Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ — Restaurant in City of White Plains

What a great restaurant Gyu-Kaku is. I am so happy I got to experience my first "Japanese BBQ" here because this place is AWESOME.

Before anything, a big thank you to our waitress: Michelle, and the Manager: Dennis. They are the most professional yet friendly people you will encounter in this cold world. I am so happy she was the one serving us yesterday and that he took the time to come tu our table, greet us and offer his services if anything else was needed.

Since it was our first time trying Japanese bbq, they explained everything very detailedly. Every time there was a different plate coming to the table, they would inform what it was, how to cook and for how long. I really enjoyed this experience and how they treated us throughout.

We ordered the "Chef's Favorite Combo", unfortunately they didn't have any more Filet Mignon, which was included in the combo. But they came to our table to inform us in case we wanted to change our minds in regards of the combo and offered to swap it for our choice of meat. The manager himself recommended us the Princess Kalbi* filet and it really exceeded my expectations. It was so tender, juicy and mouthwatering, it was really a good deal. I really enjoyed our choice of combo and really wish we'll be back soon.

As per Covid Measures, this is the first restaurant I visit in the US that I witnessed REALLY REALLY taking the bull by the horns. They are enforcing social distancing, all the tables are separated by a plastic curtain, they ask you certain questions and take your temperature prior to let you in the restaurant, they also provide a ziplock bag to each person in the party to put their mask in it, they are really sanitizing between customers and this is the first restaurant I visit really ensuring your safety and doing everything in theirs hands to keep the restaurant safe.

The ambiance was great, the employees were awesome, so polite, professional and friendly, it was a perfect combination of little things that made our visit so pleasing.

I can't wait to be back and 1000% recommend...

I visit this restaurant frequently with friends, for work, and occasionally for date nights. While I genuinely enjoy the overall experience, my biggest issue is with the seating—particularly when reserving for a party of two, especially on weekends.

The double seating at the front is extremely tight, hot, and uncomfortable, leaving much to be desired. I often visit with a family member who has a disability, and we are unable to use the beautiful tatami seating as it requires standing up from the floor. This limits us to booth seating, but whenever I reserve for two guests, my request is often disregarded, and we are pushed into the cramped front seating.

Today, I had a reservation that I updated at 2:21pm from three guests to two. At 2:22 which was almost immediately, I received a call informing me that “they can’t guarantee a booth.” They didn’t offer an alternative, such as waiting longer for a booth. Instead, it felt like they were preparing to place us in the uncomfortable double seats at the front, as has happened before. I found this unacceptable and decided to cancel the reservation.

If I book in advance and specify a seating preference, I shouldn’t receive calls telling me my request cannot be honored. A more thoughtful response, such as “you may have to wait a bit longer for a booth,” would be far more appropriate. It’s especially disappointing to feel forced into disclosing sensitive details about a disability to justify the request, particularly in front of other guests at the entrance, as I’ve had to do in the past.

I ultimately chose to dine elsewhere, at a restaurant that could accommodate us. I strongly suggest being more considerate in how these situations are handled. As a reminder, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Not all disabilities are visible—my family member uses a prosthetic, which is not obvious unless disclosed.

I hope this feedback encourages the management to handle these matters more thoughtfully...

Rating: 1 star (added just for the mochi we got)

Our experience was disappointing from the start. The table we were seated at was sticky and had a used tissue and menu left on the seat, suggesting it hadn’t been cleaned after the last guest. We ordered two main dishes, but only one arrived, and we had to wait over five minutes for the second one. By the time both meals were on the table, mine was cold, as we didn’t want to eat separately. It’s basic service to bring both dishes out at the same time.

Both of our noodle dishes were poorly made. I ordered the shrimp garlic noodles, and they were incredibly dry with just a strong garlic taste—no balance in flavor. My friend ordered the chicken garlic noodles, and her’s was drenched in soy sauce, completely overpowering the dish and making it way salty. Despite ordering the same dish with different proteins, both were terrible in different ways.

After the noodles arrived, no one came back to check on us—not once. No hot sauce or condiments were provided or were by the table, and the servers were more focused on a birthday table than the rest of the customers. When someone finally came over, it was only to ask about dessert, but at that point, we were already done with our food. This lack of service was disappointing, and I didn’t feel guilty for leaving without tipping for the first time.

While I noticed other tables enjoying their hot pot and BBQ dishes, so I don’t know if it’s just the regular menu items that doesn’t taste good. The noodles tasted stale, and we left feeling bloated, which often happens when food isn’t fresh. The bowls we were served in also had black stains, which I hope were just wear and tear, but still, it’s not something you want to see in a restaurant.

Overall, this was a very disappointing experience, and I won’t...