We came on opening day when they switched to new ownership I would say? The meat is from Chubby's packing company. I have to say it was quite a surprise to find out that it has become an all you can spot now. The sweet server told us all about how the ordering menu looks like (you order from an iPad) only 10 items at a time and then once you place your order you have to wait a few minutes to order again. They guide you and prep the grill so you can cook your meat. We tried basically one of everything. I loved most of the meats, some I could do without. Overall the restaurant is pretty spacious. Decoration is nice and I just loved how excited and enthusiastic all the workers were to serve you and give you all the information you needed about what you ordered. I guess they even offer a membership so if you go eat at other Chubby meat locations you get discounts over time. I look forward to coming back again, since they seemed a bit frazzled trying to get all the orders in. But I love the hustle! read more

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I've been wanting to check out V Wagyu ever since they opened and I recently had the opportunity to dine here for dinner and it certainly did not disappoint. You can order a la carte or if you have an even number of guests, you can order from the combos (good for 2 people to share). We ordered the Ran Combo and it was plenty of food for 2 people. The meat quality was top tier and each bite left me wanting more. I'll be back to try the more premium option next time! They also have beer and sake to enjoy with your food. read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Was excited to see V Wagyu BBQ open up in Lake Forest. Stopped in on a Friday night and did the tasting menu for 2. Upon arrival, the team was a bit busy tending to other tables but they were quick to acknowledge us, let us know they'd be over shortly, and then apologized for the wait. We really enjoyed our meal, presentation, and quality. The wagyu and yuzu cherry tomato were DELICIOUS! There is still room for improvement with the service but know the restaurant just opened and the group is still learning. We interacted with a few team members and they were all friendly, some a bit frazzled and learning the ropes, but still friendly. Our standout server was Anna! She was so sweet and was really good at explaining what was being dropped off at our table, how to eat it, and which items were her favorite. Can't wait to go back! read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

WAGYU doing if you haven't checked out the newest wagyu BBQ experience in SoCal? @vwagyubbq in Lake Forest specializes in premium Japanese yakiniku, utilizing high quality cuts of Japanese, Australian and American wagyu beef for their chef-curated appetizers and their wagyu deluxe BBQ sets. Their two person tasting menu is priced quite affordably at $118, featuring: Dobin Mushi Soup Wagyu Tartare Wagyu Carpaccio w/ Truffle Sauce American Wagyu Short Rib American Wagyu Miso Chuck Log Spicy Garlic-Marinated Rib Fingers Australian Wagyu Ribeye Cap A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye Jumbo Shrimp Garlic Oyster Seasonal Vegetable Platter Wagyu stone pot rice green tea cheesecake Personally, I thought that the understaffed service, culinary execution of some of the appetizers, self-cooking nature of the experience (which is concerning for difficult cuts of meat and oysters), and inconsistent quality of the meat cuts left a bit much to be desired in comparison to other luxury wagyu experiences, but the price point is quite good for the amount of dishes you get. The highlights of my meal were the A5 Japanese Wagyu cuts, which I would definitely order a la carte. Definitely would still recommend checking them out if you're in the area, and supporting a small, Asian owned business! read more

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Checked out V Wagyu Pot during their soft opening, and it did not disappoint! My fiancé and I stopped by during our OC trip and went for the Taster Menu for Two ($118)--totally worth it. The seafood and meat were super fresh, and you get three dipping options: yuzu salt, house spicy, and yakiniku. Top highlights for me? The yuzu tomato, Australian Wagyu, and the insanely buttery Japanese A5 Wagyu. Plus, when the high-quality meats come out, they're served in a smoky, dramatic box--major IG moment! If you have a smaller appetite like me, you might want to save your tummy for the premium cuts later in the meal, but overall, service was fast and attentive. Definitely a great spot for date night, a girls' catch-up, or just because. Plan your visit! read more

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Had a great meal ! Tasting menu for 2 is a great option. You get starters, different cuts of wagyu beef, and desserts! The service was attentive and very nice. read more

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Came here in the middle of the week this past week and was VERY pleased with the quality of food, cleanliness of the restaurant AND service! My boyfriend and I met up with my cousin while he was visiting from out of town. We did the Tasting for 2, with small additions like an extra bowl of Mishu soup since there were 3 of us. All of the meats did NOT disappoint! The staff were very helpful, easy going, quick, patient and very NICE! We were catching up and got lost in conversation, accidentally burnt the king oyster mushrooms and zucchini, it was instantly replaced, didnt even ask. The woman helping us took it upon herself to help us grill everything, we were worried about messing up the wagyu! Will absolutely be coming here again! read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

V Wagyu BBQ recently opened and is still working out some kinks, including appropriate staffing, so if you visit soon, please be patient with the staff, since they seem to be understaffed at the moment. Ambiance is nice, and you can tell that they put some thought into the decor, as well as the dishware. For example, the leaf plate is well-designed and has a groove for you to rest your chopsticks on. On our first visit as a group of 3, we tried the Tasting Menu for Two to get a variety of their dishes, as well as the Wagyu Box. The tasting menu is worth getting if you like seafood at BBQ; I learned that I don't really need jumbo shrimp and garlic oysters on the grill - I'm just there for the meats! The tasting menu doesn't have huge portions, and a lot of the "courses" that are meant to be shared are on the small side (e.g., yuzu cherry tomatoes only had 4 small tomatoes for 2 people, and the green tea cheesecake was 1 thin slice to be shared between 2 people). If you don't have a huge appetite, you'll be fine, but if you're hungry, I would definitely recommend supplementing the tasting menu with other dishes, or just skipping it all together in favor of ordering a la carte. The Wagyu Box was awesome, with super tender and fatty meats. I'd definitely recommend it if you like wagyu, but also think it's on the light side for just 1 person. A note about the wagyu tartare that was included in both the Tasting Menu for Two as well as the Wagyu Box: Most tartares have some kind of acid or binding agent as part of their preparation, but this one did not, so it was "dry" in the sense that it wasn't saucy, and it was very fatty, which gave it a much different texture than other tartares. If I go back, I think I would stick to the Wagyu Box or just order meats a la carte. Happy eating! read more

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Craving Japanese bbq and this place is the spot! Newly open, modern, attentive vibes, we got the tasting menu for 2. The appetizer wagyu tartar comes with chips, delivers a good crunch! The Wagyu carpaccio is juicy. My fav is the is the A5 Japanese Wagyu ribeye, and Austrian Wagyu. The service is friendly and attentive, cook the meat and seafood for you. Good spot for a date night or celebration! read more

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Booked a reservation via Yelp to try this new restaurant with my girlfriends. We had 6 of us share 2 tasting menus, and there was definitely enough food as we were all very full at the end. They were very accommodating and gave us a space to put birthday gifts and they refrigerated the birthday cake and brought out clean plates and utensils for the cake after we finished our meal. Restaurant was nicely decorated and had quite a few tables but barely any business on a Monday evening. Since it's still considered soft opening, I guess they are still trying to get the word out. We had one grill in the middle of our table for six. The table was already quite full with just our waters, sauces, salts, utensils, plates, and two small bowls of complimentary edamame. When the food came, it was actually a bit difficult to fit everything so our servers had to really juggle and figure out where to put everything. Other than the lack of table space, everything was great! Service was attentive and they helped change the grill, refilled our waters, and took pictures for us. The tasting menu is the way to go as we got to try almost everything! We enjoyed all the unique appetizers. The grilled oysters and shrimp and veggies were all very good. The star of the evening was the Wagyu Deluxe Box. It was beautifully presented with dry ice and nice pieces of 5 different types of beef with a variety of flavors. All 5 meats were really tender and flavorful, with the melt in your mouth A5 wagyu ending the meal spectacularly! We were already stuffed before dessert came, but we happily finished the green tea cheesecake that came with our tasting menu. I did want to add that they were really great about letting us split the bill evenly using multiple credit cards, with each person given the opportunity to decide their own gratuity. read more

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Came here for their soft opening and i got to try the tasting menu for 2 at the price of $118 which was def worth it in my opinion because you get appetizers, meat, seafood, and also dessert. My favorites were the garlic oysters, A5 japanese wagyu, and wagyu carpaccio. service was also very friendly, the server cooks your meat for you and i like the interior design, it's very modern and perfect for a date night read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Planned trip to Cali and met up with my cousins for lunch here. The website says they open at 11:30, but they really don't open until 12. When we went inside, the place is super cute and modern. Our server Duncan was really nice and explained everything to us. He was very attentive too. It's all you can eat for $70/person. Seems expensive but in reality, the quality of the meat you're paying for is totally worth it! Food: WOW WOW WOW! Amazing! All the meats were delicious! We ordered almost everything on the menu, and our favorite was short ribs and all the A5 Japanese Wagyu. Overall, highly recommend stopping here and checking it out. Ask for Duncan! He is fantastic! read more

came for mother's day dinner. got the ran set, shrimp tempura, another order of the marinated short ribs, and matcha ice cream pros: - overall the quality of the meat and seafood was great, very tender as you would expect. - wagyu stone pot rice was also very flavorful. - servers and hostess were kind and attentive, frequent grill changes. - abalone salad was good. fresh cons: - i wasn't exactly expecting to have to cook the meat myself but you do have to cook everything yourself. the servers dont seem like they are trained to/meant to cook. - service was definitely pretty slow, not the servers' fault at all though. they seem very short staffed. - the pre marinated meats were a little too seasoned. still good but could use less marinade imo - for the wagyu tartare, meat was fine but the chip overpowers the flavor a lot, maybe due to the smaller portion size? portions were small but quality over quantity. ambiance was okay, nice but pretty casual. open to coming back but would be much more inclined to visit again if they hired more staff +i didnt have to grill :) read more

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Came here for date night after seeing their sign along El Toro and reading great reviews. We got the Kiku set ($168) and was not disappointed! Every dish was flavorful and delicious, and the presentation of each was fantastic. My only feedback is that I wish they served the rice along with the meats (they served it a bit afterwards). They also ran out of Yuzu nigori so we opted for pineapple which was okay. Service was great but the restaurant was pretty empty for a Saturday night so that probably helped. I eat a lot and felt about 85% full afterwards, so still had room to get Yogurtland across the street for additional dessert. My wife and I had a great experience and hope this place stays in business for a long time. Spending over $200 on dinner is usually something you do in restaurants in the Newport area, but I didn't mind doing it here. Tip: They accept the inKind app payment and you can buy $100 credit for $80 on Costco. You can stack these, too! read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Kiku Set - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Absolutely delicious japanese bbq! Super classy and fancy and delicious!!! Super quality meat! read more

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Check out OC's hottest new wagyu spot! We ordered their RAN Set which is a tasting menu box for 2 and started off with delicious appetizers like wagyu tartare and abalone salad. Inside our wagyu box were all the best cuts of wagyu like: wagyu short rib, wagyu miso chuck log, A5 wagyu ribeye, and A5 wagyu ribeye cap. You even get a wagyu stone pot that gets mixed right in front of you! read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Food was well presented and sauces/condiments provided complimented the meats to make them tasty. Not AYCE, but portions were generous enough. There were 3 of us so we ordered the full meal option for 2 and added an extra wagyu protein. The server was attentive to change out our grill plates and refill our drinks and water throughout. Place was still new so when we asked her certain questions about the menu, she didn't have the answers, but went to the chef in the back kitchen to ask and then tell us. Beautifully decorated inside. We went early on a Friday night (4:45 pm), thinking it would be busier if we left later for dinner and there were only 2 other tables occupied. She was there with another server covering the whole restaurant and between the 2 of them, they took turns seating people in their stations. There was no other staff in the dining area other than them. By the time we left, there were 4 tables occupied. It's new and there isn't much advertising for their restaurant on social media or otherwise, so it was very quiet in comparison to other Asian BBQ restaurants. We will be back at a later date once they're more established. read more

South OC, you've got the newest wagyu spot and it's literally fire. Order the Ran set, it's perfect for two people and they start you out with bangers like wagyu tartare and abalone salad, like are you kidding me?? And if the meats don't come in a smoked treasure box like at V Wagyu, then I don't want it. It come with wagyu short rib, wagyu miso chuck, spicy garlic rib fingers, shoyu-marinated short ribs, but my favorite had to be the A5 wagyu ribeye. Dip it in the ponzu sauce before cooking and it just melts in your mouth. And the tasting set even includes seafood like colossal shrimp and Japanese squid, and tableside stone pot rice with wagyu and truffle sauce. I didn't even leave room for their green tea cheesecake, consider me stuffed! Thanks for reading! ^-^ read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Menu as of 3/21/25 - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The restaurant is located in a small and unassuming plaza with plenty of parking. Once we walked into the restaurant, the modern ambiance and vibe transported us to an upscale 5-Star restaurant. My husband and I had the Tasting Menu for 2 and we were quite impressed with the quality, service, and attention to detail. The Australian Wagyu was my favorite, though most people would probably prefer the A5 which is very buttery and rich... but that's exactly why most people prefer the A5. The Australian Wagyu was more balanced which is why I preferred it. Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to. They were both amazing. The variety of seafood, beef and other dishes that came to our table was impressive and quite tasty. Loved how the servers came to our table to grill our food for us. It was definitely an experience. The tasting menu was priced well - $118 (before tax and tip). For the variety and quality of food we experienced, we thought it was well worth it. read more

There is an all new Japanese barbecue in lake forest called v Wagyu and they are serving up perfectly marbled Wagyu meats and delicious Wagyu appetizers like Wagyu sushi and Wagyu Tatare. My favorite cuts were their a5 Wagyu ribeye and a5 Wagyu zabuton. They melt in your mouth and go so well with their house made sauces and special salt. Trust me, you can't skip out on these cuts or their juicy pineapple enjoy. read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Tartare ig@waitfoodfirst - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Oh... as in Oh my GOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAMN. This was one of the if not the best spots I have had JBBQ. Hands down the best quality meat and Japanese Wagyu. I am SO thankful we came out tonight during their soft opening phase and had Gia and Anna help us, it was absolutely fabulous and their service was stellar. The ambiance was luxurious and showed QUALITY! We made reservations for this same weekend because o m ggggg their high quality tasting menu has me weak at my knees. I can't wait to be back. Thank you ALSO!!! I don't ever eat seafood. BUT THAT ABALONE SALAD GAWDAMNNNNN SO GOOD. I ate it, and the jumbo shrimp was chefs kiss delish. read more

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One of the biggest wastes of money I've experienced in a long time. Four of us walked out with a $500 bill and nothing to show for it except disappointment. The food was average at best, nowhere near what you'd expect at that price point. I've eaten at plenty of fine restaurants, and this one doesn't come close. The inside isn't anything special--certainly not the kind of ambiance you'd expect for half a grand. Honestly, you could buy a week's worth of groceries for what this meal cost. Save your money, skip the hype, and go somewhere that actually delivers on quality and value. read more

I had a great dining experience at V Wagyu BBQ in Lake Forest! We ordered the "Ran Combo for 2" priced at $120, and it was worth every penny. The combo has a variety of eats from appetizers, seafood, assortment of meats including wagyu and dessert. The presentation was elegant, and the portions were enough for two people. Service was good. The staff were attentive and friendly. read more

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Came here during their soft opening. The restaurant is really nice inside with some koi lights hanging from the ceiling. The three of us decided to try the sample menu since this was our first time here. It said for two but it actually did pretty well for three people. We did order a couple more items a la tart, the Wagyu beef tongue and the Zabuton. Everything was excellent and presented beautifully. Miso soup had really good flavor. All the meat quality was outstanding and for the cost of the Wagyu, well priced. The appetizers were also well done. There is also a sauce platter for the meats which tasted good. Our favorite cuts were the Zabuton, Beef Tongue, and the Spicy Garlic marinated rib fingers. The Wagyu stone pot rice was also good, though I wish the server left it in the pot a bit longer so the bottom portion could get a bit more crunch. Make sure to use some of the homemade salt on the beef for extra flavor. The cheesecake was good and the green tea taste was not overwhelming. Service was excellent, but to be fair we were the last table of the night. The server even grilled the meats for us occasionally. The tasting menu also had some oysters and shrimp, but the manager said before the grand opening the oysters will probably be off the menu. Overall I will definitely come back. read more

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Service was ok. They didn't have the seafood so they offered a piece of American rib eye to makeup for it. This was probably the most disappointing dinner I've ever had in my entire life. To be fair, I've had wagyu before, and this place was just so expensive for the worst wagyu I've had. We had to cook ourselves, so my money would have been better spending buying wagyu and cooking it myself. The grill was cool, the vent was right where the grill was so my hair didn't smell like bbq. But there was a weird pipe on the table probably for fire safety or AHJ restrictions or something, it was not aesthetic but not too much of a hinderence. 10/10 will never come back again. read more

V Wagyu (Chubby Cattle) is a family favorite! The food is always delicious and today was no different. The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful and the seafood was so fresh! All the sides and appetizers are wonderful too. The service is what sets this place apart from other restaurants. Our server Taylor was attentive and efficient. She was able to answer our questions and gave recommendations. Jaiden was also great! Whenever we needed a grill change, he was there right away. Such a nice guy! My family absolutely loved the service. Ambiance was wonderful too. The place is nicely ventilated and not chaotic or loud. Great place to eat and bring family and friends. Will definitely be back read more

Attended the soft opening. Very good Japanese bbq, appetizers, delicious, high end meat. You should give it a try if you're looking for a local Japanese BBQ place. The A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye is Ridiculously good. A must have. read more

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I came in curiosity, I haven't seen a wagyu bbq restaurant in this area. The staff is friendly and well trained, menu is clear and easy to order, although no set meal for single person other than order a la cart, the portions are small but soooo delicious, my favorite is the wagyu rib eye cap, so tender and juicy, took less than a minute to cook. I wish I came with a friend so I could order the set meals for 2 , either $120 or $168. read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Wagyu rib eye cap - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

WOW. A Japanese BBQ in Lake Forest that is actually good!!! We went here last night for Valentines and was served the Tasting Menu for 2. To be clear - Although it says for 2, there are 2 of us plus my son who is a big eater so definitely order more meats and rice or stonepot rice because the tasting menu wasn't enough for 3 adults BUT a perfect ratio for 2 if that makes sense. Ambience - Beautiful restaurant, modern vibes with lava and koi fish decor, plus elegant music. Perfect for date nights and intimate special occasion. I don't think it can accommodate big groups/long table but I would call to make sure and reserve. Parking- this is a small plaza so if this place gets packed you can probably park in the big parking lot near Smart & Final. Food/Service- we loved all the high quality meats, while appetizers are made to perfection. I noticed there are some inconsistencies with the service and timing of things but they just opened so there's still time to iron out some kinks! This place is all about their meats so order all the different cuts, but the A5 Japanese wagyu was my fave. It melted in my mouth! I wasn't crazy about the shrimp and garlic oyster though since they dry up easily esp if you don't know how long to cook them. Their homemade sauce was very yummy to dip the meats in, however, their salt reminds me of a seasoning in the kitchen or a rub, I would change it to a grainy salt that is best paired with wagyu. Thank you to the amazing gentleman infront who seated us, the servers who changed our grill and refilled our waters and the lady who took our orders, the chef who did all the cooking. They did amazing! Overall a great addition to Lake Forest, probably the best one we have. Can't wait to go back for more! No need to go to Rowland Heights for my Japanese BBQ fix read more

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Very happy to see this place finally open. Probably could have used an extra server the day that I went (just one person running around at lunch) but overall a very good experience. Meat was good quality and while it was not cheap, it was reasonably priced. read more

Had high hopes for this place. When I was searching hing on Yelp I was looking for an AYCE Korean BBQ place and this came up that was close by. Definitely not an AYCE place, the meats were good but not amazing the soup really was not good at all They offer 2 options for a dinner for 2 or you can choose al a cart for some meats. The service really sucked big time. Things came out really slow and almost felt that I had to beg for refills on water For close to $200 for dinner for 2 without any drinks there is definitely a lot better options for less out there. I can say I won't be back This is a once and done and if I knew more before going it wouldn't have been even the once trip. At best it should have been around $75 to $100 bucks for what we got not $200 read more

Put a finger down if you've ever had a meal that wasn't just a meal--but an experience. That's exactly what you'll get at V Wagyu BBQ in Lake Forest, a fresh, elevated Japanese BBQ spot in South OC. They offer premium tasting menu options, or you can go à la carte. We went with the Kiku Set for two. The abalone salad and yuzu cherry tomatoes were the perfect appetizers to start with. Then came the showstopper: the treasure meat box featuring A5 ribeye, wagyu short rib, and wagyu rib finger--each cut was so melt-in-your-mouth tender, rich, and buttery. The set also includes flavorful wagyu stone pot rice and seafood. I couldn't pick a favorite because everything was equally amazing. To top it off, the green tea cheesecake was the perfect sweet ending. If you're craving amazing food and a fantastic vibe, V Wagyu BBQ is definitely worth the visit. read more

Excellent establishment--- food, service and ambiance. They were on their soft-opening and we ordered from the grill. Addison was amazing! She recommended the Wagyu stone pot rice w/ Truffle sauce and it tasted exquisite. Had their bone-in short ribs, tri-tip, Wagyu miso soup, cucumber salad and King oyster mushrooms and they were filling for my wife and I. read more

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You can definitely tell this restaurant is not run like a good Japanese yakiniku place. They serve wagyu but that's the only similarity. They fall short on sides, timing, and service. I'd stick with Manpuku if you want a better experience for similar price point. I also possibly got norovirus from here read more

Such a cool new restaurant in town. Top tier service and food. Such unbelievably beautiful presentation and the quality is unbeatable. All of those pictures and videos that you see on Instagram, this restaurant brings it to real life. Not only could I rave about the quality of the food, but the service here is unmatched. We had the the waitress who helped us set all the food on the grill. We didn't have to do anything ourselves. She helped us get our cuts to the exact temperature that we wanted and nailed it each time. She set our food down perfectly and explained each meal and each dish and made that much more enjoyable! read more

Awesome new JBBQ is town and I couldn't be happier. The staff were attentive and considerate, the ambiance was fun and relaxing, and the real star of the show was the food. They're tasting menu takes you on a journey that won't leave you hungry. The quality of each dish was outstanding and the sauces and salt complemented everything. read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Wagyu sampler box - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I have not been but I do not see the ask questions link any more. My questions are... Is this Japanese a5 grade? Are their Australian waygu? Are there USA Waygu? Are the various options indicated in the menu? I am reading that it seems this is similar to a DIY grill at your own table? Or is it just parts of the menu? Just trying to figure this out as some of the photos indicated the grilled meat looked pale and not seared on the exterior? Anywho.... If anyone can update me on the details that would be great. I want to visit.. but I need to have the correct expectations upon arrival. Thanks! FYI. I read caviar? Is it sturgeon golden or other type of fish roe? Thanks! read more

*****BUYER BEWARE**** Unfortunately this restaurant was an extreme let down. The service was poor, at best. The meat was good (likely not A5, but still good which is why it gets 2 stars) but extremely overpriced! Our server rushed us and attempted to jam everything on our table at once. Nothing was explained to us and there is a variety of items which left us guessing on how to properly pair our food. Also for $200, why are we cooking our food? I understand Korean and Japanese bbq are know for cooking your own food, but not at this price point. Sad to say I will definitely not return. I'm sure many other customers will feel the same. read more

It's so nice to have a Japanese BBQ restaurant in south county! V Wagyu is definitely a pleasant surprise and dining here is a lovely experience given the delicious cuts of meat and great customer service. I really dig the decor as well. It's great they have a "lunch special" as well as a tasting option for 2 during their soft opening happening now. read more

We went here on their soft opening. The food was very high quality. The service was amazing. They came by anything we needed something. The environment was wonderful. We went with our baby and they were very accommodating. read more

V Wagyu BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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