Baekjeong San Jose
Korean barbecue restaurant · Valley Fair ·
Quality meats grilled tableside, lively atmosphere, delicious banchan
Quality meats grilled tableside, lively atmosphere, delicious banchan
"After making hay of Los Angeles’s Korean barbecue scene, the tremendously popular restaurant opened in the Bay Area in summer 2023. Believe the hype: Getting a table at this restaurant is not for the faint of heart, and knowing what to order in advance is smart. In general, fans love the high-caliber cuts of meat, the sheer joy of preparing meat at the table, and the often cacophonous party vibe." - Johanna Harlow
"Baekjeong’s Bay Area outpost drew long waits but lived up to the hype: I loved the brisket fried rice cooked tableside with paper-thin marbled brisket, mushrooms, garlic chives, bean sprouts, slick sesame oil, and a final flourish of white truffle oil and black pepper—big flavor and great leftovers." - Eater Staff
"Arriving at Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose in August, Baekjeong — one of Southern California's most popular Korean barbecue restaurants — opened to much fanfare, prompting readers to clamor for first looks and tips on what to order." - Lauren Saria
"As the Bay Area's first outpost of Baekjeong, the San Jose location at Westfield Valley Fair finally fired up its grills on Aug. 16 and served hundreds of diners on opening day. I appreciated its pedigree — Kang Ho Dong started the brand in Korea in 2003 and Michael Chon brought it to the U.S. in 2011 — and the restaurant leans into that reputation with USDA prime meats and staff who cook the meats at your table (the round grill also comes with cheese, corn, and an egg omelet that cook on the side), while a powerful hood tucks down to whisk away smoke and foster the boisterous, Korean night-market atmosphere. Reservations are available via Resy (this is the chain's second U.S. location to take them), though walk-ins are accommodated with long waits; combos for two-to-three or three-to-four people run roughly $66–$142, a la carte meats are $33–$61, and the bar offers wine from about $13 a glass and $14 cocktails. You’ll be greeted with an array of salads and banchan — green onion salad with gochujang, an iceberg salad with mustard dressing, apple salad, pickled cucumbers and radish wraps, rice paper wraps, pickled jalapeños and tofu, kimchi, and a house dipping sauce — and the popular Hodong’s Favorite Combo ($76 or $126) includes thinly sliced beef brisket, boneless short ribs, pork belly, and marinated pork steak; we ordered a la carte and the off-the-bone short ribs were grilled at the table (the marinated bulgogi, by contrast, is not). Appetizers like seafood pancake and japchae are popular, and the beef tartare — tossed tableside with pickled onions and garlic, Asian pear, pine nuts, raw egg, and a sesame-oil backbone — is a surprisingly light counterpoint to the grilled meats. Finally, don't miss the San Jose–specific brisket cast-iron stir-fried rice ($30), cooked tableside with thin brisket, mushrooms, garlic chives, bean sprouts, sesame oil, lots of black pepper and salt, and a touch of truffle oil." - Lauren Saria
"I learned that Baekjeong, one of the world’s finest Korean barbecue chains, opened its first Bay Area outpost at Westfield Valley Fair on August 16, occupying about 9,000 square feet over two levels with seating for more than 200. The restaurant aims to recreate a boisterous night‑market atmosphere—staff cook high‑quality, house‑marinated galbi and bulgogi at the table—and the menu carries combos for groups plus appetizers like japchae and fried dumplings, a selection of noodles and stews, and various bowls and rice dishes. For San Jose the team has gone more ambitious, adding premium ingredients such as caviar, uni, and truffles and debuting its first full bar in a U.S. outpost with Korean‑inspired drinks like a dongchimi martini and bar‑only small plates including a burger topped with kimchi‑bacon jam, bulgogi grilled cheese on milk bread, a galbi Scotch egg with caviar, and a bone‑in slow‑roasted short rib. The space, designed by Sang Kim of Sun Creative, nods to Korean roots with mother‑of‑pearl accents, antique woodwork, and folk paintings, and the restaurant balances Resy reservations with roughly half of its 58 tables held for mall walk‑ins; it serves lunch and dinner with weekday hours starting at 11:30 a.m. and extended weekend hours." - Lauren Saria