Pro: Order is fast, beef belly is the best. Con: Wait is always long, the floor is too greasy and slippery:( read more

Favorite kbbq spot around! But always a long wait, plan accordingly or else waitlist is full! Worth it though :) read more

The service was excellent. we called in for a reservation and were seated immediately. Meats came out in a flash and the meats were tender. Loved the japchae as it had flavor unlike other ACE shops where the japchae was flavorless. The side dishes were good. Liked the mashed potato salad, the bean curd strips. The cabbage salad could would have been better with more dressing. Also had the steamed egg which was just ok and the tofu stew with a really large shrimp in it and two big pieces of tofu. It was a bit spicy but overall, the spiciness was ok. Stew also had other seafood tidbits in it which is a surprise as other ACES only offer bits of meat. Stew is a must item. The waiters were fast in delivering meats, clearing empty dishes, clearing empty tables and setting them up for new occupants. I must say this is the first ACE that I have seen the servers were very motivated. However, what they probably forgot was to change our grilling tray but it was ok as we did not sear it black. Biggest surprise was the dessert of a scoop of strawberry ice cream with a. piece of fried banana. Never had any ACE given me dessert! The place was busy but the wait did not seem to be long even without reservations. Overall, this is a must return ACE! read more

Friends insisted on coming to yakiniQ in SJ, instead of the SF location so we went to give it a try. (Not sure if they're the same owners?) but wait time was about an hour with yelp online reservation . Got seated about 10minute after our time. Food comes out quick which is nice, and you order on your phone. All the meat we got was very tender and all the sides were really good as well. I always get Cold noodles if on the menu, it was a small up-charge but worth it. Seating style was small round tables and chairs, almost reminds me of the local kbbq in Korea Overall great service and food read more

yakiniQ SJ - Meats, banchan, spicy cold noodles - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

Extremely Disappointing Experience - Food Safety, Poor Service, and Rude Phone Staff I used to be a regular customer at Yakini in San Jose. I visited this restaurant quite often, but after my last experience a few months ago, I stopped going completely. I originally decided not to leave a review, but what happened recently reminded me exactly why I stopped coming here. 1. Food Safety and Terrible Service During my last visit, I ordered tofu soup. After taking about two bites, I noticed a large dead fly floating in my soup. I was absolutely disgusted. I immediately took a picture and called our server over. I showed him the fly and explained what I had found. What happened next honestly left me speechless. He didn't say a single word. No apology, no explanation, no offer to replace the soup, and no discount. He simply took the soup away and walked off. I just sat there, completely shocked. Is this really how a restaurant handles a food safety complaint? I wasn't expecting anything special, but at the very least, an apology would have been basic customer service. I eventually decided to let it go, finish my meal, and never come back. Unfortunately, the problems didn't stop there. Throughout the meal, several items were missing from our meat orders. Every time I placed an order, something seemed to be left out. I called the server over and explained that we were still waiting for certain items. He simply said "OK" and walked away. Ten minutes later, nothing had arrived. I placed another order, and once again, some items were missing. I honestly don't know whether their ordering system is poorly managed or whether they intentionally delay or leave out items because this is an all-you-can-eat restaurant with a time limit. I'm not claiming they do it intentionally, but the repeated missing items certainly made me question what was going on. I was planning to write a review when I got home, but eventually decided it wasn't worth my time. I figured I would simply stop giving them my business. 2. Unbelievably Dismissive Attitude Over the Phone Fast forward a few months. Recently, I realized that one of my cards was missing. When I checked my transaction history, the last recorded purchase on that card was at Yakini. Of course, I understood that I could have lost the card somewhere else. I wasn't accusing the restaurant of anything. I simply thought there was a possibility that I had accidentally left it there, so I decided to call and ask. I explained to the woman who answered the phone that I had visited a few months ago and wanted to know whether anyone had found a lost card. She didn't understand me at first, so I had to repeat myself three times. When she finally understood what I was asking, she immediately answered, "No." Immediately. Without even taking a moment to check. I was confused, so I asked whether they could at least look to see if any lost cards had been kept at the restaurant. Again, she instantly said, "No." I asked whether she was saying that a restaurant that had been operating for years had never had a customer leave a card behind, and whether she could simply take a moment to check. Once again, the answer was an immediate "No." What bothered me wasn't that they didn't have my card. It was that she seemed completely unwilling to even check. I've worked in restaurants myself, and I understand how busy things can get. I also know that customers sometimes leave personal belongings behind. I wasn't demanding that they find my card. I was simply asking for a little help. Even if they didn't have it, a polite response or an offer to check would have been enough. Instead, I felt completely dismissed, as if my question wasn't even worth a few seconds of her time. Final Thoughts I used to genuinely enjoy eating at Yakini, which makes these experiences even more disappointing. Finding a large fly in my soup was already unacceptable. Having a server silently take it away without a single apology made it worse. The repeated missing orders were frustrating, and the attitude of the person answering the phone months later only reinforced my decision not to return. I understand that mistakes happen in restaurants. Food safety issues can occur, orders can get mixed up, and lost belongings aren't always found. But how a restaurant responds to those situations says a lot about how much it values its customers. Unfortunately, based on my experiences, I no longer feel comfortable spending my money here. I won't be returning. read more

yakiniQ SJ - dead fly - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

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Went here with my buddies the other night. Call ahead and make reservations! This place gets super busy, even on a weekday! Loved it, my friends loved it! Pretty darn close to a genuine AYCE Korean BBQ you would see in LA/ K-Town! From the Bay to Sac, I have yet to find a spot like this one. Shoot, all they were missing was that cheesy corn thingy! Speaking of which, Im gonna make some for breakfast hahha. The price was a bit high, imo. I don't remember KBBQ being so pricey, again, maybe it's because I'm just old now, lol. Then again, because I'm old, everything seems expensive to me. Not only expensive, everyone there seemed so young. So, in conclusion for this review, if you are rich, young and hungry...this is your spot! Haha I will be going back, though, for sure! I want to take my wife and 3 little kiddos! My oldest, 8 year old, will love it! He loves Korean food (duh, we're Korean) and he loves steak! So get ready, yakiniq SJ/ actually, we'llgo to the one in Livermore (closer)! My 3 little terrors are gonna crash your spot!! Lol Good times! We definitely ate a lot. We'll, my two buddies did! Psst!! Dear, restaurant people, we should open up one of these near the Sac area! read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

The parking is not too bad but the wait is, it's well worth it though. This is by far one of the best, if not THE BEST all you can eat kbbq place in san jose. They have so many good options and I always love their beef brisket. They have so many yummy sides as options too and I love their tofu side dish read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

It possibly is the best bang for your buck in terms of AYCE KBBQ. I do like the selections of meat available in addition to the kimchi. I left beyond full and sleepy. That's what lots of grilled meat can do to you. I also do appreciate that the stools store things in it. read more

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Food is good but just right now, I asked for lettuce and when i was half way eating it, there was a bug, surprisingly when I told the waiter about it he just look surprised and he took the lettuce back, they didn't even apologize, not worthy after waiting for more than 1h to get seat in one of their super tiny tables, also it was too cold inside for some reason, your food gets cold really fast. read more

Service was 10/10! Staff would check in with us and switch grills quickly. Everyone was super professional and helpful. Food was good especially for an unlimited menu as well! Pricing wasn't too out of line either for AYCE. The banchan were also really good! Love the store interior. It was bustling but not too loud where you had to be yelling. Wait time wasn't long at all, even though the store was packed. read more

yakiniQ SJ - Grill - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

I was super intrigued by this place due to the super long waitlist and the many reviews! I added my name to the waitlist via Yelp and it said we have to wait ~2 hours so we just hung out around Valley Fair until it was our time. When we got to the place, I thought it was going to be super packed, but the parking lot was easy to find parking, and I guess, just like us, everyone waited elsewhere. We were seated immediately and decided to go with the regular plan which was $36/person. Quite reasonable nowadays for KBBQ. To order the food, there is a QR Code that you scan and order from there. I quite liked it because it was efficient! The sides were already set on our table before we sat down. They were all average. I think my bf and I only ate the kimchi mostly. For the meats, we got many items, including Brisket, Short Ribs, Bulgogi, Beef Belly, and we both got one of each Premium cut of Fresh Short Rib and Boneless Prime Short Rib. The best items were the premium cut ones for sure! They were perfect cuts to grill! For the regular menu items, I enjoyed the brisket the and short ribs the most. The bulgogi marinade was okay to me. The meats overall, were also average to me. Service-wise, I felt like they were pretty attentive with changing out the grills so I appreciate that. I also appreciated that the hoods we were under actually pulled the smoke and smell a lot better than other places. After eating all your food, they also offer a small scoop of ice cream which I really appreciated. Overall, good place for the money, if you are super hungry or want to enjoy KBBQ experience without breaking the bank. read more

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I've been here many times but haven't had the chance to review. It's definitely my top 3 kbbq in the bay for its price and quality! My friends and I came in around 2pm on a Sunday and there was already a waitlist, but we got a table right away. We got the regular menu $35/person. Meats were great, and they had a variety of banchan. Service was quick. I would only point out that their marinated short rib was more on the sweet side, a bit too sweet. I also got the seafood tofu soup and it was very hearty--would recommend. Ambiance here is nice, and it's always lively and crowded. I always recommend people to come here to try kbbq and of course, I'll be back. read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

First time here in this location other than SF! Place definitely is smaller and has less seating. Waited about 1.5hr on a Sunday but glad they have a waitlist link to see our place in line! I did like the table and seat set up though! Service was very kind, super quick, and welcoming. I forgot to ask their names but pretty much everyone was nice. Got the regular option, plenty of variety to choose from. Endless sauces, soups, and sides. We enjoyed the steak most. Something though, the beef brisket was kind of bland. I feel like YakiniQ in SF has more flavorful beef brisket. But both still good! read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

Service is fast and attentive. We didn't really wait long for any dishes. I've been here many times, and usually the wait time can get pretty long (1 hour+) but for a Friday around 4 PM we didn't wait at all. We joined the waitlist 20 minutes before so we got there and got seated immediately. One thing I really like about this place are the serving sizes especially for the banchan dishes. They have some sauces and utensils ready in the side if needed. Noise level is usually loud if it's busy. Definitely would recommend this place for the price and service. The meat is decent and you get a scoop of ice cream at the end. read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great AYCE spot! All the meats were good. Probably one of the best spots for ayce kbbq. There are a lot of options to choose from and some things are limited to one per person. Lots of side options too. Only complaint is the small tables. It was hard to eat when the table is filled with sides and meats. Good service though. read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

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Food was great and brought out in large portions. Service is quick so if you're hungry they keep it coming while also paying attention to the grill if it needs to be replaced. The vibes are good and I will go again. read more

yakiniq never disappoints!! i've been here multiple times throughout the years, and the quality, service, and pricing is always worth it. line gets long on the weekend but you can join online, and they are able to do big groups even though the place is not too big. for the menu, i think the premium is worth it for $4 more. the wagyu beef belly was our favorite and special items boneless prime short rib. there were a lot of sides as well! read more

yakiniQ SJ - boneless prime short rib - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

A different AYCE KBBQ experience! Let me just say that you get your premium meats for premium plan and regular which is nice because price can vary depending what you and your group choose. There were 6 people in the group and we were seated at a round short table which I thought was giving Asian family style round table vibes. Did it fit all of our banchan and meats? Heck no! Lol we had to ask one of waiters to leave an extra table on the side to fit ALL of what we got. Service was busy and we did have to be a bit attention seekers for our waiter to notice that we wanted more meat or to take some plates away to preserve space. However, we did go on a Saturday evening for dinner. Yakini Q, you are a QT for the round tables and fun vibes! read more

yakiniQ SJ - Pork cheek, Pork Belly, Beef Brisket - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

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The food here was pretty good. My favorite was the beef small intestine but the wait was just super long. They do not accept reservations so you have to put yourself on the waitlist. read more

Year over year this continues to be my favorite and go to spot. And as of late they've been killing it! Service has been the best it's ever been, and the quality of the meat has also been really exceptional, overall they've been really consistently great this year. We really appreciate all the staff here and have noticed from our visits the ppl who have the most issues don't understand the concept or are there during extremely busy times. I know exactly what to expect when I come here and I come here specifically to eat here, it's the overall ambiance! Like when u want in n out you don't just want burgers you want in n out. Yakini q is S tier read more

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Really good food, fast service, and friendly staff. They have a great selection of meats and lots of different sides and appetizers. The place can get pretty loud, and you'll definitely smell like BBQ after you leave:) But I don't really see those as reasons to take off a star since it's not supposed to be a premium or fancy dining experience. Overall, it's become one of our favorite spots to go with friends. Definitely recommend! read more

Definitely go when it's not a Friday/weekend. Wait time was 2-3 hours, so I joined around 5:30 PM on a Saturday and got seated at 8:15 PM for a party of 3. A lot of tables that could be for large or small parties. I think the biggest group I saw was around 10 people so I think they shared 2 tables. You pick your menu type at the beginning - we went with Premium and you order through the QR at the table. A lot of sides that you can request through the QR which I think is great instead of constantly asking staff for refills like other AYCE bbq spots. They're pretty attentive and bring orders out quickly. We never had to ask for grill changes either! Amazing; meat quality was pretty good, no complaints. read more

My #1 spot for AYCE KBBQ in Bay Area! Great meat quality, have a variety of options to choose from fresh to marinated cut, delicious banchan and side dishes, also extremely quick and attentive service. Can get extremely busy on the weekend, the wait could be up to 2-3 hours but worth it, i'm always bring friends who love KBBQ to yakiniQ for the best experience. read more

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I've been to my fair share of KBBQ restaurants around the Bay, but YakiniQ has to be the best, hands down. My go-to spot for the perfect mix of value and quality. They have a huge selection of meats: all fresh, well-marbled, and lightly seasoned so you can actually taste the quality. My personal favorites are the short ribs, brisket, and finger ribs, all consistently tender, flavorful, and perfectly cut for grilling. One of my favorite parts about dining here is the banchan and sides. Everything tastes super fresh, and you can even order a variety of stews during or after your meal: each one packed with flavor and so comforting. Don't skip the lettuce wraps or rice paper either, they're perfect for balancing out the richness of the meats. Service here has always been consistently solid, even when the restaurant is packed (which is basically every night). The QR code ordering system is super convenient, you can order more meat, sides, grill changes, or even water without having to flag anyone down. The staff are friendly, quick, and attentive. Bonus: the stools have hidden storage underneath for your bags, which is a small but really thoughtful touch. Parking can be a little tricky since the lot is small and it gets busy fast. The wait times can be LONGGG (sometimes 2-3 hours for dinner), so definitely hop on the Yelp Waitlist as early as you can to save yourself the headache. For around $36-$40 per person, the amount and quality of food you get here is unbeatable. Highly recommend!! read more

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Everything was so fresh and came quickly. I especially loved the cold noodles! The meats were sliced well. I like that the are generous with the bonchon/sides, and that the sauces are readily available. Service was also good. Staff were attentive in getting rid of the empty plates we had. I think the tables are a bit small so it's a bit uncomfortable to eat with if you have a larger group of ~4+. read more

At one point, they were hands down the best ayce kbbq in San Jose. Then the quality and service lacked for for a couple years. Now seems like they are under new ownership and everything is back on track. The meat and portions were the perfect amount, the service fast and friendly and also have a newer, faster, busier atmosphere. Can't wait to go back to give it a higher rating, to check for their consistency l. read more

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We came here for a late lunch with friends on a Sunday since they open at 2 PM and we figured it would be easier to be one of the first few to be waiting in line rather than arriving for dinner and not knowing how long we would have to wait. I usually go to Goku for BBQ and think I will stick with Goku as my go to because everything was just better imo--aside from the fact that the staff is attentive in terms of when they should be changing out your grill. We opted for the "premium" option and I thought it was just okay. I probably should have done more research because all I like to eat is short-rib and I didn't realize they had a limit of 1 per person here. On the menu it says that you'll be charged extra if you order over the per person limit. ~~Parking: Located in a strip mall like plaza, but there's plenty of parking with most of the people going there for Yakini Q. ~~Service: Good. It's interesting because you order the items on your own phone based off of a QR code scanned from your receipt. The only good thing about the QR code based ordering is that everyone can place whatever they want but imo it's easier off of a tablet-BUT this is still better than having to hail a person down to order. ~~Worst Part: Tables are pretty small given that the banchan takes up nearly half the table. It's nice that they have the side trays for them to deliver the meat on, but it's just much different when it's a circle table versus a rectangular table. ~~Return: No. read more

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A very long overdue review - YakiniQ is my ALL time favorite AYCE Korean bbq spot. I absolutely love how they have a large selection of different meats, sides, extras, and drinks. Regardless if it's AYCE, the meat quality is always fresh and consistently good - compared to most AYCE kbbq spots around the area! I appreciate how the service is always quick, every single time. There are days where the wait is over 2 hours but we got lucky today and got a seat right away. Checking in on yelp definitely helps as well! Can't wait to come back again soon! read more

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Been getting recommendations for this place for KBBQ in San Jose and decided to try it out. Regular starts at $36 and premium is $40. Opted for premium for the wagyu. Came here right before dinner rush and used the yelp waitlist. Crowed restaurant with not much space between tables. Ordered via iPad and started with the special cuts that were limited to one order per person. These were the only quality meats of the night. Tender and had good flavors. The rest of the meat was average or below. Steamed egg came out very hot but not as fluffy. Their side dishes were good. Some meats came out frozen like a rock. Service was meh, had to flag servers down multiple times for a grill change and refills. Meats came out not too long after being ordered. For this price point and quality of meat I'd go elsewhere. read more

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This review is honestly not about the food, but the service. I have been a loyal customer here for years and I love their food but today I was unhappy with the host. We were told to come check in between 7-7:20 for a party of 7. We came and checked in, waited for 30 min before asking the host how much longer the wait was going to be and they said 2 hours (what???). They only have 2 big tables and they close at 10 so we were most likely not even going to get seated. The host didn't think about that to let us know when we checked in? Because of that we had to struggle to find a different place to have dinner at because by the time we found out it was already 8 pm and a lot of other places were closing soon. Don't get me wrong, I still think the food here is fantastic. I am just unhappy that the host wasn't well trained enough to inform me about the long wait. read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

It's a perfect place. Meet is good, Service is good and price is good !!! It's worth to wait read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

It's a small place full of people. Great price for the amount of meats that you're getting. The service is good. They're constantly swapping out the grill for you to ensure your meat doesn't have the burn taste in your month. read more

yakiniQ SJ - All the proteins and side dishes. Yummy - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

I hate to say it but this was quite literally the first time I've gotten food poisoning this horribly. I've been to tons of KBBQ spots and while this place was pretty unassuming (and fairly average taste wise), I was feeling horrible not even 8 hours after we had eaten). This has never happened at any other KBBQ place I've been to, so it's safe to say I was shocked. We got the bulgogi, beef brisket, short rib (both bone in and boneless), and corn cheese (which we had to pay $2 for unfortunately). I didn't feel like the food was particularly fresh, so that should've been my first red flag lol. Parking was fine (lot parking), and the wait was okay since we joined the Yelp waitlist. So far I was the worst off of my party but posting this as a fair warning to other fellow sensitive-stomach foodies! read more

yakiniQ SJ - boneless short rib and galbi - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

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For AYCE bbq, YakiniQ is good. Though with AYCE, you do have to give up a bit on quality and service. Came here with coworkers and though we were seated quickly felt like my experience with food quality and service was lacking compared to my last visit. The table felt cramped for our party of 5 and even with a requested side table for our meat and other dishes, everything felt like it was piling up. The raw meat plates stacked on top of each other, didn't sit well with me. The meat quality was fine for what we ordered, like the brisket, short ribs and the like. This is where quality control fell short ... the rice was not cooked and completely compressed into the rice bowl ... inedible. You could see it was raw in the middle. The rice paper wraps were completely stuck together and essentially a block. The side dishes like soup and cheese corn were okay, but not the best. It also did take a while for service to assist unless our grill was ready for a grill change and only came by drop off plates. There was a bit of a mishap of being charged for what our original party number was, but it was changed promptly and caught without an issue. I would say if you're looking for volume and not too picky about ordering sides with your bbq. The focus would be to just order the meats and enjoy the salads and banchan along with it. It is a good price for AYCE, but there are other places who do just as well if not better. read more

usually my go to for kbbq but this day the service was upsetting. we had put our name down and waited longer than we had to because the host sat another party and skipped us thinking we had left. we never got notified that our table was ready and ended up waiting even longer. on top of that no apology whatsoever and nothing comped read more

My all time favorite AYCE KBBQ spot in the Bay Area! The prices can't be beat and the meat is so good. I love the fact that there are so many sides and that you can get other korean dishes like egg soup or tofu stew. But I'll say the best part is that you order just off of a QR code on the table! you can request more meat, service, sides, soups - it's so much better than flagging down a waiter. Obviously service won't always be timely - but I still like it much better than other places. It's generally pretty noisy inside, but that just adds to the lively vibe of the place. Would recommend! read more

yakiniQ SJ - Premium - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

Was craving some KBBQ and my cravings was decently satisfied. My party of two waited about 30 minutes for a table so always make sure to check the waitlist and add yourself on because it gets very busy and packed. My partner and I went with the regular AYCE meal. I found the assortments of banchan to be decent and could have been better. It came with potato, kimchi, japchae, bean sprouts & carrots, fishcake, and macaroni salad. I enjoyed the potato and kimchi mainly. I also ordered more radish paper on the side and I enjoyed that as well. My partner and I ordered the Marinated Beef Bulgogi, Thin Sliced Beef Brisket & Beef Belly, Spicy Pork Belly, and Pork Jowl. Hits: * Pork Jowl was delicious when cooked to where it's crispy. The meat is still tender and delicious. * Marinated Beef Bulgogi was seasoned well and delicious. I did wish they had a spicy version but they do not. Miss: * Macaroni Salad was mediocre. The pasta was still a bit hard and could have been seasoned better. Final Verdict: Solid 4/5. The meat, and banchan dishes have few good ones and other ones are kind of average. It gets very busy so there's not much of an interactive waitress or waiter but everything is mainly done through the app. My partner and I would like to try more meat dishes next time since we got full quickly. I think we would've also enjoyed it more if there were more sauce options as well but we'll stop by again in the future to try more meats that they have but so far the regular meal is a reasonable price for what it offers. read more

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For the price of this KBBQ, this place is definitely reasonable. At just under $35 pp, it's a decent spot to get all you can eat. We didn't wait more than 15 minutes after being on the yelp waitlist on a weekend for an early dinner. We loved the bulgogi. They refilled our meats quickly. I would not get again: the pork belly and the squid. The squid did not taste fresh. The banchan was just okay (the corn salad and the japchae didn't taste the best but we can't complain). read more

yakiniQ SJ - Korean Near Me - San Jose, California

This is the best KBBQ AYCE in San Jose. We try other places and always get disappointed and we end up coming back here. The shop is small so you have to join the waitlist ahead. The plaza also doesn't have that much parking, but there's street parking and a plaza nearby you can park at. The quality of the meat selection here is just top tier. You are limited to one order per person for the premium items and there are some sides that are not included in AYCE. And they serve ice cream at the end of the meal! (: read more

I don't take a lot of photos when I'm at Japanese/Korean bbq spots so sorry about that. But I do need to say that this is one of my favorites in San Jose. It's a bit smaller but then other bbq spots but I don't mind it. I come early enough where I don't worry for a wait. My favorite is the Daechang surprisingly as I don't like marinated meat. But this was great for me. The brisket is always a staple and the beef tongue is another favorite. Sometimes I wish I can go by myself but you definitely need a group of people for this. Alsoooo!!! Always be sure to get their steamed egg. It's another favorite of mine. read more