K-Elements BBQ

Korean barbecue restaurant · Outer Richmond

K-Elements BBQ

Korean barbecue restaurant · Outer Richmond

5

2140 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121

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K-Elements BBQ by Melissa Zink
K-Elements BBQ by Melissa Zink
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null
K-Elements BBQ by null

Highlights

Korean BBQ with extensive meat & seafood, AYCE, busy vibe  

Featured in The Infatuation
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2140 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121 Get directions

kelementsbbq.com
@kelementsbbq

$30–50 · Menu

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2140 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121 Get directions

+1 415 780 1629
kelementsbbq.com
@kelementsbbq

$30–50 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 30, 2025

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@infatuation

The 10 Best All-You-Can-Eat Deals In SF - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Price: $36.95 for adults, $18.95 for kids K-Elements BBQ is a Korean BBQ restaurant with one of the longest protein menus in the city—in addition to meats like beef belly, filet mignon, and lamb shoulder, they also have a ton of seafood options, from garlic butter clams to spicy baby octopus. The family-friendly Richmond spot is great for groups, and also has enough TVs to fill in any awkward meat-flipping silence." - julia chen 1, patrick wong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-all-you-can-eat-sf
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@infatuation

The 6 Best Korean BBQ Restaurants In SF - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Out of all the spots in this guide, K-Elements has the most range. The Richmond spot has a lengthy menu of meat (including cuts you don’t typically see at KBBQ spots, like filet mignon) and an impressive selection of seafood. We especially like the spicy baby octopus, which are thoroughly coated in a decently fiery marinade. This place is always packed with a revolving door of friend groups, families, and dates catching the game on one of the big TVs—so come early or expect a wait. The grilled protein palooza will run you $36.95 per person." - julia chen 1, lani conway

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-korean-bbq-san-francisco
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@infatuation

The Best Korean Restaurants In SF

"The all-you-can-eat KBBQ scene isn’t exactly plentiful in this town, but K-Elements proves it’s about quality over quantity. The AYCE spot in the Richmond is packed nightly with people of all ages flipping slices of pork belly and zucchini on a smoky grill. Their meat selection is lengthy (over a dozen options), and you’ll see everything from filet mignon and saucy bulgogi to baby octopus. There are also add-ons like soondubu and some solid sweet chili chicken wings. The easygoing space is also full of neon lights and wall TVs playing sports, in case you need to distract yourself while waiting for the 3rd or 20th round of meats to arrive." - julia chen 1, lani conway

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-korean-restaurants-sf
View Postcard for K-Elements BBQ
@infatuation

K-Elements BBQ - Review - Richmond - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"The all-you-can-eat KBBQ scene isn’t exactly plentiful in this town, but K-Elements proves it’s about quality over quantity. The AYCE spot in the Richmond is packed nightly with people of all ages flipping slices of pork belly and zucchini on a smoky grill. Their meat selection is lengthy (over a dozen options), and you’ll see everything from filet mignon and saucy bulgogi to baby octopus. There are also add-ons like soondubu and some solid sweet chili chicken wings. The easygoing space is also full of neon lights and wall TVs playing sports, in case you need to distract yourself while waiting for the 3rd or 20th round of meats to arrive." - Julia Chen

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/k-elements-bbq
View Postcard for K-Elements BBQ
@postcardnews

Outer Richmond AYCE with tabletop grills and community ties—recently hosting local nonprofit fundraisers. Verified via its official channels and event partners, it’s a neighborhood go‑to for pork belly, brisket, and friendly, group‑friendly service.

https://www.kelementsbbq.com/
Korean BBQ in San Francisco (2025)
View Postcard for K-Elements BBQ

S**** D*****

Google
Tasty and unlimited food for 90 minutes. Order whatever you would like from the website including side dishes (noodles & fries). Atmosphere is clean, yet very stimulated vibe from loud music and vibrant interior. Very helpful and nice servers. Affordable price for Korean buffet, around 20 for kids and 30 for adults.

Spencer Q

Google
Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: Food is standard fare with friendly staff. The extended review... Food: 3/5 - Cuts are standard fare. I only go for kalbi usually since that's the most delicious for me! Service: 4/5 - Friendly and attentive service. Ambiance: 4/5 - A great ambiance. The seating is fairly spread out.

LM M

Google
First time at here and it was amazing! So I am unfamiliar with Korean bbq, It's all you can eat in a 90 minute allotted time. You order from your phone and they bring you out your items and you cook it right at your table. Service was great and quick. We went on a Saturday night so the place was packed and loud, only downside for me. Would recommend

Thuy Ngan Le

Google
I came this Friday night so it’s full quickly right after 6pm. It seems they need more staffs. I did try to order all kind of dishes but they just bring out part of them. They didn’t serve same as what I ordered on app. The qualification of beef and seafood is just fine. Affordable price for all. Great place for gather with your group friends.

Chris Carothers

Google
Decent food, meats, and sides - great value for the price. My only complaint is the ratio of staff to tables. It was painfully slow to order things and we had to repeat several times.

David Quiroz

Google
I've come here twice with my cousins and had a great time. The waiters were nice and quick and the food was good but there were a few menu items I didn't like (it's probably just because I'm a picky eater). The atmosphere is also nice but oftentimes feels empty.

Alisa B.

Google
Pretty decent KBBQ! On the expensive side and the meat quality is just okay, but overall not bad. After gratuity, each person paid about $43 each. I recommend ordering: + Beef Belly + Kalbi Marinated Beef Short Ribs + Beef Brisket + Garlic Butter Clams Some downsides... the Beef Cheek tasted like ground beef, the Soft Tofu Stew was very disappointing and just tasted like tomato soup, and the chairs & table were very dirty when we initially sat down. The Smokeless Grill was great though! I didn't smell like barbeque at all when I got home. The service could be slow at times and requests would be forgotten, but considering how busy they were on a Saturday night... I can't blame them too much. My party was quite large afterall. Most of the servers were friendly and quick on their feet. We did need to ask for kimchi 3 times and had to continuously request for grill changes.

Shiying Lin

Google
The 90-minute timer started right after we placed the order, but then we waited around 30 minutes for our first plate of meat to showed up on our table, which means we only have 60 minutes to grill and enjoy the food. Initially we did not know there was a 90 minute limit, we then knew because we were placing one of the orders and the owner came over and told us that we only have 30 minutes left (and we ended up did not get all the food that we ordered). We asked why the timer starts after we placed the order, not after we saw the food, the owner replied saying that it was simply because there were too many people and system got jammed.... They also automatically charged 18% tip at the end, with no choice of customizing the tip you want to give according to the service received.
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Lupe V.

Yelp
First time at here and it was amazing! So I am unfamiliar with Korean bbq, It's all you can eat in a 90 minute allotted time. You order from your phone and they bring you out your items and you cook it right at your table. Service was great and quick. We went on a Saturday night so the place was packed and loud, only downside for me. Would recommend
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Tui B.

Yelp
My friend and his family, who were visiting San Francisco from Los Angeles, I invited them to join me for a BBQ. I had chosen K-Elements BBQ restaurant, but we didn't make a reservation. When we arrived at 7:00 pm, we were promptly seated at a table that could accommodate nine people. The food at K-Elements BBQ is undoubtedly one of the best in town. Their meat is simply delicious. The downside, however, was the inconvenient location of the QR code. Instead of being placed on the table, they were posted on the poles, requiring us to get up and walk over to scan the code. The ambiance in the restaurant is nice, but very loud.
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Katie H.

Yelp
We came on a Friday night around 8pm and it was pretty packed. We joined the waitlist and were sat 20 minutes later. The ordering system is really easy to use and you can add meats using the QR code. I liked that the grill was smokeless and we didn't leave smelling like bbq. The service was quick and all the servers were really nice and helpful in changing out the grills. As for the food, I would say it is nothing spectacular. Some of the meats that were marinated were a bit salty and the unmarinated meats were bland. It would've been delicious with just a dash of salt to bring out the flavor of the meats. Overall, lots of meat options and sides to pair them with. It's a good price for all you can eat, but definitely not top tier kbbq.
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Kellie C.

Yelp
Great service! The staff are very attentive and switch the grill often without even asking. The restaurant itself is a bit loud for me, but can be a fun environment for a group of friends. The ordering system is a bit funky because you can't see what you previously ordered/ sent to the kitchen, so you have to remember what you ordered and try not to over order. The meats were delicious! I was really impressed with the galbi, lamb shoulder, and beef belly!
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Victor H.

Yelp
Great service and super friendly staff made the experience enjoyable. Meat quality was just okay, but for the price, it's a solid deal. Good spot if you're craving KBBQ without breaking the bank. 4 stars.
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Alyson W.

Yelp
If I could gatekeep one spot, I would gatekeep this one. I've been coming to K-Elements since high school and the price and quality is unbeatable for an AYCE spot. Whenever we try another kbbq place, we always compare it to K-Elements as the standard. Unlimited meats at a very wide variety, individual cups of cheese corn, and very attentive staff always ready to help change out the grill. The dining room is huge and each table can accommodate parties of 2-6 at least and plays kpop music in the background, usually with a sports game on the big tvs. You order on your phone via the QR code placed on your table, and they bring out the meats and sides on little trays. Even back when I was in college K-Elements was the must-visit every time I came back to the city. Do yourself a favor and get the kalbi short ribs--they're the best. My only complaint? I wish the grills were bigger so I could eat it all faster :P
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Debby N.

Yelp
Haven't been here since the last time I wrote a review...or maybe before COVID... who knows?? Anyway, it's been a long time since I've dined here! Glad to say that there are a lot of food items that haven't changed on the menu and that makes me happy. The meat and banchan quality is still the same and it's good- very thin and fresh cuts, not frozen, which makes cooking easy. The grill is still smokeless and we went home not smelling too bad but some of the smell was definitely in my hair. Our grill actually wasn't working so they switched us to another table. I'm glad the servers were attentive and they checked in on us quite often. I couldn't take a pic of the menu since now you go and scan a QR code on your phone and order items there. I think for the two of us the total came out to ~$85 before tip. I think our favs that night was Kalbi, brisket, beef tongue, and all the pork belly cuts. The corn cheese was good and the clams too. The tofu soup was good and it didn't take 20 mins to come out like it says on the menu. Probably 10 mins for us! They still offer ice cream after the dinner. We had to pass since it was too much. I can't hang like I used to when I could eat anything and everything and boba and random desserts after haha! Parking was not easy, but we got lucky. I recommend coming on Sundays when meters are free or come Saturday (or any week day) after 6pm when meters are also free!

Lizzette A.

Yelp
My Wallet went missing and they accused me of not paying where did my wallet go? They have these little kids serving drinks and not checking IDS. I walked to the liquor store across the street and they chased me out saying I didn't pay? How is that so I was already out of the establishment for over 25 mins. Screw this place, their servers, and the bad food meat was brown Kim chi tasted horrid
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Spencer Q.

Yelp
Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: Food is standard fare with friendly staff. The extended review... Food: 3/5 - Cuts are standard fare. I only go for kalbi usually since that's the most delicious for me! Service: 4/5 - Friendly and attentive service. Ambiance: 4/5 - A great ambiance. The seating is fairly spread out.
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Allena C.

Yelp
We had thanksgiving dinner for 15 people, so we booked a room and had 3 grill tables. We were told it would cost us a minimum of $600. Obviously with drinks, it went over about $250. To order, you scan a QR code and order through one phone (per table). So one person can be in charge of the ordering. This is AYCE so we chowed down mainly on kalbi, boneless beef short ribs, NY/ribeye, and spicy pork belly. We didn't want to fill up on extras and focused on the meat!! However, we did order lettuce, veggies, corn cheese and rice. Also had 2 bottles of soju: lychee and mango. And a big bottle of Asahi beer. Service was a bit slow at times. We kept ordering and it would get backed up. We were still getting plates even when our time was going to be up! I think the marinated kalbi was lip smacking! And the boneless short ribs were also yummy! Meat quality was pretty decent. All in all, it was an enjoyable feast! It was definitely a satisfying thanksgiving meal where you just wanna roll over and sleeeeep! Happiness is a filled belly full of kalbi!
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Cara M.

Yelp
We all know the worst part of cooking is having to do all the dishes after- so imagine getting to cook the prepared food and not having to touch a dish after? Welcome to Korean BBQ. Great experience- you use the QR code to pull up the app where you can begin to choose the meats and side plates you want for your meal- we recommend ordering a few pieces at a time and not all at once as you want to eat as you cook everything fresh, and you will get full quick, it's great how you can keep ordering throughout your meal experience and the food selections come out quickly. They also switch out your hotplate and any utensils you want between the meat plates so everything stays clean along the way. The meats are delicious- personal favorites were the cuts of steak and pork, all perfectly prepared and presented nicely cut for us each time to put straight onto the hotplate to cook. We got a lot of selections throughout and left very very full. They give you small plates of apps/ sauces and condiments which is a nice touch and paired well with all the meat options. You will leave smelling like bbq but you will be full of delicious food so it's worth it. Lots of seating in a larger hall-like area inside and a hotplate to each table- quick service and even a scoop of free ice cream (if you can stomach it) after your meal, Everything quick and efficient. We went during the week for dinner and didn't have to wait for a table but it was busy inside. There is a live waitlist on yelp to join prior to getting to the restaurant to check on wait times. Highly recommend it.
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Andrew M.

Yelp
My wife has been coming here since before I met her and I've always passed by when I was in the sunset district. We actually had our wedding dinner here and this place does not disappoint. It's very spacious with plenty of seating. However they do get pretty busy and wait times can go past an hour so be sure to check the waitlist before you go. You order your food/drinks through a QR code which makes it very convenient when you're trying to order a lot. Meat quality is pretty up there compared to other ayce kbbq spots around the bay. I recommend skipping the American wagyu and just go straight for the brisket and beef belly. I would give k-elements 5 stars but on multiple occasions I've had meat orders that were missing and I've had to ask about them. Overall though I will continue to come back
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Rosie W.

Yelp
I didn't think there was anything special or unique about K-Elements. When you're comparing Korean BBQ restaurants around the bay area, this place doesn't really stand out to me. The cuts of meat aren't extraordinary and I found that many of them are marinated too salty and too fatty. There are some cuts that were so bad, we couldn't even chew through it. Also, you have wait a certain amount of time before ordering more. Parking may also be a problem.
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Qiqi W.

Yelp
This is one of my favorite spots for KKQ, they have a good selection of meat and the staffs here are attentive. The staffs always offer to change our grill before it gets too burnt. They don't have the steamed egg appetizer here but that is okay, there's a lot of small dishes that they give you and can ask for refills. They have all my favorite condiments here which are ssamjang, sliced radish, and rice rolls, and THEY HAVE IT ALL! There's also a good selection of beer here to enjoy with the KKQ. The restaurant is also quite spacious and have pretty good ventilation here.
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R C.

Yelp
Reasonably priced & service ain't shabby. The food is ok but nothing too spectacular, especially if you're vegetarian. I waited 40 minutes for the Korean soup with a raw egg. The fries were yummy & sides are nice. I came in with a party crowd & they did their best to keep us safe and satisfied. Parking is tough & make sure to bring a heavy coat because they crank up the AC here! I believe it's All you can eat Korean BBQ for $40 weeknights & desserts are ice cream Macarons. Also they've a coke machine that dispenses drinks. Booze isn't a bad selection if you like those Asian drinks.
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Lilian W.

Yelp
SO delicious and worth the price! I went for dinner with a group of 6 and we got all you can eat. You use your phone to send in orders and it's very easy and straightforward. We got lots of pork belly, filet mignon, bulgogi, and even fries. We also separately ordered (many) bottles of flavored soju! Our orders came out surprisingly quick and we were basically grilling and eating the entire time. There were also 6-8 small plates, like kimchi, japchae, pickled radish, etc. and they refilled them whenever we ran out. We also requested extra soybean paste and gochujang dipping sauce. Overall, the service was great, the food was delicious, and the vibes were chill!
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Anna N.

Yelp
yummy AYCE KBBQ, love their selection of meats! I love their filet mignon, pork belly, and their beef belly. Their clams and scallops are super good too. (Pro tip: cook the scallops in the clam juice!!! I learned this from my bf's mom) service was great, everyone was super nice & kind. $39 per person with tax

James L.

Yelp
First time at K-Elements and it was amazing! So if you are unfamiliar with the setup, It's all you can eat in a 90 minute allotted time. You order from your phone and it's brought out raw and you cook it right at your table. Service was great and quick. We went on a Saturday night so the place was packed and loud. Everyone was having a good time. The only drawback is if you do not live in the area it is very difficult to park. So get to your reservation early because it took us 30 minutes to find a spot several blocks away.
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Jacqueline L.

Yelp
Came here a few times and not much has changed since they opened a few years ago. for AYCE, everything is pretty decent! I like how we can order on our phone's since that probably saves the waitresses/waiters some time. As someone who's been in the food industry before for 5+ years, I understand how flustering and tiring it is - especially with Korean BBQ since there's so many dishes. Dealing with hungry customers who are expecting to get a bang for their buck was extremely annoying and i'm so glad I'm no longer doing it. However, there was a waitress who really just seemed like she hated being there. She was extremely pushy and rude every time she would come over to swap a grill or whenever we asked for something. Again, I understand how it feels to be serving but my parents were eating with me and it was difficult to watch her be rude to my family. Adding the extra star just because the host and the guy servers were extremely nice.
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Lisa X.

Yelp
After mentioning how much I wanted to try K-Elements again and again, the hubby finally got the hint and took me to this K-BBQ joint to try their AYCE. We got on the waitlist via Yelp and it was super easy. It did take them a while to setup for our table outside, but not too bad. Super happy with our food adventure here as I got to order a bunch of things to eat. We also got some strawberry soju. We got some kalbi, shrimp, marinated chicken, pork belly, calamari, garlic butter clams, scallops, etc. Scrumptious! Also our wait person was super chill, we make sure to tip her well because we had a great time.
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Alisa B.

Yelp
Pretty decent KBBQ! On the expensive side and the meat quality is just okay, but overall not bad. After gratuity, each person paid about $43 each. I recommend ordering: + Beef Belly + Kalbi Marinated Beef Short Ribs + Beef Brisket + Garlic Butter Clams Some downsides... the Beef Cheek tasted like ground beef, the Soft Tofu Stew was very disappointing and just tasted like tomato soup, and the chairs & table were very dirty when we initially sat down. The Smokeless Grill was great though! I didn't smell like barbeque at all when I got home. The service could be slow at times and requests would be forgotten, but considering how busy they were on a Saturday night... I can't blame them too much. My party was quite large afterall. Most of the servers were friendly and quick on their feet. We did need to ask for kimchi 3 times and had to continuously request for grill changes.
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David K.

Yelp
Amazing all you can eat and inside secret there is free ice cream if you ask! The service is really nice and the ambiance is amazing with all the TVs. Best all you can eat around.
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Domonique C.

Yelp
I absolutely love AYCE Korean bbq. It is my go to meal when people are looking for a good meal and to have some fun! I absolutely love the vibe inside. It is lively and a great place to hangout. Once you're seated you have 90 minutes to eat. They'll check in around 60 minutes in and make sure you know how much time is left. You use a QR code to place your orders and you have to wait 5 minutes before placing another order. They have a good spread of meats so everyone should be able to find something. My favorite thing about this spot is that they have the grills that suck in the smoke. You don't have to worry about choking throughout your meal or leaving smelling like you were on the grill!
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Brian D.

Yelp
Service was excellent. Food was delicious. Banchans were fresh and refilled quickly. Better experience than other Korean places we've been to. If you're looking for a fun atmosphere and great bbq, come here.

S S.

Yelp
Service is extremely slow. We would submit our order through the site multiple times and it would never come. Quality of food is not good. Avoid this place if you want a remotely pleasant dining experience.
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Athina L.

Yelp
Happy to see this place is open now for dine in outdoors. I saw somebody on tiktok come here and saw that you still cook the meat so I came with a friend to check out how it was. As kbbq spots goes, this is one of my favorites in the areas. Price wise it is fair, meat is always good, and service is always great. I was impressed with how they did the social distancing eating outdoors. Each table has a wall type structure so you're separated from other parties. Menu is online so you can order through the website. Pretty fast and simple- food comes quickly and is served fast. Everyone practices social distancing, there's enough space for everyone which I didn't think their could be because of the area this place is in. I thought it was overall a good place to eat and felt safe. Everyone is wearing masks, waitstaff is still attentive and doing a great job in this new normal. I haven't had Korean bbq in a long time and was happy to see how organized and safe this establishment was. I recommend coming early and joining the Yelp waitlist. We were seated right away and they do observe the 90 minute limit now more strictly than before (with reason- less tables and need to get in more time for other customers!) and you get notified on the app. Overall a great experience here. I'll definitely be back the next tom
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Dominic B.

Yelp
One of my go to spots for KBBQ in SF. We made reservations ahead of time for a party of 3 and we're able to quickly be seated upon our arrival. I definitely recommend reservations if you can get them as the restaurant is usually quite busy and full. Upon arrival, you'll be able to order and will also be provided with a selection of banchan that automatically comes with the table. The menu is all you can eat. We pretty much ordered our go to meats which include brisket, pork jowl, bulgogi, and galbi. I enjoy K Elements because their meat is consistent high quality and it was the same this time around too. The meats were well marbled and the bulgogi was properly marinated. While it was very busy, service was efficient. Grill changes were made on time and we were able to readily replenish meat and banchan as we needed. I would say that K Elements is a bit more of a take KBBQ spot. The have a full selection of soju if you're trying to get lit but they don't play banging music like some other KBBQ spots. Regardless, you can totally make it as lit as you like and it'll be a good time.
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Naomi C.

Yelp
We made reservations the day of for 7:15. When we arrived two minutes early, there was plenty of open tables (about half filled) but by 8, it appeared that the majority of the restaurant was filled, it was a Saturday after all. It was quite easy to order. There is a QR code somewhere near the table and you just scan it and order it through there. Keep in mind that you can only order something every 5 minutes so make sure you don't forget anything or else you'll have to wait 5 minutes. Don't order the chicken, not because it's not good, but because it takes SO LONG to cook. I don't think anyone should order chicken at a kbbq but I was told to order everything by the rest of my table (so I'm blaming it on my table). The meats were mid, the only thing that stood out was the miso pork belly which I enjoyed. The rice, lettuce, rice wraps (and one other thing I could not remember) was $0.01 which was nothing big but I thought that was interesting. The rest of the meats were mid, nothing stood out, nothing was bad and nothing was amazing. Would I come back here? If my friends wanted to come here, I'd come. But I most certainly would not suggest this place for a hangout (even though they do allow you to stay longer than 90 minutes - at least for us). It was okay, mid really.
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Richard M.

Yelp
This is one of my popular spots for Korean BBQ. Mostly because theres not many around where I live (Marin). The drive into the city is worth it though. You're able to ask for reservations via their Instagram page @kelementsbbq. I find this very convenient as someone always answers me. Definitely try to get in a reservation as soon as possible. They have a nice selection of small starting dishes. You can get all-you-can-eat bbq, which is their main thing. There is a QR code per table that you scan with your phone and then order from there. Food takes about 5min to get to the table. For those of you that have never been to a Korean BBQ place in the U.S. YOU COOK THE FOOD. I've heard stories of people complaining thinking the restaurant has just reached some new level of laziness. Cooking is part of the experience here! Staff has a good cadence of checking in with us and providing what is asked. Only reason this isn't a 5 star is because of lack of cleanliness in the bathrooms and all around. I believe this is most likely a short staffing issue as there is never one person just standing around(Hire some more employees to help!). The bathrooms especially have broken down soap machines, toilet roll holders, and mostly everything else in there. Needs better maintenance upkeep from a management point of view and from a service point of view. To management: Don't let this place turn into a dump! I like it here!
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Karen Y.

Yelp
Decent AYCE KBBQ! Service is a bit slow. We waited 10-15 minutes between each stack of meat ordered for the table. Ice cream took 20-25 minutes to come. The meat was flavorful but a bit overly greasy, while the side sauces were a nice addition but just basic dressings (salt/pepper in oil, soy sauce, etc). A nice bonus is that you can get tofu soup and cheese corn. The tofu soup could have been spicier and more flavorful but the cheese corn was delightfully gooey! Overall, a standard KBBQ joint, but I don't feel as though they have anything unique to their brand of KBBQ.
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Johnathan W.

Yelp
Loved this place. I wasn't leaving unless I had the meat sweats. Mission accomplished!
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Chloe C.

Yelp
FOOD - so insanely mid, don't be fooled by the high reviews on this place. first of all, there was barely any selection for the ayce, I guess I should've checked the menu before. but alot of kbbq ayce has like pancake and tofu stew and egg and stuff but they didn't. the meats were also all way to thick for what it was supposed to be, especially like the brisket and pork belly. all the meats were too chewy, the quality was just not it. also when the brisket came up some of the pieces were brown. the bulgogi was too thick as well, and I had to personally cut it up myself into tiny bits and pieces. 2 stars only bc the flavor of the marinated stuff was pretty good (but ofc u don't want to eat that much marinated stuff during ayce anwyyas bc u get sick of it so fast). the side dishes were also pretty good. I also liked that they had lettuce and rice paper wraps. PRICE - total with tax and tip came to be $45 a person for ayce... which is so much considering how bad this place was SERVICE - the waiters were nice and quick to change our grill or bring us napkins and stuff. however the food takes forever to come out but then comes out in batches so everyone ended up ordering too much bc we weren't sure if the order went thru. which is prolly their intention anywyas since they charge $10/pax for unfinished food. AMBIANCE - it smelled so good when we walked in but tbh shudve known it wouldn't be good when I saw the amount of non asians in the restaurant
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Michael N.

Yelp
I love this place. Been coming here for years with my kiddo. The food and service is always great. They don't limit your kalbi like Yakiniq because it's ayce and that's what it's suppose to be. It can get loud at times with the tv and loud patrons, but you don't go there to have a quiet meal at a Korean bbq place.
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Steffan A.

Yelp
Despite them being short-staffed, the service was incredible! All hands on deck, there were three servers taking care of the entire restaurant and I interacted with each of them. All very kind! Food was great, I think their system to place the food order via the QR code was very helpful and convenient. I would rank this higher than YakiniQ. Very spacious restaurant, did not feel like I was crowded by a bunch of people or narrowed in by low ceilings. Definitely will come back! Street parking is tricky so plan to get there 15 min early just to take care of that. Also! Use the Yelp Waitlist feature while you're on the way to the restaurant, helps a bunch.
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Trisha L.

Yelp
My two close girlfriends and I wanted to celebrate a couple birthdays a couple weeks ago and originally we decided on going to another restaurant, but they were closed. Luckily we all agreed to get kbbq. One of my friends recommended this place and we decided to go! Since this is on clement street, there isn't going to be too much parking. Your best bet would be parking within the neighborhoods. Since it was closer to 8pm when we went, we were able to find parking nearby. When you walk in, they will ask if you have a reservation. I believe you can join the waitlist on Yelp if anything (pre-Covid they used to have longer wait times), but we were seated within 5 minutes since it wasn't too busy. With K-Elements, there is an option of sitting outside as well. AYCE per person was $32.95 but my friends got soju for $11 and a glass of wine ( $7 ). We also ended up getting the deep fried baby crab for $6 extra. Keep in mind that you can order things by scanning a QR code to pull up the menu. They will only allow 1 person to make the orders. I think the value for this kbbq is pretty good! The portions are smaller at first (serves 1-2 people maybe), but you can order more as you go. We ended up ordering a good amount of food and we're pretty stuffed after wards. They have a good variety of meat to choose from, as well as seafood. They also gave us a scoop of ice cream after our meal. Only thing I wouldn't recommend is the baby crab. It was good, but I was taken back by how tiny it was. I didn't realize they sold crabs that small. They aren't that soft to chew on and it's pretty crunchy. Otherwise, service was pretty good (but probably because we came a couple hours before closing and there weren't too many larger parties there), and quality of meat/seafood was good too! I'd come back here in the future.
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Julie H.

Yelp
This place is fine, and we went bc it's in the 'hood and it satisfies teen boys meat-wise. But we also have a teen vegetarian and were told she'd have to pay the full price so we ordered her some soup and a cup of corn cheese. Both tables were told that we never actually ordered the soup (hard to believe but software doesn't give you history of orders) so after everyone was done eating, poor girl ate some $60 soup by herself (not even good soup - salty water was what she said but also was hungry and I told her to eat it all b/c it was a $60 bowl! I get that if a table does AYCE, everyone should pay but if you don't eat meat or seafood it's not worth it, nor is it inclusive. Obvs we go to other places that can accommodate but sometimes the boys want meat and is the only option to leave one kid at home? Why not charge us the kid rate so she can eat some corn and not very good soup with her family? Not impressed, there are other places.
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Ashley H.

Yelp
Don't waste your money. The cuts of meat are terrible. It's AYCE but it makes you want to leave the restaurant before you're even full because you're tired of ordering and receiving plates of meat that look like pencil shavings. Their AYCE menu offers interesting items that other KBBQ places might not have, like french fries and garlic clams. I wish they would focus on bettering the actual KBBQ menu. We left relatively quickly because of how unsatisfying the meal was. The ambiance is meh. The bathroom is so dirty and wet - literally not a surface in there that wasn't dripping wet. Service is ok. They look quite understaffed. You do get free ice cream at the end though!
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Nevaeh S.

Yelp
For the food I give this place a 10/10 because the meats were coming out at a good pace and they were delicious. I'm taking a star off due to the cleanliness of this restaurant. 1 the restaurant is a little small and with all the bbq stoves on, the place was really warm and had smoke raising to the roof. The smell of the smoke and how warm the place is, made me have a headache that wouldn't go away until we left. In addition, both bathrooms are very disgusting and seem to look like this all the time. The bathroom floors were wet and slippery and when I left the bathroom to go back to my seat I had to walk slowly because my feet were really slippery. Other than that the food and service was great, just wish the ambiance of the restaurant was different.

Aria R.

Yelp
Prices increased again. $36.95 adults, kids 10 and under $18.95. Restaurant is clean, portions are small but can be reordered again and again. Clams are micro best to pass. Flavor is ok. Not typical traditional korean bbq.
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Jennifer S.

Yelp
The waitlist is absolutely useless, I joined at 5pm and Yelp said I would be ready to be seated by around 6 so I got there around that time and checked in and by the time it was 7:30, we were STILL WAITING! I'm pretty sure they seated people who just walked in off the street with no reservation or waitlist before we even got seated. Just walk in, the wait list does not matter.
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Vinkin Ken T.

Yelp
I first had K-elements when they only allowed outdoor dining during the pandemic and I had a great experience. I returned recently for indoor dining and had no idea how big of a dining space they had. It's huge! I think they have the lowest price in SF for AYCE at $32.95/adult and they have a big selection to choose from. They have some items not offered at most AYCE k-bbq such as: corn cheese, baby scallops and octopus. There is a 90 minutes time limit and you can definitely get your moneys worth. You order via a QR code, only 1 phone can be used and you can order as many items with a 5 minutes wait in between orders. Items comes out quick but sometimes you may have to wait to flag a server down. They even have free ice cream for desserts included.
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Nancy K.

Yelp
Ordered the Kalbi thru uber eats. Was late arriving due to the restaurant. Once it arrived it was cold (of course) and the short ribs were extra fatty and didn't taste good. The marinated cucumber was ok but the "radish salad" (if that's what I actually got) was terrible and in no way resembled a radish. Never going back. Just awful. Everything about my experience with this place was 100% terrible.
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Jay F.

Yelp
Parking could be a challenge (although we found one right across). The wait could be long (although we got seated immediately). The price is reasonable for an AYCE despite limited choices. The quality and flavor of the meats and food are above par. But the wait between servings is slooow as molasses, it's not even busy. I wouldn't fault the staff though. They are friendly and accommodating. And the watermelon soju made the wait tolerable.
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Benson W.

Yelp
One of my favorite spots in the bay for Korean bbq. Decided to make reservations because it was Sunday and glad we did. Tables quickly filled up inside due to social distancing rules and we didn't want to sit outside ( there are plenty of tables though ). How they do it now is you order everything through your phone and your server brings it to you. Really efficient system although you do miss the server interaction vibes. Plenty of staff walking around if you do need something. This restaurant has all the meats I'm looking for at a kbbq joint. I love the fact that you can order small or large plates because there is a tendency to over order and having to waste some of the food or over stuffing yourself. Their garlic butter clams were smackkkkkk though, do not miss out on it! Overall, a solid Korean BBQ spot for a night out in the city.

Timothy L.

Yelp
I love the service and the ambiance. So many items on the menu and the sides were delicious.
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Andrew T.

Yelp
K-Elements is always so worth it to me. It's indulgent and can leave you feeling really full, but never in a bad way. The outside dining experience offers a more relaxed version of the loud and busy inside dining room. I thoroughly enjoyed every single meat portion that we ordered, and the small sides that they initially bring to the table are simply awesome, and pleasing on the palate. The staff are all super nice and helpful when it comes time to replacing the grill top or propane canister (outside dining only). I enjoy their brief alcohol list of beers, and the sake/soju combos are fun additions to the copious amounts of meat that a group will chow down on. Be sure to enjoy the 90 minute all you can eat time limit. This is a true Richmond neighborhood gem.
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Vivian T.

Yelp
Stopped by K-Elements on a Friday night. During COVID-19, they are offering both indoor and outdoor dining, although indoor seating is very limited. Our party sat outside, which was fine at first, but got extremely cold towards the end of the night. It seems like you are able to make reservations, but we couldn't find any information on that on their Yelp page. Their Yelp waitlist was closed, so you have to be physically present to put your name on the list. Given it was a Friday night, they were extremely busy and it was hard to flag down any of the workers (I had to go through 3 staff members before putting my name down). Their outdoor dining order system is through a website (scannable QR code per table) where you can put your orders in, which was very convenient, but a few of our orders did not go through, so I would reccommend to just keep on ordering instead of waiting around. Staff were friendly and helpful, but again, were hard to get a hold of more towards the end of the night when they got busier. It would have been nice if the ordering website they used had an option to "ping" a staff member to our table if we needed more banchan, a grill change, to pay the check, etc. I liked that they had a nice selection of foods you could order on the AYCE menu, including seafood. Our group basically tried everything, and my favorites were the kalbi, scallops and calamari rings. They even offer complimentary ice cream at the end of your meal. If you are dining outside, I would reccommend you bring a jacket to brave the cold, be careful with splattering oil and smoke from the grill. K-Elements is a decent kbbq place in the city to satiate your cravings
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Chris J.

Yelp
Only my second time going to KBBQ but I must say I was very impressed. The food was fresh and tasty. Service was mostly good besides the cleanup during your meal. They also forgot to bring certain things out that we ordered. And the online ordering system wasn't very user friendly . But I'd totally come back with friends to try it again. I think it was worth the wait due to how much fummy ood we actually consumed.
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Tanusree M.

Yelp
Came here for dinner on a Friday. It was pretty empty but started filling up as it got later. It's a pretty big restaurant so there's a lot of room. They have an online system where you can order your items, so that was a nice touch. The meat and banchan selection was decent, probably not the best I've had though. Overall, it's a pretty decent spot for kbbq.