Steve's Korean Bar-B-Que

A little overpriced, but what isn't. The food is always good. Portions are hit or miss. I was full on my last visit, and I like that they have a low carb option. I've had the pork, beef, and chicken and it's all good. Need to try the seafood some time. Self serve water is always a nice touch.

We came here for lunch, and the prices were OK (each dish was around 20 bucks, and they have large portions). I highly recommend, unless your vegan. Most dishes contain meat, besides a veggie bibimbab.

Cafeteria style Korean place. Definitely hole in the wall. Price to food and quality ratio is way better than other Korean restaurants. Highly recommended if you are craving KBBQ on a budget.

One of the best short ribs I’ve ever had in my life. Whoever was cooking Saturday night deserves a raise immediately. Underrated spot

This place has been around for a long time. Used to come here for a treat back in the late 80’s. Came back a few days ago and it looks the same. Tastes the same too I guess, but not as flavorful as I remember. The reason for the low rating is that my wife and I both got an upset stomach and didn’t feel better until we got it out of our system if you know what I mean. Normally that kind of reaction would merit a zero star, but probably just a bad batch. But I won’t be coming back.

This place is practically a Berkeley staple. This restaurant has been here longer than I've been alive. Eating here, you'll understand why they've survived all the turnover, while many places haven't. The staff is friendly. The food (proteins) is made to order and always fresh. The Kim chi obviously has to be made beforehand. There's great flavor and the spice for the spicy chicken is enough for you to be satisfied, but not enough for you to breath fire. I've never been unsatisfied coming here over 20 years.

It is my go-to spot for quick and tasty KBBQ. I love their Barbecue Short Rib, and here's why it's great – it's seasoned just right and super tender. The sides, like kimchi and bean sprout salad, add extra zing and freshness to the meal. These sides not only complement the short rib beautifully but also refresh your palate. Plus, you get a generous portion of rice to enjoy with everything.

Consistently good and reasonably priced, as most Asian Ghetto places go. The spicy pork keeps calling me back, because it's spicy, fatty, and comforting. Not the best Korean food I've had, but it's pretty tasty. Each dish comes with a side of rice, pickled bean sprouts, and kimchi. You can get tea for free, and they're very quick about getting your food orders out. The staff is friendly, and they look like they're always having a good time working together and cooking. Definitely a great place to grab a quick bite!

A great place for a quick bite. The bbq chicken lunch special is a good deal. And tasty too. The comes up quickly.

Ordered the grilled glass noodle with BEEF, but also got a special surprise of tofu mixed in with my beef. Which would be fine if I wasn't allergic to soy. I called and I was told that there was no tofu in it just black mushrooms. Idk how they were so certain without even asking the person who made it. See pics and tell me that's not tofu? Even google image search said tofu.

I used to come here all the time when I was going to school at Cal 25 years ago. I was in the area today, so I looked up whether it was still there, and it was! The place looked about the same. I asked the guy at the register if the place was still under the same ownership from 25 years ago, and he said yes. I remembered from college that this place gave generous portions and the taste was pretty good. But with Covid and that 25 years have passed, my expectations were not too high that it would be the same. I ordered the BBQ short ribs with a double order of the bean sprout salad instead of kimchi. The portions were as generous as I remembered, and the taste was as good as I remembered as well. The price was also cheap compared to other Korean restaurants. $20 for a generous order of BBQ short ribs. That's at least $35 else where. If you are looking for a no frills, cheap but good Korean bbq, look no further. This was one of my go-to places when I was in college, and it's just as good as I remembered going back 25 years later.

Large portions. Food is not refined and not authentic. Good place if you want the portion but not the taste.

The food was pretty standard and solid. The beef was seasoned nicely, I enjoyed the bean sprouts, and portion size was good (though I think merited given the price). I'd go here for a quick meal with friends if already around, but if I want some real tasty Korean food I will certainly go elsewhere (perhaps Oakland). I don't think the restaurant claims to be any more than it is either, so on the whole as expected.

Years later Steve's is still the best value in town. We went here frequently as students, but as adults the food is still good enough for the price and portions.

It is my go-to spot for quick and tasty KBBQ. I love their Barbecue Short Rib, and here's why it's great - it's seasoned just right and super tender. The sides, like kimchi and bean sprout salad, add extra zing and freshness to the meal. These sides not only complement the short rib beautifully but also refresh your palate. Plus, you get a generous portion of rice to enjoy with everything.

Steve's is my go-to! Berkeley has many great food options but man when you need a solid reliable spot for great galbi, Steve's hooks it UP with their portions. Honestly could make it into two meals for the price of one. They really reliable and quick when it comes to ordering from them. If you want to go, take it to-go; if you'd like to sit down grab a seat--either way you're going to enjoy the food!

Ordered BBQ beef plate. Portion: small, chipotle size scoop Taste: average- normal bbq beef flavor Texture: bad-- grisly and chewy. Super thin pieces. Feels cheap Price: $17.75 after tax- OVERPRICED I left and was still hungry. Nearly 20 bucks for barely any food? NO THANKS

This place used to be my always go to get food from my college days! Came back to check them out.. still the same but this food court has been pretty bad.. many flies inside and outside the place ... The food is still good but not the same anymore

Been going to this place for over 30 years now. Since my college days - now my kids college days. Still great BBQ chicken and galbi for relatively cheap. Not like $5-6 bucks like the old days, but it's still cheap for the amount of food compared to any other korean shop. I always make it a point to stop by for some takeout when I'm in town. Don't come here for the ambience and service...come for the mountain of meats. Ok it's not true Korean fare, but it's no more or less than other ethnic restaurants in gourmet ghetto. Man I dream of Yokohama Station and its undercooked chicken rice dishes...Japanese food...not! Wonder if Steve wants to sell the joint? :-)

As a KBBQ enthusiast, I was super excited to try out this local Korean barbecue spot. I queued up an UberEats order at about 9 pm and it arrived super fast (in under 20 minutes). Unfortunately, my experience left me wanting more. My spicy pork plate ($20ish) lacked the bold flavors that I have come to expect from Korean dishes. The portion size was solid, just very dry and average tastewise. At that price point, I expected more. Might just be a fluke or off night.

The best thing since sliced bread. It's criminal how I only found out about this place in my junior year. The portion size for the prices are nothing short of amazing; this is probably the first place near campus where I actually wasn't still hungry after buying a meal. Service is great and very quick, faster than fast food restaurants. There is always an abundance of rice and protein which as a competing athlete, is worth its weight in gold. 10/10.

after all these years it still hits. my go to is the chicken plate. I've been coming here when I went to school 20 years ago and still tastes like I remembered. gotta add the red sauce for the flavor. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Berkeley. thanks for keeping the same quality

I don't believe UC Berkeley has a sumo wrestling team, but this would be the place they'd go to chow down because I've never seen such gluttonous portions of Korean BBQ in my life. Now if this spot was around back when I was an impoverished, calorifically insensitive undergrad way back when, I would've been excited and become a regular customer full stop. Despite my hardening arteries, what's still consistent about me is that I still like a good deal, and let's face it, Steve offers a good deal. I ordered the $19.55 Barbecue Chicken (photo: https://bit.ly/3soHEO8), while Jamie W. had the $20.75 Barbecue Pork Thick Cut (photo: https://bit.ly/3Hhjx8n). Both plates were beyond generous when it came to the meat marinated in whatever soy-based sauce they make in-house. They both rested on a huge bed of white rice which weighed down the plastic takeout tray considerably. The kimchi and bean sprout salad were almost incidental in quantity, but the offsetting crunch was most welcome in the meal. Moreover, given the quantity of food, I appreciated the student pricing. We had the food delivered, but I know their location on Durant all too well from my starving student days. King Pin Donuts, anyone? Ah, memories. FOOD - 4 stars...gut-busting meat that happens to be pretty tasty AMBIANCE - n/a...ours was a delivery but yeah, I know the place SERVICE - 4 stars...delivery has been quick from this place TOTAL - 4 stars...barbecue for the really starving student...and the rest of us RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

This is a great place for korean bbq. I have been here 30 years ago and the bbq taste is still the same. Portions are generous and food is tasty. They expanded their menu but I have yet to try any of the soups. My favs are the bbq chicken, spicy pork and kalbi

Been around for decades and is still just as good. Fantastic quick Korean bbq, best in the area

There was a live roach in our food. !!! I called and was told sorry and come tomorrow for refund. I reported on Doordash. This place needs a health inspection ASAP

As an adult, I've traversed far and wide for Korean places with BBQ short ribs. And I came back here to say, confidently, that Steve's BBQ - one of my staples back in college - gives the most short ribs of any restaurant I've seen in my life. Sometimes we use the phrase "a mountain of food," and it's mostly used as an exaggeration. At Steve's, it's no hyperbole. An order of short ribs (or really, any meat) will earn you a large pile of ribs, stacked one on top of the other until you almost can't even pop the lid closed on the takeout box. It's accompanied by an equally large amount of rice. Which, if you eat all of, you might too full to consume the mound of short ribs. I wouldn't have the appetite to finish it now. But at least back in college - after a full day of classes, meetings, appointments, club gatherings, and socializing - I could come to Steve's and know there was a mountain of short ribs awaiting me. A mountain that no restaurant I've been to since has come close to matching.

Quality versus quantity. That is the eternal question. If you are looking for quantity, Steve's BBQ is the place to go. You really can't go wrong for the amount of food you get for the price. It cost us about $20 per plate which seems pretty high for a quick service joint, but you really get two full meals for that price. So if you are a hungry Cal student this is a great deal for you. However, if you were looking for quality Korean BBQ food, there are so many places to go. FOOD: We ordered two different plates. The soft tofu stew and a barbecue beef plate. Both were just mediocre in flavor. You do get a huge quantity of food but it's kind of like the medium place where it's kind of bland. But if you're looking to bulk up on food this is a great place to go. The food is not bad at all it's just not good either. SERVICE: since we ordered through DoorDash, it's hard to rate the service. They packaged everything up well and all the food came to our door nice and warm. That being said, there wasn't anything extraordinary about the packaging to make it really stand out. On the barbecue plate, the meat covered all of the rice and all of the Bonchon so it was difficult to get unless you dug through the meat first. COST: they shine on cost. At least when you compare it to the amount of food. $20 for a plate is pretty high, but part of that is because of DoorDash fees and Berkeley surcharge. So really at about $15-$16 per plate, hard to go wrong. Still the lack of flavor means we won't be coming back.

Generous portions, reasonable prices and same fantastic cooks I remember from when I was a student over 25 years ago.

Tasty w/good portion sizes. Has Decent prices. Have delivery so can't speak to ambiance but comes neatly packaged.

Pretty good spot. They're quite the fast food kbbq you'd expect. I always order the specials, & I go here all the time on lunch with my team. The one thing I did notice was, if I order a to go order... I get more, but if I order to eat in, I get LESS... please vote for this review if you agree aha. I wish the quantity contents were consistent for each order. They push orders out like hot cakes, so they're very quick. I must say, it's a good place to eat at. Tons of beverage options, but I recommend ordering to go to get more for what you pay for.

Nice little hole in the wall tucked in the back corner. Was craving some short ribs and this place hit the spot. The marinate on the short ribs were hella good. Not salty or anything, the perfect balance. And to add there short ribs were meaty and nice and tender. Will definitely come eat here again.

Used to frequent this place when I was still on college. It appears to have changed owners, but the food is just as good. Service is quick and the portions are huge. I got the kalbi and the bbq pork dishes. Each comes with a healthy dose of rice, kimchi, and pickled sprouts. The kalbi is cooked as good as they come. I got to thick cut bbq, it's somewhat tougher than your normal pork bulgogi, but the flavoring is good.

With the busy life of a college student, fast meals that fill you up and can be prepared quick are hard to come by. Steve's BBQ does it's job by providing meals that contain some sort of meat, rice, and kimchi. My usual go to is the BBQ chicken. Overall, pretty much tastes how it looks. Solid charring on the chicken with a hint of marination. The kimchi and bean sprouts added a refreshing taste after each bite. Not the best, not the worst. Just average.

This review is 20 years overdue. I was a Golden Bear with a limited monthly stipend long before I was a Yelper. Steve's BBQ in Berkeley's Durant Food Court (aka Asian Ghetto) has been serving Korean plate lunches to students for 30 years! I was visiting Cal this weekend for lectures and a networking event, so of course I headed to Steve's for lunch. The food is as I remembered it, although the restaurant seems cleaner and the menu seems to have expanded somewhat. The matron looked like she hasn't aged much - I remember her calling out orders back in the day "Number One to Go! Order Number One!" I opted for the combo spicy pork and chicken lunch plate. Excellent sear and juiciness on the meats over white rice and two generous sides of bean sprouts and kimchi. A lot of food for just under $12! Steve's BBQ has definitely stood the test of time and I consider it one of quintessential Berkeley dining spots, along with Top Dog, Cafe Strada, Cheese and Stuff, and if you can make it through the lines, Cheeseboard.

Great food,terrific service.will continue to go back for great Korean bbq. Never had better bimmibop.

It's okay, nothing to write home about. $10 is good for Berkeley but still unreasonable, and I got the #2 Spicy Pork and Rice plate special. I liked the banchan it came with (bean sprouts and kimchi I believe). But overall I see no reason to ever come back here unless friends want to go.

With so many options in DFC do yourself a favor and come to Steves. For a little over $13 you can order the beef short ribs and have yourself two meals because portions are HUGE. I opt to get all rice for mine and the entire container has a bed of rice to soak up the marinade once they take it off the grill. Otherwise, you won't be disappointed with the sides of kimchi and bean sprouts. The shredded beef and spicy pork are also go to options and are flavorful. Get some of the spicy sauce on the side and you got yourself a hearty meal. They also have weekly specials so be sure to check out the board for the special or new items!

The barbecue is tasty we been going here for 20+ years. The mixture of sweet rice makes this a savory food with an awesome unique taste.

Amazing food. Best BBQ meats and you don't have to spend 20+ dollars. The workers are great too

3.5 stars, okay beef short ribs, satisfies cravings ~$20 w/ tax for beef short ribs over rice + 2 toppings (bean sprouts & spicy cabbage). Short ribs were decent- not of the highest quality (as expected). For the price, they give you *a lot* of meat BUT lots of the pieces have lots of fat on them. As a result, I have to eat w/ a pair of scissors to cut out the fat to minimize the taste the oiliness when I eat. Good amounts of the meat were lost in the progress. Regardless, there's still a decent amount of *decent* meat that will fill you up.

Wow! This place is still here...I used to come here when I was attending UCB!! Im not sure if its the same owner or changed hands. But the menu is essentially unchanged!!! They should have a sign up saying, "1 million hungry college students satisfied by Steve's BBQ!" I came with some friends after working out nearby and had a ferocious appetite. And though I've been trying reduce my weight, I embarked on the spicy chicken plate. The flavors of the kimchi and pickled bean sprouts are just as I remember them. Not blow your mind but yummy nonetheless! The fresh crunch and sour flavour just fills one's mouth with satisfaction. The grilled chicken was ok and mildly spicy. It takes a few bites and chews before you start to have the feeling but its there. The portion size is typical but i didnt finish the whole thing and saved some for lunch the next day. Of course I could have though. Just an overall tasty meal that goes down Fast and Furious especially when you're hungry!!!

After my bad experience here last time, I thought that I would never come back. However, the universe had other plans and decided that every restaurant that accepts credit cards had to be closed. Since I don't carry that much cash on me, I had to come to Steve's, and surprisingly, when there's no plastic in your food, it's actually pretty good. Is it authentic Korean food? Definitely no. But is it a lot of food for a cheap price? Hell yes. They give you so much meat and rice here that you could easily portion an entree into two meals. I got the BBQ pork and it was pretty good. The meat was tender and had a good amount of fattiness. It was seasoned nicely and had a little bit of spiciness and sweetness. Although I like the food, I'm not giving this place five stars because I still have flashbacks to the pieces of plastic/unknown substance in my food. But if you're a broke college student like me and want a lot of food for a cheap price, this is a good option.

No frills, great value, DANK GALBI. FOOD You really can't go wrong with their galbi plate. It comes with kimchi, bean sprouts banchan, and a fat stash of rice topped HIGH with galbi. I'll admit the galbi cuts aren't FANTASTIC, but the plate IS $15 and could feed both my bf and me. If that's not Berkeley value, idk what is. MOOD Super no frills, eat and go place. Don't expect too much from the ambiance! It's most definitely a quintessential college town fast local eatery. 'TUDE Again, no goddamn frills. Order. Eat. Go.

It's been a while for me but this place is solid student food. Pretty darn good food, lots of food, and great value. The Korean bbq is all good. All come with rice, their house made kimchi and a sweet pickled bean sprout. They also have a no carb option, basically meat on romaine. Plenty of food for two meals unless you're really hungry. Very little ambiance but hey it's about the food right?

Review #281 - 2019 I'm not too crazy about the idea of ordering take outs from a college campus food court, but I was craving grilled squid for some odd reason and this place happened to be the closest one that offered it. I called in around 9:15 PM to place our orders and was told that our food would be ready for pick up within 20 minutes. Perfect! We showed up around 9:45 PM on Friday, October 11th, because we made a quick detour to pick up a few drinks at Yifang on our way over. I got two orders of the BBQ kalbi because I was afraid that one order wouldn't be enough for me & the boys to share. This was actually our favorite of the four items we ordered. Portion was very generous so we had more than enough to share. I got the grilled squid for myself, but ended up giving it to my nephews since I was expecting it to be a dry dish. It tasted ok, just not what I had in mind. The boys enjoyed it though. My son got the spicy kalbi tang and he really enjoyed it. I took a few sips of the broth and thought it was pretty flavorful. The beef was nice and soft as well. I got the bibimbap as a filler since I didn't know what else to get and the boys ended up enjoying it. I didn't taste it since I was too full. Over all, the food was good and portions are very generous so it's perfect for college kids who are eating on a budget. We'll definitely be back.

Had high expectations because was told this was a "must-try". Pretty pricey but large portion sizes; had to split it. The short ribs were a bit bland and oily; don't expect the same taste/smell as KBBQ that you grill yourself

i love steves bbq but this last order food is great, but........ disappointed in my recent $85 order of 3 orders of kalbi. i asked for more sauce on the rice and got just got all rice and kalbi-NO KIM CHEE OR BEAN SPROUTS. why would you exclude one of the most important parts of korean food- the kim chee!? ??? i called to complain and no recourse obviously as it was an uber eats delivery. steves bbq i am very disappointed! dont ask for any additional comment or requests on orders online if you dont read it it correctly.

If you are ever craving kalbi, there is absolutely no better place to get it then right here at Steve's BBQ. Massive amount of meat, and so so cheap compared to any other korean restaurants you go to. Obviously the quality won't be AS great, but honestly, it will hit the spot. It was enough for at least two meals, I love the kimchi and bean sprouts that comes with it too. MEAT LOVERS PARADISE, go here and you won't regret your decision.

Accessible, quick, and filling - Steve's is an all time favorite because it gives a lot of food and is open fairly late. As a graduating college student, Steve's has been a place that I've consistently visited since my freshman year. [The Restaurant] Located in Asian Ghetto amongst other college favorites such as Gypsy's, Steve's is the place to go if you need something to satisfy your spice meter. The restaurant itself is a bit worn down and can sometimes get stuffy inside (especially in the summer). [The food// service] I love their spicy tofu soup. The price seems to have gone up since I last remember. It's currently close to 11.00 but they give you such a large portion. The tofu soup is rich in tofu, (your choice of meat- I usually get beef), mushrooms, onions, zucchini, and carrot. Served with a heaping portion of rice and kimchi/bean sprouts. Service is nothing special but they are very polite and kind people. [The Experience] I had my first date at Steve's where I first met my current boyfriend of 4 years now. He loves their spicy pork, even if it makes him sweat and sniffle. I remember in our date scrambling for napkins so he could blow his nose. I'm not sure I would recommend this place for a first date, if you can't handle spicy but on any other day, definitely check it out! They have a lunch special 11am-2pm everyday and the spicy pork is priced at 7.79!

This place knows its audience and caters to them perfectly. Lots of food for cheap. I ended up getting the bulgogi and yeah, the proportions were crazy for the price. Again, the location is full of young people on a budget and this serves their needs or anyone else that's on a budget. With that in mind, the meat was definitely on the dry side and the spices didn't quite seem what I'd expect from a Korean BBQ joint. If you're a bit strapped for cash (like a lot of us) and are super hungry, then this spot's for you.

Steve's BBQ is a simple and very casual restaurant mainly catered for students that serves deliciously grilled Korean BBQ dishes as well as other Korean cuisine. I used to come here a couple times here and there during my college years and I thought that it was just okay. Coming back here yesterday, my first reaction was in noticing the price jump since most of their options are above $10 in price whereas they were definitely below that threshold in the past. I decided to try their beef shortribs with rice, kimchi, and bean sprouts due to a recommendation from my friend who was there with me. At first, I thought it was a bit pricey at ~$14, but after eating it, I feel that it was very justified. The amount of beef shortribs I received could easily go for $20 or more at most other Korean restaurants. As such, I was quite satisfied with my meal given that I couldn't even finish it, and it was grilled well with a nice ratio of fat to meat. I also got to try some of their spicy beef stew which I was also impressed with. The meat was perfectly suited for the soup with eggs, mushrooms, and other items. It was extremely mild however without really any spiciness to it at all. All in all, I would recommend this place as a simple spot to grab lunch as a university student or what not. It's not the healthiest thing in the world but it is most definitely delicious and filling.

I honestly give zero frick facks of any previous reviews. This place? Worth it. Every single penny. Holy shiznack. It's so much more worth any Hawaiian bbq place (and price of any Korean place) you'll EVER find in the Bay Area. The meat is TOP TIER QUAAAALITY. It's meat to fat ratio? Amazing, perfect. The amount they give you? Cant compare to anywhere I've ever been from CA to NJ for pricing. If you don't like the kimchi and bean sprout sides, just don't ask for it. Just the rice and meat alone makes it worth it. The taste is perfect, the medium rare definitely never frozen meat is to die for. Do NOT think twice about ordering from Steve vs anyone else offering the same thing. I had high expectations because why not just order from the regular short rib place I'm accustomed to? If Steve goes out of business while I'm in the east bay I will be missing out on quality, taste and god knows what else. You want to pay $30 for a Korean (or Hawaiian bc it's similar flavor) when you should be ordering from Steve? Ha! You're an absolute idiot. Order from them. You won't regret it. I'll personally send you $10 if you think their food sucks. That's how good this was. (Ordered off doordash, I can't imagine how good it is when freshly made. I'm w*t thinking about it Omg.)

I came here recently for the first time in several years, and I was happy to see that Steve's is still open. I ate here a lot when my sister was a student at Cal in the 1990s. While some of the food stalls have changed over the years, Steve's has served starving college students (and their friends) for decades. I ordered a plate of BBQ Short Ribs to in eat, which only cost $12. After about 10 minutes (since all the food is cooked to order), a huge portion of ribs covered a plate, which was also full of white rice, kimchi and bean sprout salad. The ribs were tasty, the kimchi spicy, and the salad and rice provided a nice base. Bottle of house-made hot sauce are also available if you need to spice up your food. There was so much food on my plate that I could only eat half of it. The rest of it was taken home for lunch the next day (another reason for college students to love this place).

this place is incredible! one of my favorite Korean spots in the bay, I've been going here since middle school and it's been the same friendly folks behind the counter as long as I can remember. Support this awesome business for incredible food (I recommend the spicy pork- their kimchi is also amazing) and a welcoming atmosphere. Plenty of drinks, condiments, utensils, and seating both inside and outside. it's really close to cal campus too so I definitely suggest this to any new uc Berkeley students. i love this place and you probably will too!

Got the kalbi and was impressed by the hefty mountain of meat they served me. It was a HUGE serving that fed both me and my bf, and I bet it could last me 3 meals if I were eating it by myself. The thick beef short ribs were tender and fatty and full of sweet/savory flavor. They paired reallyy nicely with the generous portions of rice, kimchi, and bean sprouts. Overall, it was a satisfying meal with great value. I used to live across from asian ghetto and I can't believe that I never came here but I'll definitely be coming back in the future!!

Okay, I never went to Steve's BBQ until after I left UCB as I was a vegetarian during my college days. But since then I have come back to my carnivorous roots and boy have I been missing out! Well it's not the most tastiest BBQ I have ever had, but for the price and the quantity, it's a college student's dream. It does get busy and crowded during dinner and lunch times so plan accordingly. There is only street parking or you can park in one of the garages nearby. The last time we came here though the kim chee was a bit fermented to the point of bubbly? So I deduct them a star. Other than that. I could come back in a heartbeat especially if I'm craving some comfort food.