Top Korean Restaurant in Santa Clara
Beque Korean Grill
3060 E El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
We “discovered” Beque Korean Grill on a desperate search for quality all-you-can-eat buffet, and left a satisfied customer.Beque Santa Clara is stashed in a small crevice of a larger mall. That strip is oriented perpendicular to El Camino, easy to miss even after you enter the main mall - which I did on occasion. But after this visit, my mental map of Little Korea shifted eastward. With all 9 tenants in the small yard obviously running Korean businesses - more than in the main mall, I cannot think of another place that screams “Koreantown” louder.When we entered the packed restaurant an hour and half before closing time, there were already two parties waiting. Twenty minutes was not exceedingly long, but the wait wasn’t very comfortable because they left the door open.Once seated, wait staff will take your order in batches. (In addition to all-you-can-eat, they also offer à-la-carte ordering.) And of course, you will have the usual pickled vegetables. Do not skip this detail: most all those little dishes taste exquisite. I always enjoy these appetizers, but rarely get excited about a particular one - because most Korean places in the area serve reasonably good ones. But this place is extraordinary.As to the main meats, qualities vary. We found the pork shoulder (Dwaeji bulgogi) particularly tender and flavorful. Squid is always good. Shrimp is large and juicy. But avoid pork belly that is too tough. Their ribeye beef steak isn’t too thrilling, either.In the end, we found our way of ordering rounds. That gave us very full stomaches and satisfied tastebuds. This, at a price, eh, how to describe it? There used to be an all-you-can-eat Korean buffet near Hankook Supermarket; I think it was called “King’s Buffet” although I cannot be sure. (To be honest, I thought Beque was that one because they were both close to Lawrence.) That one had much bigger space, so they ran pick-your-own-food style; it had better meats, lots of seafood, salads, soup, and other choices. I last went there ten years ago. The price back then was double the price today at Beque.Taste of food is even harder to describe, especially at a buffet. So, I will try to convey it by way of comparison. I couldnt find any place like the King’s Buffet today, but there are two places in downtown Mountain View offering all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque. One of them is slightly more expensive than Beque Santa Clara, but their meats are extremely limited and mediocre in quality. The other is slightly less expensive than Beque, also with limited meats that are Okayish, none outstanding like some at Beque. Coming back to the pickled appetizer salads: not even King’s Buffet can compare with Beque Santa Clara.In other words, Beque Santa Clara is a quality bargain. You just need to find your way to order.
Restaurant Chungdam
3180 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
Chungdam is more up-scale and pricey than most Korean restaurants in the Santa Clara area. And if you value speedy service, immaculate cleanliness and high quality ingredients, then thats exactly what Chungdam will offer above competing restaurants in the neighborhood. I certainly appreciated it and had a great meal. We ordered the kimchi stew with pork ribs(not on the menu, but recommended by our waitress) and the seafood scallion pancake. Both were delicious and the portions were sizeable.
Ilbunjee(1 Restaurant)
2325 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050, United States
Good authentic Korean BBQ without the need to queue!Ambience & ServiceA small, modest Korean restaurant. The furniture are rather dated and simple. Once you see the full Korean posters, the Korean music and Korean speaking in the restaurant - you know you are in for the real deal. Service is ok, courteous and prompt.FoodWe ordered a Beef and Pork combi ($59). It came with a salad (2/5), a fish cake soup (4/5), side dishes (3/5), rice (3/5) and the MEAT! (4/5)The beef was so yummy!!!!! So were the pork. There are Korean BBQ where they have the meat marinated, for this place, their meat are not marinated - or at least not as much. In a way, you can taste the meat so much better. Love both version of Korean BBQ and pretty glad this one was the non-marinated version.ParkingTheres parking but we were super doubtful and concern about parking within the small premises. Take note of the markings on the ground as it some are labels specifically for the Spanish restaurant. We parked at the nearby residential area, take note of the signages. Generally, free after 6pm.Overall, a good Korean BBQ joint to visit.Btw, you will definitely walk out smelly like BBQ. So do not wear your latest, precious fresh smelling sweater! ?
Tobang
1052 Kiely Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
The first time I went to Tobang, I left a somewhat scathing review simply because I was chased down by staff for a tip (I’m a college student). I ended up coming back out to Tobang a couple more times and I should update my response:Tobang is a Korean BBQ (KBBQ) location in Santa Clara that features meals in sets, optimal for parties of 3-4 people. There’s a reason the restaurant is typically bustling: the food is of quality and there tends to be a lot of extra small dishes that are on the house. I typically get combo A, which features (I want to say) bulgogi, seafood pancake, and anotherm meat of choice (I typically choose kalbi). This came with the traditional korean spread of all those cute little side dishes: sometimes I got japchae, beansprouts, almond jelly, kimchi, sweet fishcakes, potatoes, rice paper, pickled radish, the weird but delicious crunchy stuff and others. The last time I went with friends, we got tteokbokki on the house, as well as corn cheese. Every meal is served with three dipping sauces (sesame oil, gochujang, and fish sauce) as well as water. K pop is usually blasting on the speakers. It is such a bustling ambiance. The staff is like the eomma you would imagine: very efficient, great at service, a bit hard but very kind. I would eat here again. It is just a bit cramped at times.
Kunjip
1066 Kiely Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
The Kunjip Restaurant is the ABSOLUTE BEST place for Korean Cold Noodles (Naengmyon) outside of Koreatown in LA or Garden Grove, CA: Have been there every time we drive into Santa Clara from Carmel. It is clean, cheerful, and not terribly expensive, and BETTER than anything I had in Korean the 1980s. (My first experinec of Naengmyon at the Academoy of Korean Studues in 1981 was awful, so I avoided it this dish in Korea for 3 years, until I had home-made Naengmyon at the formal opening of the Emille Museum in Songni-san. (The Curator, Zozayong and his wife had the noodles made right outside before the reception, using a classic Korean wooden mortar, with the noodle dough pounded by men swinging a large wooden hammer-pestle.)I always have the Pyongyang Naengmyon with Sari (extra noodles). The beef marrowbone broth, the heart of the dish, is incredible, and the simple side dish assortment is just enough to round out the dinner! If you feel adventurous, have Hanghum Neangmyon, which is VERY chewy and spicy. This dish is the only times Ive had noodles Bite back! :-)The ONLY cavet is that like ANY restaurant in a small space, it can be CROWDED, so during COVID we didnt go unless there ws breathing room.ABSOLUTLEY 5 stars.Sign me, Ko Jeang-i in Carmel. ;-)
Korean Spring BBQ
1062 Kiely Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
Excellent authentic Korean cuisine with relaxing atmosphere and friendly service. Press the call button at your table for prompt waitress response. They have my favorite dish, Sang Sun Jun which is a rarity amount Korean restaurants. And lunch is a steel starting at around $10 for generous portions and nutrition packed meal.
Shus Korean Restaurant
3258 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
I am a really big fan of Japanese food.I wasnt into Korean food until recently. My friends wanted to get together for lunch to hang out and have a good time. We happen to be in Santa Clara and one of the girl said she wanted Korean food.I knew that in Santa Clara there are many Korean Restaurants around.We stop at this place because its was actually pretty close to where we were at the time. Ive eaten Korean food twice in my life before. I really enjoyed it. This place was clean, the waiter was helpful, kind, friendly,and food was delicious! I Always love the side palettes.Those side dishes are my favorites! Definitely yummy, inexpensive, and absolutely would go out for more Korean food now!!!
Rice Junky - Santa Clara (Korean Restaurant)
2089 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050, United States
Other than the kpop music being a little too high on volume sometimes, the food here is consistently good! Portion size is fair for the price! And they are open late~ I adore this place truly. Its a shame this place is struggling to stay afloat because Korean pub food is not common in the bay area so please support this place. It deserves to succeed. Dont let the huge amount of Korean restaurants in the area fool you into passing this place up. They also have amenities in the bathroom like disposable toothbrushes and mouth wash so definitely not a bad affordable place for dates ;)
Seorai Korean Bbq
3044 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
A Pleasant Korean Dining Experience at Seorai Korean BBQNestled along El Camino Real in Santa Clara, Seorai Korean BBQ offers a delightful culinary journey through Korean cuisine. While my experience was marked by exceptional service and a welcoming atmosphere, the food itself received a moderate rating.Upon entering Seorai Korean BBQ, I was greeted warmly by the staff, who promptly seated me and provided attentive service throughout my meal. The ambiance of the restaurant was inviting, with a cozy yet modern interior that set the stage for an enjoyable dining experience.Turning to the food, I sampled the brisket BBQ, which arrived on a sizzling hot plate ready for grilling. Accompanied by an array of traditional Korean side dishes, the meal was a feast for the senses. The brisket was tender and flavorful, and the interactive experience of grilling it at the table added to the enjoyment.However, while the service and atmosphere were top-notch, I found the overall quality of the food to be satisfactory but not outstanding. While the flavors were decent, they did not leave a lasting impression compared to other Korean BBQ establishments I have visited. Additionally, considering the competitive dining scene in the area, Seorai Korean BBQ faces stiff competition from numerous nearby Korean BBQ restaurants.In summary, Seorai Korean BBQ offers a pleasant dining experience with commendable service and a welcoming atmosphere. While the food is satisfactory, it may not stand out among the plethora of Korean BBQ options in the vicinity. Nonetheless, the restaurant remains a solid choice for those seeking authentic Korean cuisine at a reasonable price.Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5Food: ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
Silla Korean Restaurant
2910 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051, United States
The WORST Korean restaurant I have ever had in Bay Area!When we walked in the restaurant, there is a customer complaining to the owner they forgot to prepare her take-out order, and she had nothing to eat for dinner. That should have been our first red flag! But we missed it.Then after we sit down, it took the owner a while to give us some water and took our order. That should have been our second red flag but we missed again. And when my dad pick up the napkin, a GIANT BUG was crawling beneath it! That totally freaked me out and made me concern about the cleanness about the restaurant and food. I wanted to walk out but since we already put down the order, I felt bad to do so. But then, when I try to move my plate, ANOTHER BUG crawled out!!! That is definitely a sign of a restaurant being not proper cleaned and could result in health issue!Again, we stayed for dinner just because the owner said they already started preparing food. And we changed to another table. However, when the food came up, we ordered four items but only three was made. Waitress was not writing down my order but memorizing them. And when I complained to the owner he said it would take another 15 minutes to get the fourth item because they are busy with preparing delivery food orders.It was a horrible dining experience. I will for sure never visit again. Santa Claras Korean restaurant scene has always been good, with all the high quality food and environment. I honestly dont know how this restaurant is survived here, very disappointed.