Top Korean Restaurant in San Bruno
SK Seoul Kalbi Korean BBQ
1610 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
We visited SK Seoul Kalbi Korean BBQ in San Bruno for their all-you-can-eat option, attracted by the unique feature of using real wood charcoal for cooking. However, our experience was a mix of positives and negatives that resulted in an overall average rating.On the positive side, the use of real wood charcoal for the BBQ did provide a distinctive flavor to the dishes. The authenticity of the cooking method was appreciated, and the taste of the food was generally satisfying.Unfortunately, there were several downsides that affected our dining experience. The main issue was the slow heating process of the charcoal. We found ourselves waiting for extended periods for the coal to reach the optimal temperature for cooking. This waiting time significantly impacted the flow of the meal and left us feeling impatient.Furthermore, the excessive smoke produced by the real wood charcoal was not adequately managed by the fume hood. The smoke filled the restaurant quickly, causing discomfort for everyone at our table. We experienced teary eyes and coughing, which significantly detracted from the enjoyment of the meal.Additionally, the size of the grill provided for our group of eight was insufficient. It made it challenging to cook all the food efficiently, resulting in more waiting time and further disruptions to the dining experience.Overall, our experience at SK Seoul Kalbi Korean BBQ in San Bruno was less than satisfactory. The prolonged waiting times, discomfort from the excessive smoke, and inadequate grill size negatively impacted our enjoyment of the meal. While the authentic taste from the real wood charcoal was a positive aspect, the overall experience fell short of expectations.
Ninja Sushi & Tofu
681 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
Came here a around 9:30 pm on a Sunday nightThe staff was very friendly and took my order promptlyThe food was good, about what you would expect from a Sushi/Korean restaurant.
K-Grill & Tofu House
617 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
I was down in San Bruno to buy a car and drove by this place at 7pm. There was a line waiting outside in the cold. So I joined ‘em, a 20 minute wait. I ordered the bibimbap, a simple meal. Came away hungry. Just kidding. Stuffed to the gills and delicious. Why are Koreans not grotesquely overweight? I’ve never under-eaten at a Korean restaurant. There’s a lot to choose from Asian-fusion wise in San Bruno, but you can’t go wrong with the K-Grill. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Minari
449 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
It’s great to have this Korean option in San Bruno. Water is self service with tiny cups. There were only 6 bonchon dishes. Some restaurants have 10. Food was otherwise pretty good including Spicy Squid. Service was perfunctory. For the pancake, they don’t cut it for you, but leave you a butter knife.
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Roma Deli
424 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
One of my favorite sandwich shops in the country(well, in the world). I have moved to Austin several years ago, but I stop here every time I visit the Bay Area(~once a month). This is an old Italian no-frills deli owned by a Korean family which serves quality sandwiches for reasonable prices. The decor is old and they havent updated it since the 50s or 60s, but no one goes there for the decor.I have never seen them completely empty. I have gone there at all sorts of odd hours and I always find people getting multiple sandwiches and the owners always working. They have Boarshead brand deli meat which is high quality to begin with. On top of that they make their own chicken and egg salads which are tasty. And they dont skimp on the meat. They hollow-out the bread to make sure the meat sits properly.Their Dutch crunch bread is to die for. I haven't found the Dutch crunch like theirs anywhere else, not even in NYC. I love the homemade chicken salad and the spicy sauces. The owner Sun is so sweet and awesome; I love her smile when she serves sandwiches. I have been coming here since 2007 and she remembered me and my order even after I didnt visit them for over 2 years. Her husband is also very friendly.I will be visiting for another 20 years.Update(2019/2020): Sun and her husband sold this shop and went traveling in Korea. I very much miss her warm smile. Luckily the new owners are their family friends and so they are keeping up with the tradition and still serve excellent sandwiches.
Societea Tea House & Eatery
446 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
Ordered a CTC (cinnamon toast crunch), machagato, popcorn chicken, and classic vietnamese sandwich.CTC was creamy and tasty. it didnt really taste like cinnamon toast crunch but still good. Stir it as you drink otherwise you will get all crumbs in the bottom. It has the cheese foam on it but it mot salty loke some places.I recommend trying this if you like creamy milk teasmMachagato is a spin off of the affogato. Green milk tea with green tea ice cream and a shot of matcha. After mixing it up, it kind of just tasted like a matcha latte. It was ok but I wouldnt recommend it unless you just want a matcha latte.Popcorn chicken was good. Meat was tender. I would recommend this.Viet sandwich had a good amount of meat in it but 2 major problems. 1) it was the wrong kind of bread. I dont know what kind of bread it was but it didnt taste like the typical viet style french bread. 2) the pickled daikon and carrots were WAY to sour, to the point that it was overwhelming rather than complimenting to the sandwich. Not recommended.1.31.2021Went back again. This time we got the mangonada and strawberry matcha. We liked them both ?. If there was just a tab more match flavor in the strawberry matcha then it would have been perfect.Also very pleased that manager messaged me back telling me that they fixed the issue with the pickled daikon and carrots. Show that they ready care about their products and services.
Ichika Izakaya
851 Cherry Ave #34, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
I visited Ichika Izakaya and was thoroughly impressed by the food and service. The restaurant had a great selection of izakaya dishes, skewers, sushi, and sake, and everything I tried was delicious. The sushi was fresh and expertly prepared, and the izakaya dishes were full of flavor and texture. I especially enjoyed the oyster special and surprisingly, the corn tempura. The service was also excellent, with the staff being very friendly and accommodating. They were knowledgeable about the menu and happy to make recommendations. Apart from a group at the bar who were a bit rambunctious, the atmosphere was nice and cozy, making for a great dining experience. Overall, I highly recommend Ichika Izakaya for anyone looking for a great meal and friendly service. The food and atmosphere were top-notch, making for an enjoyable experience. The only reason I didnt give it five stars is that the prices were a bit on the higher side.
Hana Hawaiian Barbeque
482 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, United States
When we decided to go to Hana Hawaiian Barbeque, we didnt have high expectations. Weve eaten at a number of Hawaiian restaurants in the area and those started by people who arent from Hawaii havent been very good (Hanas website does say the kitchen staff has experience in Hawaii restaurants).We were pleasantly surprised that Hana significantly exceeded our expectations. We had the kalua pig and lau lau combo, the spam saimin, and the musubi trio. The plate lunch was quite good, with generous portions (the lau lau was really stuffed) and good flavors. The saimin noodles werent quite the right ones but the flavor was good. The katsu chicken musubi was the best of the three, nice and crunchy - the nori wrapper didnt quite go all the way around which would have helped to keep it together. We thought that everything was a little less salty than it is in Hawaii, perhaps an intentional catering to California tastes (Im fine with it).My first inclination is to give Hana four stars as a good solid choice worthy of our repeat business, but not quite great. However, while it isnt the best Hawaii food Ive ever had, it quite possibly is the best Hawaii plate lunch type place I know of in California. In addition, I thought their prices made this an excellent value, which should count for something. So Im pushing them up to five stars as long as both of those things are true.