Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining

(310) 234-8641

10925 W Pico Blvd (Westwood Boulevard)
Los Angeles, CA 90064 34.039268 -118.430336

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Neighborhoods: West Los Angeles, West LA

GYU-KAKU.COM

Hours:

Mon-Thu 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm

Fri-Sat 12pm-5pm, 5pm-12am

Sun 12pm-5pm, 5pm-10am

Last updated 5.03.12

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express , Visa , Discover , Diners Club , MasterCard

Cuisine:

Japanese

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Traditional (tatami booths) meets modern (exposed overhead piping) in this narrow dining room that buzzes with excitement, perhaps from the anticipation of playing with an open grill. Gregarious servers hustle to a looping soundtrack of hip-hop and electronica. The crowd runs the gamut from hipsters sporting vintage Levi's to families enjoying quality time. – – The Food – With outposts on nearly every corner in Japan, Gyu-Kaku is the Starbucks of Japanese barbecue. And like the java joint, this Asian chain boasts the same efficiency and high quality. The…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
The menu is predominantly a la carte, although there are two complete dinners offered for couples.
ambiance
98.57000350952148% positive
  1. “The quality was great, grilling was fun and we really enjoyed the whole experience.”
  2. “All of the other choices are very good or better and the desserts are a great finish to a fun meal!”
  3. “Gyu-kaku is a fun, romantic place where you cook your food in their mini bbq pits with aluminum foil-wrapped meats and vegetables.”
  4. “Mochi ice cream is delicious and fun to cook as well.”
  5. “This is a great place to go with a group of friends - awesome atmosphere, the staff is friendly, the food is fun, and the beer is cold.”
  6. “my friends and i particularly love coming to the westside gyukaku because the atmosphere is really kick back and the wait staff are always super cool & friendly.”
  7. “The "scene" is fun here and kind of reminds you of a bustling authentic Asian eatery overseas.”
  8. “Still, the fast-paced environment is fun.”
  9. “The atmosphere is very cozy and is great for smaller groups of friends.”
  10. “fun, delicious bbq!”
  11. “This place is really fun -- I love cooking my own food at the table, even though I always feel like it should be cheaper because I am doing half the work.”
  12. “But it's a fun and interesting twist on the Korean food I'm used to.”
  13. “Great food and good fun”
  14. “ambiance is good.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “All of the other choices are very good or better and the desserts are a great finish to a fun meal!”
  2. “Mochi ice cream is delicious and fun to cook as well.”
drinks
80.0% positive
  1. “This is a great place to go with a group of friends - awesome atmosphere, the staff is friendly, the food is fun, and the beer is cold.”
food quality
83.24000358581543% positive
  1. “Even my friend who works for corporate Gyu-Kaku thinks that her company's food is horrible.”
  2. “But that misrepresentation is perfectly OK as long as the food tast good.”
  3. “The food is expensive consider the quantity they serve; Quality wise, not bad, but not that great either.”
  4. “If you like paying a lot for inauthentic Korean food with an overpriced tapas menu, then go here.”
  5. “This is a great place to go with a group of friends - awesome atmosphere, the staff is friendly, the food is fun, and the beer is cold.”
  6. “fun, delicious bbq!”
  7. “It's not authentic Korean food - it's not supposed to be.”
  8. “okay this is a big chain place for bbq.”
  9. “The food is excellent, very well prepared, and the do-it-yourself factor means you can cook the food however you like it.”
  10. “But it's a fun and interesting twist on the Korean food I'm used to.”
  11. “We chose a meal for two off the menu and there was so much food it filled up the boyfriend, who is a big guy with a huge appetite.”
  12. “The downsides: Some of the food can be on the pricey side depending on what you pick, but if you choose wisely, you can still get a good & filling meal for 20 bucks a person.”
  13. “Order the meal for two choices if yiu can't decide.”
  14. “However, the food was decent.”
  15. “sweet white potatoes) they're surprisingly good.”
  16. “All of the other choices are very good or better and the desserts are a great finish to a fun meal!”
  17. “japanese bbq at it's best.”
  18. “If you must go, the miso flavored beef was the best.”
  19. “The food is good.”
  20. “The service is generally good (I've had mixed experiences), and you can order periodically throughout your meal if you want to try new dishes.”
  21. “They have excellent, large salads, good soups, and a variety of quality beef, chicken, seafood and vegetable dishes.”
  22. “Gyu-kaku is a fun, romantic place where you cook your food in their mini bbq pits with aluminum foil-wrapped meats and vegetables.”
  23. “Mochi ice cream is delicious and fun to cook as well.”
  24. “All the meats I've tried are good and the tofu salad is really good as well.”
  25. “Their service was good and the meat quality was above average to excellent.”
  26. “My wife and I had one of the set menus, and everything, yes everything on it was delicious.”
  27. “Everything always tasted so fresh and is always promptly.”
  28. “The food was great.”
  29. “Serves terrible Korean food because it's a JAPANESE RESTAURANT.”
  30. “The Unagi Bibimba should not be missed, and the soups are delicious.”
  31. “To everyone's disappointment, the food was completely "Americanized" for mass consumption by the locals (who rated the food as excellent).”
  32. “Awesome food, awesome service”
  33. “This place is really fun -- I love cooking my own food at the table, even though I always feel like it should be cheaper because I am doing half the work.”
  34. “Don't order the kimchee dishes (it is ridiculous to pay for kimchee and they aren't that good here anyway).”
  35. “Great food and good fun”
  36. “don't know anything about authentic Japanese meat-cooking but I really loved the whole experience overall.”
  37. “The "scene" is fun here and kind of reminds you of a bustling authentic Asian eatery overseas.”
menu variety
90.0% positive
  1. “definitely order the fixed price menus.”
  2. “We chose a meal for two off the menu and there was so much food it filled up the boyfriend, who is a big guy with a huge appetite.”
  3. “They have excellent, large salads, good soups, and a variety of quality beef, chicken, seafood and vegetable dishes.”
  4. “If you like paying a lot for inauthentic Korean food with an overpriced tapas menu, then go here.”
  5. “The have changed the "rules" that apply to the unlimited menu since they first started offering it, but the guidelines are still reasonable.”
  6. “the different sauces offer variety and the service was impeccable.”
  7. “Order the meal for two choices if yiu can't decide.”
  8. “All of the other choices are very good or better and the desserts are a great finish to a fun meal!”
  9. “My wife and I had one of the set menus, and everything, yes everything on it was delicious.”
  10. “Gyu-Kaku is a cute restaurant offering a great variety of items to grill on your own table top grill.”
overall
93.33000183105469% positive
  1. “This do-it-yourself Japanese grill is above and beyond the favorite restaurant in my friend circles.”
  2. “great place to eat”
  3. “This is a great place to go with a group of friends - awesome atmosphere, the staff is friendly, the food is fun, and the beer is cold.”
service
90.0% positive
  1. “Their service was good and the meat quality was above average to excellent.”
  2. “Gyu-Kaku has a very friendly, polite and informative staff.”
  3. “Small groups (4-6 people) that can fit in the isolated booths seem to be the best fit here.”
  4. “And our waiter, Adam was great.”
  5. “the different sauces offer variety and the service was impeccable.”
  6. “Attentive service, fair portions for the price.”
  7. “The service is generally good (I've had mixed experiences), and you can order periodically throughout your meal if you want to try new dishes.”
  8. “refuse to go to Korean BBQ's anymore because of the lack of, or just plain rude service.”
  9. “This is a great place to go with a group of friends - awesome atmosphere, the staff is friendly, the food is fun, and the beer is cold.”
  10. “my friends and i particularly love coming to the westside gyukaku because the atmosphere is really kick back and the wait staff are always super cool & friendly.”
  11. “Awesome food, awesome service”
  12. “service is good too.”
value
62.5% positive
  1. “The prices really aren't as bad as has been suggested.”
  2. “The food is expensive consider the quantity they serve; Quality wise, not bad, but not that great either.”
  3. “The downsides: Some of the food can be on the pricey side depending on what you pick, but if you choose wisely, you can still get a good & filling meal for 20 bucks a person.”
  4. “If you like paying a lot for inauthentic Korean food with an overpriced tapas menu, then go here.”
  5. “definitely order the fixed price menus.”
  6. “Waaay overpriced for the quality, taste, and overall experience.”
  7. “Attentive service, fair portions for the price.”
  8. “We chose a meal for two off the menu and there was so much food it filled up the boyfriend, who is a big guy with a huge appetite.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “Reservations or an early dinner walk-in are recommended as the wait can be rather long in a very crowded front hallway-sized entry way or a usually chilly Pico Blvd.”
  2. “But that misrepresentation is perfectly OK as long as the food tast good.”
  3. “Speed, don't slow down when you see its branches.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/24/09

Great Happy Hour

by CcHhRiSs

We enjoyed the happy hour. Good food and generous price. I will recommend to my friends.

  • Pros: Food, Price
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/26/09

Terrific for a date

by eblittle

I'd been here once before for a party, so when I was looking for a place for a fancy date with my boyfriend, we went here. We chose a meal for two off the menu and there was so much food it filled up the boyfriend, who is a big guy with a huge appetite. This has become our default restaurant for dates and we go there any chance we get. It's a little pricey, but reasonable given the amount of food you get.

  • Pros: Food, service
  • Cons: noise
4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/07/09

Dinner with Friends? Go Out & Cook It Yourself!

by LA808Girl

The Topanga Canyon (Woodland Hills) location is one of the few that actually offers an unlimited menu in addition to the regular menu! I believe the manager told us that it's one of three locations in Southern California that offers the unlimited menu. The have changed the "rules" that apply to the unlimited menu since they first started offering it, but the guidelines are still reasonable.

We normally get the Our favorite things there are the Harami Miso beef and the Kurobota sausages.

Yes, it's not "real" Korean food...but I never said it was supposed to be authentic. For something that is fusion Korean-Japanese, it's not all bad.

  • Pros: Harami Miso beef, Kurobota (sp?) sausages
  • Cons: Making your own dinner, no more all-you-can-eat appy bar
2 Star Rating: Below Average

05/07/08

Worst Korean food served by a Japanese restaurant in LA.

by kitanohara

Encouraged by all the fanfares in the media about Gyu-Kaku, I decided to check one out in Los Angeles. We were a group of 8, and was seated right across from the Men's rest room, that was a bummer. But with enthusiasm, we ordered beef, salmon, shrimp, vegies, and so on. Many knows that almost all of the foods served in Gyu-Kaku are of Korean cuisine, and not Japanese. But that misrepresentation is perfectly OK as long as the food tast good. To everyone's disappointment, the food was completely "Americanized" for mass consumption by the locals (who rated the food as excellent). Every meat and seafood pieces were heavily marinated in soy sauce and way too much sugar, Even the Bibimba tasted the same- nothing like the real one with a zing of hot pepper sauce. If you truly loved the Korean BBQ, skip Gyu-Kaku and look for many excellent eateries around the city.

  • Pros: Good service
  • Cons: Char coal did not light properly for the first 30 minutes.
3 Star Rating: Average

05/06/08

had better.

by kanpachipachi

okay this is a big chain place for bbq. that doesn't mean it is the best. i've been to two locations. wla and san fernando. had to wait twice. ambiance is good. service is good too. pricing might be a little high. but i just can't get over the way they cut their meat! they are all so uneven! sometimes i get a chunk and sometimes i can't even pick them up with my chopsticks! i like the meat simple. they are too sauced up to figure out the quality of the meat.

  • Pros: fun place to go once in a while
  • Cons: pricing and the over crowded tables

The Details on Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining

Place Categories:

  • good service
  • friendly wait staff
  • great chain place
  • great different sauces offer variety
  • not authentic korean food
  • delicious everything
  • very cozy atmosphere
  • filling meal
  • fun mochi ice cream
  • delicious korean bbq
  • great dining experience
  • fun twist
  • delicious soups
  • really loved whole experience
  • favorite gyukaku
  • fun scene
  • good ambiance
  • love gyu
  • still reasonable guidelines
  • best japanese bbq
  • really good tofu salad
  • great waiter
  • definitely order fixed price menus
  • enjoyed happy hour
  • great food
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