Seorai Korean Bbq — Restaurant in Santa Clara

Summary: Beautiful presentation, bad execution. Combo meal has a lot of food but may not be worth it, maybe go for the a la carte. Lots of banchan. I would choose to cook for yourself.

Notes: Really good quality meats. Beautiful presentation with the meats on a serving board. Everything was bronze colored, from the utensils to the banchan dishes to the rice bowls. Wonderful experience of getting choices on which cuts we preferred to cook next and setting up different types of grills to accentuate the quality of the meat. Wide variety of banchan. The beef short rib meat and the pork jowl was delicious, super tender and well marbled. Brisket really good as well. Must get those.

We got Combo D which comes with: Pork galbi: marinated pork on the bone, cut off the bone before grilling and both served after grilling Beef long galbi: butterflied beef short rib on the bone, cut off the bone before grilling and both served after grilling Beef brisket: thick, fatty brisket, cut into bite-size chunks before grilling Pork jowl: pork neck muscle, super fatty cut with lots of collagen S.B stew: soybean stew (doenjjang jjigae) with vegetables Kimchi pancake: kimchi pancake with scallions and onions.

2 things I would change:

Cook the bones longer/just don't serve it. We had issues with the pork galbi not being cooked through even though our server said it was done. Most of the meat was good, just had to throw the pork bone and some nearby pieces of meat back onto the grill for a long, long time (got lots of concerned looks from the servers but trust me, it was still raw at the end) The beef short rib meat was great, absolutely delicious, but the meat on the bone was too tough to eat. No amount of chewing could have gotten it off the bone. It was a decision to put presentation ahead of edibility. Keep the bones, they're pretty but we can't eat them.

The grill placement for larger parties. I understand that we have the option to have the server grill or do it ourselves, but the grill placement almost forces you to have the server cook for you. Unless you have really long arms, you're going to have to bother the person next to you to get you food if you're on the end...

A Pleasant Korean Dining Experience at Seorai Korean BBQ

Nestled along El Camino Real in Santa Clara, Seorai Korean BBQ offers a delightful culinary journey through Korean cuisine. While my experience was marked by exceptional service and a welcoming atmosphere, the food itself received a moderate rating.

Upon entering Seorai Korean BBQ, I was greeted warmly by the staff, who promptly seated me and provided attentive service throughout my meal. The ambiance of the restaurant was inviting, with a cozy yet modern interior that set the stage for an enjoyable dining experience.

Turning to the food, I sampled the brisket BBQ, which arrived on a sizzling hot plate ready for grilling. Accompanied by an array of traditional Korean side dishes, the meal was a feast for the senses. The brisket was tender and flavorful, and the interactive experience of grilling it at the table added to the enjoyment.

However, while the service and atmosphere were top-notch, I found the overall quality of the food to be satisfactory but not outstanding. While the flavors were decent, they did not leave a lasting impression compared to other Korean BBQ establishments I have visited. Additionally, considering the competitive dining scene in the area, Seorai Korean BBQ faces stiff competition from numerous nearby Korean BBQ restaurants.

In summary, Seorai Korean BBQ offers a pleasant dining experience with commendable service and a welcoming atmosphere. While the food is satisfactory, it may not stand out among the plethora of Korean BBQ options in the vicinity. Nonetheless, the restaurant remains a solid choice for those seeking authentic Korean cuisine at a reasonable price.

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Food: ⭐⭐⭐...

Overpriced and terrible service. We ordered a beef brisket and a pork belly, which were around $40 each. There was nothing really special about them so we were expecting good service.

The waiter began to grill the beef for us and he also placed the tongs on the far side of the table, so we assumed that he would be handling it. However, after placing the beef on the griller he just went away. At some point we had to take over otherwise the it would have been overcooked.

While we were eating the beef, the waiter came and placed the pork on the griller without even asking us if we wanted it yet. This time the same thing happened, he came a couple times and then just disappeared. We were busy chatting and by the time we realized, the meat was already severely overcooked (he hasn’t even flipped it yet). However, he acted like nothing was wrong and “finished” the grilling for us. I have eaten at many other Korean barbecues and this is the worst pork belly I’ve ever had, not to mention how unhealthy it is to eat such overcooked food.

I mean, we’re completely ok with cooking the food ourselves, but at least be consistent and tell us what we should do, and not just expect us to finish the process. We also ordered a tofu soup and asked for it to be “less spicy”, but then it became not spicy at all. The waiter never checked with us how everything is going.

To be fair, the tofu soup was still quite delicious and the environment was new and clean.

For this price you would be able to enjoy an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ somewhere else. I seldom write reviews as my tolerance for bad food and service is quite high, but I just can’t withstand such a waste of my...