yakiniQ SJ: The Ultimate Korean BBQ Experience in San Jose

i came here on a friday evening with a group of 5. we added ourselves to the yelp waitlist around 7:45 pm. we weren't aware that you're supposed to check in in-person once you're on the waitlist and thought our place on the yelp waitlist was indicative of our spot in line. when we finally checked in around the time that the yelp waitlist estimated that our table would be ready (around 9 pm), they were super accommodating and sat us within 5-10 minutes. the plaza is small, but parking was pretty easy. we were seated at a small table next to the wall. ordering is done through a QR code which was pretty convenient. it's all you can eat and you grill the meat yourselves. you could choose which sauces you wanted from the shelf on the wall. the meat was good for ayce. service was pretty nice; they let my friend charge her phone at the front desk. overall, a good experience but not sure if worth the wait.

- Meat quality was good especially for the price! - Servers were super quick with everything from orders of meat, grill changes, etc. - me and my gf really liked the vibe/look of the place! Super different from the other KBBQ spots in SJ!

This is our favorite Korean BBQ place in the South Bay Area. Getting in really seems to require lining up outside ahead of opening. We've walked away many, many times with reservations or waiting didn't work. The price is steep, but they have a good selection of meats and side dishes. The ambiance is basic, appropriate for charring and consuming too much food. I would prefer easier access to the place, but I guess that's the price of popularity.

SO good, nothing bad to say about the food besides my brother asking if there's any type of nuts in the red sauce they have and the worker said no but there was cuz he had an allergic reaction after eating it, so -1 star for that. CAREFUL if you have nut allergies! It's $32.99/pp, gotta order on your phone thru the QR code so service seemed simple. I wished the place had bigger tables for all the food w a party of 5 but they do a good job giving an extra side table for the food!

Came on a Saturday at 1:30 and there was already a line for the open at 2 so would definitely recommend coming early if you want to sit immediately. The quality of the meet is pretty good, my favorite was the steamed egg though! Minus one star because the music is so loud, I felt like I was screaming across the table lol

Came here with my cousin after a long day and while it was good, I don't think it was worth the wait. Probably waited an hour and a half, so we were starving (which probably attributed to how much we enjoyed the food). The ordering process was simple, all through your phone, and it gets delivered to your table. Problem is, I think ours was linked to the table next to us, because we never got our orders but we kept seeing it pop up at the next table. So eventually we had to order it through the waiter. But service was quick either way. The place is a bit loud but clean, and I'd go again if it weren't for the wait.

Finally got the chance to try this place by celebrating a close friend's achievement of getting into college!! We arrived around 4:50 pm before the bbq place opens at 5 pm. There was lots of parking around the time in their tight parking lot, so there was no struggle. There was already a line, which shows how popular this was right before opening for the day. We were sat immediately and placed our orders through the QR code. They have a good selection of side dishes, but we didn't pay much attention to those since we were focused on the meat. I've seen wider selections of meat at other places, but this place was satisfactory. The servers were prompt in changing our grills and had great control of the dining room floor with picking up empty plates and addressing customer requests. We sat there for around 1.5 hours consuming meat! Make sure to ask for ice cream after ;) Would visit this place again!

This spot has been my go kbbq in the Bay Area whenever me and my friends have sudden cravings for kbbq. A huge tip I would give is putting your names down on the waiting list online than rather waiting at the restaurant because it could go up to 2+ hours, even on a weekday! As always, parking is very limited so make sure to park on the side of the streets or other plazas to secure a spot! My go to is always the regular rather than their premium option because I think it's not too much more of variety. I came here on a Friday around 6:30 and even though they gave us a 20min grace period to check in, the host was very nice to let us have another 5 minutes so my friend could park! When you sit down and order, everything is by mobile now so you could choose anything and they would bring it to your table. There isn't much interactions with your servers unless you get a grill change or would want anything in particular. My personal favorite types of meats would be their finger short ribs, beef belly, and their spicy octopus! It has been my staple every time I come to eat here. I have always loved how generously their sides always come and a decent amount of meat selection. At the end, they give you complimentary ice cream but usually varies by the day. They usually have strawberry, vanilla, matcha and napoleon(my fav). Overall, compared to all the kbbq in the South Bay, yakiniq is my number 1 go to!