None of the meats were marinated. With meat this good, you don't need a marinade...just some dipping sauces, sohjou, and banchan. This is a pojangmacha, meaning that it's not about the banchan as in the larger affair Korean restaurants. Really, it's just about hanging out with your drink, some meat and a soup dish. The banchan is bare bones here, as it's meant to be...a couple of different kimchees, some baby candied anchovy with baby whole shrimp (yes, whole, meaning unpeeled...you eat it all), the ubiquitious Korean potato salad, and some julienned radish. Of course, we also had the napa lettuce leaves, sliced peppers and garlic to wrap up the meats. For the soup, we had the fishcake soup. Fishcake soup is...fishcake soup. Kinda hard to mess it up. Next time, I want to try something different and more unique. The oyster/tofu soup caught my eye...next time, for sure. Service is brisk and businesslike. And given that the four Koreans at the table were practically illiterate in Korean, we communicted more by the point method than anything else. Given that, service was quite friendly to us...and they didn't make fun of my Korean (which is what really counts!). read more

Went here with The Girl a few nights ago as we were both craving Korean BBQ. Soondubu and Korean BBQ are two completely different things and need separate gustatory attention. Pretty much every review of this place was glowing, and it did not disappoint. This is pretty much as Korean as you'll get in the US, even moreso than Gooyi Gooyi. It really helps to know Korean here. We got there at 6:15pm and it was empty, but by the time we left at 7:30pm it was totally packed. Like most BBQ places, you have to order at least 2 meat orders. We ended up getting the combo with 2 beefs (brisket and tenderloin, I think) and sampgyupsal (pork belly). Someone mentioned that they cook everyone's meat, which is not true. They cooked the initial tenderloin then left us to our business. As we looked around the restaurant (which only holds about 30), that was pretty much the case at all tables, and I think The Girl was the only non-Korean in the joint. Like most Korean places, it's expected to just yell when you need assistance, and you'll have to do that because they have a small staff. But they're very quick to replenish what you need. The meat is pretty good quality and the variety of banchan is not huge but it's definitely interesting. They even have this little fishcake soup that most places don't have for a starter. Ilbunjee qualifies as a hole in the wall, and it excels when you come in with this mentality. As expected, for 2 the price will be about $40-$50 since you're required to order 2 meat orders in order to get any. read more

This is a wonderful Korean BBQ joint. I've eaten here twice and love the food so much. Parking is limited and close to gooyi gooyi and dusita Thai. I like the fresh quality of meat and their unique banchan. The servers are attentive and welcoming. Will definitely come back again for my beef and pork combo. read more

I didn't know what a pojangmacha was until I read one of Euge's reviews. Or maybe it was Hen's. Might be because I'm practically white or I like white guys or whatever else it is that people tell me when I'm not being "ethnic" enough. Or maybe it's because I haven't been to Korea since I was 12 and at that age, my grandpa wasn't taking me to tents to eat street food and drink liquor? Regardless, I thought the meat and everything it came with was good here. I did not like the al tang (roe soup) though and I had been kind of excited about it so I was especially disappointed by the blandness of the broth. There is nothing fancy about the place but it's a good option for grilled meats and soju (because I really am Korean). Plus, I still want to try some of the other stews on the menu. read more

"pojang macha" in santa clara?!$#%?....cold 'n' rainy night....dreamin' of gizzards...odeng 'n' cheap "seoul" food.....arrival and findin'......wth#!%#.....where's the tent?%#?......where's the blue/orange tent?%?!?.....fake~!!%....fraud~!#.... clean 'n' typical "strip mall", plaza, korean restaurant in the santa clar'....not a real "pojang macha"...parking lot far too small to accomodate....open of doors 'n' mini-metal oil drum tables surrounded by standard chairs (not plastic stools or benches...a disappointment).....portable butane buners...iron funneled skillet top...drainage hole for grease to bowl...quick tossin' of menu....pricing similar to standard korean bbq restaurants......but still offering gizzards, roughly chopped meats, stews 'n' such.....free dented yellow tin pot of tempura soup with a spicy kick....banchan (sidedishes) plenty....soju 'n' beer free flowing....yellin' for more shot glasses, beers, soju, rice, water 'n' spoons....at time a self serve of napkins and extra utensils..... conclusion..not really a true outdoor tent 'n' stools "pojang-macha" experience...in korea, spending $ten for full meal and over indulgence of drinks.....in santa clara "pojang-macha", spending $twenty five per person for fulll meal and very "light" drinkin'...... read more

I've been here three times, but I've only eaten here once. Apparently, Ilbunjee's not open for lunch or on Sundays and Mondays. But it was worth the wait! The meat here is incredibly fresh and everything is absolutely delicious. Don't expect to find your typical galbi or bulgogi though, it's all about the quality cuts here! It's family owned so there's generally only one waitress serving 10+ tables, but she's friendly and will give you refills if you ask for them! Service isn't the most attentive, but it's the best you could hope for considering there's only one waitress. The Food: Banchan: All of the banchans are well-done, especially the potato salad and the pickled cucumbers/onions. Kimchi was probably my least favorite banchan of the night. It's homemade, but it tasted like it was left out too long: overfermented and acidic. But it wasn't awful and the rest of the delicious banchan definitely made up for it. Combo #1: a combination of rib eye, filet mignon, and short rib without the bone. All the meats are beautifully colored and clearly fresh. None of them are at all frozen and you can actually taste the quality; they have a great, beefy flavor that's incredibly satisfying. The thin slices of rib eye have the strongest flavor, the short ribs are the juiciest, and the filet mignon is melt in your mouth tender. Costs $75 for a three person portion and it's not the most meat in the world, but it's not a rip off either. For meat of this quality, it's perfectly reasonable. Dolsot Bokumbap- It's essentially korean fried rice finished in a stone plate. Cooking it that way gives you these great bits of slightly charred rice with some great texture. Really enjoyable to eat. Unfortunately, each person only got a small bowl and it wasn't nearly as tasty as the meat. It wasn't bad, but if you want dolsot rice you're better off getting it somewhere that specializes. You'll get more for less! Ilbunjee's a perfect example of a hole in the wall restaurant that ends up being an absolute gem. I love this place and if it was just a little cheaper, I'd probably end up coming in at least once every two weeks. The meat gets a definitive 5 stars, though, there's nowhere else nearby that serves meat with comparable quality. Ilbunjee's good for smaller parties of 3 or 4, so give it a try if you have a craving for some more unconventional, but amazing Korean BBQ! read more

Okay so let me rant first to those who do not about Korean BBQ. If you want to eat marinated meat that's fine just don't come here then. This place is for the pros of eating Korean bbq. Korean eat is at its best when it is grilled and non marinated. Yeah galbi is great,but the joys of eating unmarinated meat that is grilled to perfection is great. My friend I ordered the combo platter of beef and pork. It was freaken delicious. We also ordered a side of wagu beef which melted in our mouth like butter. The second time we ordered the rib eye. Man where did they get that good quality of a meat....oh wait I know the same place Alexander's does. Yey you grill it own your own and you can get it for a better deal. The owners of this place are really nice. They do one heck of a job at serving their customers. So If you want good Korean bbq come here. I would rather pay more money and eat high quality meat,than eating bad quality meat and paying less. You will get your ones worth. If you are still complaining go to palace bbq then. I'm not complaining if you don't come, that's more meat for me. But please don't talk about like you guys know korean bbq. Because I live for korean bbq. read more

You come to #1 for one thing and one thing only, the unmarinated meat. If all you want is premium beef and pork, then this is the place you want to visit. (anyone who thinks Palace BBQ on Korean Camino is good, please don't come here because you wouldn't know fresh beef if it went MOOO in your face). The name says Pojangmacha, look it up on wiki. It's all about the feel of eating at a street vendor. Their side dishes are designed to accomplish one of two things: either to accompany your selection of meat or to accompany any soju you may be drinking (anju baby!). This place doesn't mess around. If you are a meat lover and love to drink soju, then this is the place for you. read more

Came here after someone recommended this place to us. The food is good but it's nothing outstanding. Nonetheless, it's still enjoyable. We ordered combo #3 (that seems to be the popular choice on Yelp) and the large was too much, even for 3 people haha. The brisket is very good; the rest of the meat is okay. I really like the service here; the waitress was very friendly with us, even taught us a few Korean words. Overall, this is your average-but-good run of the mill Korean restaurant. Not the best I've ever had but decent enough that I wouldn't mind coming again. Btw, this place is a little tricky to find. It's located between a Cash Advance store and a Thai restaurant with a neon pink sign. Look for #1 and this is your restaurant. It's pretty easy to miss since it's in a plaza that only consists of maybe 4 other stores. read more

Jesus Christ I'm so freaking tired of finding these amazing korean restaurants. Why? Because it leaves me wanting MORE. MOAR I SAY. I don't exactly LOVE the small dishes that are served with the entrees here, and I'll leave it at that, but the main meals are more than able to make up for it. The beef, sirloin, and angus are just perfect. I really love the fact that it's a huge fatty cut, and the dipping sauces are provided as well. Lettuce is endless (thank f*cking God), and so are the garlic and jalapenos. I highly recommend you come here with 2-3 other people, and go to freaking TOWN on the food. The staff is extremely friendly and kind, and are really accommodating to your requests. Come hungry, leave wanting more next time. read more

The only reason this place doesn't have more positive reviews is that the most of the regulars here would probably only yelp if they could in Korean... This is your classic meat and soju joint - where the asiatic business man goes after a late day at the office to eat meat and have a few too many drinks with his ace team. The meat quality here is top notch and that's why this place remains popular. The cuts of meat always seem somehow more flavorful and better marbelized than other meat joints. The soup that they serve in the tin pot is surprisingly good along with the sparse but tasty side dishes. But don't think about taking your lady here for a nice date. The place is small, parking is bad, and your dog will want to eat your shirt after you get home because it smells like what you had for dinner. This is more like the place you go to after a round of golf. read more

This restaurant is in a cramped plaza on the corner of Los Padres Blvd and El camino. I'm not Korean nor can I read Korean.. and I would have overlooked the sign of characters if I didn't see the #1 but it wasn't too hard to find. I would give Ilbunjee 3.5 stars if I could but I rounded up since I had a good experience here. This place isn't my favorite Korean BBQ restaurant but it's still pretty good. They don't marinate the meat for you and I was kind of weary about that since I never tried that style but the sauce they give you was surprisingly delicious. I don't have any complaints about the meats we ordered because they were all tender and juicy. Also, I am normally on the fence about pork belly but this place has THE BEST pork belly ever. Unlike the other reviewers, I was a little disappointed about the banchan. I've had better in terms of variety but that's probably just me. They also gave us some fish cake soup before our food came. Prices were reasonable and expected. For 6 people, we ordered 4 different meats, 6 large bottles of Hite beer, a pot of sake. Bill was about $130 including tip and gratuity... not too bad. I wish they had a bigger table to seat our group but it's a tiny mom and pop restaurant. Nonetheless, I thought the service was decent. The waiter usually sat in his corner watching Korean dramas from his laptop but when we needed something, he was always quick to accommodate us. LASTLY, we were able to walk out of here without a strong Korean BBQ odor on our clothes. Great for us since we went to downtown SJ for so more fun right afterward. ;P read more

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if you're like me...looking for a place called Ilbungee #1 Pojangmacha....good luck, you'll never find it....if you look for #1, you'll find a small place tucked in a corner. we came and it was pretty empty on a weekend at 9 pm. hesitantly, we ordered a BEEF platter, with 4 types of beef. it came with fish cake soup which was pretty flavorful and good since it's cold outside. the meat was impressive. especially the rib eye steak and the filet mignon. they were sooo soft that melts in your mouth. it was our first time, and since the place was almost empty. the waitress cooked our food for us...goes to do her things in the kitchen while we finish up the meat, then comes back just in time to cook other types of meat for us. that was a very nice gesture. we started wrapping our meat in lettuce, but she stopped us...saying that the good meat should be enjoyed alone with sauce only. good idea. :) we also ordered the oyster soup (because i love oyster and from what i've read in Grace's review) it sounded pretty good. it was pretty good. no fat, no msg. the meat, on the other hand....left a half bowl of fat. ugh. waitress made a point to tell me that there's no msg in their food. i have respect for them right away. we had no problem conversing with the waitress...she spoke enough english for us to understand her....she recommend the right stuff to order. we'll definitely come back again. oooooooooooooh another plus to this place is that the bathroom has bath & body handsoap....and lotion (pineapple scent....my current favorite). fancy. they open 'til midnight. read more

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This place is one of those restaurants that sticks to the basic, and sometimes that's all it needed to get returning customers. What's the most important ingredient in KBBQ? Of course it's the meat! That's the main entree. I am not saying their side dishes aren't good, they are really good too. I especially like the fish cake soup, what a nice way to start the meal. I was brought here from a korean foodie friend. Frankly the restaurant looks run-down, semi-beat up, and don't expect to sit in comfy chair. However, often times you are able to find great food in these places. So back to the meat, it's probably the best quality of meat I've ever had in a KBBQ restaurant, and I've been to numerous KBBQ in the bay area and Ktown in LA. My favorite meat is the Kal-bi Gold. Their meat special changes from time to time so look at the stuff they post on the wall. The lady who run the place speaks decent english and she's extremly friendly. I don't recommend the combo, The meat and the cut is just average. Ask the lady for recommendation. This restaurant doesn't use any fancy grill. It's basically the hot pot stove you use at home, plus a grill that slopes the fat/oil into a pan. I actually have one at home myself, it's around $25 bucks and you can get it at many supermarket. But I still come here for the meat, it's so difficult to find them outside. I also recommend the raw squid, they give you a dipping sauce which is pretty good. The side dishes and not overwhelming, it supports the great meat they have. In the end they also give you a rice ball, the only korean restaurant i've been to that serves that read more

This place always hits the spot. The food is delicious and the owners are really sweet. Our group prefers this over other places (Gen, Gooyi Gooyi, Tobang). One plus is that they take reservations. Our group of three goes a couple of times a month, and we always order: - #3 for 2 people. This includes brisket, rib eye (we always substitute this for extra brisket), pork belly, and pork jowl - waygu gold. This is a must order--it melts in your mouth The meal comes with side dishes and soup. I like that the meat is cooked on a hot plate versus a gas grill; I feel this gives the meat a nice crisp cook. I highly recommend this place. read more

Love this place! Gooyi Gooyi promised to be a 45-minute wait, so my friends and I walked over to #1 instead. When we came in, there was only one other table with guests, so no wait! We opted for the pork/beef combo (3-4 ppl), but in retrospect, the 1-2 person combo would've been ideal for 3 Asian girl appetites. +1 for no wait +1 for the sides, love the potato salad! +1 for the meat quality -0.5 for the prices, seemed kind of steep compared to other KBBQ places, but the meat is legit +1 for the service Can't wait to come back! read more

Not a bad place, on the El Camino stretch where there are 50+ other korean restaurants. Meats and meat cuts are good. Service is sufficient most of the time. Side dishes are a bit weak IMHO. Try the cold noodles at the end of the meal. read more

After a failed attempt at Gooyi Gooyi, my friend and I decided to stroll down El Camino to find another Korean BBQ place where we would satisfy our HUNGERRRR! ...10-20 feet later with phone in hand yelping...exhaustion...dragging my feet, one in front of the other...whew! what a walk... on the left was a big #1 sign and korean symbols...wait...is this it??? I CAN'T READ KOREAN...so keep in mind that all you'll see for signage is #1 so you don't mistakenly pass it up =) Meal: Bean curd soup - something to warm up your stomach while you wait for the meat to come out so the caveman doesn't come out of you Banchan - all great minus the kim chi - way too picklely for me. Beef and Pork combo...SATISFACTION...although, my friend was still hungry. What can you do...guys tend to eat more than girls anyways. This will be self grilled on a portable stove top. Dipping Sauces - Korean bbq marinade (yay...lots of flavor) - salt and sesame oil *Warning - chairs and tables do not feel sturdy Enjoy! read more

The place is a bit hard to find; it's in the plaza in the corner near las flamas. Parking is very limited! I usually park at the auto shop down the street. You can order the types of meat that you want or you can get meals for 2 or 3 or 4. My friend has gone here since he was a little kid, so they were generous with the food when I went with him and our friends. The quality of the meat is really high. I think I might say that the quality is even better than Gooyi Gooyi. Banchan is standard, but you get fish cake soup. Not just regular fish cake - you get so many pieces of it, IN SOUP! We also got the rice cake, and what I believe was tuna in it. We had so many types of meat: brisket, steak, pork belly, etc. - with seconds as well! The meat is really really good and the quality is definitely one you can taste. I would say that it is a bit pricey, but I think the quality is worth it. It's not too expensive like Chungdam, but it's still as good. Also, they cook for you too. She kept asking if we wanted more food. After a while, we couldn't eat any more! Definitely a kbbq place you should try. read more

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This place is so good I'm willing to use proper capitalization and punctuation for this review. I have no clue why meat needs to be marinated when it's damn near USDA Prime quality beef. I've had the beef platter and also the octopus, calamari, and shrimp. If you insist on marinated meat, it's probably because you think Palace BBQ is really good. They serve marinated short ribs that have been sitting in marinade all day (week?) and I frankly don't care for it; marinade lets them hide the true quality of the meat. Service: They're just two people (husband/wife couple) service about a dozen tables. They're generally very good about getting you everything and tending to your table, regardless of traffic/noise. Price: A little expensive, but food quality and uniqueness of the place make it worth it (to me). For two people, expect to spend $30/person after tax and tip. Cleanlilness: It's clean and spartan. Tiles floors, drab interior. Lots of lighting. Parking: Sucks! Small lot, shared with two other restaurants. Beef: Amazing cuts. Get the beef platter (all beef) because you get cuts not offered on other platters, and no they will not budge, even if you sass it up . They're crafty like that. Quality of the meat is awesome. Really good marbling and served at room temperature, as it should be like when you grill steaks over an open fire. Octopus: I did NOT like this. It was rubbery and the octopuses were those whole, miniature ones, which I don't like. I wish they were tentacle chunks like you have in caribbean food. Calamari: This was a steak like you would have at Kyoto Palace, but be careful to not overcook it, else it'll get tough and rubbery. Very easy to overcook, so be careful. Shrimp: These are colossal shrimp, I think, because they're...you know. Again, as with the calamari, do not overcook these. My friends took me here on my birthday and we overcooked some of the shrimp--got caught up chatting--and the shrimp got a little rubbery. But I don't feel they bring enough shrimp for the price. They need to bring about 1/3 more shrimp to be fair. Pork rice: Very flavorful and a huge portion. Easily one of my favorite spots. I have no clue what people are comparing this Korean BBQ place to (I'm talking Bay Area, not SoCal). Where else in the Bay, especially South Bay, can you find Korean BBQ this good? Give me a break. The owners are really nice people. Very accommodating and friendly. I love this place. read more

Let me set something straight here. Ilbunjee #1, this restaurant right here on El Camino, is the best Korean BBQ I have had. It's quite frankly heaven in every bite. And not just their BBQ either. The oddeng soup is straight out of homeland, you are getting the taste of Korea right here in the heart of Silicon Valley. And the riceballs? Absolutely addicting. Their small dish are all fresh, and I say this as a Korean - it tastes just like home. If you can, get their wagyu and angus, every time. It is their best and it is, dare I say it, perfection. And I just had Alexander's like a week or two ago, and their T1 Tomahawk. Maybe it's the size of the cuts or the way it is prepared, but it was more flavorful here, and absolutely delicious. If I could have it everyday, I would. Full disclosure - yeah, I'm a big fan. I've been coming here for years, and now I'm finally leaving a review because this place is so good, I can't help but leave a review. And I don't leave many reviews at all, but Ilbunjee really deserves it. You won't find many good restaurant with such a heart and good food, run by people who care about their product and their customers. Do yourself a favor and go get some of that best KBBQ you've never had. read more

Dined here today and ordered the combo for two. Large portion sizes. Meat quality seemed ok (although I did get sick almost immediately after but my husband was perfectly fine). Low budget ambiance (despite not cheap prices)--stove was so close to us at the table that at times hot oil splashed on our faces which hurt! read more

A refreshing alternative to the Palace sh*t-show. Ilbunjee has the air of a humble mom-and-pop eatery, and despite most of the cooking happening at the table, it's clear that there's a great deal of care that goes into the whole operation: metal chopsticks, delectable banchan, a spicy bean curd soup on the house, and high quality meat. The brisket and filet mignon were particularly memorable. Note that this here is unmarinated meat. The place was a recommendation from the owner of Maru Maru (San Mateo). I'm docking a star because, after making quick work of a combination platter for two (~$45), my friend and I were hardly sated. To be fair though, eating is serious business for a couple hearty, young lads like ourselves. So... you know... read more