BUFFET YA (Buffet BBQ) — Restaurant in Barcelona

Went to this Yakiniku restaurant after seeing the rating as 4.9 - but unfortunately just to find out it was overrated.

Food

I ordered 4 different types of meet and the premium pork belly. Only the tenderloin (solomillo) was great, all others were not tender as we would expect in this kind of restaurant.

Both angus premium and tataki maturada were not marbled as would expect from a high quality cut - was not expecting a Wagyu, but just compare the marble vs the picture in their own menu. So of course meat would be tough.

Also the tataki had a huge chewy nerve on it that forced us to remove when eating, which is not great. See first picture, it was the same for the full cut.

The solomillo was really good and tender. Wish I only had it. If you have no option but to go to this restaurant, I would suggest to stick to it.

To finish I gave a try to their Wagyu ($0.39 / g) - just because I felt “maybe I am disappointed because I did not order their best meat”. Well, it’s not possible for a Wagyu to not be tender and tasteful, so it was. But it was just not perfect as I would expect from a $175/lb menu item, would expect a more regular marble to melt consistently (see last picture). But I am not the expert in a5 japanese - so maybe I was already a bit disappointed by this time, but anyway not the best I had.

In the end I can only imagine that 5 star rating can be if someone has their first experience at a yakiniku and no other references.

Note for context - been to countless yakiniku places in Japan and in the US, so had expectations.

Service

The service is polite and well intentioned but giving it 3 stars because:

1. the server turned off the grill when serving the Wagyu. I ended up losing 2 pieces of it that ended up slow cooked
2. when it was time for the check, they mistakenly included a sake in my bill that I did not have, inflating it by 22 euros. I hate this as it’s common for me not to check the details of every bill… in tourist places always do it! The server apologized when I asked what was it - and it was probably just a mistake, I just don’t understand why I never had a mistake downwards when checking the bills.

Atmosphere

Atmosphere is great. Cool place, modern, clean.

So unfortunate but...

Visiting Barcelona from Canada. After all the tapas we wanted a change of cuisine. Noticed this place while passing and when I searched it, it was just between Casa Mila and Casa Bitllo! It opens at 1pm on Sunday which was perfect for us to eat while many restaurants closes at that period.

All the reviews are great, and wow how true!

The vibe is very 80s Japanese night club with neon lights and thick clear stone glasses. And huge staircase in the main restaurant.

Food: We ordered waggyu beef, meat plate, veg plate, scallop and fish. EVERYTHING tastes SOOOO good, I did not expect the fish to be good, but it was SUPERB!! Cooked in front of you and just perfect! And using proper lard instead of oil! 🤙

Drinks: Promotion of buy one get one! Husband got sangria and I got a non-alcoholic sunset drink. Both tasted great!

Service: I used to be a waitress and train others . So I know when a waitress is good or not. Ours were very attentive, spoke fluent English, explains everything very well and checked in our table often and most importantly she gave me the proper Japanese hospitality attitude that are rarely seen outside of Japan.

We were given a free shot of sake at the end in which we get to choose the sake cups. I got the strawberry one and OMG, perfect to end the meal.

Make sure you check out the bathrooms 👌

Ps. They have a great lunch menu on the weekdays, check em out! Make a reservation so you get to sit inside the main restaurant area!

You can't put price on fresh and tasty food, outstanding service and great...

"5 stars isn't enough! I'm absolutely obsessed with this samgyup restaurant! 🥩🔥 The moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a treat. The atmosphere was cozy and intimate, with a warm and inviting decor that made me feel right at home. But the real star of the show was, of course, the food.

The meat was SO tender and flavorful, it literally melted in my mouth. I ordered the premium pork belly, and it was love at first bite! The quality of the meat was exceptional, and the portion sizes were generous to say the least. I was stuffed (in the best way possible) after just a few slices.

But what really sets this restaurant apart is the service. Our server was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. They made excellent recommendations and ensured that our glasses were always full. The staff were also super accommodating and made sure we had everything we needed.

The banchan (side dishes) were also delicious and plentiful. I loved the kimchi and the spicy radish kimchi was a nice touch. The ssamjang (dipping sauce) was perfectly balanced, not too sweet or too spicy.

Overall, I'm so impressed with this restaurant. The quality of the food, the service, and the atmosphere all came together to create an unforgettable dining experience. If you're a fan of samgyup, or just looking for a great meal, look no further! This place is a MUST-VISIT. I'll definitely be back for more, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves good food and great...