A shout out to fast disappearing establishments from a different time in Silicon Valley. Used to work in Mathilda about 20 years ago, and this was a joint we would frequent for lunch. This area was not as built out then. Now the place looks like a little oasis in the middle of a shiny new concrete buildings (with empty parking lots - thanks WFH) They still have the vibe from several decades ago - I do t think the interiors have changed in 50 years. It seems like the owners are still an elderly Asian couple. I can't seem to remember them from when I was a regular, but looks like they have had the place for a while. Got the BBQ pork sandwich- and was just as good as I remember. Place is pretty much self serve - and you can load up on the fixins for your sandwich from the counter bar. Ordered the fries and they were perfect. The Cole slaw was mid. Overall a decent lunch. Not the best BBQ, but we are also in Sunnyvale - I will take what I can get. Too bad I don't work in this area much, or I would be stopping by more for a burger or something. I hope they can keep the place going. Would love for some Bay Area history to stay on in this part of the valley. read more

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Ordered for take out and was not impressed. The steak sandwich was overcooked and was very chewy. It also had a lot of fat pieces. It was not evenly seasoned so some of the meat had no flavor at all. The burger bun came out pretty soggy and the meat was also a little dry. Would not come back. read more

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It was definitely an interesting experience to go to Kal's, especially for a vegetarian like me. Shout out to Stephanie C for the review and that gave courage for me to eat here. We picked this place for a team lunch and so being the solo vegetarian, I'll have to manage. The place is no frills and is run by a couple. Wife manages the till and the husband (I assumed) manages the grill. I ordered the veggie burger , which is an impossible patty. So in a way this place is meant for meat eaters. It comes with fries (cooked in vegetable oil) and the condiments are on a counter. We can add whatever is in the condiments counters. They offer lettuce leaves, onions, pickles, tomatoes, mayo, peppers. The best part was when I asked for no contamination , he cooked the patty separately on another grill/ hot plate. Full points for accommodating. I ordered the hash brown but maybe that should have been avoided as it is quite oily and so not that great. It does get busy at lunch time but service is fast. I'll go there again when the team goes there. There are no chicken options also. read more

9.99 char broiled hamburger w fresh lettuce tomato onions. delicious. Gotta limit to 1/week for health reasons. She keeps on asking if yu want fries w it. Only saw 1 person say yes. Not sure they understand the older population can't eat FF because of health. 3.xx unlimited refill coffee. Chicken sw; pounded thin low quality chicken breast 1.4in thick, they could do better using a costco chicken breast. The problem is the thin meat can't hold the grilled mesquite flavor because it will dry out if cooked more. Was ok; had an unpleasant after taste in the low grade meat. bfast; hashbrowns. too much oil for me. Looks homemade from shredded potato. about the same price as across the street where they have 4$ preformed hashbrown patties. Just come here wo the chemicals in the food. free wifi. The woman can be curt. Old school. Can see why the get the low reviews based on reverse charm. The BBQ person is much nicer. He is not rude like the lady at the cash register read more

An absolute classic Sunnyvale spot I have been going in here for years and it always delivers. Nothing fancy but quality food, clean and great service. I highly recommend this family run business. read more

Full disclosure, I'm a vegetarian with an egg allergy, so I came here with coworkers who were craving old fashioned burgers, and Kal's apparently delivers on that well. For the plant-based folks, Kal's "Garden Burger" on the menu is actually an Impossible patty (or at least was when I went). They grill it on the same grill as everything else, so if cross-contamination is a big deal for you, you're SOL here, but the nice thing is that they don't add anything else to the burger--you do that yourself to the right of the register & pick-up area for lettuce/toppings and then behind you for ketchup and mustard (press ALL the way down on those pumps), next to what probably used to be a salad bar (but is now not used). No accidental mayo-drowned burger here! If you want cheese, you add it when you order and I believe they'll apply it at the grill. It's a pretty straightforward burger, and I suspect that is part of the old fashioned charm of their animal meat burgers as well, being unfussy and not complicated with spices/flavorings. The salad is pretty standard, but they didn't have a vinaigrette ready to go--I asked and the lady at the register kindly went into the back and pulled out a bottle of balsamic vinaigrette for me to apply to my salad, and I was grateful since I think all of the dressings they had ready to go in little cups had egg in them (and I'm allergic). Thankfully it has little bits of carrot and red cabbage to brighten it up, because like most BBQ places, the food is aggressively beige & brown, LOL. The fries are a good thickness (not shoestring, but not wedges) and have a good crisp to the outside, but come unsalted. Overall, the sole vegetarian meal option (unless you count a grilled cheese sandwich) is a solid 3-star meal. The place itself is deliberately dated, and has the grill right there by the entrance. There's a TV in the corner with closed captioning. The parking lot is full of large trucks with immaculate truck beds, but the spaces seem wide enough to accommodate them. Vegetarians and vegans pretty much know to expect disrespect when entering a BBQ establishment, but the lady at the register didn't bat an eye when I asked about the garden burger listed on the menu (was asking if it was made with egg) and answered my other questions with no fuss at all. And she went in the back and found the vinaigrette for me when I was worried about the salad dressings, as well! Neither she nor the grill cook rolled eyes or sneered or scoffed at my order. I was treated like a human being in spite of being a vegetarian at a BBQ joint, and for that, they get a WHOLE extra star. Given my dietary restrictions, I don't think I will be back on my own, but knowing what I do now, I would not be opposed to coming back if I am with a group with a hankering for old fashioned burgers and/or BBQ. Kindest BBQ place, for sure! read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - "Garden Burger" (Impossible patty) burger with the fries & salad upgrade, and vinaigrette. - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This place is a hidden gem been here for a long time but you might miss it but if you wan a good steak sandwich or breakfast you must come here still old school but the food is great cmon bye steak breakfast is bombbiggity read more

Amazing!!! I've been coming to Kals since 1993 & all I can say is you guys are awesome & yummy food! After moving away everyone I come to visit I must stop by. You are the best. read more

I really wanted to like this place. I love that it's a small hole in the wall, locally owned, and has been around since the 50's. But the menu is a disgrace to the word BBQ. It's a burger joint that serves sloppy joes, nothing BBQ about it especially for the price. read more

I really wanted to like this place. I heard good things... and I tried it before and it was "ok." My ex brought me a sandwich from here a year or so ago and it was pretty good. Simple, plain, but a good slab of meat. Flavor was decent and the portion was wonderful. I came back with my work group about a week or so ago and left just so disappointed. While the service was great-- they were friendly and quick.... The food itself just didn't hold up its own side of the bargain. I spent $25 on a small, flavorless and chewy pulled pork sandwich with a child-sized side of potato salad and a drink. I left still hungry, and a bit confused about what I had just eaten. Ill put it this way... BBQ is supposed to have flavor. Zest. Maybe some heat. (All on its own). But this is so far from that. If you want flavor you have to add BBQ sauce-- which at this establishment is nothing more than Heinz. Such a bummer. read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - Pulled Kal 's Bar - B - Q Pork, (regular bun) + Potato Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Four stars for the burger only because I forgot to ask for it to be cooked a little rare. No stars for the onion rings. Couldn't eat them. They were petrified. Dried out and old. Been going here for almost 40 years. May stop. read more

This is my second visit here, after years of driving by when I worked nearby; the parking lot was always packed! Now that WFH is so prevalent, I guess, they're not as busy at lunchtime. Last time I got a grilled cheese, which was fantastic - very old school and perfect. Nowadays places are often trying to "improve" a classic by making it three-cheese, four-cheese, five-cheese, and while those can be good, they're not necessarily "better." What I got was exactly what I wanted and very reasonably priced. This time I wanted some steak and went for the ribeye steak sandwich. It, too, was classic, simple and perfect. The steak was so tender I was able to cut it in half with a butter knife! All the condiments and fixings are separate, serve-yourself, so I didn't have to spend time peeling off things I don't like, such as raw onion or limp lettuce. The inside is all wood and rustic decor, but it's clean and comfortable, and the staff (owners, I believe) are very friendly and helpful. There was a miscommunication between me and the cashier but they didn't fuss and just made it right, which I appreciated. I should have asked for a receipt and I would have seen the error before having food in front of me and wanting to dive in! Definitely becoming a go-to spot for me when I'm in the area and wanting comfort food! read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - Ribeye steak sandwich and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

2/16/2023 Kal's Barbecue 425 N Mathilda Ave Sunnyvale, CA 94085 The Wifey and I went here for lunch on a Thursday. There is parking around the building. It's a clean diner setup, the menu is on the billboard, you order and pay at the front counter and I was called to pick up our order at the front counter. There is a well stocked condiment station with tomato, onion, various pickles and etc. My Fish Sandwich consisted of two breaded fish fillets (frozen) which I topped with tomato and onion slices. I expected a fresh filet, battered and freshly deep fried; so it was disappointing and I wouldn't order again. Her steak sandwich was pretty good with a strong smoky charcoal flavor. The steak was on the thin side with lots of Rib Eye fat, which I like. Although my fish sandwich was just okay, I liked the steak sandwich (pricey) and there are other barbecue offerings I'd like to try so it's repeatable. read more

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Great country style breakfast, friendly staff and very clean restaurant to dine with good prices read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - Fire place and nice Christmas tree , feels like home - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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The steak sandwich is fantastic, and my kids love the burgers. The owners are incredibly friendly. I was introduced to Kal's in 1999 when a group of co-workers took me there for lunch, and it remains a favorite, even though we moved away from Sunnyvale years ago. read more

It's a stand alone building with it's own parking behind the building. We were there for breakfast on a weekday morning. Quickly got a table of our choice as they were not busy. Service was old school and by that, i meant great and personal. The owner Dave gave best service with refilling our coffee every 10 minutes!! That's an exaggeration but we got attention if needed! Over easy eggs were done perfectly. Price was reasonable and service great. Had one TV in a far corner which was nice as you are able to talk with your friend/group versus watching the TV and yelling over the TV! Country decor probably needs some uplifting but it's more like an old-fashion diner. Will want to go back to try their mesquite BBQ for brunch! Overall, a good experience and will want to go back! read more

The only place left to get a real steak sandwich! Fantastic! Very friendly staff and places to sit inside. Substantial menu with all the condiments as well. I've been going here for 50 years but I heard there are new owners now. It's a great place with great food! read more

Extremely disappointed. Fryer is broken. Only sweet coleslaw or potato salad with burger. The meat was chewy and tasted old. It looked kind of grey. The condiments are left out- a bowl of mayo on top of ice. They ran out of barbecue pulled pork they were smoking outside. So I opted for the baseline burger, but then the fryer is broken so no fries. The one slice of American cheese coagulated on the corner of the bun. Chairs are old and torn. The place looks tired. The steak sandwich had so much fat it was inedible. read more

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The closest thing you're going to find to a legit hamburger place in this whole town!

Nothing 'foodie' or 'chefie' about it. Order at the counter and wait bit. Pick up your food. Sit. Eat. That's what I did for this visit and rare follow-up review. This time by passing the burgers and getting something that I have wanted to do for a long time. Kal's Steak and Eggs For about thirty and some change you get a plate of lightly buttered toast, unremarkable hash brown potatoes and eggs cooked to order. Sunny side up of course and rib eye grilled medium. Mine wasn't of the choicest cuts almost resembling a chuck steak but still good. Not much has changed since my last visit except for the plexiglass at the counter and the condiment bar residing in the same space between the register and the fountain. The coffee pots looked inviting but skipped that since I already caffienated earlier that morning. The trolley that use to have the condiments sits abandoned save for the ketchup and mustard stand right next to it. And yes you can get your slices of tomato and some peppers to go along with your steak and eggs. So just a nice late breakfast/lunch on a lazy weekend. read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - Kal's Steak and Eggs...mission accomplished - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

For 28 dollars I could certainly cook my own steak and fries with a roll. Basic. Simple. Plain. Hardly what you think of when dining at a "B-B-Q" joint. Although at first glance driving by you'd think it would be what to expect. Charbroil is advertised but 90% sure my steak was cooked on a stovetop grill. Environment of a BBQ style restaurant but fell very short on delivery to expectation. Friendly people, hurts to leave this review. read more

The friendliness of the owner is so special, always makes us feel so welcomed when we come. Love their breakfast menu. Service is very fast. The restaurant is decorated nicely and clean. Thank you thank you for your warm welcome read more

Indoor seating is back. It was a pleasure to eat inside. The staff were warm and friendly. The food was delicious. I highly recommend. read more

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It looked like the kind of place to serve a hickory smoked burger! Unfortunately it is a greasy spoon style burger. Poor quality beef with no flavor, just grease. It's pretty sad that the menu consists mostly of burgers, and they are garbage. It as so bad I couldn't finish the burger. read more

Even though they're a little expensive, their food is great! I not only like their Steak Sandwichs but I also love their breakfast. read more

Quite disappointing with the food. Medium burger and fries looked like a kids happy meal. Nothing unique or special about it. Fries are just frozen and fried. Burger just had the buns, cheese, patty and lettuce and pickles in the side :/ not coming back. I've been passing by here for many years and finally came but wouldn't recommend. My husband loves to bbq and try new places. He gave this a rhumbs down read more

Wonderful owners so pleasant and accommodating. The food here is delicious all charcoal grilled very good quality food. The dinning room is so very clean And the atmosphere is perfect. Thank you for having such amazing establishment Stacey read more

Used to eat here a few times a month in 1990-1994. They had the best steak sandwich. Glad to see it is still in business. Gotta get back there soon. read more

Delicious steak and eggs and fluffy pancakes. Kind staff, wonderful space, yummy food.

Delicious burgers ! Loved that you can put your own lettuce and tomatoes and things . They have a family friendly spot and the service was nice . read more

We had lunch here after 5 years break... New ownership and I must say - friendliness makes a difference! Very very nice new owners and we ARE coming back even so it's a long way from Burlingame where we live! My husband had pork sandwich and I had beef. Both good! They have a big TV, fireplace and Christmas tree. Hoping they will add the brisket to the Menu! :) read more

The nicest people and the most delicious food. I really love this traditional steak house. You can't find many places like this anywhere. My grandparents and wife enjoyed a delicious breakfast here. read more

Service was super great! Family owned business and they were super sweet. I hear they are known for their breakfast and would recommend trying that! read more

Kal's Bar-B-Q - Kals bbq - Barbeque Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Great place to get a steak sandwich. It's massive! Essentially they just give you a giant steak and bread, and then you can go add your condiments and vegetables yourself. I honestly think this was the best steak sandwich I've ever had. Grilled to perfection right in front of us. I wish I lived closer, I'm sure their breakfast is also amazing and I definitely want to come back and try it. read more

This is a dive with pretty good food. Run down but not dirty. Has a big menu. Would be best for breakfast. Ribs were a little tough. I would NOT call this a bbq place. read more

After passing this place for years I finally stopped in for lunch. First thing to know is that it's more of a burger place than BBQ place. Service was fine. Burger was tasty, nothing special. Seemed like a frozen patty that the guy grilled up for me. Fries also seemed to come from a bag, they weren't very tasty. Overall it was ok, but it wasn't worth the $16 they charged for the burger and fries (not even a drink). I would skip it. read more

Good food but way to pricey. Wish there was more deals or lil lower on prices Lil dry with the food read more

I would order this again! I selected the ribeye steak medium rare. It was cooked perfectly. It was served on a bun. I added a few items lettuce, mayo, jalapeños onions. The meat was tender! read more

Hi, Honestly had not been in bout 4-5 years, Covid n all, but the steak sandwich used to be the bomb great, had today and will not go back the steak was almost inedible, I had a huge mound of un-eatable fat/gristle on my plate that way outweighed the eatable part of the steak. I know that getting thru Covid has been hard for lots of little mom n pop places, but this was so dis-appointing, cuz it used to be sooooooo good. Sorry for the bad review but just could not leave a good one....Moe read more

Kal's is a must go. Literally one of the best steak sandwiches I've ever had in my life consistently I go there a fair amount and every time the steak sandwich is out of this world. Still run by the family and still friendly and eclectic as ever LOL. If you want a really good steak sandwich this is the spot to go!! The service is always nice too. read more