So here it is coming from Sunday night working up a small appetite for supper- I definitely had to…read morethink about where to go and so I thought about it -"Let's try something different, but not too far off" and so I landed at a restaurant I always wanted to try after passing by many times - the Smiling BBQ at El Camino Real - and it should have a specific caption lol, "Beifang/Northern Chinese BBQ." So I went in around 8pm not to bad - a very cozy down to earth feeling, restaurant was clean and also had that Northern Chinese vibe. The restaurant was family owned so the manager basically just spoke Putonghua/Mandarin - talkabout like lowkey down to earth (it's as if you gotta be really into the Chinese vibe to get the experience at this joint ). Restaurant was super clean actually for a Chinese place, "chuu bian juo"-or what he said was "have a seat anywhere," (I should've asked do they have maotai and cigarettes lmao like in Chinese fashion-cigarettes and alcohol accompany meals --what a tradition). So I took a little time and decided ultimately go with mainly what the place was for - BBQ. NOW THE FOOD- I'd say that is a definite 4.5 solid for me - VERY GOOD AND SUPER AUTHENTIC - solid Northern Chinese skewers - I recommend the lamb skewer (yang ro), beef skewer (nuur ro), chicken wing (jichi), squid skewer (wuzei) and of course traditional homestyle chives-stuffed pancake (jiou chai he ji). I wasn't sure as this was my first time I wasn't sure how big the portions are so I also ordered what is a "guozi" or fried egg pancake roll just-in-case. To my surprise everything was actually super well grilled - smokey - flavorful . The beef was cooked well and the skewers has a good balance of fat-to-lean meat content, for $5 pricepoint for 2x skewers, not a bad deal at all. The lamb was also super flavorful, not gamey (which is plus) and was juicy not dry. All good and the chicken wings skewer of 2x wings was also grilled semi-crispy with some seasoned spices (love the flavor and aroma). The squid was also marinated well in a sweet glaze before and was not overly cooked so it had texture/not too dry. Now onto the chives pancake and gouzi/fried egg pancake roll. Both were homemade and they were decent. Chives stuffed pancake had a decent texture and for 2x pcs not bad. The guozi was stuffed with some sausages/hotdog and pretty decent for a side dish-sweet sauce was good with the bbq. NOW THE AMBIANCE-ultimately a 4/5 because it was nice, it was clean, but the way they served the food was really lowkey as the plate was nonexistent they simply give you a tray at each table. Sorta interesting. But the utensils and everything was clean so thats good. THE SERVICE - now this is anywhere around 4/5 I would say the owner. Was nice and friendly but really - you might wanna communicate in Putonghua/Mandarin like I did - I mean you could use English as there electronic smart phone menu is in English and Chinese - but to talk to them effectively - I'm glad my Chinese linguistics sorta came in handy. Ultimately very down to earth people - when I asked for water and napkins they were very helpful and accommodating. Ultimately - the is a good place. Definitely worth to visit time and again.

The lamb skewers, the chicken, gizzard skewers, and the beef skewers were good…read moreThe squid skewers were OK crunchy Do not get the kimchi fried rice It's literally like rice with oil and a hint of spiciness and more than a pinch of salt. The kimchi did not really have much flavor or a kick to it. When I went at opening, there literally was no one in the place and no person to greet to us We have to scan the QR code to order The ambience is very plain and kinda stagnant feeling The service people were very nonchalant Like they will look at you weird if you ask for more chopsticks, than the amount of people that you have Always ask for more napkins because they will not give you more if you do not ask

Came by at 9pm because I got a big back . I wasn't able to do Ayce but no fret, the food was still…read morevery good. Iykyk, when the service is bad... that means the food is super good so go with open thoughts :D We ordered the lamb, beef, and squid skewers. Also ordered the liang pi and Chinese beef hamburgers. They taste authentic. Ambiance is a bit run down. I will be back for the Ayce :8

I've always saw this restaurant in the corner of my eye when driving, and I finally got the chance…read moreto try it for their Chinese burger! This dish changed my life, the pork was so savory and it had small chopped up pieces of a spicy green pepper. I can't recommend it more! My dad also decided to try their chicken fried rice, and he told me it was delicious and packed with flavor. This is definitely a hidden gem, but I believe it deserves more hype! Staff were kind, and chef was humble and even took the time to walk over and deliver our food to us when we were just ordering to go!!! Give this place a chance if ya can!

I've been here many times now and I'm pretty satisfied each time. My favorite items to order are…read morethe scallop and egg white fried rice, the duck soup that comes with the peking duck, and the bbq item platter with crispy pork and the soy sauce chicken. Portions are fair for the price and you will leave stuffed. Service is friendly enough and efficient, seeing as how they seem to be packed every single night. The restaurant could use with a bit more cleaning as the floors, seats, and tables seem to always be a bit greasy.

We had dinner at this restaurant tonight because they advertised a birthday promotion where the…read morebirthday guest receives a complimentary fish dish. It happened to be my wife's birthday, so we received the free dish as promised. However, when it was time to pay the bill, my wife did not leave the 18% tip that the staff seemed to expect. As we were leaving, an employee stopped us and told us that since the fish dish was free, we should "know better" and leave the full 18% gratuity. We found this very disappointing and uncomfortable. While we appreciated the complimentary birthday dish, we did not feel that the service justified an automatic 18% tip. Tipping should reflect the quality of the service and should never be demanded or pressured. Unfortunately, this experience left a negative impression and overshadowed what should have been a pleasant birthday dinner.

Service was great and friendly staff (REN & JEN) recommend it! The meat was good quality as well.read more

Originally had a reservation for 6 people for 7:45, but at 7:00 we called to make a last minute…read morechange to 10 people. Ren was on the phone with us, and instead of just telling us the larger tables have already been reserved and can't be done, he asked us to call him back in 10 mins to see what he can do. Lo and behold 10 mins later he said he was able to add on another table at the end but it'll be a tight fit. Not a problem! After sitting down, we opted for the premium menu upgrade, and our table really liked the Premium Rib Meat (boneless marinated short rib). Even though it was AYCE and super busy, we always were able to get our food order in and it arrived quickly. If the heat on the charcoal grill was slowing down, they were quick to refill it. Awesome place for kbbq, and one of the only charcoal places that I know of in the area.

Wow! Great food with generous portions. We ordered two regular plates, one chicken katsu and the…read moreother the kalua and lau lau. We had so much leftover to eat for later! Very yummy and not too salty or oily. Would definitely come back :)

Opened up the place on Saturday AM after street parking…read moreLiterally turned on the lights Owner friendly & nice Food was great if not a bit pricey Service solid Plenty of people getting takeout as we left

This place is a AMAAZZINNGG. I've been going since they opened, and the food is consistently GOOOD…read more Everyone inside has a smile on their face and very attentive to their customers, however owns this spot must know exactly what they are doing :) The ambience is calm, and a lot of cool things hung up their walls to look at like hand woven rugs and traditional plates... I eat here once a week at least!

Greetings to all, this not my first time to this outstanding eatery, let's see how it went:…read more Parking is street side only, or at your own risk at the local Smart and Final store. Inside is a modestly lit atmosphere gleaming throughout both sides of the restaurant. The service was great and the greeter was excellent as well. The food we ordered was to go, But was outstanding and very Flavorful as well. Nice job Safra Grill , another outstanding Meal well done.

"Great hole-in-the-wall Mexican near SFO airport"…read more Came here for dinner at 6pm on a Monday night, based on good Yelp reviews. The place is unassuming-- has a thin stretch of outdoor seating and a handful of tables inside. Not super bright in lighting, and a TV inside was showing a baseball game. Seemed like a lot of the business was takeout, as people would come, hover, get food, and leave. I was GOING to order the fish tacos or a fish quesadilla, but I was swayed by the picture of a breaded fish plate special. My son got the carne asada quesadilla, and others at the table got a veggie burrito and a chicken bowl. Food came out pretty quick-- maybe around or just over 10 minutes (the fish plate and veggie burrito came out slightly after the other two). I was very impressed that the fish plate looked even BETTER than the photo (see photos of both). The fish was HUGE. There was a generous helping of guacamole, lots of fresh avocado slides, some onion and cabbage, etc. There was a nice bed of lettuce on the side with sour cream over it, and the rice & beans (covered with a thin layer of cheese) on another side. The fish plate was just delicious. The batter wasn't overpowering or too heavy, and the fish was excellent inside (and very flat). I really liked the sauce in a little cup on the fish, or having it with avocado or guacamole, or even straight. The rice and beans were yummy too. Such a great dish, and it was under $20 before tax and tip. My dining companions all liked their food, though my son said the carne asada meat was "just good" (he had a bite of the chicken and said that was better). The person at the register was friendly. And as mentioned, the prices were very reasonable. I'd happily eat here again if in the area. Great portion size, great quality, good value, etc. Enjoy!

The good: the burrito was tasty. The service was good…read more The bad: I ordered the California burrito, which is supposed to come with french fries. The burrito had potatoes, but they weren't french fries. They were boiled potato strips. Kind of somewhat annoying when that's what I was looking forward to. Also, I ordered a super burrito, but it was more like a taco. Burritos here are really small so if you're hungry, forget about it.

Cute but pricey izakaya (it is owned by non-Japanese Asians!) They have a parking lot so don't park…read moreon the street like I did (alternatively, you could take Caltrain as they are right across the street from Broadway station!) The private booths are intimate, the lighting is dimmed, music is bopping (not to age myself, but it was bops from my high school years) Fitting, as I was getting dinner with my best HS friend! I love how you take off your shoes to get in the booths! So cute and fun. There were some families there and the kids were given coloring pages. Coming from SF, this is how you know you're in the suburbs. The skewers were delicious. A group of 4, we ordered 4 of each. We tried steak, chicken, takoyaki, fries (which were pretty much takoyaki fries), bacon-wrapped mochi, bacon enoki mushroom, unagi, fried chicken skin, Uzura Tamago (Quail Eggs), and more! Everything was good and flavorful. However, it ended up being over ~$70/person, so not cheap. I will say service was lacking. They didn't bring us the bill for over 20 minutes. Relatedly (in that it's negative), whoo boy was my stomach upset after! It was delicious, but at the cost of being greasy.

A great, reliable spot if you're looking for a fun yakitori and Japanese tapas-style dinner…read moreexperience, especially one that closes decently late no matter the day. We came to Mokutanya for a casual night out. It was pretty late for a sushi spot to be open on a Sunday night (around 8:30 pm), and overall, it hit the spot. The menu has a lot of variety, and it's definitely a good place to share dishes with friends or a group. FOOD: 8/10 The skewers were the highlight for me and, I believe, one of their specialties. They were well-seasoned, nicely grilled, and served hot off the grill. I also enjoyed trying a variety of small plates, which made the meal feel fun and interactive. Some dishes were better than others, but overall it was a solid experience with good flavor and variety. We ordered their Raw Oysters, and it was decent. It definitely was not the freshest we've ever tried, but it was still good, thankfully. SERVICE: 8/10 Service was standard, but the staff was chill and easygoing. AMBIANCE: 8/10 The restaurant has a warm, lively, and slightly upscale-casual feel, great for groups or a casual night out. You can experience zashiki seating, where you take off your shoes before entering the dining area and sit down at low tables. The lighting was pretty dark, lol. Overall, it's a solid late-night option if you're in the mood for skewers, small plates, and a relaxed group dining experience.