Shinobu Japanese BBQ — Restaurant in Westminster

Meh experience. We did AYCE Gold on a Thursday night. Very expensive menu, especially considering the location.

Meat was good, but not sure if it was great enough to justify the price. Outside skirt was to die for. Beef belly and prime short rib were quite delicious as well. Obviously you don’t go to a bbq place for shrimp and duck, but both of those were strange enough to be on the menu and ended up tasting funny. Would not recommend the shrimp or duck at all.

Hated the atmosphere of this restaurant. I understand the dark lighting is an attempt at an aesthetic ambience, but it’s ridiculous when I can barely see the color of the meat on the grill. Not to mention, the fan was in the way, so it was a struggle to converse with people sitting on the other side of the table. Turn the lights on a Tiny bit, and you can still create a dark atmosphere while letting us see how cooked our meat is.

Service was excellent, but we came on an early Thursday evening with very few people (just two other parties) in the restaurant. Considering we ran up to the 90min limit (and still had a bit of a stomach left), the time limit would be a significant concern if the restaurant is more crowded and service was not as quick.

Another note on service: they have a lot of younger workers, and they are bustling with energy and positivity. We enjoyed when they took our meat orders; however, we certainly did not enjoy the older servers, who seemed grumpy to be there.

Something strange at the end of our meal... We were told after the 90min timer ended that we could order dessert and have all-you-can-eat ice-cream. But then one server cut us off at two scoops and said they could only serve two rounds for each person. Questionable that another server had told us AYCE ice-cream. Also the supposed “2-round limit” was nowhere to be found on their menu. Place was not crowded, so not sure why they were rushing us to exit their restaurant.

With all that said, we had a solid meal. Personally would not return, but it’s worth a shot for anyone...

Quality Meats Braise Pork Cheek Good sauces Bacon Fried Rice Special Pork Katsu Sorbet Trio (Blackberry, Red Raspberry, and Yuzu)

I was able to visit Shinobu Japanese BBQ for their soft opening. I've been to several Yakiniku restaurants and this restaurant interior has the other places beat. It's very modern and very clean.

The server was friendly and took the time to explain what each of the meats were and the recommended cook times. I was pleasantly surprised by the appetizers that are offered here. The Bacon Wrapped Asparagus was a great way to start off our meal. We also ordered the Furikake Corn, Bacon Fried Rice w/Braised Pork Cheek, and the Special Pork Katsu to share. For the raw meats we ordered 7 plates which included an assortment of A5 Miyazaki, American Wagyu, and Prime Beef. Included in that order was also Braised Pork Cheek and Kurobuta Sausage.

Most of the meats just needed a quick sear, some of the thicker cuts needed maybe 30-40 seconds. You can definitely taste the quality of the meats. Also the sauces they served perfectly enhanced the flavors of the meat without overpowering.

We ended our meal with the Sorbet Trio, which I would highly recommend. It was very refreshing and perfectly concluded our meal.

Overall our experience was very good at Shinobu Japanese BBQ and we will definitely come back when they officially open. It's great to see a new Yakiniku restaurant pop up in the OC that can stand toe to toe with the...

Summary: mediocre food, outstanding service, reasonable price, but will not come back

We visited this place on a Saturday evening around 5:30 PM without a reservation, and there was no wait. The host kindly directed us to scan the menu using the QR code on the table, which was quite convenient. Throughout our dining experience, we had several servers attending to our needs, providing prompt and exceptional service.

While I was initially expecting a Japanese BBQ experience, this place leaned more towards a Korean BBQ vibe, even in its food selection. The banchan dishes, in particular, had a distinct Korean style. The marinated meat arrived generously coated in a flavorful sauce, as opposed to the simpler salt and pepper, tare, or miso-style marinades commonly associated with Japanese cuisine. However, there were also Japanese-inspired dishes on the menu, like the sweet soy shrimp.

The standout dishes of our meal were undeniably the miso soup and the hanger steak. The miso soup was delightfully rich, with a generous amount of miso, and the hanger steak was expertly cut into bite-sized pieces, marinated to perfection, and ready for grilling. The meat turned out juicy and tender, making these two items my top recommendations from the menu.

This place doesn't stand out much from the other Korean and Japanese BBQ options in the area due to its food selection. Yet, their price is reasonable for what they...