Let me caveat, this place is still in soft opening so things may change. First lets talk about the bad from worst to meh. The rice is bad. They say Japanese rice, but it's dry and they cooked it long grain Chinese style. Please get a good Japanese or Korean rice cooker and stop wasting the "good Japanese rice." The soup is pretty bland but you can add in some Yakiniku salt or the Gyutan Miso to flavor it. Lastly this is just personal preference but I think the regular tongue overall was better than the thick cut. The thick cut has good parts that are soft and tender but parts of it are tough. So the thick cut has really high, highs but lots of mediocre parts of it too. Now the good. The service was really good but for a new place I think it's pretty standard to be good at the beginning so I hope it continues. The Gyutan Miso is amazing. If they sold it in a jar I'd buy some. The yam dip is really authentic and well made. The curry is salty but tasty. Think Coco Ichibanya levels. Gyutan is very meaty and good quality, but like I said above, the thick cut is a little chewy in places. For those pieces, use the hot plate if you're at the bar. Medium done-ness makes it much more palatable. Lastly the price. GET THE MEMBERSHIP. It's the only way this place is affordable. The discounts plus the unlimited sides make the price worth it. They do give you a decent amount of food overall but alot of it is the sides. Overall a B+ restaurant from Chubby Group. read more

Esther was our server, she's great. got the combo A and side of sliced short plate (kairubi). Except for the below, everything was great....id def come back. The Wagyu beef tongue soup is in a fish broth, so it wasn't my thing. The yam was also not flavorful and slimy. So I'd skip that next time. read more

The food was Disappointing for the price I paid. I didn't like the Taste of the meat, I gave half of it away to my friend. Soup is too salt, curry is thick and salty, didn't have the fresh taste. The side dishes are from chubby cattle. Service was slow too. I wouldn't come back again! read more

Solid 9 out of 10. Would definitely come back AND bring people here. We had a little wait but Caleb and the gang were really great in keeping us updated. read more

Probably worse experience at a chubby establishment. Service was lacking, only one guy was helpful. Seating was terrible, party of 3 and 1 person was seated away from the other 2 at the corner of the bar. Food was not bad which kinda made up for it but what was most messed up was the server messed up my check. I used my membership redemption for items and I realized after we already left that my server charged me for it when it should've been fully comped as I redeemed my points. 3/10 expierence, 6.5/10 food. read more

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Caleb is a very helpful guy who gave us lots of care and intro. The tongue tastes amazing, one of the best in town! read more

Don't let social media fool you! We came on a Sunday mid-afternoon and there was only a 10 minute wait. The restaurant is small and all bar seating. When you sit, the waiters encourage you to use the QR code to order and provide a brief description (not enough for it to be helpful in understanding what the different cut variations being offered were). However, the service was not bad - everyone was friendly. The food is where I was disappointed. The meat itself was tasty, but there is so little of it. It comes pre-cooked and stored in a warming oven, which you are then encouraged to re-heat on your own personal grill. The cuts were all quite inconsistent in sizing/portion, which was a tougher pill to swallow given the cost. The side salad had greens that were clearly rotting and quality just wasn't there. The curry was lukewarm at best, and tasted like a box mix you get from the grocery store. We also paid for the upgraded and got the ikura/roe rice with an egg yolk. The rice was weirdly clunky and the roe tasted like a combination of alcohol and chemicals. Definitely would not recommend. Don't waste your money here - there are many other Japanese BBQ spots that offer a better experience (including the brand's own Chubby Cattle). read more

Amazing. Simply amazing. I had the original Gyutan No Lemon in Japan and this was is such a great alternative in the US! Definitely way more pricy but hey, good quality doesn't come cheap. We got combo A (all thick gyutan) and D (thick gyutan and finger meat) and they were both delicious. This is actually my second time eating here and the first time I found the curry to be too spicy so I didn't finish it, but this time it was so much better and easier to eat. I love the sides it comes with too. It helps balance out to be a (somewhat) healthy meal. Our server Esther was super sweet and helpful, and really made our experience great. 10/10 read more

Chubby TAN - Gyutan No Lemon sign - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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perfect portion! comes with salad, soup, sauce etc. Good food good service. thank you Matthew for the great service! read more

Chubby TAN - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Great attentive service , high quality food. Came a bit after regular lunch hour so barely wait.

The food is good and service is quick 10/10 Parking lot can be busy so be aware of that. read more

I went during their soft opening and ordered the Combo C with the classic beef tongue and thick cut beef tongue. The thick cut beef tongue is excellent I should have ordered Combo A with only thick cut beef tongue. Service was slow but it was soft opening. Make sure to sit at the counter so you can get the grills to reheat and finish the meat to your preferred doneness. It's mostly counter seating so going with a party larger than 2 will be very challenging. read more

Chubby TAN - Combo C ultra thick gyutan + classic gyutan - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Meat was tender and good. Recommend bar seating. Caleb was very helpful explaining the menu. read more

We really enjoyed the service and food here. We recommend you to try the place at least once. Beyond Excellent service and food! Loved it. We will definitely be back here. Happy Father's Day to my hubby! read more

The food is very good. The meat was serve midium, the server help us do a quick sizzle. Will definitely come again.

I don't believe it's worth the wait or value. I waited 2 hours. I understand that this is a new establishment. Ordered the combo A and combo E. Food was okay and service was good. The tongue was tender. My biggest gripe would have to be the value. I cannot justify paying almost 50 dollars + tip for a simple bowl of rice, salad, soup, curry and 6 pieces of beef to tongue. This similar meal in Japan is around 20 USD. Maybe I've been disconnected from eating out but feels like a rip off. I'd rather eat next door at chubby cattle for ayce for the same quality food. Good experience but would not come back. read more

Chubby TAN - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

This was my first time visiting this restaurant. The atmosphere was elegant and the staff were polite and friendly throughout the meal. However, I felt that the portion sizes were too small for the price, which made the overall value disappointing. While the service attitude was good, there was very little proactive attention or follow-up during the dining experience. Because of the small portions and relatively high prices, I can only give this restaurant 3 out of 5 stars. read more

Chubby TAN - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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I've always been a big fan of Chubby Group's restaurants, I've tried Wagyu Factory, Chubby Cattle, and Chubby Skewer as well. Chubby's Tan thick cut gyutan did live up to the experience I saw on social media. Their combo was very juicy and tender and the meat melts in your mouth. I personally am not the biggest beef tongue fan but I really enjoyed how Chubby Tan prepared theirs. However what made the experience frustrating for my partner and I was the service. I know that they were in their soft opening so my partner and I had no issue with waiting a long time to be seated. We were seated around 7:00pm after arriving at around 5:15pm on Memorial Day. Our server explained the menu to us and we ended up ordering the ikura roe rice, a5 finger meats, and Combo E which included their thick cut gyutan and short rib. We received our ikura roe and a5 finger meats basically within 10 minutes of ordering and were just waiting on our Combo E. It took us around 45 minutes to receive our Combo E. Again, I understand with soft opening that service may be slower and wait times might be longer. But it was extremely frustrating to see other tables that were seated after us to receive their combos within 10-20 minutes of ordering. My partner and I were seated right at the bar and not one single time did a worker bother to check in on us even though it was pretty apparent we were waiting for a long time. When we waved down a worker to ask about our Combo, the worker went back to the kitchen to check the printed out receipts. When she came back, the worker kept asking about which QR code we scanned and even went to go scan the QR code herself to check if the order went through. I had to show the worker my phone to show that our Combo E did in fact go through since we ordered it at the same time as the ikura and Wagyu fingers. And after about 10 minutes our combo did come out and the worker that brought our food did briefly apologize. However, there was no explanation given to why our order was so late or if it was mixed up or anything like that. It was just simply given to us and the workers didn't care to explain what happened. Needless to say, the response we got was pretty upsetting to say the least. The workers did not really seem concerned about the situation, and it even felt like they were blaming us for the order not coming because they kept asking about the QR code, which one we scanned, etc. Again, that made it feel like we were the ones to blame when we ordered correctly. For the price point, I really wanted to like Chubby Tan but waiting basically 3 hours to receive our Combo was just not it. I hope that after soft opening this improves but it was a pretty disappointing experience for my partner and I. read more

Chubby TAN - Combo E - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Loved our experience at Chubby Tan! We got Combo A and E. The thick-cut beef tongue was incredibly tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked, and the A5 short rib was amazing too. The combos came with salad, beef tongue soup, Wagyu curry, and rice, which made the meal feel super worth it. The Wagyu curry was really solid, the soup was light with tender chunks of Wagyu, and the salad had a nice sweet and tangy dressing. I personally liked the beef tongue best with just lemon, salt, and pepper, but the Wagyu miso sauce-beef tongue pair was delicious too. Presentation of the food was beautiful, and the restaurant has a cozy Japanese street-style hole-in-the-wall vibe. Our server Matthew was super friendly and helpful. Definitely make a reservation since it's a really small restaurant. Also, their Chubby Plus membership is honestly a great deal if you plan on coming back. 58 per person for 1 year. You get unlimited sides here, discounts for up to 2 people, and it works at all Chubby restaurants. read more

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1 star because the customer service from the manager was honestly terrible and the promotional pictures are just a lie. Let me tell you the story from the start: I'll let everyone judge the pictures. One is the promotional photo, one is from another Yelp customer who came during the first week, one is what I received during first week, and one is what I received today (take a guess which is which answer in photo description). Does that really look like the same portion? I understand promo pictures can look better, and my first visit was a different combo, so I am not even using that as the main comparison. But compared to another customer's first-week photo, my recent portion still looks noticeably smaller. There was so much empty space on the board, yet they kept insisting it was the same amount. To be fair, they eventually gave me a small additional portion, but only after arguing about it. The worst part was the manager. The server told me the manager would come speak with me, so I waited around 20 minutes without eating. He never came. I was told he was "backed up," but he was literally standing in the open kitchen area the whole time and still chose not to acknowledge me or the situation. What made it even worse was how different his attitude was compared to opening week when the owner was there. Back then, the service was welcoming and attentive. This time, the manager acted dismissive and irritated the entire time. Completely different energy once the owner was gone. That is just poor customer service. If a customer has a concern, at least come over and speak to them instead of ignoring them. The food itself was decent, but the manager's attitude and the way this was handled ruined the whole experience. Really bad look for a new restaurant. Thank you to Kevin L. for the Yelp picture. Please let me know if you would like me to remove it. read more

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The food is great!! The gyutan thick cut is the way to go. The beef tongue soup is yummm. Amazing service from Matthew. Very friendly. Offered to cut our meat. Definitely will go back read more

Food is amazing, thank you Caleb and Chad for the outstanding service and the food quality is top notch. So far the best beef tongue in SGV! The beef tongue is 100% above certified angus beef, prime & up grade. read more

Chubby TAN - A set. - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Had Chubby Tan today during their soft opening and the meat flavors and quality blew me away. The ultra thick cut beef tongue was the star of the show. The setting is intimate and the guest experience is definitely worth a try. The A5 finger meat and classic beef tongue are also must try items with the miso paste. Definitely ask about joining their Chubby Plus annual membership as you get free refills on ALL sides with Plus Membership. read more

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First of all, they mixed up my order with another table's. My friend and I ordered together, but I ended up waiting for about 20 minutes, which was already pretty frustrating. When my friend's food arrived, a server came over and grilled and cut up the beef tongue for him. Later we realized it was still very undercooked -- if they hadn't cut it up, it would have been impossible to chew. Basically, everyone needs to cook it themselves, but some customers get service while others don't. By the time my order came, that service had mysteriously disappeared. My rice came with an egg on top, and because customers are expected to carry their own trays -- which is unreasonable in itself -- the egg was placed so unstably that it immediately slid off and splattered all over the table as soon as I picked it up. There was egg everywhere. The staff saw it happen and did absolutely nothing. Nobody asked if I wanted a replacement; I had to go ask for one myself. Meanwhile, I had to carry this heavy tray around, and my friend spent over a minute trying to wipe up the mess. He even asked if they could help clean it, but because the spill was so large, one of the employees basically said, "Just put your food on top and ignore it." At some point, the staff seemed to realize they had messed up, so they came over to my friend and apologized, offering him ice cream. I was thinking, seriously? I was the one who had been waiting forever, yet nobody even bothered to say a single word to me. In fact, from beginning to end, the server never spoke to me once and communicated exclusively with my friend, which was honestly bizarre. To top it all off, the food was completely overpriced for the quality and service provided. read more

Chubby TAN - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Food and service is great. I like this concept a lot and it's a surprise to taste Tokyo in the US read more

Great service and exceptional food. This is easily the best beef tongue I've had in the US. The thick-cut tongue is a must-order--the texture and flavor profile are absolutely top-notch. Highly recommend. read more

Matthew and the staff was very attentive and helpful! Highly recommend for anyone looking for good beef tongue

Esther is the best server ever!!! Beef tongue is so soft and oily. Love the yam sauce with rice or beef tongue. read more

Chubby TAN - Cooking area - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

My first visit to Chubby TAN Tokyo Gyutan Yaki exceeded expectations. The restaurant is clean and comfortable, with an open kitchen that allows guests to watch the chefs grill the beef tongue over charcoal, adding both craftsmanship and a sense of ceremony to the experience. The set meal was beautifully presented and generously portioned. The thick-cut gyutan was perfectly charred on the outside, while remaining tender, juicy, and flavorful inside. Paired with lemon, miso sauce, and the restaurant's recommended condiments, each bite was balanced and satisfying. The rice, miso soup, and fresh salad were also thoughtfully prepared and complemented the meal well. A couple of refinements could elevate the experience even further. More precise and consistent heat control during grilling would help ensure every serving meets the same high standard. In addition, securing a liquor license and expanding the beverage selection--such as sake or wine--would greatly enhance the overall dining experience. Overall, from the ambiance and service to the quality of the food, the restaurant shows great attention to detail. A highly recommended destination for anyone who enjoys Japanese grilled cuisine, especially gyutan. read more

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Our server Caleb is awesome! The food is good.The tongue is very tender. Will definitely come back.

Great service and delicious food. Overall very busy, but the staff were very attentive. Super worth it to get the combos as a member. Thank you to Esther for serving us and providing excellent service! read more

Caleb is a great server. Loved the food and salad, super tasty. The environment is just like Japan.

Great service, friendly staff. The staff was very accommodating to try to sit our party together. Celeb was super nice in explaining the menu and also checking on us to see if we needed anything else. Will definitely come again. read more

Food was excellent and easily one of the best in its class, very comparable to what I've had in Japan. The quality and flavor were outstanding. My only suggestions would be to add the green onion sauce that many restaurants in Japan serve with beef tongue and to offer a wider variety of beef tongue cuts. I'm sure the menu will continue to expand over time. Overall, a fantastic experience and I'll definitely be back. read more

Chubby TAN - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Esther was super friendly and made the whole experience really comfortable. She checked in at the right times without being pushy and explained the menu well. Thank you Esther for the great service would definitely come back! read more

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Caleb was our server and he and the other staff were helpful in explaining the menu and the mechanics of the dining experience. Mathew was also very attentive and even cut our meat read more

Amazing guy Tan, very good service from our server Esther. Ordered combo D and C. Overall great experience! read more

Chubby TAN - Bar area - Japanese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

I ordered the combo A, the Moto part of the beef tongue was really juicy and tender! I like the medium , and the salad was really fresh for me! Service was nice and helpful too, would be back read more

The service and ambience were good, but unfortunately the food was disappointing. The meat was tasteless, overly burnt on the outside, yet cold inside -- it felt more like it had been reheated than freshly prepared. Communication was also a bit challenging, as it was difficult to understand the staff in English at times. Overall, the experience felt overpriced for the quality of the food. Sadly, not a place I would return to. read more

Food was ok, beef tongue was bit too chewy, price too high compared the food. We sit on the table, only bar areas have warmer, so the meat getting cold quick, it definitely affects the taste. read more