Jomon Japanese BBQ & Hot Pot

Came here on a Friday night with no reservation and was luckily seated. My partner and I ordered the premium meat option and was not disappointed. The meat was well marinated and there was good variety. The meat was definitely a hit but some of the sides were a huge miss. We sent back the dumplings and the Japanese fried rice after taking one bite. The karaage fried chicken was phenomenal. I would recommend trying this restaurant at least once.

Nice casual Japanese BBQ with good value. We got the Classic Jomon Experience at about $40 per person, decent value. The meat quality is alright, but surprisingly my favorite was the spicy chicken. You can also have as much sides as you want. They mixed up a little Korean sides too with some kimchi option. The servers were very nice and accommodating. Service speed was good although it was a slow night, so hopefully they have the same speed on busy nights. In any case, i was satisfied with the whole experience. Good value & satisfying for Philadelphia standards.

The grilled items were all just okay. Nothing really stood out. The side dishes were slightly better than the meat/seafood options. You required to start out with the staircase. Biggest problem I had with food is the portions they hand out are quite small each round. The flavor is okay, but the focus on utilizing the dipping sauces for the non marinated meats. The reason for the low rating was the service from our server. People have bad days, but our server seemed to be in particularly non-happy mood. We had a couple of grill changes, which he seemed annoyed to change. Was annoyed with how we cooked our marinated meats first, even though he did not tell us until after we started cooking. Not a welcoming environment. A second server who occasionally helped out was much more welcoming than our main server. The drinks were great, food was okay, but the service was just putrid. There are better options around the city food wise and service wise. Was good to experience a new restaurant, but would not go back again.

Pretty good Japanese BBQ! I got a good deal during restaurant week so I sampled the Angus beef rib, top blade steak, torro brisket and some rice and veggies. Everything cooked well and tasted good! I especially appreciated my waiter being attentive (ie changed my grill) though I did feel a little rushed because he was hovering around my table towards the end. Otherwise, I had a good time and would definitely come back!

First rule of all you can eat buffet: No Carbs, only PROTEIN !!!🥩🥩🥩 Well let me start like this, you gonna smell smoked after dinning here, so better not to have any plans after this meal. You need to shower and your clothes need to be laundered! Its a great experience, you gotta cook your own food, many options for meat, veggies and sides. I recommend ordering everything for the first round and after you found your favorites order those for the next rounds. My favorite was the beef ribs with bone in. The chicken karaage is the only side i recommend not to get. Nori fries are just regular fries with nori sprinkled on them. The staff are very attentive, they keep filling your water. Also once your hot cooking plate got sticky you can ask to replace it with a new one. I was there for lunch so I could not try their drinks but they had great collection of Soju. It was my third time here and it was enjoyable every time, i felt very heavy though after all the meats! 😂

While my party and I were expecting to try a different spot in the area instead, when we unfortunately found that it was closed, we had to look for another place to satisfy our Asian BBQ craving within the area. After dining at Jomon last night, I would go out on a limb and say that this should have been our first choice. Although the price might be a bit high for some people's tastes, unlike a lot of All-You-Can-Eat BBQ locations, the meat selection was quite noticeably good. Even if you didn't use any of the sauces, I think you'd have a hard time finding any of the meats to be lacking in flavor or texture. What really impressed me was the quality of service. Our server was very on top of everything we needed. He was happy to introduce us to the menu, to each individual piece of meat we got, and quickly refilled our drinks and replaced our cooktop without us ever having to prompt him. The ambiance was also great. The seating was comfortable and a lot of love went into decorating the space. I would absolutely recommend this location. Especially as a date spot.

Quantity over quality along with inexperienced service. Order the sumo set for two and there was a good amount of food and side dishes. However the quality of the meat was severely lacking. The set we ordered contained wagyu but even that was frozen and so lacking in quality such that we were not sure if it actually was wagyu. There was not a single piece of meat that met my expectations. Every piece was subpar in quality and frozen. Nothing seemed fresh. The lobster and shrimp were acceptable, but even then the quality was not that good. The presentation of the meat/seafood for the sets certainly is flashy but that is about it. The scallops were creamy but had a weird taste as if they were raw. We ordered the corn with cheese, and it tasted completely unseasoned. Basically boiled corn with some hard tasteless cheese on top. The only thing I genuinely liked was the fried shrimp that came with the set. The servers were also inexperienced as they had forgotten parts of the order and confused some of the menu items with each other.

We found this gem during our last trip to Philadelphia, loved the interior authentic Japanese decors + wall arts & had a great time here. We definitely had the full Jomon Experience which consisted of their signature Japanese bbq stairs and newly added Japanese shabushabu. Quality of the meats were very good, especially the A5 wagyu , grilled 3seconds on each side, cooked to the perfection and it just melts in your mouth. seafood were so fresh including abalone, shrimps, scallops and squid. In addition, there are so many different veggies you can have to go with both the bbq and shabushabu. Everything was reasonably priced & convenient garage parking across the street, thats if you don’t want to park on the street (free street parking after 6pm). Highly recommend . It is a 👍🏼from @winedinenvacay

The meat is so good, the Angus beef is my favorite. The server there is very polite and nice. The environment let me feel like I'm in Japan.

For some this would have hit the spot. My kids enjoyed it and I think my husband did as well. I didn't love the sauce options and I found cooking the tiny pieces of meat tedious. But a good once in a lifetime or in a while option. Also, expect to have your whole person smell when leaving like the food you cooked. We all needed showers including our hair when we left. We also had to air our clothes out--not easy in a hotel room. The staff were incredibly kind. I loved all the waitstaff we interacted with. Glad we went because I got to meet them!

What a fun experience! We got to Bbq at our table and try lots of different food. We sampled steak, short rib, scallops, salmon, squid and more with the all you can eat option! The waiter was very friendly and attentive and checked in with us throughout the experience. The short rib was our favorite. We were so stuffed after dinner! The drink I ordered was good and came out in a Buddha- so cute! I also ordered the ginger drink and it was delicious too! Would come back again!

FOOD We visited Jomon for Center City Restaurant Week. It had been on my list to try, but with the $20 lunch deal, we just had to check it out. We arrived hungry and ordered the Tokyo and Kyoto sets. We weren't able to finish the amount of food given (three different cuts of meat/seafood, rice, vegetables [cucumber, carrots, lettuce, onions], and pineapple), and ended up taking some meat to-go. Dessert included melon or banana melona. It was very much worth the trip for the restaurant week lunch special, but if I were to visit in the future, I would only find their lunch offers to be worth the trip. AYCE was a little on the pricey side, and the a la carte was the same. DRINKS Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are available for purchase. SERVICE The staff are kind and friendly. AMBIANCE The interior is decorated in a very modern and sleek fashion. It was very tidy and the grill-tops all had filters to vacuum the smoke. It's a nice place to catch up with friends or have a casual meal. PARKING Paid street parking is available at a limited capacity. Parking garages are also located nearby.

Came here for restaurant week. It was $20 per set. The portions were decent for the price. It was yummy and definitely made us wanted to order more! Service was great and the staff were quick.

The meat was not just tasty but incredibly tender, showcasing a delightful blend of flavors with each dish we tried. The portions were just right, allowing us to sample a wide array of offerings before reaching that satisfying fullness. The atmosphere was inviting, creating a relaxed environment to enjoy the meal. The staff were not only accommodating but also friendly, enhancing the overall dining experience. Highly recommend and I will be coming back!

We found this gem during our last trip to Philadelphia, loved the interior authentic Japanese decors + wall arts & had a great time here. We definitely had the full Jomon Experience which consisted of their signature Japanese bbq stairs and newly added Japanese shabushabu. Service was great throughout our entire dining time. Quality of the meats were very good, especially the A5 wagyu , grilled 3seconds on each side, cooked to the perfection and it just melts in your mouth. seafood were so fresh including abalone, shrimps, scallops and squid. In addition, there are so many different veggies you can have to go with both the bbq and shabushabu. Everything was reasonably priced & convenient garage parking across the street, thats if you don't want to park on the street (free street parking after 6pm). Highly recommend . It is a from @winedinenvacay

We booked this place in advance for our company dinner. We had anticipated 20 and were told they could accommodate us and that we would have multiple tables together. We were under the impression that we would be able to have a conversation with everyone. I think it would have been better for a group of 10. That way 6 could sit at one table and 4 could sit directly across. Instead we ended up with 12 people so we sat 6 in one and 6 behind and everyone had to move around to talk with another person. I was a little disappointed to see that their were only 3 workers for the whole place. My group had the whole upstairs and there were customers in the downstairs. We should have had a dedicated person upstairs with us. Instead, they kept running up and down the stairs. The food was good and nicely seasoned/marinated and it was fun to cook our own food. Although don't forget about it because it will burn fast! We did the all you can keep buffet, but when we finished our meats and wanted more, we had to go downstairs to find a worker. I also asked multiple times for extra fried rice for the table and when it finally arrived it was a single serving. I was the only one in the group not drinking alcohol and they were quick to refill those, but when I asked for another sprite, it never came. The restaurant itself was very casual, for the price we paid, I was hoping for a little more upscale. I don't think we would ever do a large group dinner here again, it just was not convenient.

Really good AYCE Japanese bbq! Didn't do the hotpot combo since that would be too much food. The meats were very fresh and tender. The sides were delicious and paired well in between meat servings. The service was attentive as well for reordering dishes. At the end they provide a free Melona ice cream which was a great way to finish off the meal.

Cool concept, getting to choose between hot pot or BBQ --- or BOTH if you feel the burden of indecision. The menu is ample, full of many options for everyone. Not sure if the quality of the meat is exceptional, but it's all you can eat so you get your money's worth in terms of size for sure. Tons of appetizers to choose from as well. The service was decent, staff is quick and responsive, so that's a plus.

Really really good deal for lunch special here during the week. Nice selection of meats and veggies to barbecue, with tasty sauce. The quality and variety that come with it was delightful, I am happy to be here. Definitely recommend this if you have time to sit down with friends to enjoy a nice bbq meal. Good stuff here, thanks!

Wow! I am super impressed by the meat options and the display is very insta worthy. The meat comes out on a ladder that allows you to try different kinds. The sides are really good plus some apps too. The servers were really friendly. We liked the unmarinated cuts and the seafood too. Highly recommend!

Just tried Jomon for dinner tonight with my partner for date night. The service was great. All the staff were so attentive and helpful. The ambiance is nice as well! The food is pretty good but not amazing. We especially enjoyed the karaage fried chicken and the pork belly. Unfortunately, the overall meal just didn't meet our standards for Japanese BBQ. The food wasn't as flavorful as we typically hope for and enjoy at other Japanese/Korean BBQ spots. We don't regret trying it, but we probably won't come back b/c there are other options that satisfy us more. Try it yourself and see what you think!

This great Japanese AYCE place is great for a date night, solo meal, group dinner, whatever! You select the package you want, we went with the classic, which comes with a select group of meat, you choose your sides and they bring it all out to you. You cook it to your liking, which is interactive and makes it fun for the table. All of the meat was fresh and amazing tasting. Highly recommend a side of rice, kimchi and garlic to throw on the grill. And DO NOT skip out on the fried chicken. It's a must! Soju tower was also a fun addition to our meal. There were 3 of us and we got almost three drinks each out of it. Servers were highly attentive! Would definitely go again, but not with my kids

Great Food. Slow Service We had reservations for a lunch date here during restaurant week. This was our first time at Jomon and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, we had to wait about 20-25 minutes to be seated despite our reservations. It appeared that they forgot about us after telling us to move to the bar area. I had to go back the hostess stand and remind them that we were still waiting as we watched them seat a large walk in party before us. After we were seated the service again was really slow. I did really appreciate the decor and the display ladder that the meat is served on. It is very aesthetically pleasing. We opted not to use the restuarant week menu and we really enjoyed our food. Overall the food was delicious but the service needs improvement. I would try this place again.

What a pleasure. Brought my sister and two of her kids for a treat. Service was great, quality was solid, price was fair. The staircase of meats and fish to cook was a fun touch. Scallops were particularly yummy. Liked the option of tasty appetizers, like gyoza and spring rolls, all included. Reservation on Yelp platform worked flawlessly.

Came here around 1:00PM on a Sunday and was seated right away. The grill took so long to cook our food. Our wait staff did not provide us with good customer service--he barely checked on us. We were calling other people over to help us. I like Korean bbq way more because the meat is marinated/seasoned. 90% of the meat here is not seasoned and the 3 dipping sauces weren't great. The corn was not sweet, and it was SUPER bland. The best part about this meal were the appetizers. The karaage chicken was the best thing on the menu and we had 3 orders of that. We got a free slice of cake and scoop of ice cream because it was my friend's birthday.

I'm visiting Philly for the first time and want to make every meal count on my one week vacation. My daughter wanted AYCE BBQ so we wanted to give Jomon a try based on the 4.5 star rating. When we walked in it was sort of fishy smelling, which wasn't the sensory I was wanting taking my first step in. We were seated in the back, and immediately I started to see signs of potential regret. The place had customers, but no Asians. As anyone knows, if you're at an Asian restaurant with Asians it's usually legit. If not, red flag. Table was dirty, grills were not high quality (cheap material, uneven heat, tough to get a good sear), floor was sticky, walls were sticky, menus were greasy. Host brought us two waters holding the cups by the rim, but fortunately there were straws. I asked the busser for a new menu, because sticky, greasy menus are an automatic turnoff that make you start to wonder about the cleanliness of the kitchen and bathroom. And who wants to start thinking about a dirty bathroom before you even eat?! I asked her to please clean the table and she started to wipe it with a napkin, got distracted and walked away. The napkin would stay there on the table the rest of the night. But yes.. she used a napkin. I looked at my daughter after she left and said "it's not too late to leave" but we decided to stick it out. We ordered the classic menu at $39.99, since it had a small, but ample selection and unlimited galbi (kalbi). Generally speaking, if you have unlimited galbi I feel pretty safe since I can be satisfied just eating that if nothing else. But oh... this galbi was not it. Very tough and chewy, so much that I couldn't chew the cartilage on the bones which I usually love. Not only was the quality poor, the marinade was terrible. No ginger, no sesame, no succulent sweetness, just a general smoky / salty flavor profile which was such a disappointment. In fact it was so bad, my daughter negotiated for me to eat the rest of it, while she would finish this other beef we got that we had pushed to the side of the grill, because we had no intention of finishing it. Now that's a telling statement. The item we typically order multiple rounds of, we didn't order more than 1 and struggled to finish it. Kimchi is another one of our favorites. We usually always order extra. And at home we always have a big family size jar. But this kimchi? It was room temp, was not fresh tasting, and after one bite each I sent it back. We did find a few items we liked. Pork belly, pork shoulder, beef brisket, zucchini and mushrooms lol. Imagine that for 40 bucks each. Oh the chicken karrage also saved the day for me. I had to order it without the aoli poured all over it, and once they did that it was solid with lemon. Every plate and bowl that came out had a brail like caked on food residue on it, even our rice bowls. Like they needed to be soaked and hand washed with hot water and soap. Needless to say this just added to the overall dirty feeling. The inefficient grill started to burn, so we had to request a grill change. Most good bbq's are attentive and change it before you have to ask, but here they only had one server taking orders for every table, one busser and one guy standing around with an order pad, not taking any initiative. Our server was really nice, so he makes it 2 stars, but as someone who lives in Vegas where there are tons of great AYCE BBQ's everywhere you look, this has got to be one of the worst in comparison to those. But I guess for Philly in one of the most expensive neighborhoods, it's 4.5 stars. Bummer.

I went there for their lunch the other day and disappointed with their quality. Even my daughters didn't eat much or like their meat. Meats were not tenderized enough. The marinade short rib was a bit too salty and definitely doesn't taste prime to me. Too much fat and too much tendon you can't even chew through. We did their Signature AYCE with a party of 5, including my 1yo. Bottom of menu said gratuity charge for party of 6. When the bill came the staff said it was recently changed to party of 5. I didn't quite feel right to be charge 20% tip on top of tax automatically. One I didn't think my 1yo would be consider, but the staff said she is still sitting on the table. Fine. But recently change to a party of 5? I asked her to show me the new menu then. She said they are printing. Then i said then you should wait until they are printed and the customers can see that then charge the gratuity that way. She didn't say anything and went to fix that up. One good thing about them is they did grand senior discount of 10%. Bottom line. No I will not return. I rather go Gyu, which is 10x better in meat quality and taste. Very disappointed with this meal. All 5 of us didn't like the meal. It was all for the picture taking. Sad.

I really wanted to like this place but it feels like a rip off of gyukaku and some generic kbbq place. The social media ads really got me. The staircase presentation, brilliant But the dining experience here was a bit amateurish My biggest gripe is how limiting my choices were as a diner. We ordered the signature which is extra $10 per person for specific cuts i wanted to eat. But no matter what, every table is forced to start with the same staircase of items mostly from the classic menu. 10 orders half of which I would have no interest in eating. Only then do you order what you want. If I wanted a cold cooked piece of salmon to warm on the grill I could go to giant. It's baffling that they'd force you to try everything even if you know what you like in BBQ. The most entertaining part came after we finished our mandatory tasting and started to order - nobody seemed to know what cut is what. Kind it hilarious to think back at our extreme confusion and attempt to make sense of the meat we got. Didn't help that the staircase wasn't labeled. We were left guessing. Our equally confused server insisted that the kitchen said a cut of marinated pork was hangar steak. Then someone brought out the same cut for an order of "short ribs." They also told me something very similar looking was pork jowl, and when I pointed out the actual jowl I was cooking, said its just another cut of jowl. What?! Ngl by round 4 of being served the same meat as 4 different cuts, I kinda felt like I was being gaslit or just treated like a clueless dummy who they could push this unwanted overly cured spongy cut of pork onto. The meat we did receive, the nonmarinated cuts were fresh. The marbling was not super premium, but it tasted good. The marinated stuff all were over marinated in that the meat texture changed and became very spongy. The butchery and presentation.. Yikes. Most BBQ places present meat in intentional, geometric shapes - whether that's thin even strips or uniform chunks. Here, several cuts appear hacked randomly with a knife. An untrimmed slice here, an odd trapezoid there, a hacked strip elsewhere. Not professional. Hmart has better cut meat. The sauces... The garlic tasted like diluted Lee kum ker garlic. The ponzuish one needed more acid. The other one was p much straight soy. I wish there was more variety/range of flavor in sauce choices The Kimchi was the only thing that cut thru the richness, plus some pieces of lettuce. Maybe that was by design for ayce lol. I would not order too many sides based on what we received. Stick to getting the meats you want instead of cheese corn that arrives to the table congealed and cold. Our server was a really nice and attentive to our needs, and seemed to do his best to correct the meat confusion. I don't think it's his fault he didn't know what cut was what. Really seems like nobody did. I'm probably being a bit harsh bc I feel bamboozled by the advertising. It looked so good and I was so excited to eat here. It could be a really nice restaurant if the experience lived up to the concept, but this restaurant wasn't it. I wouldn't come back here any time soon, maybe in a while if this is just new restaurant growing pains... And also if they stopped making the initial staircase mandatory. At least serve a different one for the extra cost signature set.

Jomon, AYCE Japanese BBQ, is a great concept with poor execution. The restaurant itself does not have great ventilation so you leave smelling like oil and meat. The meats were overall fresh and good portions. However although at first our service was excellent, with butter packets and oil added constantly, once the restaurant got packed we barely saw our waiter/waitress and couldn't flag anyone down for oil or water. Our meat would burn to the grill and we were thirsty. Definitely would recommend going at lunch or an off-hour instead of dinner!

Jomon Japanese BBQ is one the newest addition to center city district. Don't get this confused with K-pot. The Japanese BBQ comes in wayyyy smaller portion than their Korean counterparts. I had made a reservation thru Yelp, which is very convenient. As soon as me and my friends enter, we verify our reservation and seated immediately. I loved reservation and I think more places should offer them. Our waitress explain everything and took our drinks. We order Geisha and Lychee Martini. Both drinks were pretty strong and lacks the fruity taste. We decided to go with the Signature Jomon Experience, which include everything. Everything were delicious except salmon, it was extremely fishy. We loved the miso pork belly, spicy chicken, kalbi prime short rib, hanger steak etc..... we loved them so much that we had gotten seconds and third of each meats lol.

I went to this place today for lunch and found the windows to be papered closed! What a disappointment.

Honestly I've been here before nearer to its opening and didn't necessarily have a bad experience. However went tonight and all utensils and other tables utensils (couldn't even grab to replace) were dirty as well as the sauce containers. Then the food comes out and there's a worm in it and the sauces look like they've been open, out, and dried forever. The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the waiter (who was left alone to tend all the tables and the bar) was very friendly and understanding. I have serious concerns about the freshness of the ingredients from everything I saw

The price for Japanese bbq is honestly a steal. You can't go wrong with their all you can eat price. We came here on a weekday for lunch and was seated right away. Our service was super attentive and changed our grill asap when necessary. Loved how you're able to try a little of everyone without having to get a whole portion. I liked the plate where the meats came out of. Saves so much room on the table and makes everything less chaotic. Overall, would recommend coming here if you like Japanese bbq and all you can eat. Just be aware you definitely will smell like the meats after!

This place has been on my list for a month now and I'm so glad we finally made it. Jomon offers an impressive All You Can Eat Japanese barbecue menu where the service is just as good as the food. As I approached the hostess stand from the front entrance I was immediately excited by the welcoming decor. Bright lighting and a lively dining area set the stage for a fun, interactive dining experience. We were seated immediately and quickly greeted by our server, Jenny. She asked the appropriate questions to ascertain our experience with Japanese style barbecue and their restaurant in particular and reviewed how Jomon differed in certain areas. She proactively inquired if we had any dietary restrictions and made sure that request (no pork) was honored from beginning to end. She also gave fantastic suggestions (i.e. grill the pineapple) and was just an all around friendly person. She somehow managed to appear at just the perfect time when we needed beverage refills or reorders of certain menu items. Her service was absolutely 5/5. We ordered the Signature all you can eat option and I'm happy we did because the calamari, butterfly jumbo shrimp, and seafood pancake (the crispy edges are amazing) were easily among our favorite items. Our favorite item from the classic menu was hands down the short rib Kalbi. We are low carb eaters so we skipped the rice and opted for more veggies with our meal. Everything was fresh and high quality. As we finished up the manager walked past our table and asked if we needed our grill changed. We didn't, Jenny changed it out for us during our meal, it was just a bit dark because we knew we were leaving soon. Nevertheless his attention to detail was a nice touch. We left absolutely stuffed and totally impressed. Jomon will definitely be a date night staple for us. You're doing your tastebuds a disservice if you don't treat yourself to this new spot!

After seeing all the amazing Instagram stories of flowing platters of beautifully cut marbled meats from Jomon, we COULD NOT wait to go and dine in there ourselves. I made reservations for our group on Yelp. We arrived 15 minutes late, so we did have to wait a little longer before being seated. Our hostess was very nice and accommodating, and even offered to come look for us when she was ready to seat us. Soon we were shown to our table. Our group went with the AYCE signature option @ $47/person. Looking back, the AYCE classic option @ $40/person would have been fine. Make sure you order the soju tower for your table! It's fun and pairs well with your Kbbq dinner. Our server, Lisa was very warm towards us and kept running back and forth fetching all the food we requested. We ate till our bellies were stuffed. Each table is allotted 90 minutes to eat, and that is more than enough time. There are many AYCE hotpot spots but few AYCE BBQ restaurants in the city, so having Jomon is a great convenience and truly a great addition to our food scene.

This is a little late post. Came here for their spot opening a while back and I would say the food was decent. This place is AYCE but I would say it's on the pricier side. I got their signature favorite which includes the lamb chop, butterfly jumbo shrimp, various beef and chicken meats, calamari, and assorted vegetables. I think the best part was the presentation which it was unique and great for pictures. As for the meats themselves, I think it does lack some seasoning and flavor. The service was decent as I understand they were short on staff.

Had an amazing time at Jomon! For where we are, this is the best place to go for some AYCE BBQ! Our server Jenny was not only accommodating for all the extra things we ordered but she was indeed informative about all the meats and what sauces they paired well with! With the interior being very ambiguous to vibe, you can either have a fun date night with your date OR casually come in with a group of friends and do some sake bombs! Only downfall is you're kinda stuck doing to signature option, but it's fine. I'd get that every time! Make sure to have a reservation though! Definitely gets booked during the weekend!

This was my first time trying Japanese BBQ, and I honestly didn't find Jomon too different from Korean BBQ but I think it's still the best all-you-can-eat rendition of that genre I've had. You can order either the classic or signature set (the signature having several more premium meat options) which comes with an elaborate wooden "staircase" of all the meat options plus some sides and veggies; you can replace any of the meat options (we subbed the chicken options for more beef) as well as order additional meats and sides as you please, though those will come on plates instead of another staircase! The meat quality of an AYCE spot can't match that of more premium a la carte BBQ, but I thought that it was great for its AYCE status; the kalbi, angus steak, and brisket were the biggest hits at our table. The meat comes with a sweet soy sauce (our favorite), a sriracha-based spicy sauce, and a sour citrus sauce (nice for seafood); most of the meat cuts are unseasoned so the sauces are a must. We also enjoyed the kaarage fried chicken and kimchi (which made me question the Japanese vs. Korean distinction) sides, though the fries and cheese corn were more unremarkable. Don't ignore the veggies - the onions and zucchini are delicious on the grill! Service was good with servers coming by often to refill water, replace the grill, and take more orders so we were never searching for someone, though it looks like diners are expected to cook for themselves by default (not a problem for our table but could be for others). There is supposed to be a 90-min limit, but we went a bit over without any issues from the staff. Our bill came out to about $50 per person for the classic set including tax and tip, which isn't cheap but I think worth a fun and special meal, especially among the other AYCE BBQ options nearby.

*WOULD RECOMMEND* If you're looking for an AYCE Japanese bbq place with quality cuts of meat, this new place in town is definitely worth going. Jomon opened not too long ago and I had the pleasure of going during their soft opening. This two story restaurant is well decorated with some nice wall art and wooden izakaya style aesthetic. Downstairs mainly seats 4 per table while upstairs have larger tables that can accommodate 6-8. Their menu consist of two AYCE options, classic and signature. The signature came with a lot more premium cuts like lamb chops and beef tongue for only like $7 more. We of course had to get the signature so we can try everything. I was impressed by how good the cuts were, definitely on the higher quality end of other Japanese bbq place I've been. Our favorites were pork jowl, beef tongue, and boneless short ribs!! The seafood and the chicken were surprisingly good as well. However a couple of the meats we ordered came out frozen so that was a bit disappointing. Also the sweet cheese corn (although it did taste good) came in a foil container but without a lid, which made it hard for the cheese on the surface to melt. Services was a bit on the slower end. There were a few things we ordered that did not come out or it took a long time to come out. Also each order only came with 4-5 small pieces which was definitely not enough for a table of 6. As nice as the presentation was for the meats on the wooden blocks, it took up so much of the table space that it was kind of hard to make space on the end with it, especially when we got two of them. Also the grill does not get that hot which does take the meat a bit to cook and we did take like 3 hrs to eat there. *VERDICT* Overall, the food was really good and at a good price and I would come back again if other want to. However I think there could be some improvements and hopefully the next time I come, it gets better!

Came to Jomon on opening day. We were met by the owner who was very welcoming and personable. The restaurant was beautiful. We arrived early for our reservation but were seated immediately which was nice. Onto the food! The menu was typical of a Japanese BBQ restaurant. What sets Jomon apart for me is that they have a premium meats selection that of which contains cuts such as skirt steak, NY steak, and rib eye steak! I decided upon the premium beef option and glad I did. The steaks were absolutely delicious!! We also ordered a bunch of different sides including the broccoli cheese fondue, sweet cheese corn (yes, we're obsessed with cheese), and fried rice. Everything was fresh and a good size for a party of 2. The service could've been a bit better but I could feel the pressure of opening day so I was patient with our very apologetic and sweet waitress. Overall, it was a good experience and I can't wait to return with a big group of friends next time!

2.5 Went during their soft open and attempted to give them some leniency as they are still working out the kinks; however, there were just too many issues not to address. First off the menu was barely explained, the wait time was extremely long especially for the cheese and broccoli fondue which came out cold and the tray of meat was not labeled which made it difficult to reorder. The owner did check in on most of the tables including ours but spent the majority of his time with one table, clearly someone of importance as they were filming different parts of their meal. Based on other reviews their grill table was changed out which did not happen and the servers barely interacted with us. On the positive side you do get a good amount of food for the price and the presentation is fabulous.

I love trying new places in Center City. The experience at Jomon is interesting. 1. You will work. Unlike Hot Pot where the food cooks evenly, at Jomon you're constantly intervening to ensure even cook time. 2. Unlike Hibachi-style restaurants (when an expert cooks your food safely, for the correct amount of time), you're pretty much left to your own. 3. Expensive. 4. No sake available at Grand Opening. 5. No labeling of food if you have dietary needs. On a positive note, the presentation value is superb.

Jomon kept true to its Japanese BBQ atmosphere with its warm lighting and signature grill tables. With its well-lit interior and quick service with the waiter coming up to us quite quickly and going over a rundown of how the system works, the ordering process was very smooth and welcoming. As it was our first time, we were recommended to get the Classic Experience which could be described as a "meat flight" with a bit of everything included as a wonderfully presented sampler of sorts, each meat being displayed on a beautiful wooden staircase platter complete with a bowl of mushrooms, vegetables, and fruit. The meat selections ranging from chicken and shrimp to pork and beef were all quite nice, although compared to the beef and pork the chicken and shrimp fell a bit of a ways off, and the quality of all the red meats were quite good even for the $40 price point. By far one of the better all-you-can-eat experiences in both quality and execution. It is certainly a location I would return to with other friends when the desire for Japanese BBQ recurs!

Better than expected! Went for the $40 AYCE BBQ. Not only did we have the staircase of beef, pork, lamb, and seafood with as many restocking of the shelves as we wanted, but also unlimited dumplings, fried chicken, edamame, fried rice, takoyaki, pajeon, & kimchee. Not every single piece of food was stellar, but we had fun grilling our piles. The friendly staff was eager to help us stuff our faces and even brought out a surprise cake for our kid's birthday. Kids 3 and under eat free so we have one year left on that bargain and we let our birthday boy throw a few things on the grill in exchange for not touching it.

It looks like this place recently just opened so they are currently doing their Grand Opening Special which is AYCE BBQ. They have two tier prices -- Classic and Signature. Wasn't really too hungry so we went with the classic. The Classic Favorites is their sample presentation and platter and it probably has to be one of the most unique food presentations EVER. You can also continue to add things that aren't in the classic favorites (like pork jowl). There is a 90 minute seating time but it's more than enough. Like most BBQ, you're cooking it yourself so there's really not a lot that I can say there. There was no overhead vent so I don't think the grill was as hot as I would have liked it (at least in the beginning). The cuts were good and the marinades used were interesting. There was a galbi that didn't taste like galbi (their own take on it) and it's still in the air on whether I like it. Service was really great. The servers were really attentive throughout the night constantly asking us if we needed water refills or anything else. They also cleaned up the table and provided extra napkins without being asked. The interior was really warm and I love all the light wood tones. There were booths that were separated by wood pieces and a huge mural in the back. I believe there was also a second floor as I saw people come down but not sure how that section looked like. Overall, great experience. My clothes smelled like BBQ at the end of the night (as they should) and it was fun.

Overall score: 3.5 , round 4. I ordered the classic AYCE (all you can eat) option and it tasted different from my other BBQ experience. The service was fast and friendly but for about the first 30 mins, our grill was "off". Apparently it was only on fan mode, which we asked a couple of times if our grill was on. My favorite cut is the kalbi/short rib and i have to say the sauce tasted off. I enjoyed their sides like the miso soup, fried chicken karage, and pineapple . If you're around the area, check this place out for yourself.

Overall: Decent experience/ quality of meat, tried it once, probably won't come back Ordered: most of the meats: The qualify of meats is better than Kpot (Philly) but keep in mind that it is still AYCE, so overall it is .. alright. Very dependent on the dipping sauce for flavor since it is Japanese bbq, so most meats aren't marinated soju tower: was excited for the soju tower but the mix of flavored soju tasted too much, would've been better if they had an option to make the tower with original soju

All you can eat Japanese BBQ place in Center City. I was really excited to try this new place out since I was seeing it all over my social media but I was slightly disappointed. While the food is good, I'm not sure I would come back for that price. The decor was pretty and chic. During our first round of meat, everything was seasoned just right. Full of flavor. However during our next couple rounds, we noticed the meats getting saltier. It was like they just dumped the meat in salt and then marinate it in soy sauce. We also noticed that the salads weren't fresh. The greens were withered and watery. We went on a Saturday evening. Our server was super polite and friendly. Provided suggestions for appetizers and cuts of meat. However, they were super busy so our server only checked in on us a couple of times during out stay.

Got an invitation to the soft opening which included a choice of the signature or classic plan. This special invite included all you can eat for either plan, chef's choice of special appetizers and one complimentary alcoholic drink. Understanding that this was a soft opening, I expected there would be a few glitches knowing that restaurant would be practicing their service. We had reservations and were seated promptly. The tables were full and it was quite busy. Our server was very rushed and did not explain the menu or how the system worked. Food was not labeled so we had no idea what we were eating. Grill never got changed. Long wait for the appetizers and had to flag staff down multiple times to ask questions. Bill was wrong and we were overcharged which had to be rectified. These are all part of the growing pains of a new restaurant so I hope it all Improves with time. Good luck!

Finally made it out to try this newer Japenese bbq place in center city. It's really just for that stairway presentation with all the meats and I don't get the difference between Korean bbq and Japenese bbq, all tastes the same to me . In all, service was great, good drinks, and the space was modern looking with good art on the wall.

I was just back from NY . Bus was delayed got other bus. So takes 20 minutes more than bus schedule. I was kind tired but really really hungry! Didn't eat much at lunch and did exercise before got bus. Any way little tired and very hungry so why try all you can eat. We have more than 1 hour. Just give a try another Japanese BBQ spot. Little late for dinner time we went so only 3 table occupied. We can choose any where so we choose booth. Hostess explain how work for all you can eat and another and fortunately this week is restaurant week. Look at menu but just try all you can eat. Presentation of food is gorgeous! I love that. eye catcher of meat and seafood and others. So were we explaining how to do a little and we do start ! Concept Japanese bbq or Korean bbq is very much same and very familiar with me so easy to handle ! Ok some meat isn't good as gyu-kaku but it's all you can eat ( now gyu-lake has all you can eat too but never try) we can order kimuchi, edamame, any a la cart from menu this is good point of view to eat here . Kimuch isn't salty than many place so I can eat more. Next time I come here I will try some more a La cart. Any way all you can eat come with some vegetables including onion and some mushroom so don't order before check vegetable. Any way rice is also side? So order some rice! I definitely come back again!!

Snagged a reservation during Jomon Japanese BBQ's soft opening and had a very pleasant evening in a beautiful space on Walnut Street in midtown. Our group decided to go the AYCE route and splurged for the "signature" level*. Unfortunately for us, though it was relatively early on a Saturday evening, Jomon had just run out of sake when we arrived and it was still waiting for its liquor license, so beer was had all around. They were also out of Takoyaki--something to try next time! The Kimchi was a group favorite--we definitely ordered seconds--as was the Harami Skirt Steak, the Lamb Chops, the Rib Eye, and the Pineapple. The Gyoza and Harumaki Spring Roll was on point and the Nori Fries were nice and crispy, though the second order could've used a bit longer in the fryer. If you order the Jalapeño, note that it comes in large pieces with seeds still in, so it's definitely spicy on the lips! We had one grill change during our meal and lovely interactions with our server. Will definitely return post-soft-opening for another go! *Includes everything in the classic plus some specialty items.

The meat was spoiled, had a very off taste. The pan never got hot enough to sear the meat. We ate appetisers all night. It was truly that bad.

We reserved a table for 6 people. They didn't have it but didn't even bother to tell us. When we got their they said they only have 2 separate tables apart. Had to cancel our dinner plan.

I really want to say great things about this place but I can't. I was looking forward to our family dinner to celebrate hubby's birthday. Made dinner reservation through yelp for 5 people. Got there on time although parking was, as we all know Walnut St, hard to find. I was a little bit disappointed when we were seated in a booth that was meant for 4 people, they put an extra chair outside the booth, so that extra chair is kinda blocking in the aisle. Ordered the Signature experience for our table. First, we ordered the signature set displayed on the wooden staircase which was pretty big, they put it on the side of the table so it blocked the person sitting on the extra chair. So husband who sat on that extra chair, had to move to sit in the booth so he's not blocked by the staircase food display, so he didn't have to keep moving his chair whenever the staff walked through the aisle. Now three of us sat on one side of the booth and two other sat on the other side. The three of us sat together on one side really had to squeeze between each other that we couldn't really enjoy the food since it's hard to move without bumping each other. It's really an uncomfortable sitting situation. The signature set was the only thing we ordered. We didn't order any second as the food was insipid, just plain bland. The meat was not fresh, unseasoned and chewy. Ordered the fried rice on the side which was tasteless, ordered the sweet corn with cheese which was savorless, the only thing that's a little better were the gyoza and miso soup. The grill took forever to cook the food! In my opinion, that dinner is not worth the price ($49.99 pp). The staircase display's really nice though. That staircase display actually was what made me decide to come here. But it's overrated. At the end of dinner, we got free cake for husband's birthday and Melona ice cream bars for each of us because we booked through Yelp. Overall the experience was underwhelming.

Delicious selections of meats. I went for restaurant week but honestly the usual deal apparently was better in terms of variety. Soooo we just did the AYCE. Literally say less. Love an AYCE! Signature Jamon experience was delicious. I ate so many scallops. Service was decent. There were a good amount of people but it does take some time from when you place your order to when you end up getting the raw food. Then of course it takes more time for the food to finally cook up. Our food was weirdly cooking slowly, but we did eventually get it to the correct temp. Good vibes. There's a huge sumo mural/painting on the wall. Fun times and you will leave feeling stuffed to the brim, no doubt! Worth checking out a solid bbq ayce

As a major Korean BBQ fan, I was excited to see how Japanese BBQ would line up. I had heard good things about this place before going, so I'd say my expectations were pretty high. My group had a reservation on a Friday night; our table was ready as soon as we came in and notified the host that we had a reservation. This place can feel a bit cramped since it's quite a small space. However, I like that they utilized it to add the maximum number of tables while still allowing space to move around. They have seating on both the first and second floors of the restaurant. Our party was sat upstairs and greeted shortly after we sat by our waiter. He was very friendly and did a great job explaining the options on the menu and the differences between the "signature" and "classic" options on the menu. The "signature" is $50/person for all-you-can-eat. The "classic" is $40/person for all-you-can-eat.Everyone in my group decided to go for the "classic" since it had pretty much everything we were looking for. Both options offer the same sides and vegetables; they just have slightly different selections of meat. Shortly after we ordered, a few of our sides came out. Soon after our massive selection of meats came out in what I'd call a nice staircase presentation with different meats on each stair. Everything looks great, and we got ready to grill. One part of the meal that clearly stood out to me was the quality of our sides. I find that the meat quality is relatively similar at various Asian BBQ places, but the sides are often subpar. Most of the sides were far above average, my favorites being the Karaage Chicken and Veggie Fried Spring Rolls. Both were a favorite of pretty much everyone at the table; we were constantly ordering more of both. The veggie selection was also great, and the Sweet Cheese Corn was different than I've had at other BBQ places. The components are similar to the classic Korean street food if corn cheese. As for the meat, I don't have a single complaint. Like any Asian BBQ, you'll have your personal favorites depending on your preferences on what meat you enjoy. My personal favorites were the Kalbi Prime Short Rib and Hanger Steak. Another major part of our experience was the attentive and consistent service. Our server made sure to check on us regularly and bring out additional orders as soon as he could. For Asian BBQ, it can get busy for servers since they have to consistently put in more orders. Our server did it extremely well in his attentiveness. He was also kind enough to bring out some complimentary ice cream scoops for everyone; he said he was very impressed with our group (because we did some MAJOR damage in meat consumption). Overall, I don't have anything bad to say about this place. Menu selection, food quality, and service were all spot-on. I was also happy to see that the pricing is comparable to most Korean BBQ. For whatever reason, I assumed it'd be very expensive being in Center City. Nevertheless, this place is impressive, and I'll be back soon.