I am the old customer for more than 4 y. I ordered a BBQ Short rib dine in, after I finished half of the dish, I picked up my friend's meal and left for 2-3min. They throw away my dish, even there were not so many customers at that time. In this situation a simple apology can make thing better, but they didn't. They blamed me for leaving. Although I had many meals for this place in the past 4y, I will NEVER come again for the bad service they provide read more

Steve's has been a part of my undergraduate career. As a freshman in Architecture studio, all of us would get the Korean BBQ and vent at the world. Fast forward 4 1/2 years we still go twice a year to reminisce the splendid food. Though it was cheaper back then, this place brings back great flavors, smiles, and service. The guys are always kind and drama-free and they do their work to the best of their ability and I appreciate that. Everything here is quite awesome - I was always satisfied by their meat with vegi dishes, the bean sprout and kim chi they put in every dish is always delicious and never over bearing or anything. This place is the one-stop Korean cuisine if you're near campus and DFC is the only choice you feel comfortable with. read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - BBQ Pork Short Ribs - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love coming here whenever I crave a lot of meat. You get a hugeeeee portion for a very good price. I usually get take out and the no carb plate with either the short ribs or the beef. Both are really good! read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - No carb plate BBQ short rib - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Evan's Thoughts All I be seein' is Korean! For the past several days, I have been having a craving for any type of food from the continent of Asia. And this place served me well. Great food, good location, and not too pricey ($7.50 for the BBQ Pork). My one bone to pick is that the pork was a little fatty. I was easily able to pull it off though, but still. You might say I have OCD but I actually have OLGP (On the Lookout for Good Pork). And despite the occasional fat, this hit the spot. My advice Berkeley student or resident, if you're in the business for good Korean BBQ I would definitely stop by. read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - BBQ Pork...yum yum yum - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Their marinating is pretty decent. And considering their price and portion size I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. The spicy pork is my favorite!! read more

A Berkeley institution. Been around seemingly forever. Portions are huge, can probably get two meals out of it.

they give you so much food. most like you will be able to share a dish w another person, or be able to take home another meal for leftovers. imo the short ribs are great--well-cooked and very fatty. don't come here if you're trying to diet lol. unfortunately can speak for the non-ribs dishes, but i hear the salad is a nice option if you want to be healthy. good place to get lunch, eat it, and gtfo (or get takeout). it is counter service, which is nice. will probably be coming here a lot between classes to get a quick lunch. read more

Fatty Kalbi so yummy. Not true greater quality meat but hit me the spot after the gym Piled high. Worth the 14.19 with tax read more

No need for a long review. Plain and simple. AWESOME!!!BEST IN THE BAY AREA!!!!!! Worth the drive. You won't be disappointed. Been going/driving here for 15 yrs. Absolutely everything is good with big proportions. My absolute favorite is the BBQ short ribs with a couple eggs on top!!!! read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - BBQ short Ribs with 2eggs - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is the go to place to get a quick fix on some good fast Korean BBQ without breaking ur wallet. Cook to order, the way u want it. This is my regular place, will come again and again. read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - Spicy Short Ribs with Japchae Noodles only (no kimchi, rice or sprouts) - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

This a a MEAT-LOVER'S PARADISE!! This place serves amazing food, and each order comes with a LOT of meat! They have a good range of proteins to choose from, as well as some other options like noodles and soup. I usually get either the barbecue chicken or the grilled chicken, but I've also tried their spare ribs and those are pretty bomb too. The meats are all marinated well so they have a lot of flavor, and they serve their rice plates with bean sprout salad and kimchi, both of which are also great! Sometimes I just come here for the meat and make my own vegetables or rice at home, and then pair them with the BBQ chicken I buy. Price is pretty reasonable for how much you get (sometimes I can stretch the leftovers over 3 meals). Awesome place! read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - So much meat!! - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ordered the grilled beef. Barely got any beef. Bean sprouts weren't that good either. Felt full after eating though. Went again and the food was pretty bland again. Won't return unless I have to. read more

Steve's is literally a gift from god himself. I can literally eat this everyday of my life and not get sick. Coming into berkeley from Socal, I never had korean food that wasnt all you can eat kbbq. And to have it from a guy name steve? i was like nuh uh honey. But after trying it for the first time, I was wrong, holy i was wrong. The amount they give you can feed 3 people, I' m sure it weighs the same amount as a newborn or a small dog. The lunch special? it go hard. Half spicy pork and half chicken? It go hard. I douse those two up with that hot sauce like my anus could take it. Ever feel like treating yourself? Get the short rib for like 4 dollars more. The fat on those ribs will solve world hunger. read more

I think this is one restaurant that I haven't been to very often in Asian Ghetto, and it seems empty pretty often. That being said, let's get to reviewing the food! I got the Spicy BBQ pork, which came in a large takeout box, filled to the brim with rice and bbq pork. Additionally there were a sizeable quantity of bean sprouts and kimchi on the side. Usually you can tell whether the portions of rice to meat is off when you're left with too much rice and nothing to finish the rice with. Despite the sizeable quantities of rice, bean sprouts, and kimchi, Steve's Bar-B-Que definitely doesn't skimp out on the pork quantity. When I finished eating my food, I didn't have very much rice left, which means that they gave quite a bit of pork! As for the taste, the pork was average, and not amazingly delicious, but boy did it fill me up. They also have a No-Carb option on their menu which replaces their rice with salad, so that you only get meat and vegetables. This is something I want to try, the next time that I come here. TL;DR - If you're looking for quality, then Steve's Bar-B-Que might not be what you're looking for, but if you're just looking for a significant quantity of food at a relatively cheap price point, Steve's Bar-B-Que is the place to go! read more

The restaurant is pretty good for considering the price and portions of food. I ordered the cheapest meal and it was not bad. It had an grilled taste close to burnt. Waiting on the food is not long. read more

You can get a great amount of food for a bit over $10. The sauce that comes with bi bim bab is awesome. The taste of the Kimchi that came together with the dish is also pretty good. And a plus for having unlimited hot tea supply. However, the meat might not be as good as the rest... but it was enough to work for me. read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - Bi bim bab and other BBQ dishes - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

4 stars for the quantity and taste. I would give 3 for the sticky chairs and tables however. We come here for the food for sure. Def worth the money. read more

Korean food + Spanish language = better than usual. The portions are humongous and cheap. $5 for a heaping portion of meat, rice, kimchi, and sprouts. Steve's hooks you up with a huge meal for a VERY reasonable price. My favorites are the BBQ chicken and Korean BBQ beef. They won't leave you hanging when it comes to hunger. Steve's is on a mission to stuff your belly. TIP: Brush up on your Spanish before hitting up Steve's. That way you'll know when your number is being called! read more

Although food is decent, the place is infested with insects. Found a cockroach in the tofu soup! read more

Steve's Korean Bbq - JUST GROSS. Look at that thing - Korean Near Me - Berkeley, California

I seriously can't believe there are so many reviews for this place. Steve's is not great by any means, though if you want some kalbi or daeji bulgogi, you don't have many other options in the area. It's cheap. It's sketchy. There are meat and eggs sitting out. The place is kind of dirty and grimy. You will walk away with the standard korean bbq smell. It comes with rice. It will also come with the worst kimchee I've ever tasted. No spice to it. Very soggy. Yet I still come back and haven't been sick yet! read more

On par with what you'd expect from student budget food, Steve's is A-OK. The portions are pretty decent, but the food itself lacks any significant flavor. The crowds of students that flood this place speak for itself though, as Steve's sure is popular. For around $8 I feel like there are much better deals within the Asian Ghetto area itself, especially if you're looking for an Asian inspired meal. read more

Put yourself in my shoes: Undergrad working student. In dire need of fast, tasty, flavorful, meaty dish to keep my belly full for the entire day. For the college student, Steve's Korean BBQ is a definite hit. You can eat half for lunch, and save the other half for dinner. It comes in a huge porportion. It's not the best Korean BBQ I've ever had, but when you're a poor college student, the price and the quantity it seems ideal. I love getting the marinated BBQ beef -- its marinated, and so addicting I could eat the entire thing in just one sitting. And yes, I have on multiple occasions. There is seating inside, but remember, you gotta bus your own table! When it gets super packed, you can sit outside the Asian Ghetto and enjoy your meal with other friends that purchased food from the other restaurants. This is a great buy when you're in a hurry -- Thai Basil's wait is 2x or 3x as long as this one. read more

Uh I ordered the Korean chicken soup but it didn't taste Korean at all... It tasted sort of like a more homemade version of Campbell's chicken soup, but it really was not authentic Korean. It was pricy too. Side dishes are also rather strange, especially the bean sprouts. read more

I've never met Steve's of Steve's BBQ but if I did, I'd like to shake his hand and thank him for feeding me during my 4 year stint at Cal. Sure it's not "real" Korean food, sure "real" Koreans don't cook it, but it tastes delicious and you can't go wrong with the ENORMOUS portions they give you. My personal favorite here is the Bibimbap. It is STACKED to the brim with vegetables and meat and will feed you for the entire day (granted you don't stuff your face to begin with). So if you're hungry and not looking to spend too much on food, come through to Steve's. You'll leave the restaurant full, I guarantee it. read more

How the FUCK did this shit get 3.5 stars? It hardly even tastes like Korean food. If you want crappy cheap kbbq rice plates then gomnaru on northside (does that place still exist?) is a much better choice for about the same price. I went to Steve's a couple times and couldn't finish eating it. This place is the bottom of the barrel for Korean food. read more

Was in the area visiting Cal and decided to look for some food to eat and I stumbled upon the ghetto for lunch. I saw many places for food but decided to go for some Korean BBQ. Ordered BBQ ribs and it came with kimchi, bean sprouts, and rice. The portions here are big and surprisingly good. Steve's is just one of those hole in the wall restaurants that is kind of dirty but the good food evens it out. read more

ughhhhhhhhh.... So my buddy takes me here and I figure ill settle for something not so unhealthy. That would leave me to ordering "grilled" chicken and rice with veggies. Why is it when I get the plate full of rice topped with meat sparingly is it drenched in oil? on a whats supposed to be grilled dish. If I wanted chicken and rice soup with the oil as a broth I would make it myself. read more

What to know: -It's obviously not authentic Korean BBQ (duh) -That having been said, don't expect much. -The portions are big -The prices aren't necessarily cheap -But again, the portions are big -Sometimes the rice is too mushy -Meat and rice = what's not to like? -Meat and rice = needs variety If you like lots of grilled, half-assed-marinated-but-still-decently-tasting meat and large scoops of rice, Steve's is your place. I'll come here once every blue moon, but it is definitely not a place worth frequenting more than once every couple of months. read more

Please forgive the Cal alumni who have stated the following sentiment: "How can it be Korean BBQ when I have never seen a Korean behind the counter, etc, etc," or any variation. Clearly, they are ignorant and racist. For if their statement contained any bit of truth, then no French restaurant in America can really be called French because behind the counters are non-French cooks from South America and from other poorer nations like the Philippines. I can attest that there have been Koreans behind the counter. That is because I've been eating at this place since 1986 when they occupied the middle section of Durant Square and they only had 8 seats at the bar. The current location used to be a Mexican restaurant. (Sidenote: Berkeley alum Class 1990, Ph.D. 1997) Now, some Koreans have mentioned that this is not true Korean food. I would point out that for a non-Korean like me, this is likely the first introduction to Korean food one can have. And, it is absolutely the best way to be introduced what with the plethora of meats such as beef, chicken, pork and the RIBS! Twenty years later from starting my gastronomic journey, I still go back to Steve's BBQ even though I know of more authentic Korean restaurants. Why? Because there is a chemical reaction that happens when chicken or any meat for that matter is grilled to perfection over fire. In every meal, it happens here. If you are under 30 years old, order the beef ribs to your heart's delight. If you are older, content yourself with the BBQ chicken and savor your increased life expectancy. As for authenticity based on spices, traditional methods of preparation and technique, one can classify Steve's BBQ as Korean-American. The serving of meat and rice are Texan in size. The efficiency of cooking is New York. The taste is Californian. And of course, the labor is provided by the poverty from South America. Steve's created a wonderful restaurant built on hard work and perspiration. I remember the days when the server, the cook, the cashier were most likely his family. Now that they have succeeded, why should I not appreciate the fact that capitalism works. The restaurant is successful enough that he can share his bounty and hire other people, no matter their race. read more

Steve's Korean BBQ was a Cal staple for me. I don't make it back there very often. However, after visiting a couple days, I can say that not much has changed since my undergrad days. In fact, I think I recognized at least two of the people working there. Most of the other reviews have it covered but I'll add my spin. Good: The portions are huge. When you are hungry, this is the place to go. They don't skimp on anything. They don't start cooking until you order. The food is served quickly. About a 5-10 minute wait. Bad: The restaurant is always cold and you won't get that authentic feeling. Like everyone says, most of the folks that work there are Mexican and speak Spanish. With that, the food is good. If you are on a super budget, get the chicken over rice. It's decent. However, their best dish by far is the short rib. Get it and enjoy. It is excellent. Parking is tight in the area so plan ahead. read more

Dang! As crazy cheap and good as I remember it. I used to eat at Steve's when I was a poor college student and now that I'm all-growns-up, I still get my Korean on as an old dude among kids at the Food Court. This place is actually a 3.5 stars. Food = 4. The kalbi is awesome, the bi-bim-bap too. You can get either for about $8.00 and you leave very full and satisfied. The food could be spicier but they have bottles of spicy sauce available (which isn't the same as if the food had been cooked with spices). Service = 2. You order at the counter and the cooks turn the food out quick-style. Even when the place is busy, you get your food within a few minutes. Atmosphere = 2. Remember folks, this place is in the Durant Food Court. Steve's is probably the cleanest joint in the entire place but still not immaculate. You don't go to Steve for ambiance. read more

I'm going to skip right to the food part of this review, so all I have to say about the restaurant itself is that it is in the Durant Food Court (AKA Asian Ghetto) so restaurant itself can be best described as functional. Not super clean, not disgusting either. Take from it what you will. This place can be viewed in one of two ways. From a Korean like me, I would say its an embarrassment to the Korean BBQ name. I'm sure the point has already been belabored here over and over, but I feel obligated to repeat again that Steve's really isn't true Korean BBQ. The food initially starts off actually tasting pretty good, but about 1/2 through it, the ratio of fat to meat really starts making the whole deal taste nasty. This is especially true of the short rib Kalbi dish. The kimchi is made of low quality cabbage and tastes like over-vinegared nonsense. The bean sprouts are pretty good though. I've tried all the BBQ meat dishes, and nothing really saves the day. I haven't been convinced or motivated to try the rest of the menu (soups and other rice dishes), so I can't comment on those, although from the reviews already here, I see that I'm not missing much. However, you can judge this place through a more general lens as well. Although the food's quality is kind of suspect, the do give a TON of it. Throughout my entire undergrad career at Berkeley, I would say that this is one of the places that is among the top of giving you the most MASS of food per DOLLAR. Given that the food actually does somehow pass as edible and is quite filling (AND will most likely leave you leftovers for another meal) this is the only mitigating plus Steve's possesses. I would recommend this place for the starving college student who can't be choosy about how to fill his hungry stomach. Or for the undiscerning person who just wants to get full. Otherwise, if you can afford to make a choice, I would stay far away. Its a shame that there aren't any other Korean BBQ places close to the Berkeley campus that are good alternatives. read more

We interrupt your current television fetish of trying to watch the entire Battlestar Galactica series before Bar review starts on May 23rd with this important review. Yelp just won't let you forget that you've marked this business as "to review" and is giving you more attention than an efficient prostituted from the continent. Sunday mid-day, Cal was graduating, students were fleeing, graduates were tottering around in unaccustomed heels that they thought looked "smart" "sexy" and "unique." There is nothing more cringe-worthy than watching a relatively pretty girl in full regalia wearing cheap shoes that she is so proud of, wobbling at the ankle every step she takes and threatening to tip her over onto her pretty face or shatter her femur in 3 places. I have a huge pet peeve about people who cannot walk in high heels yet insist on wearing them. I came by Steve's because I was craving Ramen and I couldn't find any that fit the bill. After a delicious meal at Oyaji in SF on Friday for $8.50, my standards for mediocre ramen have changed. I want it damn sexy and damn tasty, AND be less than $8.50. The prices in Steve's were closing in on the $10 limit. My order of short ribs came out to be around $9 after tax. The grill-manipulator dug his tongs deep into a bucket of marinating meat and retrieved a portion worthy of applause. Was all that mine? My greedy little mind went to work calculating the value-price ratio. I was accustomed to and expecting 3 strips. It was served on top of a mountain of rice, on a petal-pink plastic plate. The plastic plate was the size of obese America in the 1990s, portion distortion separators filled with bean sprout salad and kimchee. The bone-in bits were well caramelized and a bit chewy in parts. But, here's my secret confession: I like gristly meat sometimes. Especially if I get to rip it off the bone with my teeth. It satisfies some primal hunting urge that bubbles up deep within my subconscious and causes me to lick the flavors off my fingertips the way the witches in MacBeth savor the eye of newt. After I was done gorging myself on the slightly charred pile of meat and rice, I got a plastic to-go container and packed the rest to go home. One serving here is enough to feed a family of 3. After eating half of everything on the plate, the remaining only just fit in the large to-go container. It gives you an atomic bang for your starving student buck read more

The place, first of all, is not pleasant at all. They do try to make it look "oriental" by putting some random korean cultural decoration, but clearly, it doesn't cut. When you look in to a korean restaurant, one thing that you have too look first, "banchan". Which is the small varieties of side dishes that comes out with main dish. Their Kimchi is horrible. They don't use Asian winter cabbage, rather they use any store bought american cabbage that doesn't compliment a method that kimchi is made. Furthermore their marinade for the kimchi is poorly made, in return, you get bad kimchi. Also their main chef, or should i say pretend cook, is non korean person, who is not familiar with traditional korean cooking method and spices. In simple words, if you are korean, don't go (haha, get it?) If you don't care about the taste or the origin of the cuisine and just wanna get full off of EXTREME PROTEIN heavy dish, maybe this restaurant is for you. Like the reviewer Michael T. said, the place is not cheap. But if you just want meat that tastes mediocre and is in disguise as a Korean cuisine, go ahead! Enjoy! read more

Tips: $7-8 for a BBQ meat dish comes with bean sprouts, kimchi, and white rice. I wouldn't dub Steve's as a very authentic Korean food place. -------------------------------------------------- I really like Steve's because they always give you a HEAPING portion of meat on top of your rice. Honestly I think the portion size could feed 2 people, they just give you that much. I always get the BBQ chicken and it's super awesome I highly recommend getting that meat combo. If you don't like bean sprouts like me, or you really love kimchi, you can ask for no bean sprouts and they'll double up the amount of kimchi they give you. Steve's is definitely the place to go if you're really hungry and you're just craving some meat and rice. (The good stuff) The bibimbap is great as well! Sure it's not the most authentic Korean food, but it's still good to eat! read more

I totally remember the first time I came here. My boyfriend (now hubby) took me there 10 years ago. I remember telling him I wanted to eat at a sit-down restaurant. This was his idea of a sit-down restaurant, a place where you could sit down AFTER you order your food at the counter. I was super mad at him..but the tasty food made it hard for me to stay mad at him for long. Ok, enough background information...The food is delicious. I always order the kalbi (short ribs) and substitute the glass noodles for the rice. The portion size for me is perfect, I usually have enough left over for the next day. read more

I eat here often. It's not out of this world/culinary excellence, but they are pretty fast and they take credit cards (*cough* adjacent Thai restaurant only accepts cash *cough*). I wish they stayed open later. read more

If you want dirty, fatty good short ribs, then this is the place for you. This would be fast food korean food because im pretty sure they use the cheapest grade beef since it is only about $9 for short ribs. Elsewhere, they would be at least $13 or so. You get piles of short ribs that are super fatty and oily good, rice, bean sprouts that arent very flavored, and sweet/sour kimchi. The sides are obviously not the best but it is a nice filler. This is not the best quality food but it will get the job done when you just want some cheap Korean food with a college student's budget. **TIPS** 1) Call ahead and have your order ready by the time you walk there. Their service is quick! 2) They do accept credit card. 3) Enjoy! read more

Another Berkeley Student Staple... I can't comment on how authentic it is or whatnot, but I do know it is what every college man needs, some MEAT and some RICE and HOT SAUCE. This was the best cheapest meal you could find in Berkeley, keep you full for hours or until you got the munchies again and make the trek back to the asian ghetto LOL. Not much else to say about Steve's, it is what it is and it is Awesome! MY GO-TO DISH: BBQ Chicken or Beef Spicy, do they even have anything else??? read more

What inspired me to walk into this restaurant was looking at the plate portions and the fact that it was a K-BBQ place but in hindsight I lightly regret choosing this place to eat lunch. Everything about this place seemed like your typical hole-in-the-wall restaurant (cheap, not a lot of people, slightly dirty) but I had high hopes when I saw that this place had BBQ chicken; I love anything BBQ and chicken is awesome too so by instinct I had to choose it. But reflecting back on the meal, it makes me regret choosing this place. The meal was satisfactory for me except for one thing. The chicken was dry, charred, and almost tasteless. After the first bite, I immediately regretted choosing the dish. I had to drench my entire plate with the red sauce to try and salvage my meal and make the dish more tasteful but, truth be told, any sauce should never overpower the meat's flavor; it's only meant to compliment it. Unfortunately, I had to pour the sauce on. Heavily. Otherwise I think I would've given up and not have finished my meal. I'm not usually a picky person when it comes to eating, but burned and tasteless chicken is definitely not what I expect when I think of K-BBQ chicken. read more