Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining

05/04/09

Great food and great value

by debbiew2005 at Citysearch

I eat here regularly- lovely staff and the food is so tasty! Some of the branches have all you can eat specials and it is very good value.

• Pros: tasty food, wait staff the friendliest you'll find
• Cons: long lines

10/14/07

If you can eat your fill compared to what you pay, this place is good.

by rjhamie at Citysearch

So far, the only place I know in the valley where it's all you can eat BBQ. The price at 28 dollars a person can stir up some reluctancy, but if you're a person who can eat, then it's worth it. The choice of meat is pretty good, and I recommend the cubed short ribs. Since the place has started to get a little more popular, you may expect some wait time, however, now would be a good chance to try it. Minus a star for the price, as I've been to other places that serves better and more quantities of meat at a much lower price. Also,you may want to skip the desserts. They charge way over than what it's worth! We had ordered smores (smores in a Japanese BBQ place?!) for $3 a pop. But what can you expect from a place that has locations in Beverly Hills and Pasadena? If you can eat, this is a place you should check out.

• Pros: Good quality of meat; so far, not a long wait.
• Cons: Price; desserts are overpriced for what they are ($3 for smores!)

07/18/07

Great Food, Great Staff. Great Drinks

by deevooneh at Citysearch

The staff was great and friendly. I ordered their Harami Miso, Kobe beef, Shrimp Garlic, veggies, and this fried rice the server recommended (I forgot the name of it). Everything was really great and went well with the bottle of sake we had. The staff was really friendly and showed us how to bbq al the juicy meats.

• Pros: No wait to be seated on a friday or saturday night, Great food, great server
• Cons: None from my visits

07/13/07

My Fav Place

by starplums at Citysearch

I abosolutely love this place! It's soooo healthy and super fun to dine at. If I'm on the go, I either get their salads or rolls and if I'm eating with my friends and family, I get the Kobe! This meat melts in your mouth :P

• Pros: food, service, parking, ambience...everything!
• Cons: none

07/12/07

A joy to eat at, fine selection, just a delight.

by bandito_grande at Citysearch

A wonderful dining experience overall. The food was brought out quickly and was quite tasty. Drinks were refilled very quickly, the staff was pleasant, and the atmosphere was quite fun. Entertainment was provided by the diners beside us who did not know how to work the bbq, which gave the entertaining sight of flames shooting a couple feet into the air. The staff quickly came by and made sure they knew what they were doing. I would gladly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a quality dining experience.

07/09/07

Great food and great service. What more can you ask for?

by jman107 at Citysearch

If you're looking for an everyday sushi joint then don't go here. But if you want to experience some great dining whether it be with friends/family or on a date then I highly recommend this restaurant. Your experience will be 100% satisfying and fun because you get to grill your own food right on your table. They have a great selection of meat and seafood. The meat couldn't be juicier and the shrimp couldn't be more flavorful! The staff is very helpful w/grilling tips and they couldn't be friendlier! Don't forget to order some sake w/your food.. the experience is much more enjoyable!

• Pros: Ambience is perfect with some intimate lighting. Staff is friendly and food is excellent!
• Cons: May be a bit pricey, but it's all worth it!

07/09/07

best service and great bbq!

by fatboytoy at Citysearch

friends and family need a new place to hang out and dine well at the same time. you get to hang out with your buddies or or on a date or simply spend quality time with your family. drinks are awesome but the food is fabulous! my favorite restaurant by far! the staff at topanga rocks!

06/22/07

Best barbeque in town, Delicious and thick dishes, Friendly servers, Takes a while to cook

by v0 at Citysearch

Go for the barbeque above all. This is not the typical sort of barbeque you would expect if you've never had Japanese BBQ. Dishes are well-prepared with a variety of spices and their meats are cut thicker than most sit-down BBQ restaurants. With that said, it does take a while to cook your food because thicker meats take longer to cook. But patience is well-rewarded because the food is absolutely amazing. The accompanying hot and spicy tare sauce complements the meat extremely well; it even goes well with rice! Anything on the manager's top 10 is recommended, especially the Kobe beef although a bit pricey but definitely worth the extra clams. The servers are very friendly and you don't have to be Japanese to receive good service. Gyu-Kaku can't be compared to other barbeques of lesser quality. Sure, they might be cheaper, take less time to cook, and adequately satisfying, but that's like comparing fast food to gourmet cuisine. Go for Gyu-Kaku.

• Pros: Ambience, Friendly service, Excellent food
• Cons: A tad bit pricey

Do-it-yourself Japanese barbecue gets a hip makeover at this jaunty Japanese import.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
With outposts on nearly every corner in Japan, this DIY-dining fave is like the Starbucks of Japanese barbecue. Patrons transfer the uncooked bites of meat to their own charcoal-powered grill, flip and repeat. Selections include short ribs, shrimp and half a dozen other meats doused in ta're, the soy sauce-based sweet marinade; shio, a salty sesame secret sauce; or miso. Traditional (tatami booths) meets modern (exposed overhead piping) in the decor scheme, and gregarious servers hustle to a looping soundtrack of hip-hop and electronica.