Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Yakini Q SJ in San Jose

4.4 (199) 1783 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95128, United States

Categories

Korean barbecue restaurant
Butcher shop

Location on the map

San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, US

Phone: +1 408-293-2668
Site: http://yakiniqusa.com/

Opening hours

Monday:5–10 PM
Tuesday:Closed
Wednesday:5–10 PM
Thursday:5–10 PM
Friday:2–11 PM
Saturday:2–11 PM
Sunday:2–10 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.4

199 Reviews for Yakini Q SJ 2024:

Review №1

2023-11-28 17:35:54

Pro: this place has variety of meat options and gopchang. The quality of the meat is very good. They have a lot of delicious side dishes to choose and soup options. Order through QR code. Order came out quick. Servers constantly change the grill. We came early at 5pm and were seated right away. There was a long line waited outside when we left at 7pm on Monday nightCons: the grill get burned so quick

Review №2

2023-12-02 04:40:24

Such a fun spot to go with a group of ppl. You order by an app on your phone. Food comes out fairly consistently yet there were a couple items that were delayed. Such a fun experience though! I’d definitely go back. Worth the price, but go hungry!

Review №3

2023-11-07 04:57:00

Yakini! Let me tell you something this is a hidden gem! Been trying to go here but it’s always busy for a good reason! The price $35.99 for premium is the one to go for! The sides and meat quality is 5/5 and service is very good!

Review №4

2023-07-06 01:12:32

I went here for dinner with one other person. I’d say that the food and atmosphere was great, and that the concept of ordering off of a QR code online is awesome. But I have to subtract two stars because whenever we ordered something the item either never came out or came out super (and I mean super late). Even after reminding the staff three separate times about one item they still never got it out too us. Overall the food is great while the service is lacking.

Review №5

2023-06-17 22:07:59

Food is good but service is terrible. Orders, water, and grill changes must be placed through a website. Only the meat comes out quickly. The restaurant somehow loses all other orders. We ordered rice paper and radish wraps and had to prompt the staff 3 times for it to finally come out. By the time it came out, we were mostly done with our meal. A good portion of our time here was spent waiting for a grill change, which also didnt happen until after we prompted a staff about it. Kimchi never came out even after prompting staff. Staff seemed annoyed when questioned about orders that didnt come out and told us she doesnt know why it hasnt come out. Based off the terrible service, I will not be coming back.Strawberry ice cream at the end was a small saving grace.

Review №6

2023-11-30 01:41:44

TRULY TERRIBLE EXPERIENCEWe arrived at 9 when the restaurant closes at 10. They told us kitchen closes at 940, but we were fine with that and said we would have all orders in by then. They said all good and seated us. However, the staff completely missed half of our orders and then didnt let us order more after it was clear it wasnt coming out. We had to point out half of our stuff didnt come before they would even bring out SOME of our order.Just awful, awful service, too. This place has gone way down hill. You cant claim to be all you can eat and completely rip people off. Will not be returning and I used to bring people regularly

Review №7

2023-09-20 23:26:12

I love that you can use a QR code to order your food. They also bring it out really fast. The all you can eat is amazing just make sure your eyes aren’t bigger than your stomach 💛

Review №8

2023-07-24 02:52:57

I would ONLY recommend coming BEFORE 4pm.First time went very well. We came early so there were not that many people.The meats were of really good quality, banchan (sides) are awesome, and the atmosphere feels authentic. Plus some popular side dishes were also included in the AYCE, like seaweed soup, kimchi jjigae, steamed egg, and more. They also offer ice cream (free). Price point is good, 30.99/person.On a negative note, the second visit our last 4 meat dishes were delivered to the wrong table and we had to see the host a few times to see where our dishes went. We were waiting for about 20 minutes until we finally got one of the orders of meat, then the last three orders took another 5 or so minutes. We sat around 4:45 on a Sunday and were sat directly next to another group. Their grills took a long time to be changed and I guess their vent was weak/not working so we got a lot of their smoke.Overall, good food but horrible service when busy. So only go early.

Review №9

2023-08-12 22:11:37

Good food with better meat quality. Nice atmosphere as well. Helping staff.

Review №10

2023-10-16 01:37:48

Excellent meat quality, good flavors. Smallish tables compared to most Korean BBQ places Ive visited; a quarter of the table was taken up with the banchan. Be aware its stools, not chairs with backs (my older mom found it hard on her back). The staff werent the friendliest, unfortunately - that was the main drawback. Still, very popular and busy.

Review №11

2022-01-19 08:30:10

Meat tastes good and the service is good too. I like that you can order from the QR code instead of having to wait for the waiter each time. They come to change the grill for you often which is nice. Favorite meats are pork belly, beef finger meat, boneless beef short rib, beef belly, and pork jowl. The beef brisket was a bit drier than I prefer, but it would probably be better if you opted for the premium menu (~$5 extra) which has the wagyu beef brisket. The free ice cream at the end was tasty too.

Review №12

2021-12-18 01:46:44

Revisited couple of times. This place definitely deserve a 5 star, especially after we compared it with GEN. they are very efficient and organized. You can order using app directly, each dish has picture in the menu. This place is awesome!——- first visit review——-5 stars for the food. 3 stars for the environment and long waiting time. Music is too loud and it’s very crowded. Serving is fast, very efficient.

Review №13

2023-08-14 19:40:50

I enjoyed the food, but the overall experience was not worth coming back to. The main problem was the lack of cleanliness at this restaurant. Our grill had hair in it when we were seated, and some of the meat we had also had hair in it. I should not be surprised though, because the Santa Clara Health Department didnt even give this restaurant a complete pass on their health inspection. Also, whenever we would order through the QR code, a lot of the items we ordered never came out. Even if I told the server, they still wouldnt bring it out. Overall not the best experience here.

Review №14

2022-08-28 08:52:51

Do not come hungry, it is 2-3hr wait on the weekend. This is not worth more than a 1hr wait. Either get here right at opening or join their Yelp waitlist if you actually intend on going here. Leave the waitlist if you change your mind so the hostess doesnt have to waste time calling the next person in line for 10minutes. The hostess is actually very nice despite what she may come off as. Even though the parking lot is small, there is plenty of street parking not too far away.I am still giving it 5 stars because the meat quality is way better than Gen. But it is still not anything super amazing to wait 3hrs for. I would not get the premium menu again because the items on there didnt taste too different than their counterparts on the regular menu, just fattier. They have an online ordering system with your phone and the order comes amazingly fast. They only missed 1 dish of our order but it wasnt a big deal. Each dish has a generous portion. Their sauces are really good especially the horseradish sesame sauce. Their banchan is subpar except the japchae was okay. There was surprisingly tasty icecream at the end of the meal. I would come here again after learning about the Yelp waitlist.

Review №15

2022-07-22 03:52:03

I am going to speak from my own experience for me this place is fantastic mainly because of the service it is super fast the waiters are great and above all they are Latinos. Super servicials and totally fasters and it is a great service and the food is very delicious. Bill was just normal 6 people $220

Review №16

2023-06-12 03:25:52

The experience was in general very pleasant because of the friendly staff and affordable prices. I have taken one star off because I didn’t quite enjoy the less common meat like the squid, intestines and steak. They taste like they were brought frozen from h-mart. The rib-eye steak was stiff and difficult to chew. On the other hand, their beef brisket, beef tongue, beef belly taste legit so I would stick with those common dishes. They changed grills very fast, more than 5 times during our dining experience. They also served strawberry ice-cream at the end.

Review №17

2023-09-14 05:02:38

Let me start by saying: the miso pork belly alone is probably worth trying this place.Just be ready though. When I went, the staff was mostly dismissive, the eating area was loud, the table was too small and the seating was very crowded.For a Wednesday evening at opening, that was pretty disappointing.Imo, if youve never had KBBQ, I wouldnt say this is the best place to start.

Review №18

2023-10-23 03:51:21

They pretend that they didn’t get the food order so that they didn’t have to serve or provide the premium meat. Besides they didn’t honor reservation or waitlist online. I see multiple parties arriving later but getting welcomed by their owner. Don’t come here.

Review №19

2023-08-21 04:47:54

The food is good if it ever gets to your table. Don’t go hear for “unlimited” meats it’s not and even if it is they run out quick. The place is also hot no good air circulation so you be sweating real good.

Review №20

2019-11-02 22:23:30

Awesome place and the prices are very reasonable. They have AYCE and I think its a good deal if youre hungry. Been here a couple of times and its always super busy. Book if you have a big party.Staff are efficient and friendly. If you still have room after all the meat ask for ice cream it comes with a small piece of fried banana. Great way to end a meal

Review №21

2023-10-17 02:34:32

Understaffed, service was slow. They use a “scan to order” system, but the page was super glitchy and it messed up our order. Tables were small and crowded, atmosphere was smoky and unpleasant. Food was mediocre. Will never go back again!

Review №22

2023-11-19 20:41:35

Way better than gen. Kimchi fried rice was gas. So was all the beef and they got way more cuts and you can order as much as you want. Hella easy to beat this buffet. Only thing is it can get crowded but it was hella gas. Ate like 5 steamed eggs and hella meat.

Review №23

2023-01-20 06:00:21

Decent Korean bbq place. It can get crowded really fast so if you don’t want to wait just go early before they open.

Review №24

2022-11-01 20:55:46

The meat quality is below average, long wait for almost 1 hour, we get there about 7:30pm, and seated around 8:30pm, totally not worth the wait and the money, 2 people including tax and tip is $90, I would definitely rather spending $100 for 2 people meal in somewhere has premium meat quality. NOT recommended and definitely would not go back!

Review №25

2022-02-02 09:01:58

Love this place, love the selection of meats and side dishes! Try the premium meats, they’re awesome. Just be prepared to smell like smoke after eating here. You’ll definitely need to shower/change clothes haha.

Review №26

2023-05-11 07:06:59

I went there with my husband and friends who visited me from other country May 3rd. I am excited to bring them to Yakini Q as this was my favorite and been here multiple times. When we finally have our table after 45 minutes of waiting, my husband and one of my friend went to men’s bathroom. They were disgusted how dirty the bathroom was. My husband would like to leave because he lost his appetite. It’s such a shame how a restaurant cannot maintain cleanliness of their bathroom even they are busy. It is necessary that it is always clean. I complained about it but they didn’t do anything. No apology either.

Review №27

2019-01-16 07:47:45

The service and food here is outstanding. I came with a party of 4 on a weekday, and the waiters came by often to refill our orders, sides, and change our cooktops. My favorites were the marinated kalbi (short rib), bulgogi, steamed eggs, and the glass noodles (japchae?). Pro tip: If you lift the seat of your hollow stool, you can place and store your coats or purse inside so that they don’t pick up any food smoke smells.

Review №28

2023-04-02 13:52:13

Pretty good food, super pricey now. I rather get better quality in a different restaurant with that price. I gave this place a try multiple times and majority of the times i went, I decided to eat somewhere else. Definitely not worth waiting 3-4 hours to get seated. I would always think that it will be different the next time, but i get disappointed at the end. They really need to get a reservation system going, rather than a yelp waitlist with everyone waiting and desperate to get seated. hangery people are not fun to be around. No reservations will be a huge downfall.

Review №29

2023-01-23 06:39:52

Its all you can eat for $30 or $35 and you got 2 hours to eat. The meat and seasoning was great but the waiters were the best! They served at all the tables at the most efficient speed you have ever seen. The meat plates came to the table right after ordering through your phone. They changed the grill pans so often that you dont even have time to realize its time to change. If you requested anything they brought it to you without any waiting. Its such a great service that everything moves so fast that it allows you to only focus on the food.

Review №30

2023-07-02 18:32:46

Great spot for all you can eat KBBQ. The premium option is well worth it, and the sides are all great. My only gripe is seating can feel a bit cramped.

Review №31

2023-06-04 02:27:08

Food took a long time to come out and the manager seemed like he didn’t really care when we asked him if there was a problem with the kitchen. Really disappointed because I used to recommend this place to other people. First time in a while but I wish I was refunded. We left the restaurant hungry and half of our order didn’t come through

Review №32

2019-05-03 04:12:23

Extremely fast serving time. Attentive grill changes. Helpful servers even helping with organizing/cooking food on the grill. Comfortable atmosphere. Meat feels slightly lower quality than some other places but not super notable. Fair price for everything.

Review №33

2021-09-06 04:28:04

Amazing service, QR code ordering was fantastic. Photos were a little misleading on the digital menu (shrimp came with heads and shells, while in the photo they were cleaned and on skewers). Definitely will go back!

Review №34

2022-07-10 01:51:28

Great place to avoid over hyped Gen which has gone down hill massively. Fair pricing and pretty good selection. These guys are serious about having a fresh grill to cook on. They change it more than you take selfies🤣. Aint the nicest or cleanest place but what are you here for the ambiance or the food?

Review №35

2019-03-26 21:58:40

Service is great. They are on top of their stuff. Grill changes on deck. Orders were quick and sides were always refilled

Review №36

2019-07-08 01:07:16

Food quality is very good for the price. We like Kalbi & prime pork steak. Service is also good and they replace the grill plate very frequently. Don’t forget to order the rice wrap and pickle. They go well with grill meat.

Review №37

2018-09-30 03:09:57

Best all u can eat BBQ Korean I ever ate, space is small and cozy look alike we are at korea, they have 2 prices that we can choose, kids 11 pay full as adults, service was good, food amazing, other restaurant they dont bring side dish around to serve for us, but this place is yes, my kids love all kind of beef

Review №38

2019-08-11 18:44:16

Great staff, changed the center plate (which gets blackened with use) multiple times. Best marinated BBQ beef ribs Ive ever had in my life!Free icecream was a plus. I had a good time here :)

Review №39

2019-08-18 21:10:45

This place has plenty of selection on the menu and the food is good BUT if you dont like tight place and the smell of BBQ all over your cloths. It not the first place for a date, lets just say...

Review №40

2019-09-05 00:18:34

Cool korean place featuring Korean BBQ but also provide a large selection of Korean food. Saw many Korean customers so it must be quite authentic. The BBQ is all-you-can-eat style and the quality of the ingredients and the flavorings are great! Didn’t have the stomache for other dishes but will defintely try.The service was quick and good (the staffs helped to change the bbq rack super frequently)! The ambience was great but slightly noisy. There are large tables for groups. The parking was easy as well, though might need to wait a while at dinner hours.Bonus, they provide icecream with fried banana when you are done!

Review №41

2021-01-23 19:28:34

California Hip Hop Artist SpenDoe speaks about his experience at Yakini Q! I absolutely love Yakini Q! I am a big fan of Korean BBQ, and I really enjoy the restaurants vibe. The K-POP music bumping, the staff moving by quickly, and attentive to their tables, and the amazing food. I really enjoyed how they were open late night, which is a plus for me. Im a night owl. I was recording music late night downtown San Jose, and wanted Asian cuisine. We drove around a bit, looking for a place to sit and eat. Suddenly, I thought to reach out to my friend MiYeon in San Francisco. She directed me to one of her favorite spots in the area. I greatly appreciate her recommendation.

Review №42

2017-07-14 05:27:11

What can I say about this place? I love it! Yakiniq is my personal favorite Korean BBQ place to go to. There is one in San Francisco that I frequent as well, but I still like this place a lot more. What makes me like this place compared to the competition? Namely, Gen? Well, I prefer a more “laid back” and “Korean drinking” vibe this place has. Gen is a EDM club with kbbq. I understand the aesthetics and appeal for Gen, but I prefer this place due to the vibes, no line, and that inexpensive price. I’m a simple guy that enjoys his beef brisket, pork belly and short ribs along with a few banchan side dishes. For $20 AYCE with great (hardworking) service, you cannot beat that. If you want all the bells and whistles, you can throw in another $5 and you get an ‘upgraded’ menu with a few more items. For me and my friends, $20 is perfect and the soju cocktail here is great. If you want a brighter vibe and to overall show off your friends or have a party of 8+, you can head over to Gen.

Review №43

2023-03-08 17:16:40

Overall very worth experience. Tried different dishes. Definitely don’t forget to order the 2 kinds of limited offering meat. But be careful about the steak. It was too big!

Review №44

2022-12-13 08:31:29

This place is so legit I thought I was back in Busan, South Korea. Where the pressures of being the best in school was exhausting. The memories of being beat for not getting a perfect score on meaningless homework came flooding back. My arms still hurt from holding up books over my head because I was such a disappointment. I drank and ate so much to forget those scarring memories this place brought back. The food was so good I forgot about being beat until I was thinking about the restaurant again. Great food.

Review №45

2021-11-19 20:35:12

The meat is always really good and the service is fast enough. It is nice how they implemented ordering now. You get a QR code and you order through your phone which is really convenient because you dont have to wait for someone to take your order. There also isnt limit time but you can order at once so if you want you can order a lot right off the bat which is convenient if youre coming towards the end of the day. Overall a good experience and they have a good selection of Korean alcohol if youre old enough and want to have a good time with some friends.

Review №46

2023-10-14 22:59:31

Horrible waiting experience. Seating out of waitlist order, no host checking. Overall bad time

Review №47

2021-07-19 04:40:11

Theres usually a wait outside, with good reasons. Price is good. Meats are great. We got the premium menu but next time well just do the regular menu. Theres more than enough quality meat to eat. Good amount of side dishes. Love the QR code menu with photos. The meat quality is high. Busboys are busting to change grill tops and update side dishes and water and deserve a good tip. Be prepare to handle your own grilling, which I prefer anyway. Go EARLY if you can to avoid the wait.

Review №48

2022-02-05 16:52:59

Three hour wait list via Yelp on a Saturday night and not the best area in town, but those are really the only cons I have. They’re not like the $25 or less places you can get in Korea, but in terms of taste and price you can’t get anything better unless you go down to SD (unless your delusional and go to SF and pay more lol). We got great service from the beginning of our wait time, in the middle with some grill changes (we never even asked for them, nor did we burn anything), we even had our light bulb changed, and all the way through to the end with free ice cream! Super nice, and was able to communicate with the manager (or maybe owner—I didn’t ask) in Korean!

Review №49

2021-10-08 22:56:37

I tried this place out because the other popular all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant, the quality is not as good as when it was first open. This restaurant, however, the beef quality is definitely better. Although, the pricing is a little more expensive. It has two menus. $29 for the basic, and $34 for the premium menu. The table for less than four people, the chair can be uncomfortable, when we all done, our knees were all hurting a little, probably the seat was low. Also, the exhaust system may not working well. The ordering experience was good. Order with your smartphone and the foods come out almost right away.

Review №50

2022-06-16 04:12:50

They used the pandemic to upgrade the place. It was packed but with the technology upgrades the meats cam out shockingly fast. Menu has expanded. The prices has gone up, but still well worth the price. Also, you can go on the waitlist online.Edit: went there to ighy 6/15/22, everything went smooth. They even added the option to ask for water from your phone if you could request grill change from the website, it would make it more awesome. Still 5/5.

Review №51

2023-04-30 02:04:32

Love this Korean BBQ spot, meat are fresh and workers are friendly. Portions are great and the location is very clean.

Review №52

2021-05-24 20:30:10

We went to Yakini Q on last Saturday May 22, at 5pm for dinner. The price went up. Premium is $34.99 and regular is $27.99. The difference is premium has king prawn (yeah really big and fresh), 2 kinds of wagyu beef (thin slice) and flat iron steak. Personally, I think it is worth it to go with the premium. I have been to this place before the Covid time, and I loved the foods and their services. Now, the services are still excellent. Staff were very attentive, polite and professional. I definitely will come back to this place again.

Review №53

2023-08-01 01:49:20

They rejected me because I was a solo diner, I was very angry about this and will never come to this place again

Review №54

2018-10-14 05:22:32

Would gave five star if the service speed is faster and less smokey

Review №55

2019-12-04 23:24:26

Been here a few times, great every time except the most recent which we had a large party of 12. Had to wait about 2 hours. However, the food, drinks, and staff was great. We ordered extra alcohol and had most of the staff and owner drink taking shots with us.

Review №56

2018-05-15 04:27:48

They made some good changes from the last time we were there. Food is definitely better, fresher and have a great presentation. Included more dipping sauces. The sweet BBQ sauce is amazing. They also have carpet instead of the prior greasy floors. Staff was hustling and made sure we got what we need.It is easy to get full here, so I try to get half orders instead so you can try more dishes.I rate this place higher than Gen based on service and the quality of food.

Review №57

2018-01-05 01:41:28

This place (environment and tables) is really Korean style restaurant. It’s not Americanized, it’s good to experience how Koreans have their BBQ.

Review №58

2021-12-07 06:28:59

Great deal for “all you can eat” bbq. Meat are tasty and high quality. Many kinds of sides (soup, steamed egg, etc), much better than other bbq places (GenBBQ, Qpot) and cheaper price. Ice cream (vanilla and water melon/ green apple) is included (surprisingly). Try to get table asap as it gets more crowded after 7pm or 7:30pm even though during weekdays. Servers are super responsive and friendly. Quick serving. Rate 5/5 and highly recommend to our friends. we definitely come back more often.

Review №59

2016-11-29 03:37:14

I really wanted to like it more. The food was good quality; less variety in banchan, but service was horribly slow.31 minutes until we got sat (while 3 full tables were held empty by the 2 servers working), 28 minutes before anyone on staff said hello/welcomed/talked with us. Nobody ever offered us a drink, we eventually flagged someone down for water which they brought a tall bottle with no cups and walked away.The food Id like to try again but not sure I can put myself through the service.

Review №60

2018-08-02 03:01:28

GOOD SERVICE. Came in on an Saturday evening. It was empty at first but pick up quite a bit after. Even then waiter were able to manage quite well. A shift change happened about 1hr in and you can tell by the energy of the new waiters.(Food is prepared fast but how its cook is up to you.)

Review №61

2020-03-04 00:03:00

We always enjoy eating here. Wait times arent bad compared to other Korean BBQ places. Food is really good as well as service. The people that work here really know how to take care of their employees.

Review №62

2019-12-15 10:08:25

I shall lovingly refer to this place as Meatpocolypse forever more. I lost my sanity in there somewhere along the way. I just couldnt think clearly after consuming 50+ plates of meat. My friends just kept ordering long after any sane person would have thrown in the towel. Im pretty sure this place lost money with our group since its all you can eat for $24 per person. 3 hours of non stop meat parade. And then ice cream. Twice! Make it stop!! It was both glorious and horrifying all at the same time. If youre into delicious hedonism, come here. God Bless America 🥩

Review №63

2018-10-09 03:23:56

If youre ever in San Jose, make this one of your stops. The staff was amazing, so helpful and informative. The food was perfectly marinated and cut. The tables were so clean I could see myself in the stainless steel.

Review №64

2017-06-27 17:46:05

Our server was very friendly and he was very attentive. It wasnt very busy when we were there which was very nice. The food was delicious and, unlike some KBBQ places that I have been to, they changed our grill very often. Definitely going back soon!

Review №65

2019-03-23 06:40:29

Compared to a place like Gen, the vibe is less chain restaurant vibe. The selection was less, bit still everything I would want. Sides were fine. The grill was a little small for 6 people. Overall enjoyed my KBBQ here and would come here again.Also the Yogurt Soju is worth getting a bottle of!

Review №66

2017-12-29 08:08:06

I have only good things to say about the service, the grill heated nice and evenly, and the atmosphere was pretty decent. My only reasons for not giving 5 stars are that the meat quality was close but not up to par with other popular KBBQ joints and the lack of some common items like spicy pork.

Review №67

2019-01-19 04:49:01

Being that it was our first time at this establishment we loved the food, but the waiter we had was either racist or didn’t know what customer service meant! He would go to the same tables which Koreans were sitting at to serve. He would take our orders but wouldn’t deliver. It got to the point where even asking for a coke he would forget to bring it to our table. I had to request the waitress to be our server which she thankfully agreed to be and made our experience more enjoyable. Also the other servers were great! If I could have I would have made sure this waiter didn’t get a penny in a tip from me! 🤨

Review №68

2022-07-24 20:56:23

Girl working at the front cash register on Friday 7/22 doesn’t want to be there. No smiles, curt with customers, zero warm vibes - doesn’t represent YakiniQ well which is otherwise a good KBBQ.

Review №69

2019-12-29 06:05:04

This is my go to spot, even if there are a bunch of places closer to me. Good service, they replace the grill often and make sure you’re well fed. Great food, love this place! Can’t say the same about some of the other local spots ;)

Review №70

2021-10-13 08:18:43

Lightning fast service. Menu has lot of great variety. High quality cuts of meat. Delicious soups. Shout out again to the wait staff and bussers.

Review №71

2017-05-30 16:25:39

Great food awesome prices. Staff is very good, however they appear to be under staff.Usually get the brisket, pork belly and beef fingers (not real fingers), cant go wrong with the classics.

Review №72

2018-08-22 05:59:14

I must admit that this place by far one of the better AYCE kbbq I’ve been to. The food here was great! My buddy and I was very surprised by the portions they gave us. The service here was on point! They were on top of orders making sure we were good. They were consistently changing out our burnt grills. This was a total plus for us because who wants to eat burnt food, right? I will definitely be returning and recommending my family and friends.

Review №73

2022-07-14 02:55:00

I bet the food is good, but this place gets a 1 star from me because I am a solo traveler and there is a minimum of party of 2 to eat here.

Review №74

2021-07-06 03:31:21

In A Nutshell:-YakiniQ BBQ is a small AYCE Korean eatery in West San Jose off San Carlos.-The service has improved greatly!-Fast, efficient & courteous customer-service plus delicious morsels of unlimited meats make this a fantastic place to grab a meal w/ friends/family.-$27.99 regular is the deal to get, you only get 4 or 5 extra meats two of which are wagyu if you go premium.-The $27.99 deal gives you a long list of choices plus all the sides like steamed eggs, lettuce, garlic/jalapeno, rice + more.-Oh you also get a free ice cream too like green tea ice cream.Overall, if you want a fun atmosphere reminiscent of Seoul, this is a great place to go for fulilling, fun meal!

Review №75

2019-03-17 19:04:28

Edited review: last time we ate here the food was okay but the staff and service were not. We were being rushed out after not too long. Server literally snuck up from behind me and took the tongs out of my hands as I was going to flip the meat and he begin chopping and serving everything to everyone....takes a little away from the experience. Also. We get the hint..hurry up... lame. Go to gen instead.

Review №76

2019-07-28 05:57:00

The bbq is tasteful and well marinated but their seating is not very comfortable. They have two all you can eat options. One has more meat choices than the other but of course the price is also different.

Review №77

2019-03-02 12:04:18

This is definitely where you want to go, if you want a great unexpensive BBQ meal. The stuffs are friendly and helpful; meat comes quick after you ordered; I wont say there are a lot of choices, but there are many good ones that we kept ordering them after trying the choices out. Smashed potatoes are also great and come free. The interesting thing is that the name YakiniQ(焼肉） means BBQ in japanese, but this place is more Korean-style. Really worth trying!

Review №78

2020-02-10 19:24:59

Reasonable wait time. Very fast service. Everyone that works there is very polite and kind. Will move out of your way when walking past each other and food is always amazing.

Review №79

2019-08-10 03:47:35

Just left OMG the beef short rib amazing and I love the pitcher beer for my and my wife only 64 with tax and beer to me its. Avoid deal kwo doing what your doing we love you and support you. I lived the first time visiting.

Review №80

2018-02-02 06:49:21

The quality of meats is great. Superb service. I really do not like to go to a restaurant where I cook my own food. The smoke bothered my eyes. Its worth to go for just the experience.

Review №81

2019-07-08 16:12:51

The cook yourself concept was a great experience. The marinades are awesome and the staff is very service oriented. I will definitely go back there. Only the ventilation could be increased.

Review №82

2023-01-29 02:02:38

Quick service. Friendly staff. Great selection. High quality food.

Review №83

2022-05-14 01:48:10

Wait time is a bit long if you dont show up early, but the food and service is a steal for the all you can eat package.

Review №84

2023-05-14 00:27:56

Awesome complimentary ice cream. So easy and fast service.

Review №85

2019-03-18 03:06:17

Friendly atmosphere, nice employees and great value for the price. Came on a Sun around 630pm for dinner and no wait but there was a decent amount of people waiting when we left though.

Review №86

2019-07-19 06:28:25

Food quality was very good. Service was amazing . Frequent grill changes. Very attentive staff! Wasn’t too busy in a week night. Highly recommend this place!!!

Review №87

2019-11-18 06:02:38

Went with a party of 7 on a Sunday night. Got seated in a about a half hour. Fast service, decent meat, ayce, great spot to end the weekend :)

Review №88

2018-08-27 03:58:21

This stores menu has way more choice than the San Francisco one. Same price, more meat and side to choose. However, appetizers are a little less flavorful than SF one.

Review №89

2023-02-25 01:07:51

High-quality meats & dishes, easy to order, fast serving, and good prices. 👍

Review №90

2019-04-28 08:38:27

One of my preferred locations for delicious Korean BBQ. Next time Ill be back with my friends. It has a great feel to it. If it wasnt far from my work I would come by more.

Review №91

2016-07-21 04:07:54

$20 for their smaller menu and $25 for the slightly larger menu. We opted for the smaller menu. We tried the brisket, pork belly, miso pork belly, spicy pork belly, pork skin, and the boneless kalbi. Of those, the spicy pork belly is the worst (would advise not getting it in general) and the miso pork belly is the best. Wasnt sure what to expect with the pork skin but it is actually not bad.Compared to GEN:Pro:Shorter wait (no wait for 2 on Thursday night at 7:30pm),Cheaper for dinner (at least the $20 option);Con:Shorter menu (even if you get the $25 option),Lower quality meat

Review №92

2018-02-20 06:42:40

Great place and excellent customer service... they made sure I try all the type of meats and understand the process of cooking your own! I will go back definitely!

Review №93

2023-10-01 05:08:20

Denies service at 10 with empty tables ;(

Review №94

2019-09-07 21:18:14

BEWARE!!!! They only allow a minimum of 2 people to sit down. A first in my lifetime. I wont come here again!

Review №95

2018-10-29 12:25:57

If you come for out of town this is a experience you dont want to pass up. My family loved the food and were amazed with the set up. The food was great as well.

Review №96

2018-01-05 15:49:29

People here are very nice and will service you quickly always love coming here

Review №97

2021-06-10 02:21:18

Great service. Great food. What else can you ask for? So happy theyre still open after the pandemic.

Review №98

2023-09-02 08:06:48

Great place great price for ayce

Review №99

2019-11-26 02:31:46

Hostess was awsome and so was the other staff very clean ready took the time to go over the menus since it was my first time eating Korean bbq and explained each side dish and dipping sauce....definitely would recommend

Review №100

2015-11-30 19:08:40

Not bad for AYCE Korean BBQ with a japanese sounding name. only open for dinner, some of its thunder has been stolen by Gen in Milpitas, but the food and service is usually good although sometimes a little slow since they are a little under staffed.

Review №101

2019-01-20 17:17:13

I was on a trip passing through the area and we stopped here for a quick stop for food and we fast fall in love with so far it’s the best pizza i ever ate in my life so far it was baked from every side to the perfection level and perfect amount of seasoning and the cheese is just wow whatever I write about this place is not enough, and the owner of the place is more than a nice person he took it way far with us he was really nice and told us about places to see in the city,

Review №102

2019-03-27 20:30:52

Great services. Big portion, unlike other bbq places (that means you can eliminate the number of times for ordering). Recommended!

Review №103

2018-09-04 06:31:43

Best ayce korean bbq in california! Super fast service for meat and also for switching grills, and very tasty Galbi. excellent sides as well! ayce for 21.99 or you can try their premium meat for 24.99.

Review №104

2018-05-29 16:19:52

Food was good. The music playing in the background was too loud though. The grill tables are very intimate, prob not good if you have curious children.

Review №105

2019-07-26 14:58:48

Every time I come here I bring someone new with me and we always have a stellar experience. The employees are friendly and accommodating and the food is excellent

Review №106

2022-01-10 20:42:57

One of the more authentic kbbq experiences youll get here. the prices is decent too especially during this pandemic.

Review №107

2017-12-09 06:02:29

This place is amazing. Cheapest highest quality AYCE in the South Bay by far. Employees are amazing and friendly. If you havent checked it out, come here!

Review №108

2018-08-18 23:41:52

I love how fast the service was! The food was great and food kept coming out. The wait was worth it, we waited about 2 hours but the line/wait was worth it.

Review №109

2016-05-20 06:53:28

Brisket want very interesting but everything else was wonderful. Our waiter was also very attentive to replacing the grill as it got used up and started smoking.

Review №110

2023-04-07 20:32:26

Nice bbq in town, excellent food and service!

Review №111

2022-02-07 05:38:39

Great food and excellent service. The waiting maybe a challenge so does parking in a smaller joint.

Review №112

2022-05-23 03:28:32

Great service, the line is long but you can join the wait list on Yelp.

Review №113

2021-09-16 03:44:25

The food is fresh and delicious!!!They are really kind and niceWe will come here next time

Review №114

2019-05-03 18:00:15

Excellent experience overall! Well marinated. Love the thin slice beef belly. Come when youre really hungry! 🙂

Review №115

2019-10-26 06:09:20

Nice personal setting, great orders choices with a good price tag. Check out the beef large intestine so yummy.

Review №116

2019-07-14 02:18:06

I would rate it as a 4.0 because its not a Yakiniku place, but the food and service was excellent! It felt like I was at a high end Korean BBQ restaurant in Seoul.

Review №117

2018-10-08 04:55:51

Great service. How delicious foods. All meats are tender and juice. Price is very attractive.

Review №118

2022-10-28 21:27:27

Great quality and fast service. But space is too small, not so comfortable.

Review №119

2020-01-17 16:07:31

At first I thought when i go to a restaurant, I want food cooked already! Then i tried it and it was pretry good fun and really tasty. Good place, recommended!

Review №120

2020-01-11 22:41:50

Took my fiancé here for his birthday. It was his first time. He really enjoyed it! Super fun and romantic.

Review №121

2017-08-12 03:55:43

Service super slow, pre-ordering doesnt work at all. Only accept max 2 credit cards per table. Low quality meat.

Review №122

2019-09-07 06:01:46

Good quality meats here at a good price. Service is top notch and theyve always got kpop showing.

Review №123

2017-06-14 18:35:35

All you can eat. Very friendly employees. I thought the quality of the food was very good compared to some other KBBQ places with similar price.I highly recomend

Review №124

2017-04-08 04:36:30

Great service and amazing food. Usually dont have to wait but theyre totally worth it.

Review №125

2017-03-08 07:26:51

All you can eat kbbq. Each order is per person, so if you have three people, you can get the special beef three times.

Review №126

2019-05-28 04:31:49

Absolutely raving about this place! Amazing kbbq! Great atmosphere amazing service! Great food! Great price! Highly reccomened to anyone

Review №127

2023-03-12 13:45:50

Great meat quality and excellent service.

Review №128

2018-01-17 02:47:07

The service was great. The food was delicious. Everything is updated n gotten way better.

Review №129

2016-02-17 06:27:11

Came in at 10pm and they were awesome. Tasty food, delicious sides, and attentive, responsive waitstaff.

Review №130

2018-03-30 07:21:26

Food was great! Even with a full house, they check up on you constantly and food came out quick.

Review №131

2023-02-05 07:31:49

A waitress front desk has bad attitude! Bad service! Need to improve!!

Review №132

2017-12-21 05:50:16

Sooooo good and affordable! Great food and service. The owners are really awesome as well :)!

Review №133

2018-08-22 05:47:51

Good place while staff does not speak nor understand Korean language. Quality of food and style is very good, will do again.

Review №134

2019-03-24 03:16:02

Great food and great company!!!

Review №135

2019-09-08 05:27:15

Meats are very fresh and juicy. Service is wonderful. Highly recommended.

Review №136

2020-01-19 03:00:41

AMAZING!!!!! Best Korean BBQ place Ive been too. Super polite and on top of it!

Review №137

2018-03-19 04:43:09

Great food and they help to show you how things should be cooked. Also suggested what to try.Great time !!

Review №138

2021-01-29 15:26:52

They provide good quality of meat in low prices. Frequent sales promotion via their website.

Review №139

2019-07-20 01:05:05

This was a cool BBQ place but I was disappointed with the lack of vegetables that they offered. It was just a little too much meat for me.

Review №140

2020-03-01 16:47:05

Fantastic. Best banchan, cool crowd, great service, and kimchi stew is totally worth it.

Review №141

2018-08-14 14:48:26

Great food. The staff is friendly, helpful and totally on it. Great place.

Review №142

2021-08-04 19:49:08

Korean style restaurant, clean, friendly staff. good meat quality

Review №143

2018-09-30 04:26:51

My regular local Korean BBQ place. Food is consistent and the service is excellent.

Review №144

2017-09-19 15:13:46

Bbq all you can eat with cheap price, employees were nice. I spent $43 for 2.

Review №145

2017-02-02 08:01:47

BBQ taste good, service is quick, but the table seems a little small

Review №146

2016-06-24 05:10:00

Great Service, Great food and Great Price!!! Currently my favorite eat all you can.

Review №147

2021-10-10 04:01:10

Very bad service because they said wait 40min to 1hr but we waited for 2hr still no call & no table.

Review №148

2017-06-13 15:30:22

Great price for some Korean bbq. Perfect for going out with friends for some food and soju

Review №149

2019-11-20 17:32:26

My go to ayce kbbq destination

Review №150

2017-03-06 02:02:27

Pretty good food, but it helps to have someone fluent in Korean with your group.

Review №151

2017-01-23 11:27:39

Good for friend groups to go and eat. Not so good for family dinners or romantic/intimate occasions

Review №152

2018-04-29 04:01:17

Fast and friendly service. Expect a wait to be seated. Place gets packed fast.

Review №153

2023-03-30 01:28:56

Nice food, with a reasonable price

Review №154

2020-02-19 07:18:37

The food was so good & the service was top notch! Will be going back!

Review №155

2021-06-18 14:50:55

This is one great place to go great food great service the owner was very friendly

Review №156

2019-01-30 07:15:42

Pretty nice bbq restaurant

Review №157

2018-07-10 04:10:38

Friendly staff, not too busy. Good place to go for kbbq

Review №158

2018-10-21 07:19:42

Very friendly Staff, nice atmosphere and very delicious food!

Review №159

2022-04-21 02:04:22

Very bad service! Even we need to get coke ourselves!

Review №160

2022-08-24 03:25:18

Very tasty they take their times....

Review №161

2019-04-08 01:45:03

Really good place！ Great service，great food！

Review №162

2023-05-31 07:46:52

Best KBBQ in the Bay

Review №163

2020-01-20 06:52:05

Good service, they change the grill plates frequently.

Review №164

2018-11-28 04:32:32

Average KBBQ, Gen is honestly a better value and food is on par.

Review №165

2018-02-18 01:05:16

Service excellent! Show up early to be seated quickly

Review №166

2019-09-08 16:05:09

Great service. Friendly owner. Good food

Review №167

2021-10-04 02:25:03

Great service and good quality food.

Review №168

2018-06-09 23:39:30

Staff is always super friendly! Food is delicious!!

Review №169

2017-05-15 18:22:40

Buzzing no frills all you can eat Korean BBQ, whats not to like?

Review №170

2019-09-26 06:10:08

Very nice place, good food and great korean music

Review №171

2019-09-01 02:19:37

What restaurant turns away people for coming alone? The YakiniQ at SF Japantown didn’t do that.

Review №172

2018-06-11 00:28:03

Very fun setting, great food. Come hungry

Review №173

2019-06-20 05:44:29

Good all you can eat Korean bbq in San jose

Review №174

2018-06-13 00:55:10

Best local AYCE KBBQ. Their great service lifts it even higher.

Review №175

2019-01-12 07:33:33

Great experience. Wait to get in was 90 minutes Friday evening

Review №176

2019-03-23 23:07:29

The meat here is the best! Gotta try the rib eye steak!

Review №177

2017-12-01 07:03:13

Good service^^ good quality meat ^^So happy

Review №178

2022-01-18 05:26:55

Service was great & very fast and polite.

Review №179

2016-11-26 17:41:53

Never had to wait here unlike most K-BBQ, food is good

Review №180

2018-03-24 02:44:54

Love this spot... bomb food and great service.

Review №181

2019-12-28 11:56:38

For every Korean food lover and BBQ fan a must place to go in San Jose!

Review №182

2019-08-25 03:50:33

I love this place everytime i come its an amazing experience

Review №183

2018-03-11 02:00:38

Didn’t think I would like Korean BBQ but this restaurant changed my mind.👍

Review №184

2022-06-18 06:38:26

Best place to grab Korean bbq

Review №185

2018-07-03 23:20:48

I had a great time enjoying the BBQ

Review №186

2016-01-04 03:52:13

I like the style of the restaurant. The service is really bad

Review №187

2019-03-04 18:55:34

Good food for great price.

Review №188

2023-06-18 03:20:22

Great food

Review №189

2018-02-09 07:46:49

Great service, good food.

Review №190

2020-01-09 03:23:14

Always delicious and attentive staff

Review №191

2018-09-30 19:40:41

BBQ smoke is too heavy. Feels hot and not comfort

Review №192

2022-11-07 06:59:16

Have diarrhoea after eating

Review №193

2018-05-08 18:01:41

Sub par meat, slow service, almost non-existent

Review №194

2022-12-23 05:34:45

Not bad for price

Review №195

2022-01-07 04:38:03

1st time. Very good.

Review №196

2022-04-29 00:30:18

The beef is rotten, dont come!!!

Review №197

2017-05-15 15:57:03

The heater was broken when I was there. Hope the fixed that

Review №198

2018-09-12 14:40:49

Great service and delicious food

Review №199

2018-02-01 15:57:16

One of the hest korean place, i highly recommend