First time here. We were a party of 8 and had to be seated into 2 sections. Would've loved to have our party all together. We got the Premium. All the meets were delicious! I fell inlove with the kimchi fried rice though, definitely recommend it!! The Peach Soju is a must also! Our server was very friendly and he recommended a few meats ! Overall, everything was delicious And great ambience! read more

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My first impression was how nice the entry and lobby look. There could have been more seating for patrons waiting for a table. There were a lot of family groups. The food was well seasoned and offered in good sizes for a group of 4 adults and 1child. All the servers were efficient and polite. They were knowledgeable about the food. It was a good meal and we enjoyed the family atmosphere. read more

I wish I could rate higher than 5 stars. My husband and I come here every week for date night. Our go-to order is 3, 4, 7 & 10, you can't go wrong RESERVATION TIP: You can't make reservations but we always join the waitlist through Yelp from home (because the wait can get CRAZY if you go last minute). If you plan ahead, you never really have to "wait" read more

I've been to dozens of delicious Korean bbqs and this one had to of been my favorite although the wait time can be a hassle!! The service was amazing so many of those coworkers check on you to see if you're good and the food was spectacular ;). I'd so come here again . read more

Arriving at this Location we had to join a waitlist and waited 2 hrs to get a table. The environment felt very welcoming and the view of the restaurant while waiting you could see all the staff working hard to give everyone a great experience and get new customers sat as quickly as possible. While we did wait a long time it was completely worth it. The food was delicious, we got very full & the portions were perfect. Would recommend coming to eat and will be back again! read more

Pretty good portions of KBBQ! It was pretty busy when we were there, so you have to work to get the attention of the servers, but they were pretty accommodating when we needed extra utensils or grill changes. We chose the premium menu since we wanted the cajun shrimp and beef tongue. In general, we liked the thick pork belly and beef tongue, but overall there was a good selection of side dishes (we liked the cheesy corn) and non-meat options (like different types of ramen) from both the premium and deluxe menus. read more

Sonu BBQ - corn cheese - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

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This is one of our go to restaurants. Food is good - there's enough selections on the menu. We support local businesses and is very close to the house. Staff are friendly. The ambiance is ok, music is enjoyable and is not too loud that we still can hear our conversations. read more

Sonu BBQ - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

This place sets the bar for meat, quality Korean BBQ in northern San Diego. We have been coming here quite often and with this place being so popular now they've added new rules. One of the dumbest rules I've ever seen, is not being able to order the same type of meat multiple times in one go. We had a party of eight, and we only had one grill. The least they could've done was, serve us the same type of steak several times in one go. It doesn't make any sense to me why they could not do that. So one cut of steak for eight people was basically a small sliver until we had another order. Service removing plates for a table of 8 with one grill was very bad. They never removed empty drinks, empty plates, even grill change. This place is getting popular but service is going down. Someone needs to hire more. It kills the experience. read more

It saddens me to give such a low rating. I absolutely love ... loved this place. Last time I was here was about a year ago. It was so delicious as was the past two times. I was very excited to bring my friend who's new to SD and we both tried to stay excited. The meat was so chewy I had to spit out what I couldn't break down. The kimchi was different. Even the waiter said the cookers are new and the meat supplier is a new company. That the old co was not delivering here anymore. So I'm sad to say I may be trying other places or wait till I'm in Claremont lol read more

Sonu is my favorite KBBQ in North County. Their choices are more varied, the servings are abundant, and service is always superb. Whether dining in for two or a large group, Sonu BBQ has provided a great experience each and every time. Outside of the meat, banchan is my jam; their sides don't disappoint. I really really love that stew/soup and steam egg as well as homestyle kimchi fried rice is offered with the meal options. Speaking of options, theirs are vast, exceeding the usual Korean barbecue favorites, veggies, Korean fried chicken, varied seafood, poke, and ramen are on the menus. Our usual order consists of bulgogi, brisket, kalbi, miso pork belly, garlic finger meat, king oyster mushroom, steam egg, corn cheese, kimchi fried rice, lettuce salad, beef soup, rice paper, and rice. When I'm really feeling myself, I like a peach soju or Korean pear juice to wash it down. I hope this gem of a restaurant remains a destination for many and that you'll venture out to try something new. read more

Must say, I'm pretty impressed with the food and service at this Kbbq. The kimchi fried rice and bacon wrapped enoki are definitely must try dishes. We were a party of 7 celebrating a birthday, and we fully took advantage of the AYCE menu. Everything from shrimp, beef, pork and chicken was ordered. No cheap quality meats here, and the marinades were tasty too. Dipping sauces included sesame, teriyaki and ponzu. The banchan plates were good. I liked the pickled daikon best. We also tried the egg soup and the spicy beef soup. I preferred the spicy beef one. There was flavor in it that was taking me back to my childhood. It was a very hearty soup, good on a cold night. It's nice to know that there's a place like this in Oceanside. Definitely coming back to try the other side of the menu. Good job Sonu! read more

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Love that you can add yourself to a wait-list. Food and customer service is great. Go for the premium selection you can go wrong. I was not a fan of kimchi rice until I came here. read more

Sonu BBQ is a great Korean bbq staple. It has a limited but affordable basic menu and an amazing deal for the premium menu if you're willing to pay a little more. I would recommend checking in on Yelp before arriving because the wait to get seated can be a little long. read more

I recently discovered this place through Yelp when wanting some KBBQ around North County area. The only one I knew was Manna BBQ but found this place so decided to check it out. I went last Saturday to try this place. We went at around 2 pm and it was not crowded at all so we were seated pretty fast. This is an all-you-can-eat restaurant so there was Deluxe Plan for $23.99 and Premium Plan for $28.99 (includes 6 extra items and everything on Deluxe Plan). I'm not sure if this price is lunch only or dinner as well but price is not bad at all! I really loved all the food they provided but I was slightly disappointed that some of their side dishes was a bit sweet like the kimchi they have. The meat is pretty good especially with the price you're paying for. So my cons are the side dishes tasting a bit too sweet and the servers that are floating around made me honestly feel intimidated. They would check tables to make sure we're good but they were literally coming every minute and kept checking on us. When we were out of meat, they asked "what would you like next?" but we didn't decide yet. Or if my boyfriend asked me something regarding food, they would answer when he was asking me... But overall, great place to check out and would recommend the place for some decent price KBBQ (if you don't mind sweet side dishes and servers checking your table frequently). read more

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AMAZING!!! No other would to describe the food and service. There is one female worker who's name I can't remember but we almost always have her section and she's speedy, efficient and just overall one of the best servers I've ever had. The place could use a bit of a remodel but they always have trendy music or 2000s throwbacks playing. My favorite has to be the spicy bulgogi or spicy pork belly. For my anniversary, we decided to come here and the server offered us drinks on the house. We're underage so he gave us free sodas haha. We're pretty decent regulars and this place is always our top choice when we wanna eat out. Never a disappointment!! Recommend making your reservation on yelp. Wait can be long read more

The service is great and the waiting time said 1hr but it took less than 30 minutes to be seated. I loved the sides that are already at the table, they have kimchi, radish paper, seaweed salad and more. We had a nice big table which was great because we order a lot of food and it comes out so fast. The ambiance is relaxed. read more

Sonu BBQ - Steamed egg - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

We saw that there was a two hour wait so we thought that the experience would be great. We went the day of the Superbowl so that we would not have to wait and we were really disappointed. This place is not recommended if you are looking for real Korean food. All of the side dishes were too sweet. Also, we felt pressured to finish quickly. read more

This place is absolutely great! It's probably the third Korean barbecue place to occupy this space over the last couple of years. I never made it to the others because they didn't last long enough. I'm super stoked I decided to check this place out. I'll most definitely be back! It's pretty cool they use the "waitlist" option on Yelp and via IPad when you walk in. It's seems pretty efficient and was easy to use. We waited less than the quoted time even though the place was packed! The servers were all super friendly and attentive! They came around twice during our meal to change out the grills and made sure we had water refills. The food was delicious! The meat was high quality and flavored very well! The vegetables were fresh and the Kimchi rice was amazing! There are two different pricing options and both are very well worth it! The lower of the two which is called Deluxe is $23.99 and has many options. The Premium is $29.99 and adds some rib eye, lamb and a couple other options. My favorite was the beef short rib! It was so tender and melted in my mouth! I also really enjoyed the spicy pork belly and the brisket! After gorging on meat they have the best super cute and tasteful Macaroon ice cream! I can't wait to come back next time. Great prices, great food, and great service! read more

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I love this place! My husband and I come here all the time. One of their employees remembers our order & is always so kind and attentive. He always makes us feel so welcomed. The food is great. The best spicy meats we've had thus far! In the summer it gets pretty hot in there so keep that in mind. Make sure you join the waitlist prior to going because during peak hours, it can be a two hour wait. read more

Sonu BBQ - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

Sonu is very very okay. Not great, not bad, just okay. Pricey, tough meats, and so-so sides. I know that North County doesn't have a lot of options for kbbq but Sonu didn't live up to the hype for me. The "Kobe beef" should be taken with a grain of salt (literally, it tastes better with some salt!). It's not real Kobe beef and is more like a Choice cut steak. Most of the other meats are the same -- chewy and flavorless. The best thing you can order is the bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms. My personal biggest gripe with Sonu is how everything is so sweet! All of the sides, the salad, the marinades, the meats... they are all too sweet. Where are the savory sides, besides some old bean sprouts? Perhaps the owner has a sweet tooth but it's definitely not in my taste. However the staff was amazing here, incredibly kind and attentive towards grill changes. I loved the idea of a button you can press for help rather than having to flag down a waiter as well. I've been to a ton of kbbq spots across SoCal, good and bad, and for this price point I don't think I'll be back. For a $32/person premium I would hope for both delicious meats and delicious sides. It was worth the try, though. read more

Sonu BBQ - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

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The only KBBQ I've had so far, but it definitely made a good first impression. Decent atmosphere, friendly staff, good food read more

Sonu BBQ - Fried rice - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

We have been to this plane twice and my husband and I totally enjoyed it, and that's the reason why we brought our son to join us right after our car shopping at Toyota Carlsbad. The price is very reasonable and they are very generous with the food selection and portion. We will definitely comeback again when we are in the area. Thanks again for the attentive servers! They really ask you if you still want some more lol But we just had one round and we all gave up!! Lol read more

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This is the 3rd Korean restaurant at this location, and is also the best. Went for the all you can eat premium choice for 5 people. Although it's not inexpensive, it is definitely worth the price just based on the better quality of cuts of meat. The portions on everything from the ribeyes to the beef soup are very generous. While the ban Chan could use a little tweaking with better options, the sauces were tasty. Service was very good and the renovated inside was modern and sleek with larger tables. I and the other 4 people all agreed that the meal was terrific. Update- they now offer steamed egg and cheese corn. Service was again outstanding. read more

Sonu BBQ - Kimchee cold noodle soup - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Food was great. The service was amazing! The waitstaff and manager were working together making sure service was excellent!

I came here a couple of times when it was Maru. I was sad to see it go. Because my family and I absolutely loved it. I didn't know until yesterday that it was open again! It's a whole new restaurant. New everything. Right away you could tell the difference between Maru and Sonu BBQ. The cuts of meat are better. The service was excellent. They made sure you had everything you wanted. We loved it. The price is reasonable. You get a lot for what you pay for! I already can't wait to come back again! And I love that this place is only 10 min away from where I live! I would definitely recommend this place to everyone!! read more

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Had a great time with multiple friends and was definitely worth both the time and the money. Have been coming here for a more than a month now and it doesn't disappoint. read more

Definitely now one of my all time favorite Korean BBQ spot located in Oceanside. Food is very delicious and spot on!!! I came with my family for the second time and had an amazing experience and will definitely be back! Shout out to our waitress, Joselyn, for the amazing service and to all the other staff as well. Definitely have to add yourself ahead of time on the waitlist because it gets packed and busy very fast!! (Waited for about an hour but was definitely worth the wait!!) read more

It's nice to have more all you can eat Korean BBQ options in North County so that you don't have to do the trek down to the Convoy area! This used to be another Korean BBQ place but I don't remember what it was called. Apparently, they just changed their menu. There were two plans - deluxe and premium. We settled for the deluxe. Trust me, that was enough options. We couldn't even order all the things under the deluxe plan cuz we were getting full! I would say the quality of the meats is pretty good! They, of course, have the banchan already on the table (fish cake, spicy cucumbers, kimchi, seaweed salad, beans sprouts, pickled daikon). The sauces they had on the table were sesame oil with salt, teriyaki, and ponzu sauces. I think if you wanted spicy sauces, you can ask them for it. We will definitely come back here if we're craving all you can eat Korean BBQ! FYI, hubby says he likes it better than Manna BBQ! Oh, and don't forget, if you're in the military, ask for your military discount! Any little savings counts! read more

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I want to preface by saying that I always check with the restaurant on closing times before I go in. I called the restaurant asking what time was their last call for seating. The lady who I talked to, assuming the front host, said last seating is 9:30 and they close at 10:30, which is completely fine and understandable. However, upon seating, we were told that we had to get out by 10:00. On google along with Yelp, they both say that they close at 10:30. We asked a different lady that wasn't the host if they closed at 10:30. She agreed and said "yes we close at 10:30". The host then draws back around and says that the server was wrong and we had to be out promptly at 10. If you're going to tell your customers to get out by 10 when your last seating is at 9:30, accounting for the amount of time it takes to cook and receive food, then okay, but say last seating is at 9 and say that you close at 10. My group of 3 was rushed and while the food looked good, it was hard to throughly enjoy the food with a 30 minute window to cook and eat. Luckily we are just visiting down here, so the chances of coming back are slim to none. read more

Very good selection of meats, good quality. Fast and attentive service The Bancan, was typical nothing unusual. Would have liked more variety, but certainly did not go home hungry. They accommodated our group of 10 read more

Love this place! Beat Korean bbq hands down and the customer service is amazing! I'm about to go right now for Father's Day

Man, what a treat for Oceanside to have a place like this. Everything we tried was better than the last. Super fresh and flavorful vegetable condiments (seaweed salad, marinated bean sprouts, pickled radish, and of course some kimchi) and high-quality, perfectly seasoned meats cooked as you like in front of you. It might initially appear that the prices are a bit high, but for the amount and quality of food you get it's an absolute deal. This is the kind of restaurant you bring folks who are visiting from out of town to so you can show them something special. If I had to make any complaints, they would be: - Fresh shrimp is kind of a pain to eat since you have to peel it yourself. - The menu isn't explained very well, and depending which server you get, they may not explain it very well, either. Think of it like a buffet: there's a price per-person (moreso, two different prices depending on the number of options you want) and you can order whatever you like, then they bring it to you to cook. But overall, great experience, and we were happy to see it getting plenty of business. We'll look forward to treating ourselves here for years to come. read more

Been going back and back in this particular KBBQ Place- Sonu. Meats are really frsh, 'goodly', distinctly(their brand) marinated, just the way it should taste. Extremely, high caliber customer service. Price is just fine with all places comparing. Best KBBQ so far in Southern CA that we tried eating with. Will (be) always patronizing them. read more

This is one of, if not, our favorite KBBQ spots in all of San Diego county. The prices are reasonable, the portions are great, and the servers are all very attentive. I just need to remember to join the waitlist on Yelp ahead of time because I always forget how popular it is - which is a testament to my five star rating. read more

Great friendly service. Food was great and ready to be served. Environment was good too and not too loud.

James and the team here at Sonu BBQ never fail to provide the best customer service. I have been coming here since they opened and i always leave with a full belly and happy face. We come here for every occasion and it never disappoints! Thank you all for always proving an excellent experience! read more

Great service! Everyone was super attentive and kind. Very willing to explain and have patience. Frequently asked if we wanted our grill cover changed haha! Good meat and a nice place. read more

Amazing service, great food and ambiance. Truly recommend. Every time I keep coming back staff amazing.

My favorite Korean BBQ spot, everything is great here. The sides the seafood the customer service the music, it's just amazing read more

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Found this spot with my sister! When we entered we were greeted and seated right away. It's quite small but really cool and staff is friendly! My sister and I ordered a variety of meats and sides that was so tasty and affordable for a Korean bbq spot! My favorite was the bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms. (10/10). Our server was attentive and sweet, would definitely try again! read more

Sonu BBQ - Steamed egg - Korean Near Me - Oceanside, California