Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Got the lunch set, which was a very reasonable price. Grill the meat at your own pace so it's nice and hot when you add it to your rice bowl. Also came with miso soup and a generous amount of salad. Meat tastes great and the dipping sauces available are nice. The service was a little slow during Friday afternoon.

We came for dinner, got reservations for 5:45 and were seated right away. We didn’t get our server to take our order for the first 10 minutes, we had to go to the front desk and asked for it. The meat was basic, wasn’t super high quality. The wait time in between each order was long enough for us to forget what we ordered. We found ourselves staring at the fire and wondering. Worth a try but not coming back.

I recently visited Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ with my colleagues for lunch, opting for the all-you-can-eat premium option with 45 items to choose from. The food was enjoyable, and the variety was impressive. However, I encountered some issues with the service. Unfortunately, the service was quite slow, with our meat orders often taking 10-15 minutes to arrive after we placed them. As an Asian myself, I was disappointed to see that the Asian staff weren’t busy at all but didn’t pay much attention to our table, despite it being the only one in that area. We found ourselves waving them over frequently just to place our orders. Towards the end of our meal, one staff member (who appeared to be Mexican) made a significant difference. He was attentive, served the meats quickly, and checked in with us several times to see if we needed to order more. Overall, while the food was good, the slow service was disappointing. I think I might explore other BBQ options in Convoy Street next time!!!

Great food and great service. Located in a strip mall with lots of food options and they are one of the best. Food here is great. We tried the Ultimate option and every single food item was delicious. It is Japanese BBQ so the food are all delicately prepared. Loved the Toro beef. Highly recommended. Come early and come hungry. It gets busy during lunch and dinner time and especially on weekends.

Absolutely amazing. I have been coming to this restaurant consistently for over 10 years now. This is my favorite japanese bbq place. I love the spicy jalapeno miso marinade they have for their meats and is it unparalleled. The cuts of meat are fairly decent quality. The toro beef is by far my favorite cut of beef. The appetizers and side dishes are also quite plentiful for non bbq lovers as well. The food can be fairly oily but thats about par for the course at a bbq place. The parking can be fairly hit or miss at times but usually it's fine. The wait times however can be quite bad. They no longer take reservations online and only through phone if you have a large party. For a normal small group you have to walk in and expect to wait at least 20-30minutes depending on what time you come.

Prime meats available and it was excellent my favorite was kalbi short ribs, fillet, teriyaki chicken and spicy prawns. Great value.

Jonathan was a fantastic server. Food was absolutely amazing. Wife and I have eaten at many all you can eat places and this one is top-tier!

Was in the mood for some good japanese bbq and decided to stop into Gyu-Kaku since we were in the neighborhood after my daughters martial arts. Parking in the center while free, is a bit difficult especially with popular shops like Trader Joes and Chucky Cheese. Totally forgot it was San Diego Resturant week. Wait wasn't too long at noon. It was about 30 minutes. Sat down and realized it was resturant week. Ordered the lunch special for all three of us. Received three miso soups, rice, salad plus our choice of three appatizers (gyozu, chicken karage, and spicy cucumber salad). After just the salad and appitizers we were starting go get full. All of them was delicious. Although the spicy cucumber salad was not that spicy. Then our three orders of hanger steak, one chicken teriyaki, one spicy pork, and one garlic chicken thigh came. Veggies including brocolli, zuchinni, and shisito peppers also arrived. After grilling everything and sharing one bowl of rice between the three of us, we called it done. Packing up the majority of the meat (beef, chicken, and pork), some veggies, plus the two bowls of rice, we received our desert. My husband grabbed the smores, and my daughter and myself had the green tea ice cream. All was wonderful. Green tea ice cream was flavorful and my husband loved the smore my daughter put together for him after burning the mashmellow in the fire. That night with the leftovers I made fried rice with all the leftovers. Great value for two meals for threr people for $75.00 + tip. Thank yoy Gyu-Kaku. We will be back.

Everything about this place is great. You can eat a variety of different meat cuts and vegetable without much thought about selection as you can just choose one of their x-person item sets. Very good value as well when you choose the item set. I prefer this way more than all you can eat BBQ because you can take your time eating and actually appreciate the food. Summary: Taste = taste of food Value = price, expertise, other non-food logistics Novelty = memorability among competitors Taste 5/5, Value 5/5, Novelty 4/5. Final score 5/5

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ has its really really good days and some really off days. Their service is amazing, as is their food on a good day, however, it seems they struggle with consistency. The taste and quality of the food seems to teeter between good and below average. On their best days, the meat is soft and tender, and most of all, seasoned well to the point where you do not need to use their extra sauces. On their not so good days, their meat is bland, yet tough, and their rice is extremely mushy. I've also noticed that their online ordering system tends to be unreliable as well. During busy days, they will often turn off the option to order online, which makes things difficult for customers, as they constantly have to check and guess whether they will be able to place an order in advance or not. I remember having to try 3 different times on 3 different days to see if they activated their online ordering system before finally being able to do so on the third try. Prices here are pretty expensive, but their lunch box deal is affordable and worth the cost on a good day. They do get quite busy, so it's understandable, as keeping online ordering on might mean they are unable to keep up with orders, but hopefully they can work out some sort of solution.

had a great time here. Grills have smoke suction vents. appetizers are huge btw if you're doing the AYCE like i did. although there is a 1.5 hr limit, i was stuffed by the end. Time limit is appropriate. Would come back if i was hungry and maybe a special occasion. also they do accept samsung pay, but no other special types of pay. Samsung pay, you'll need to walk to their machine and place your phone next to it to let it read it. Staff was shocked that this worked when i asked to try.

*rating for 2025 San Diego Restaurant Week lunch deal $25* ends Feb 2* Their parking lot is not small but gets pretty packed during the weekend so you might have to drive around or park on the side of the street if you come during peak hours. Definitely worth coming here for their lunch deal during Restaurant Week. You get so much food just for $25. When you get the veggies, go ahead and start grilling them. The ones in the foil are placed directly on the grill as is to get them steamed. All the meat is marinated so they are on the salty side which is why it comes with rice. And they give so much rice: we packed three portions of rice home after our meal. The beef comes with every option (there are three options to choose from) of which the marinate is deliciously salty and the meat is thin and tender. It is marinated in miso based sauce (miso is from soybean so once grilled it is like similar to soy sauce flavor). Option C comes with spicy pork and it is really spicy so if you can't handle spicy food, you might want to pick the chicken option. But this is where the rice came in handy. The pork wasn't as tender as the beef (of course) but not dry or tough either. Try the S'mores if you haven't had it here before. It is fun! The green tea ice cream just tastes like cheap sugar ice cream. Don't expect any green tea flavors. They do give huge portions of it though. The appetizers came out randomly and we had to wave down the servers for water refills, napkins and for our dessert. Even when waving down the servers they all walked around tunnel vision: not paying attention to tables they are passing by. Service was a bit disappointing but the food and portion is great. And definitely worth the restaurant week's price.

This place never misses! Every cut of meat is delicious, and I love the option of s'mores and mochi for dessert. The servers are all pretty young but always so helpful and kind, I have no complaints! There was a gentleman walking around helping out, who I can only assume was the manager or supervisor, and he was very attentive. The price may be higher than some are willing to pay, but if you bring your appetite it adds up anyway. I can't wait to return!

Excellent meat selection, the sides are awesome. Even the desserts are great. Atmosphere and service were excellent. It's my first time trying Japanese bbq and I loved it. The experience felt a lot better than k bbq.

We booked a reservation for Christmas Day dinner since it was one of the few places open with availability, and it turned out to be a fantastic choice! There was plenty of food for us and the in-laws, plus it was a fun and memorable experience. Our waitress was incredibly helpful. She suggested ordering a 3-person meal instead of a 4-person meal since we weren't super hungry. I'm so glad we took her advice--we still ended up with so much food! She also walked us through the grill process and explained how to cook each type of meat. The fried rice and mochi ice cream were definitely the highlights for me! Overall, it was an excellent choice for Christmas dinner. The restaurant was clean and decorated for the holiday, which added to the occasion.

2.5 stars Friday night dinner. 10-18-24 This was my first time coming to this restaurant. My daughter has been here before and suggested it for dinner. I've been to plenty Korean bbq restaurants, but never a Japanese bbq place. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The meat quality was good. Our table picked the supreme menu at $74.00 per person. We wanted the unlimited duck and prime Kalbi short rib and the Harami Skirt Steak. The other menu options limits you to only 1 order of the short rib and skirt steak. The fried rice comes out in a stone bowl. And it's cooked directly on the fire like fajitas. It was really good. Unfortunately we only got 3 orders of it (we were a big group so the bowls of rice were at 2 separate ends of the table.). The first 2 bowls we order came out right away. The third one came out when we were almost done eating. After asking and asking when it was going to come out. We got spicy shrimp and spicy pork belly. They were spicy! My husband loved it. I also tried the Shrimp & Mushroom Ahijo. It was ok. The pesto sauce they use is a little overpowering. I liked how the waiter would tell you the cook times on certain meats. Like the duck which I loved. And the salmon. Cons- I know things happen. I work in a kitchen. Even as chaotic inside a kitchen is (I like to call it organized chaos). This should never happen. Finding an object other than the intended food is not ok. It actually says a lot. That the kitchen staff is not cleaning their prep area. Not making sure if they are opening a bag that the whole bag is intact. So this wouldn't happen. The plastic tip of a bag, was in the middle of my rice. So when I grabbed my chopsticks and scooped the rice, I didn't see it until I started chewing. Once I pulled it out. I looked at to see what exactly it was. I knew right away it had to be from a sauce or something. But I notified my waiter and all he did was grabbed the plastic (with his hand and put it in his pocket) said he was sorry and tell the kitchen. Then walked away. Personally, I think he should've had the manager address the issue. Since it was in my mouth. But, we kept eating. I'm not going to lie, it bugged me. My beer glass had lipstick stain still on it. So I just drank straight from my bottle. And the women's bathroom needs to be cleaned. You can tell it's been a while since someone's been in there to clean it. The service- Let me start by saying you have a 90 minute table time. The waiter I felt could've came to our table a little more frequently than he did. Especially since you have to wait for the kitchen to prepare your meats. We were a table of 7. And we paid almost $600.00. This was not a cheap dinner. So, I felt he could've been by a little more. Especially when our waiter never brought back some items that we ordered like the spicy tuna volcano. Never got it. We order a spicy dipping sauce for $2.00 extra and never received it at all. Put still got charged for it! I don't know if the waiter was having an off night. But he should've wrote things down so he wouldn't forget our items. Or ask for help. Because if you are spending almost $600 on a meal, the service needs to be top notch. Overall- I would probably give this place one more chance. If it's anything like my first visit. I won't be back.

Went here on a Sunday around 2pm with my best friend for a late girls day lunch. We got seated quickly by a super nice host, and were quickly greeted by an even nicer server. The tables were clean and the booth seats were comfortable. The food here is DELICIOUS, and we got the AYCE and tried four different cuts of beef, the edamame, the spicy cucumbers (those things are ADDICTIVE!), and some pot stickers. 10/10 recommend also getting the garlic butter and the green onion dipping sauces too. Love this place, I will absolutely be back!

My second time coming here for their lunch special which I like since you can choose 2 meats of your choice and it comes with rice, soup and salad. I chose the angus beef rib and toro beef. The angus beef rib was my favorite since it's flavorful and tender. The toro beef was also flavorful but a bit spicy and dry. My sister got the umakara ribeye which was also good, flavorful and tender! Was pretty packed inside for a Monday lunch but it was the holidays.

My second time coming for the lunch special as the AYCE options are a bit pricey. 2 items for $14.95 with rice, soup and salad; I got the angus beef rib and umakara ribeye. The angus beef rib was tender and thick, some pieces were fattier and chewy. The umakara ribeye was soft, thinner and flavorful, definitely my favorite! My sister also tried the toro beef but it was a bit spicy and dry. If I was hungrier, I would recommend getting the 3 item options for $18.95. Good service! Will come back to try their combos one day

We love this place. Food is always delicious. Love the salad. All the meats are marinated so nicely and are good quality. Service is always great. And it's so cute to have s'mores for dessert. Would definitely recommend.

Had never been here but definitely would go back! All the meat and seafood choices were top tier and the service was friendly and quick to action! Yummy yummy yummy!

I would give it 5 stars although I never been to another place like this before. The meats were good the prices were as well. I think it could have been a bit cleaner but the food made up for it! The ambiance was seclusion amongst others. I have to say our server was so helpful and patient and de the experience a 5star for treatment.

Raw meat comes out, you cook it at your table, throw it onto your rice, and call it a day. Easy peasy. Yes, they can accommodate large parties, but it's best to call ahead and let them know. Parking is icky at times but be patient; someone is bound to leave... THE FOOD ELABORATION. - Create Your Own Gyu-Combo (3 BBQ Items) | Comes with your choice of 3 meats, miso soup, salad, and rice. I went with Umakara Ribeye, Yaki Shabu Beef, and Umakara Pork. All were easy to cook (minor oil splattering) and delicious to eat. My favorite was the Umakara Ribeye which was sweetly seasoned yet savory. Their miso soup was warm with bits of soft tofu. Salad was fresh with slices of daikon radish, tomatoes, and cucumbers atop a spring mix variety. THE DRINKS DRUNK. - Iced Tea | Slight bitter but that's typical. Add a little sugar and it's good to go. The vibe was modern with a traditional flare. And as far as returning, I wouldn't mind going back and trying out other things!

Came here on Black Friday for their lunch special and it was so good! For the quality of meats and sides. The lunch special price is pretty amazing. We were greeting right when we walked through the door and then greeted by the rest of the workers while walking to our table. We have a great server, she was very polite and got in our orders quick. She always refilled our drinks without asking, and always asked if we needed anything else. The decor is your typical Asian BBQ place. It's a self grilling environment where they bring out raw proteins and some side for you to place on the grill and cook it to your likings. It's honestly my favorite! I like to leave my meats in the grill for like 30 seconds, as I like my meats cooked medium rare. And it always comes out perfect. The meats here are very high quality and seasoned to perfection.

Holy meat! This was a carnivore's dream. There a three levels of all-you-can-eat and we ended up going for the premium, which is actually the base option despite the misleading name, for $54 per person. It included 11 types of beef, several pork, chicken and shrimp options as well as a couple soups, appetizers and smores for dessert. I really wanted to try the garlic noodles but it was part of a higher cost package so I just ordered a bowl a la carte. The noodles were delicious and I'd definitely recommend them. All of the meat was well-seasoned and trimmed well. We just kept ordering more and more to the table. I lost count of how many I tried. This is definitely a place to go with a big appetite. Cooking the meat on the grill was easy and fun. I will definitely come back!

Food: The meat was good, offering a flavorful and satisfying experience. There are three different types of sauces at the table. The gyoza, miso soup, and cucumbers were my favorite appetizers. The cucumber had a nice crunchy spice topping. the gyoza was crispy, and the miso soup was packed with flapper. However, overall the appetizers were just okay. The garlic edamame was a bit disappointing, as it was more of a garlic paste than expected. The corn cheese leaned more towards buttery rather than cheesy, which may or may not be to everyone's taste. For dessert, we tried the green tea and the s'mores which I loved. The s'mores was a neat aspect; they remove the grill, allowing you to roast the marshmallows over the fire, which added a fun, interactive element to the meal. Service: The service was nice and attentive. The staff made sure we had everything we needed and were quick to respond to our requests, enhancing our overall dining experience. Ambiance: The ambiance was pleasant, contributing to a comfortable dining atmosphere. There are lots of families that come to eat.

After a morning of Sunday errand and omiyage(gift) shopping it was time for lunch. Usually while in Mira Mesa we go to Pho Cali or Gen. This time we tried Gyu-Kaku since on this trip we already had Mediterranean, Korean, Inn and Out, Chinese and Indian food. At first it looked dark from the outside but indeed there were customers inside. Much to my surprise it was like the Korean Bbq we had the previous night since it was grill your own style. I chose the package that served 3-4 which had a little bit of everything Doc was the cook for our meal. Typical grill your meat but this time we were warned about the two pork items not too much on at a time cuz it was fatty and surely did ignite if you over do it. Come with a healthy appetite. We ended up taking left overs home and poor thing the big bowl of beautiful looking salad was neglected while we were there. Our male server was friendly. At the end he gave us a choice of ice cream. We all chose green tea but one taste and I gave mine away. Daves flavor or pass it on for me.

The meat cuts here are so delicious and everything is consistent. Good service too. Not loud. Easy to reserve. Parking is just limited. Serving or portion wise, I'd say 3-4 meat dishes and one garlic noodles or garlic rice (with white rice on the side) is a good ballpark estimate for a couple. My all time favorites are: * Garlic noodles and/or Garlic rice * Bistro Hanger Steak * Kalbi Chuck Ribs * Toro belly * Yakishabu * Beef Tongue

This is a different experience from Korean bbq, the sauces taste different but the cuts of meat are really good. They have happy hour prices all day except between dinner so normally this value set is $70 but happy hour it's $65 and it's worth the money. You get a salad, soup for two, 6 different cuts of meat. One chicken and I believe the other 5 are 2 beef's and 2 pork cuts. It's always nice to come in here and the service is pretty quick, after you order the meats come all at once and I feel this is plenty of food for 2 people. You can change the grill whenever you need to since the meats can get burnt into the grill but I like the grill here compared to Korean bbq as there's a better sear and grilling on the meat. The overall location is pretty nice but get there early as the wait can get take up to 2 hours on busy nights but the inside is really nice and clean as well. They also offer all you can eat which has like 3 different options from regular meats, to premium to Kobe style meats, but I believe the value meal is all some people really need. Also the pitchers of beer for $18 is really good to on happy hour. I will be coming back here again.

I don't know how I haven't reviewed Gyu-Kaku yet because I've been here so many times, as you can see! I've been here just because but also for very important days like my 21st birthday and my graduation day! This is such a nice spot for both casual and "fancy" dining. They have so many different options for food, meals, drinks, everything! You can choose from AYCE or a set meal and it always varies what I get when I go, but I've tried the AYCE and the set for 2. They also have a happy hour for drinks and the first meal set. The meat portions are perfect because it isn't too much which gives you the opportunity to try all different kinds of meat. My favorite was the beef tongue. The sides here are delicious, especially the cheese corn and wontons! The cocktail drinks are also very good and decently priced if you go during happy hour. The service here can vary in my experience. Sometimes they're very friendly, quick and efficient when it comes to checking on you, ordering more food, and changing grills (which you don't have to do too often if you're cooking the meat correctly). Sometimes they're still friendly but not as efficient at checking on customers. The most recent time I visited, we got the AYCE but we were only checked on twice during our two hour visit and our server was nowhere to be found. This was unfortunate since it was AYCE and we wanted to order more food but didn't get to and felt rushed near the end of our time to eat our food.

By far one of most favorite dining experiences!!! My wife and I recently decided to try this place out. We were given multiple recommendations for this place, but we just never went until now. Can't believe we waited this long. On a rainy Thursday night, we had about an hour long wait for a table. The restaurant is small, and if you are doing the "AYCE" menu, you are allowed 90 minutes. So I was not surprised by the wait time. There is a Trader Joes in the same shopping area that helped pass the time. There is both an regular style menu in addition to the AYCE menu. On this first trip, we only did thee AYCE menu which I enjoyed. There are 3 levels to the AYCE menu, as you go up in the level there are more items that are included. The starting price is $54 for the premium level which is 45 items. Level 2 is 65 items for $64 and the highest level 3 is all 80 items for $74 per person. We decided that the level 2 - was the best option for us. It included several more hot items that we enjoyed. My favorite was the Harami Skirt Steak which is limited to only 1 order per person. This is a Japanese BBQ place, and you will cook your meat on a fire pit at the center of your table. This is so much fun! I never liked having to cook my own food at a restaurant, but this was so fast and enjoyable that there was almost no wait. I love the AYCE mix of bbq that you cook and things that are ordered and brought out to you cooked. Be sure to get the Garlic Fried rice....it's a fun experience when they mix it at your table. The ambiance of this place is spot-on! Even sitting so close to other families, it still feels very private. The staff is super friendly and helpful. This being my first time, I asked lots of questions and for their best recommendations on items to choose, and I was not disappointed in any of their suggestions. The price points for AYCE do not make it an every-week type of place for me, but I will definitely be coming again for special occasions and celebrations.

What a fun time at Gyu-kaku! All the different cuts of meat and stuff for two numerous for me to go over, but all of them tasted fantastic. My one complaint and why we didn't give this place five stars is cause when we were sat it took a while for our server to come to the table much longer than I thought it should be, the food is fantastic. There are good deals on multiple menus. Just be sure to check to see what they have on offer. You can go all you can eat or you can get set menus or you can order all the cart. They also have seasonal specials related to seasonal foods in Japan, which is a nice treat Multiple kinds of and lots of drinks and desserts. Fun for groups fun for the whole family. We like it here. At gyu kaku!

I finally got a chance to eat here after driving past it many times. I tried it back in Hawaii, but it was years ago, and I don't remember having that great of an experience there. This location on Hibert St. in Mira Mesa is the business!! They no longer take reservations, so it's FCFS. I put my name on the list around 6 and was told by the hostess that it would be about 30-45 minutes. I was ok with it since my dinner date was running a bit late. She took my number down and said I'd receive a text when our table was ready. However, I didn't receive any texts at all, which was odd. By the time we checked in, it was well over an hour, but we decided to wait since they said our table was just being wiped down. We finally got seated a little after 7 pm. They also need to replace the sauce bottles because they leak, and the bottles end up being sticky after you pour (see pic). These are the 2 reasons I dropped a star. Our server was fantastic and checked on us often. The wide variety of menu options was great, as they cater to groups of all sizes. We opted for the Premier AYCE menu priced at $48/pp. We each got a cocktail, too. Both were delicious (and discounted during Happy Hour). The Lychee Saketini and the Tokyo Peach were on point with just the right amount of alcohol. The meats we ordered were all so tasty, and we appreciated the smaller cuts. Halfway through our meal, we both agreed we weren't full or even close. It wasn't a bad thing, just peculiar because normally, we would both be tapping out around that time. We ordered 3 rounds and finished off with the s'mores dessert and a scoop of green tea ice cream. To note: if you order the cabbage, it's not cooked, so if you like it cooked, get the garlic mushrooms. Cook the shrooms in the foil packet, then take them out and "cook" the cabbage in the foil, lol. We had to think outside the box. Otherwise, the cabbage would have fallen throughout the grill grates. The shishito peppers also need to be grilled. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience, and we felt that the meats especially were of excellent quality. The garlic shrimp were a good size, and the calamari was tender. The prices are very reasonable for what you get. Other than the seating issue, it's definitely worth a visit, so I'll be returning for sure.

Gyu-Kaku provides an authentic Japanese barbecue dining experience where customers can order and/or cook premium cooked meats over a flaming charcoal grill. The ambiance is zen. Their smokeless roaster has a down draft system, where the smoke is sucked into the bottom of the table and away from guests. Staff were friendly and helpful. FOOD USDA PRIME KALBI SHORT RIB: Juicy, marbled USDA prime beef that melts in your mouth. Served with premium dipping sauce. HARAMI SKIRT STEAK: Their best-selling 21-day aged skirt steak. Heaven! UMAKARA RIBEYE: Tender, thinly sliced, and flavorful, similar to bulgogi. PARKING plenty in the lot P.S. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and fully expect to return.

If you love asian bbq you have to put this place in your rotation! Quality of meat, and variety of food choices from appetizers to main courses are amazing. Ambiance was well done. And service was attentive and friendly. I would recommend alacarte as they give decent portions.

If you're a fan of Japanese BBQ or just love grilled meats, Gyu-Kaku's all-you-can-eat (AYCE) option is a must-try. The ambiance is casual yet cozy, with a modern Japanese aesthetic that makes for a fun, interactive dining experience. The highlight, of course, is the ability to grill your own meats right at the table on the tabletop grill, and the quality of the food more than makes up for any minor learning curve in the grilling process. Their cheese corn butter (Mix of melted butter, cheese, and corn served in a small cast iron skillet) and Spicy Addicting Cucumber (Crunchy cucumbers in a slightly spicy crunchy chili garlic dressing) are my favorites small plates.

For a Japanese fanatic, I never been to a Japanese BBQ... they don't have one where I am from. Went for dinner after a day at the zoo. All the meats were delicious... I love the garlic fried rice... the spinach was not on point and wasn't what I was expecting. The egg soup was good. The service was great and the place is cool! I like the decoration and how it was designed.

Make a reservation as it gets BUSY here for dinner! We usually get a the Premium All You can Eat menu, and my hubby cooks it! I love how much variety there is and you can try different things. The kids meal choices are great and my kid loves helping daddy grill. The service is good but they do get busy. The ambiance is nice but some of the tables are very close together from what I recall. It's better to get a booth.

Ate here before it was all you can eat. I miss hand selecting my picks. I wish they brought the harami skirt steak down to the lower menu, but i understand stand it's a hot commodity. Nice grill vibe with friends or family. It's popular so get their quick and make a reservation if you can

Love it! Tasty meat grill and noodle. Nice service. Also nice to got come with complimentary green tea ice cream for desert

It was definitely a disappointment to say the least. I called the day before to confirm that they had the lunch special for the following day (Martin Luther King Jrs bday). They assured me that they did. Once I walked in they said it was not available and it was full price. This was extremely disappointing to hear. The waitress forgot several of our items. There were also several items that were sold out and it was only 1pm. It was about a 20-30 minute wait in between each round. At the end we cancelled our last order of meat as it was nearing 40 minutes. At the end, we left hungry. I would absolutely not come back

Had a good time here with my lady. For you kbbq fans they do have AYCE. It's a similar experience where you order and get meats and then grill them. They also have dinner sets if you are uncertain or would prefer a curated meal! They serve alcohol, happy hour brews for $5 and other house cocktails. I like the grills here better, it actually GRILLS where sometimes I feel like the kbbq stoves don't get too hot. Definitely felt sticker shock but once you taste the flavor and experience the premium cuts you will see why. We went for the ultimate menu to try some of the yummier sides and cuts. Filet nuggets were tender and delicious, loved the beef tongue, and you can't leave without trying the kalbi. We tried some of the other marinated meats and they all were delicious. Wrapped up with tasty dessert, generous servings of vanilla ice cream and green tea. Also ordered the mochi ice cream, I think it was milk tea flavor - delicious. Great service, our server Ryan did a great job telling us about the menu and guiding us to some of the popular choices. Definitely a must visit for any meat lovers. 10/10 recommend!

Love the weekday lunch specials here when I'm not greedy enough for AYCE, and always come right at opening to avoid the crowds! Lunch combos include miso soup, salad, rice, and choice of proteins from 2 to infinity... My go-tos are the Umakara Ribeye and the super unctuous Toro Beef which my kid hilariously calls "beef bacon" :)). The only caveat is that service can be slooow even when the restaurant isn't particularly busy - hopefully you have flexible work hours and can enjoy a leisurely meal!

We went there at 1pm on a weekday,so we got a table with no waiting. We asked for a course for three people. The fried squid was overcooked and dried other than that it was delicious but the server did not come to check on us and we had to wait a long time to get a refill of water and she did not cleaned out the dishes after we finish eating. We had to eat s'mores with the dirty dishes. Even though the restaurant opens at 11 AM, the bathroom was very dirty and did not seemseem to be cleaned.

Tried their AYCE - the basic $54 per person menu. Meat cut freshness and quality - 4 Fresh meat for sure. Just too salty for my personal taste. My husband had to drink two huge cups of water. Meat choices - 2.5 very limited. Total ~10 cuts where they marinate in three sauces - miso, soy, and spicy miso. Dessert - 2. Their ice cream wasn't great :( Service - 4 our server Kayla was amazing. She's friendly and helpful. However the food was delivered quite slow. Be aware that they have a 90-minute time limit for you to order and eat. There were ~10 minutes when we finished the first round with an empty table, waiting for the second and third round to be delivered. Cleaness - 3 Our table wasn't properly cleaned. There was still a piece of charred meat left on the table from the last guest. EVERYTHING was sticky, including the supposedly dessert spoons they brought over with the ice cream. Personally I think it's extremely overly priced for just ok food. Not gonna go again. I'll go back to kbbq

I came on a day when the internet was down, but they were able to take my name and number to call me when my table was ready. The wait was about thirty minutes so we walked around and visited the other shops in the plaza. Once seated, the server took our order. We ordered every single beef item on the menu and our favorites were the Yaki- shabu beef and toro beef. Most of the beef dishes were already marinated, so towards the end of our meal, we started to taste the heaviness and saltiness of the meat. We found ourselves drinking all our water and eating the appetizers to wash down the salty flavor. Overall, the service was good and the servers were attentive to change the grills and refill the water

I was not aware how underrated Gyu-Kaku was until now! Their lunch special is definitely worth it!! $14.95 for 2 servings of your choice of meat (or $18.95 for 3) and happy hour prices from open-6:30pm & 8:30pm-close and all dav Monday!) Quality of appetizers were great: we got the spicy cold tofu and takoyaki (highly recommend both!) Service was exceptional as our server is consistently attentive. One of my favorite parts is that their grill has the filter/smoke absorber so you don't smell like BBQ after you're done eating. Definitely coming back for their lunch special and just perfect for when you don't want AYCE but want good quality meat!

Went to Gyu-Kaku with a couple friends. Waited about 15min for a table. Seated and served drinks. I usually order Ala Carte or with groups the all-you-can-eat Premium menu unless there's a large group wanting to eat mainly from the other two choice menus. It's grill your own, and meat choices are better than some other places. I don't recommend the angus rib for the grill, tough and fatty. All other choices were great, Mr favorite cut: Bistro Hanger. So it's an average grill-your-own restaurant but I feel it has more quality and is cleaner than other places. Conversational noise not loud. And my absolute favorite is the grill exhaust around the grill that pulls the smoke directly from the grill so you don't end your night smelly like grease and meat. Overall enjoyed my meal.

Their all you can eat menu is back!! Now it's not such a rip off. We got the premium which came with a good amount of stuff. The meats come out at a normal pace for the first 30-45 minutes or so, after an hour it gets slow. Like super slow. Like the server doesn't come around slow. They should have an iPad for you to order or a button to call for service. Other than slow service and slow food coming out, the meats are definitely quality and delicious. All the fillers were good too. I guess the good thing is because they don't come around often, you don't get too overly full like a real AYCE.

food was amazing very tasty, quick to come out. amy our server was very polite and helpful. the place is cute. some of the music was questionable, i'm coming for BBQ not seduction.

Amazing food! The garlic shrimp, spicy miso salmon, and the meat all tastes amazing Beautiful design and lovely atmosphere inside Good service

Just had an impressive lunch experience at this Japanese barbecue spot. Visited with my bosses during a less crowded lunch hour and opted for the Yakiniku party, priced at $160 for four people ($40 per person). While the cost leans towards the expensive side, the abundance of premium meats and the focus on quality over quantity made it worthwhile. The grill mesh infused a delightful smokiness to the meats, and the option to cook them well done added a flavorful twist, reminiscent of burnt ends. Despite the small booth setting and proximity to the gas box, the rounds of starters, including a delicious salad and miso soup, set a positive tone. Notably, the garlic chicken noodles cooked in a hot stone were a unique touch, allowing them to sizzle in their juices. The Japanese chicken Karagge, though initially surprising in appearance, proved to be a flavorful delight. Personal favorites included the hanger steak, Filet Mignon, Yaki-Shabu Beef, New York Steak, and Umakara Ribeye. The mega pint-sized beer mugs added to the overall experience, concluding with a delightful dessert of s'mores cooked over an open flame. In summary, the restaurant excels in delivering delicious food with a focus on quality. Combo meals are a standout choice, though individual options are available. Gluten-free marinades and a vegetarian option, mainly veggies, are appreciated, and I hope for a future addition of vegetarian meat. Despite a potentially busy evening, the wait staff were accommodating. A minor wish for water containers at the table aside, I'll definitely be back for lunch.

We've been to both the downtown and Kearny Mesa locations and they're both great. You can keep the menu with you by the way just ask because we didn't know if we wanted to order more meat or other items. Staff are nice and welcoming snd the ambiance is nice and it's pretty average with the noise level. Good selection of meat with chicken pork and beef along with a handful of ramens. I've tied two so far and hope to keep trying more!

Discovered this place was participating in San Diego restaurant week and the deal was so good, it pulled me in. We were greeted and after a brief wait we were seated. All of the food came out very quickly. The meats and vegetables we cooked were full of flavor. The building's design inside and out was distinctive and beautiful. The manager was walking around checking on guests and each of the servers were kind. Our meal was topped off with a desert of ice cream and s'mores. Delightful experience!

Excellent Customer Service! Second time around and enjoyed the JBBQ Experience! Would come here again in the future.

Great lunch deal here. Meats and marinades are excellent! It's also fun! We went to the one downtown the first time. Had such a great experience, we took a bunch of family to try the one in Mira Mesa. Afterwards my daughter came back with her boyfriend for dinner!

WE LOVE Gyu- Kaku so much that we take everyone we can there for the first time. We've dined at the Hibert Street Gyu-Kaku off Mira Mesa Blvd well over 100 tImes. and we've been through three managers and so many wait staff that we loved. The food is CONSISTENTLY AMAZING and everything is DELICIOUS EVERY TIME. We used to get the all you can eat, and it went away during COVID because they couldn't get their meat supply in and they were often out of certain items, but now the ALL YOU CAN EAT is back! If you're a first timer (or even if you're not), here's what to order for two people: Bacon Chips - 3 Miso Soup - 2 Gyu Kaku Salad -1 Gyu Kaku Sushi - 1 Spicy Tuna Volcano - 1 Fried Pork Gyozu Dumplings - 1 Napa Kimchi -1 Beef Sukiyaki Bibimbap - 1 Garlic Noodles with Chicken - 1 Wakami Seaweed Salad- 2 Garlic Shio Cabbage- 1 Spicy Cabbage Salad - 1 Addicting Spicy Cucumber Salad- 1 Chili and Yuzu Roast Beef - 1 Harami Skirt Steak- 2 (these are limited to one per person) Filet Minion - 2 Prime Kalbi Short Rib - 1 Spicy Pork- 1 Umakara Pork - 1 Spicy Shrimp- 1 Bistro Hanger Steak- 1 Umakara Rib Eye - 1 Miso Butter Salmon- 1 Premium Sirloin- 1 Yaki Shabu Beef - 1 We take this list with us, I keep it on my phone even though I know it by heart but this way we just hand it to our server, and they amazingly take care of the rest! You'll also want to ask for the set of three dipping tray and fill them up with the three sauces at your table - Ponzu, Soy, and Spicy. Use them all. And request a pair of scissors to cut the meat. Ask for extra napkins and the wet wipes - you'll need them. When you go to Gyu Kaku make sure to fast all day, that way you'll be sufficiently hungry enough to enjoy all the good meat and veggies without having to tap out before all the items are served. Definitely start with the BACON CHIPS and take my word for it, you'll want to order your own. And SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT! If you can't handle the S'mores (my favorite part), at least get the GREEN TEA ICE CREAM, everybody loves that! On a good day, they will also serve a tasting tray of bright colors, intensely flavorful sorbet, or variety of frozen Mocha or Macaroons. Seriously though, don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. And tell them that "The Oranges sent you!" Guten Appetit