YakiniQ BBQ Reviews

During a recent visit to San Francisco, we stayed at the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown which is right across Post Street from YakiniQ. We are adventurous eaters, so we had to try it. The restaurant opens at 5 pm on Saturdays and we got there around 5:20 and got the last booth open. Obviously it is very popular, particularly with young men, and when we left there were people waiting everywhere there was a spot to stand and all the way down the stairs to the street level. There were 4 of us, so we each got the $26.99 all-you-can-eat group of ingredients that you cook on a burner at your table. We all liked most of the chicken, pork, and beef items. I liked the Fire Baby Octopus. I love beef tongue, but it turned out to be quite tough cooked like this (I ate it anyway). I also like pork skin, but that turned out to be impossible to cook. The biggest surprise was the beef intestines, which were tender and quite tasty. Would we go again? Probably not, unless we are with some folks who just really want to try it.

There is a YakiniQ BBQ and a YakiniQ Cafe beside it. We only went to the cafe and had iced coffee, macarons and fruits on shaved ice (the latter 2 were good). It was overpriced though.

My family has a ritual to find a Korean restaurant at every vacation so we decided on YakiniQ in SF since we never tried all you can eat Korean and the rating from Yelps was fairly good. Firstly, they really need to change the carpet or get rid of them as darker soiled carpet does not leave a good first impression. However, the layout and the BBQ set up at the table was good and we did not have a problem with the ventilation that others complained about. For $20, we thought the food was decent and came out in right proportions. The condiments were not something you would write home about but people don't go there for that. The waitresses and waiters were very friendly and attentive. It was a nice touch to replace the cooking plates on a regular basis to avoid charcoal build up on the meat. Keeping in mind that we came during off-peak time at 5:00 so there were still some empty tables. I could see the place getting busier after 6:30. It was also a nice touch to have rice wraps as part of the price as we were at a Korean restaurant in NYC and they surcharge for rice wraps and when we were there, they ran out. We recommend anyone looking for Korean meat feet to try YakiniQ. Tip: you can make reservations but you will have to call at least a day in advance since they open at 5:00 and their phone runs out of memory so you cannot make a reservation on the same day.

+: The service was very fast and the side dishes were delicious -: The food was a big disappointment. It was brought to the table straight out of the freezer. It was tasteless and very tough We have been to many similar places and this one was the worst. I would give it a poor rating but the staff pushes it up to average.

A fun all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ place to go with friends or family. You get to select from a list of meats that you cook on the grill at your table. Some of our favs are brisket & short ribs. We've never tried pork neck until we had it here. It melts in your mouth. All of the dishes were equally tasty. Only negative was the limit on short ribs. We'll be back when we need a good dose of Korean BBQ.

Very cool café and dessert spot across the street from Japantown malls Loved their sweet potato latte. Great sweets that include madeleines and Mexican wedding cookies Think they have wi-fi Friendly service

I am a sucker for all you can eat places. This place does not disappoint. While it is expensive at 24 or 27 dollars depending on the food that you want; the portions are good and the food is delicious. Protip: Decide what time you want to eat, then 1.5 hours before your time, put your name in the yelp app waitlist. Generally, the waitlist is 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. That way you can sightsee and then Uber to the restaurant. Overall, a fantastic final meal in San Francisco

Loved the cafe part - very friendly staff and great atmosphere. Food was excellent - we tried the quiche.

Been going here for years. Remember when it was $19.99 per person. Food and service is still excellent. Host not so much. Was going to seat us twice near the bathroom and kitchen. Finally, after a few eyerolls from him, we got a decent table. Smoke was bad. Worst than I remember. They do tend to rush you out as soon as you say no more meat. Asked for separate checks. Got another eyeroll. Food is still so yummy, though.

This was a really good experience. Be prepared for entering a very local feel place with buffet ag very reasonable procing with good friendly service and some great meat. Love it !

We passed by lady night and the aroma from the street was amazing. We came up the staircase to a hip and happening place. The crowd is young and the energy was high. The wait was over and an hour and we were starving from a long day of moving. Several hours later we got a call from the owner, Tony. He apologized for the long wait. Now that is customer service. Who does that? That phone call and the smell made us know there was only one place in the city we were having dinner on our second night. We arrived around 10 PM. To my great surprise they were still busy and a line at the door. This time we waited. Great crowd once again. There were large groups, small groups and bday parties. As the guest get up to leave a crew comes out to clean the tables and everything is clean and tidy in what seemed to be about 60 seconds. We were seated and our Servers name was Moses What a great spirit and server. He took great care in guiding us through the evenings selection. He was so good that we ended up just letting him chose what came next. If you are new to the s type of food then ask for Moses. Rest assured you will be in the best of hands. The food was amazing. You cook all the meats on a grill in the middle of the table. The smell is intoxicating and your taste buds water while waiting for the first round to be ready. Make sure you bring a healthy Appetite. This is not a restaurant where you want to come and just pick a little. After our dinner was over, Tony came to the table and made sure our visit was good. Once again demonstrating great customer service and care for the guest. I look forward to attending this restaurant again in the near future.

Excellent Korean BBQ in Japan Town. The restaurant is better than it looks. Great friendly service, two "all you can eat" options, both with ample choices, meats are fresh, tasty and servings ample., They also have some vegetarian options. Pretty good selection of Korean drinks. If you want to have an affordable Korean feast, this is your place.

My friend and I arrived here on a weekend night and the line was out the door. We spoke to the the guy seating everyone and he took our cell # and recommended a nice bar down the street for a cold beer while waiting for a table. We chose the more expensive option on the menu and the goodness began to flow from the kitchen to our table. My friend and I are both chefs so we require very little attention other than keeping the grill covered with meat/seafood and the beer glasses full...we were in heaven!!! The hot egg side dish was awesome and all of the side salads and kimchi had nice flavors. Our waiter was super friendly and kept the table full and a fresh grill was never far away. We ended up here again the following night and had a great time again!!!

Not only did they refuse to seat me due to their "no single diners" policy, but, oddly, they had a large picnic table which had lots of openings and at which one would not take up a whole table, since it was group seating anyway. In fact, some of the open spots at the group table would have been impossible for a couple to fill. Oddly, it is the only restaurant in the world that ever overtly turned me down strictly for my demographic status. I got a good look inside, and it was looking like mostly young, successful couples. This place is just one more example of what's wrong with San Francisco.

First time I had ever been in a Korean-inspired cafe before! One of the few spots in J-Town to sit down for coffee and cake. Correction: Good coffee and cake. Walking in, you have a counter to your right and seating along the side and in the back. There is free WiFi and the atmosphere is like being in your living room if you have an open air space and like IKEA + vintage records + artwork. There is a large-ish conference table for groups as well as a sofa and other comfy seating. The sweet potato latte was recommended and although I don't recall the price, one small latte + one small Americano + one slice of coffee cake = about $10. So, a little on the higher side, but worth it. I'd never tried a sweet potato latte before -- it reminded me of a pumpkin latte, but I did get pieces of sweet potato in my drink! Hey may as well have some Vitamin A with your caffeine! They also have ice cream (I was tempted to get the black sesame but refrained myself), shave ice, and other dessert-y items. The cake was fresh, full of walnuts and topped with a crumb crust. You can't miss this place with it's wooden facade and cutesy handwriting. Am stopping by again!

I was shocked I never knew about the YakiniQ. My wife and I took a short trip to Japantown for a couple nights before she had our lovely baby boy. Our "baby-moon" if you will, lol! Anyways, she recommended we go he since our hotel was just two blocks away and a lot of her friends spoke highly of this restaurant. We walked up the stairs into an incredibly smokey dining room. I was shocked at how busy the place was. Every table stuffed with people. We approached the host and he placed our name on a long, long, long list and said it would be about 45 min. well, the forty five minutes came and passed and my wife and I were getting a bit impatient. Give her a break, she was literally 9 months pregnant! We asked the host how much longer it might be and he gave us that look. You know the one. He was thinking at least another 30 to an hour. He said he would call us on my phone if we wanted to head back to the hotel! So we did! I figured it was a longshot if he would actually call me back. The place was soooo busy! Amazingly enough, about an hour later, my cell rang and it was him! We ran over as fast as a hungry 9 month pregnant couple could! We sat and ordered a bunch of different meats. Short ribs, chicken, and a type of beef. They brought large plates of the different meats and we began grilling them up on the burners in front of us. They accompany the meats with some kim che and other Korean sides. I kinda just stuck to the meats as I am not a fan of kim che but I did try it and it was pretty good! I think some potatoes came with it too. The staff was helpful too, even tho it was insanely busy in there. To sum it up, YakiniQ is a great spot in the city that would be fun for a party, date, a small group of friends, or if you need your Korean BBQ fix! Give them some time to seat you tho!!!

We went to yakiniq cafe in december 2014 based on great reviews on internet, only to find offensive and rude attitude that is appalling. Sense of customer service which is usually exemplary in Japanese restaurants or cafes is totally missing. Food is ordinary. Avoid at all costs!

Finally I found an all you can Korean BBQ for a good price in SF and it opens late too!Winner!!! Came here late, at around 10:30 and we waited for about 20-25 min. The place was packed even so late at night. Lots of big groups there. The food was actually quite good, the beef brisket, marinated pork, spicy squid and beef intestine were great! The complimentary sides were good not a big variety , but the kimchi was great! We had 3 waiters come to our table, one was a little rude and trying to rush us but the other two were great, always smiling and helping us. Thank God the rude one only passed by once. The other two were very friendly. The price is the highlight of the evening $19.99 a person is a catch! The place definitely needs some serious ventilation renovation and some dusting behind the tv that's placed next to the staircase. The women's toilet needs a lot more attention though! It would have given it four stars even it was cleaner, because the food is good

This place was full of locals from Japan town and it really gave a cozy and authentic feeling. From the moment we arrived everyone was super friendly, especially the humble owner. Go here and you get great value for your money and a unique experience at this family driven restaurant.

Across Post St. From the Kabuki hotel. Casual. Mix of good quality Oriental and Occidental pastry, beverage and other fare. Casual, unpretentious, comfortable, pleasant ambience. Quiet, Well-lit. Good for sitting at the your laptop. Careful, pleasant service. I liked it

Fun Korean restaurant staffed by Koreans and filled with Korean customers the Thursday night we were there. Based on reviews, we made sure to arrive soon after they opened in order to secure a table -- good plan. Very much enjoyed the kimchi and other condiments/sides already on the table, loved the choice of meats to order from, had fun BBQing ourselves and appreciated the waiters who helped out. Would definitely go again.

YakiniQ is totally worth the wait for their all-you-can-eat Korean bbq. Flushing down everything with some Korean beer is highly recommended. Staff is patient and incredibly helpful. I'm definitely coming back!

Enjoyed the cafe but didn't find we wanted to hurry back. Unusual flavors and unique drinks, they're quite proud of their products and items and found the cafe to be way over priced.

Went with friends. This restaurant located in Japan Town not far from SF CBD is an excellent dining experience featuring Korean grilled cooking. Admittedly, 90%+ of those dining when we visited were Asians. Note that this is located on the 2nd floor although entrance is street level. I agree with previously posted dishes to order from the menu. Too many choices but those we tasted were delicious. Perfect for the young carnivores with seemingly endless appetites.

This a great little Korean restaurant. Good, well marinated meat portions, great salads and my wife said the egg dish was to die for. Definitely tuned for the younger customer it offers a simple menu, loud music. television and a cue out the door. If you like Korean and are not shy then I would highly recommend this restaurant.

During our week-long stay in San Francisco we started each day with coffee or tea from YakiniQ cafe. Friendly service, good coffee and pleasant atmosphere. Try their sweet potato latte! Good pastries, too.

Same name, same location, but focus has changed. Now a great place for a coffee or tea and a sweet. Nice selection of pastries, although mine was a bit tired. The ginger honey tea, though, was so great I went back for more the next day. Made with slices of ginger and flavored with honey. You couldn't ask for anything better on a foggy day or for a foggy throat.

First time we went to this restaurant and we loved the all you can eat BBQ. The food and service was exceptional. We will definitely go back.

Fantastic place and the service is spot on. They really looked after us and helped us with our bbq. Great beef and chicken dishes and such a good price. 30 min wait for a table on a Monday night kind of shows you how.popular it is. Great.

YakiniQ is a fun, fun Korean Barbecue in San Francisco's Japantown. It is extremely popular with locals and you will wait in line to get in. We showed up slightly after 5:00 p.m. on a Tuesday (it opens for dinner at 5:00 p.m.) and got right in. But when we left at 6:30 the line was out in the street. Warning - it is loud inside with folks laughing, talking & eating and surrounded by Korean pop dancing videos and loud music. If you haven't been to a Korean barbecue, you've got to try it. There is a central grill in the middle of the table and you order a number of finely sliced meats to barbecue by yourself. Or better yet, designate someone who wants the task. There is always someone who wants the task or you can share it around. You also get a number of plates of Korean delicacies and other than Kimchi I have no idea what the others are. But that's part of the fun. It's tasty, filling and spicy. The air is filled with the garlicy smoke of the grilling meats and it will saturate your clothes. I would stay away from crowded indoor places for a short while after eating. It is one of our favorite places to eat when in San Francisco with folks who want to try something different.

Well it was a very popular place with a lot of younger people in their mid to late 20’s. Wasn’t my favourite place that’s for sure. Would I go again? No but there was a large queue of people wanting to come in as I was leaving.

This place was great. I had never been to a Korean BBQ place and boy was I in for a treat. For $19.95 its all you can eat... You cook and grill all the meat right at your table. So come hungry

Price list, two options: $19.99 or $24.99. Eating time, two options, before 6PM or after 9PM (or up to 2 hours wait in between). Taste, one option only: great. I wish they offer more drink varieties. Get ready to eat in a very loud and exciting environment. Service is excellent.

Came here for their sweetpotato latte because I just had to see what it tastes like. Well it is delicious, sweetpotato pie in a cup! Loved it

The cook-at-your-table Korean BBQ here was excellent, very tasty. It was hard to get a table, the place is pretty small so come early if you can. The restaurant itself could use a good cleaning, especially the carpet.

We enjoyed this Korean restaurant you have a lot of choices to choose from we paid like $39 all you can eat! I loved the Pork kimchi stew must try it and steak! This place is located in the Japantown.

This place is very good but get there early. We went on a Friday evening around 630 and we able to get a table easily but by the time we left at 730 the line was out into the sidewalk. The choices of meats here is good but not huge. However the price is reasonable especially considering SF

We wanted to try something new and different that is exactly what we got, we were very pleased with the experience and the food!

We had been touring the US for a while and as I used to live in Asia, I love Korean BBQs. For the trip until this point, I have been overcharged for such a tiny amount of meat and limited in what I can order. This place was exactly like those I ate at when I lived in Hong Kong in the 1990s. There are 2 entrances, if you want the BBQ, take the stairs to the right. This place is busy but we did get seated immediately. You can chose from 2 menus, one has more expensive items on it, which seemed to be the only difference. You can choose 3 meats, then after that you can add one meat at a time, so you don't order food you don't eat. We had no issues with ordering, we weren't made to feel rushed and we weren't refused anything - all of which I have read in reviews. The day we were here our service was excellent, our grill was changed at least 3 times as we ordered food. The meat plates had a lot of meat on them and we found this to be great value for money and was our star-find of the trip. I'd definitely go back here