Me and my 2 daughters (1 is only 12yrs) stop by here for some good eats, unfortunately I was disappointed in so many things at this restaurant. #1 the prices did not match the quality of food. Sides were mediocre, bagolgi & galbi not marinaded, i was charged $5 for a Shirley temple, and unbeknownst to us there was no refill so 2 cups of syrup soda for $10! Had this been the best flavored korean bbq I've ever had id prolly have less to say, but after paying $198 the included a gratuity of $25 i left pissed. Why do we add a gratuity to a party of 3?! Service was fine, food not so much. read more

I hope the owners see this review and take it to heart in the spirit it's meant to convey... I moved to the Bay Area 10 years ago, and Gogi Tome was my first hotpot / Korean bbq experience. I loved it! About 2 years later they stopped doing the hotpot side and while I was disappointed - the Korean BBQ menu was still pretty good with lots of options for meat and veggies. Fast forward to April 2025.... We arrived in the parking lot and the whole building is tagged with graffiti (doesn't look safe from the outside) but we persist- go in and are seated immediately (the staff was great - no problem there)... The problem is the menu has a super (and I mean SUPER) limited number of things you could order (like 4 beef, 4 chicken, and 1 "head on" shrimp option) - thanks for calling out that my food would be staring at me.... And lettuce was basically the vegetable option.... So - in the end, we left a $5 tip for the servers, left and drive to Oghane in Alameda... read more

Came here late one evening. Cos you know if you get hungry late at night, you can always get good eats in K-town! The place was packed even at 9pm. We didn't want a full AYCE so we opted for a few entrees a la carte. Got the kimchi fried rice which came with a poached egg on top, and the seafood soft tofu stew. The stew came with a choice of white or purple rice so of course we got the purple rice. And it all started with the customary banchan appetizers. Banchan wasn't the best and was served in a tray but it was adequate. Both the fried rice and soft tofu stew were awesome, large servings and packed with ingredients. So we got a fried pancake to go and it was also great the next day. Gonna have to come back and try the AYCE cos it looked pretty good! And final cherry topping -- it has its own private parking lot which helps late at night in these parts. read more

See all

5 stars all the way!! It's been 3.5 years since my wife has been pushing us to come here. She's always mentioned this place but we didn't seem to ever find the time. Last night was that very moment. We came during dinner opening at 5pm and we had an incredible time. First off their service is impeccable; they are helpful and very fast on their feet. They continue to make sure everyone is having a good time and checking for more orders and refills. I love how each table already has 2 bottles of the brisket sauce and sesame oil. They also have salt in the table already to give the meat some flavor. The Bonchon is perfect! It's served in this large tray with big portions; my favorite is the pickled jalapeño. The fact that they already have a pitcher of iced water in the table is a plus! We don't have to call for refills frequently. I don't understand why most Korean bbq places do this exact setup?? It's more efficient, clean, and less time consuming. The meats are fresh and top quality. We loved the LA Kalbi and it's fatty texture and sweet marinade. I'm a huge fan of their pork cheeks, brisket, hot links, and garlic pork belly. Our favorite sides are the cheesy corn and steamed egg. You can choose up to 4 meats and 4 appetizers at a time which is awesome. The rice bowls are a must when eating everything! The food is high quality and all seasoned/marinaded to perfection. I can't stop raving about this place! I've missed out for a while but I'm finally here and here to stay. Forget about Gen BBQ and it's poor service and quality. It's all about Gogi Time. The service and food is an A+. There are no complaints whatsoever. We'll be back again! read more

Gogi Time - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Ordered pick up from here for the first time and was very disappointed. I got the Bibimbap which had absolutely zero flavor and came with no sauces. I couldn't eat more than a few bites. The Banchan was not very good either (soggy). We also got the beef short rib which was more tasty which is why I gave 2 stars. read more

Delicious. Great service. Table was a little small for everything but oh well! Lol. Really good drinks, good music, parking in a fenced lot with a guy at the door keeping watch which I appreciated as the area is a little iffy. Bartender even gave us a free round! read more

See all

This has been on my drafts forever so I don't have the gist of every single dish. But I can say this was one of the better kbbq places I've been to in the the entire bay for ayce. All the meats were on point along with the bonchan. Service was great despite us sitting outside but the vibes were much better imo than inside. Some of their sides like lobster balls, japchae and corn cheese were just what we needed to get back on our feet. Can't go wrong with this place. If You're craving kbbq in Oakland, this is the spot to go. read more

See all

The servers were very attentive and the food was all very good. The music set a nice atmosphere.

Not amazing but not bad. I've had better but I've had worse as well. It's alright. No specific complaints from me. Service is good. Place is clean. read more

Come on brother!!!!! My last review I gave 4 stars even though I had some mediocre dishes but it was a good time! I should've known it was gonna go downhill when my server didn't card me when I got 2 bottles of soju. As a bartender wow you are bold sis Anyway we get these grills laid down and I'm staring like am I seeing some type of voodoo what is goin on??? But I was browsing through new reviews and seen someone with the same problem. I got my grill changed twice and it was still bubbling. Omg I am here starving trying to give the benefit of the doubt so for this to happen twice girl I wasn't bout to try again Thank god my bf is nice and waived down a waiter to tell them that we're going to just pay for our drinks because I woulda complained til the sun came up (or until they closed) The main reason I wanted to eat here was because of the beef belly. They have amazing quality meats but today when I came I was like ooohh they cutting corners lol plastic spoons don't bother me unless I get terrible service After downing my soju I'm on the way to Ohgane in alameda I suggest y'all take your coins there til they solve the bubble problem cuz I never seen no grill do that Ever read more

See all

One of the OG AYCE Kbbq spots. I've been coming here for years! Recommend doing lunch or reserve ahead of time-- the dinner rush gets really crazy. Staff are always friendly and attentive. Each table has its own grill with a pair of tongs and scissors. IMO, their AYCE menu is better than their a la carte one, it's a more reasonable deal. You can order whatever amount of appetizers, stews, veggies, and sides, but meats can only be 3 at a time; presumably to avoid food waste by overambitious customers lol. Their meats are great quality & delectably fatty. Marinades aren't bad, either. Some of my favorites: - GARLIC PORK BELLY - GARLIC SESAME PORK BELLY - GALBI - BEEF BELLY - BANCHAN - CORN CHEESE - SOFT TOFU STEW NOTE: They don't have a sauce station... Tables just have brisket sauce and sesame oil. You can ask for the sauces on their menu and mix to your heart's delight, but it's not the same and not nearly as diverse as other places. read more

Korean food AYCE BBQ with ok flavors, but lacking any hinderance of Korean culture. Dirty, from the tables to the bathrooms to the ceilings, this place has not seen a deep cleaning in years. the ventilation is definitely subpar, and isn't moving near enough air to be in any way healthy. and the place is packed. 4tops, 8tops, 10tops.. its actually mystifying. our server just disappeared during our end of meal and we waited 15min but No-one ever brought the check. You guys really need to take the whole crew and derp clean together once a month at the minimum. there is multiple years of soot and dust on the ceilings. the food was ok. bulgogi ok not great. chicken same, shortrib same. the potato banchan was old and withered but the rest of the banchans were ok. but no where near great. and the cleanliness factor really throws me off. sorry guys. clean it up... read more

I have had good experiences at Gogi Time most of the time. I prefer not to sit in the restaurant and leave smelling like smoke, so my partner and I usually order takeout. The restaurant used to be a favorite, but I think the meat quality for the spicy pork has declined and that is the meal we order most so we don't go as frequently now. The one time I ate in the restaurant, service was attentive, but the table was still dirty when they seated us. The food was quite good though we did not cook anything ourselves. What the chef made was delicious. read more

Went climbing at Pacific Pipe and our group felt like eating kbbq so I called ahead to ask at 9 pm if they were able to accommodate our party of 10 and they were able to and they did with superb customer service! Our server was prompt, caring and attentive. The managers Dave and Mike went above and beyond with making sure we were taken care of and that we had all the time we needed to enjoy our meal which was much appreciated from our group as I understand coming with such a big party near closing can be a big deal. Spent a good deal drinking and eating and they were surprised we were leaving earlier than they expected even though it was already past closing time haha. Great customer service and quality of meat and overall amazing time! Reggae music in the background was a banger fyi Beef Belly is the go to here and best to eat with the cheese dip! read more

Gogi Time - Beef Belly, Cheese Dip - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Tanya was the best server ever!!! She was so sweet amd kind! Loved her service she made the night so much better!!! Will def have to come back and visit her read more

The 20% per person fee they add to every bill might be printed on the menu, but that doesn't make it reasonable. For a casual meal, it's just not realistic, especially when the service doesn't match the cost. Our server only came by twice the whole time we were there, and the place wasn't even busy. If you're going to charge people that much automatically, the experience should at least feel worth it. Sadly, it didn't. Won't be coming back read more

It was pretty quiet when we came in on a weekday night, and we were starving so we decided to give it a try. The owners were super friendly and even gave us drinks on the house at the end of the night! Honestly, the meats themselves were sub-par, especially at the relatively expensive price point given. The brisket was dry and chewy, the only thing I'd somewhat recommend is the kalbi/short-ribs. I also had the steamed egg, japchae, and soondubu - I would not recommend any of these. My boyfriend also had the fries - would not recommend them either. Despite everything, the owners were very friendly so I don't send any ill-will to them whatsoever! read more

Gogi Time - cocktail! - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

The food was not that good at all. Nothing tasted fresh. The service was horrible here. Big mistake going here. Never again. I wanted to leave after the first 5 min. We were a party of 4. If it was me and GF only, I would have walked out. That's how bad it was. I was so happy to get out of there. read more

Came in for Thanksgiving around 3 PM and this place was pretty quiet. Had a reservation but did not need it. Small salad and banchan come automatically. We had a variety of meats to start with, as well as the baby octopus. The meats were good and the baby octopus was big enough to need to be cut up. Calamari pieces were really good. The shocker was how good enoki mushrooms on the grill tasted. Mussels were grilled meat side up with some of the available sauces and came out great. Beef belly was a highlight. We ordered some corn cheese and jap chae as well. Steamed egg, seafood pancake, and Korean stew were really good. Lots of timely grill changes. Overall, a solid holiday dinner! read more

gr8 portions and amazing service. literally every single worker checked on us anytime they walked by. One of the only kbbq places where theyet us take what we couldn't finish togo. didn't even notice i was buzzed cause i was so full 10/10 read more

Service is currently horrible. We waited 30 mins past our reservation to even be spoken to. Which was 8pm. We weren't spoken to at all when we were seated until we had to ask to get served. By the time a server came back I'm assuming from her break, she didn't apologize for the wait. We ordered, still lacked the essentials. We had to ask for everything. After we ordered we weren't spoken to. No one checked on us until we brought it upon them that we haven't been properly served. They asked other people & served other people & never asked us once what we needed. The server was a young lady she was rude. One server wanted to make it right I wish we had her from the beginning. I would've enjoyed the experience. Im also not going to rate my experience because it was horrible. read more

Have gone twice now with friends and family. Exceptional customer service. No idea the young white man's name, but he was great. As a picky eater, I was really surprised that I enjoyed everything I tasted. For what it is, the set up was really cute, with the tv directly in view for my husband to watch whatever sports game was playing. Loved it and will be back absolutely read more

Gogi Time - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Really mid location, I think I have a high standard for kbbq, having been used to the fare of Ktown LA, so maybe its a bit unfair, but the price really doesn't justify the taste of the Banchan, the meat quality, nor the weird portion servings I got. Also they don't have tongue. But they have rice paper wraps so I suppose that's decent There was a thin sheen of oil on a lot of the surfaces so I was hoping they'd do a better job cleaning read more

6/28/23 As we walked in....... as we stepped over the threshold, threads of smoke snaked into our nostrils, and through the darkness a dingie dungie den appeared through wisps and larger clouds of smoke. And then visions of 80's Vegas casinos wafted about my eyes, the addicted sitting in front of bj tables and slot machines smoking cigarette after cigarette, begging tobacco tycoons to take their money........ My 4month old baby girl almost died from suffocation. ...................... but she survived! And you can too. The galbi is thicker than most AYCE places' with actually a very good balance of marinade to toughness, the potstickers are EPICALLY fried... GAME CHANGER ALERT!!!-........... they got... CHEEEEEEEEEEESSSSE!!!!!!! Like as in, as a side. You ask and they plop an aluminum cub on your BBQ with I think a mixture of spicy nacho cheese and cheddar....... and OMFG it's AMAZING. I ate with dumplings. With galbi. With corn on the cob. I LOVED it so much I ordered it 4 times!--more than any other separate dish! Gonna give them props! Up to you if you think cheese is worth the lung cancer. It might be. 4/5 #kbbq #aycekbbq #koreanbbq #aycekoreanbbq #oakland #kopreancheese #cheesebbq #cheesemeat read more

We love the food at Goji time. One of my 8 year foodies favorite spots. Fun is fun, flavorful and warm. Korean with that modern twist. Son loves the Goji fried chicken and I tend to lean towards the pot options. This place consistently has a line to wait to eat. Establishment is on the smaller side but does it's best to get tables and not cram them together. I always opt for dishes than come with Ban Chan as they have a good varied selection and refill when asked. Son enjoys his chicken, not super crisp but good texture on the outside that lends well to the moist chicken inside. My only complaint about Goji time is that they get so busy that often the dishes come staggered, one person may get their entree and the other waits 10-15 minutes at the same table. They occasionally forget to bring dishes so they have to be reminded. Employees are so sweet and apologetic that this is not a dig to them, it's just that the sheer volume of people and dishes make it hard to keep up. Despite the wait and the delays we will continue to keep coming back because they food is one of my sons favorites and the staff is so great! read more

See all

It's sad for me to see a place I used to excitedly go to as a teen to young adult change, but I guess that's a part of living. The staff is very nice and patient and the way the place is designed is pretty, but the quality of food and options aren't as good as they used to be. The Banchan is just not good; the fishcakes are weirdly soft, kimchi lacks flavor and they provide premeasured amounts of salt/sesame oil (which I imagine in a busy night would be annoying to keep requesting for). The rice was not cooked the way I like it, felt mushy and like too much water was used. I will note that many of the KBBQ have decided to stop offering more meat variety, so I won't dock them for that but it does make me sad the only KBBQ in Oakland that offered intestines no longer does that. The automatic service fee of 18% is convenient, but I imagine some people would not like that or may get confused and tip significantly more than they realize. On a positive side the soft tofu soup is pretty good and the galbi is nice and thick, although very fatty. It's still not terrible or was a bad experience but I don't think I'd come back, and that's sad for me to say. I would probably go to a different KBBQ nearby instead that has better quality meat and Banchan. read more

At first we were surprised there was no wait time for a table on a Friday night during prime dinner hours but unfortunately it made sense with the food quality and service. We don't think the steep $40 price tag with the automatic 18% gratuity included was worth it. The meat quality is pretty low with the meat being chewy and very unevenly cut. The meat itself- including the marinated meats- had little to no flavor. The portions of the meat for every round was small (about 3 of the beef belly every order). Service was slow and we often had to wave a server down to place our next order of meat, water and napkins. We had to keep reminding the servers of missing side orders so we went a few rounds waiting for our rice and lettuce wraps. It was extremely loud and it was difficult to hold any conversation without yelling at each other from across the table. After a few rounds we ended up frustrated and decided to cut our time here early. Unfortunately we cannot see ourselves coming back again. read more

Man we waddled out of this joint. Food was delicious and customer service was excellent. They kept coming around asking if we wanted any more items for AYCE. Bummer is they ran out of mussels and beef belly. read more

Gogi Time - Steamed egg was good - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

After the worst comedy experience of my life, this was deeply healing. 10/10 get the pancake it was beautifully crispy read more

Gogi Time - Bim Stone Pot Dolsot Bibimbap and all the accoutrements - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

I used to live across the street so I went multiple times before the pandemic, and now twice during the pandemic. Pre-pandemic it was higher quality, though still not the best Korean AYCE or even regular bbq you could get in Oakland. During the pandemic, I was disappointed in the inattentive service and cut in banchan when we dined outside. It would take ages to get someone's attention (no one really checked on us) to order more meat or drinks, a long while after that to get the food, and essentials like napkins or the check. When I dined indoors last night, service was excellent. I had dropped my mask on my way to the restaurant and the host kindly gave me a disposable one, even though you don't have to wear one while eating. I do wish they checked vaccination status and required it for indoor dining, especially with the potential holiday spikes and variants. Various people came up almost immediately to take my drink order, bring water, turn on the grill, and even let me put in orders for meat although my boyfriend hadn't arrived yet. Lucky him, the first round of meat was cooked at the time he rolled in... The banchan selection and quality has really nosedived. You also have to ask for it, rather it being set out and replenished. The veggies are also a bit sad, and need to be cut smaller for quicker grilling. The sides were hit or miss: kimchi pancake was delicious, kimchi stew broth was good but the tofu cubes were rubbery, and the japchae is the only time I've ever given up on a dish after one bite. It was truly that bad. It tasted like it was stir-fried in tablespoons of sugar. Fortunately, the quality, marinade, and variety of meat hasn't changed. If I don't have other options and there isn't a wait, then maybe I would return. read more

Gogi Time - Cuts of everything are big so be prepared for long cook times - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing service and good. Make sure yall sit in Raymond and Person spot, they were amazing host. Food was also spot on!

We went on a Saturday afternoon and got seated pretty fast. The food was good and they have a lot of appetizers and sides to choose from! It wasn't super busy when we went and the service was great! When we ordered, it came out in less than 5 minutes which was great. They had lots of tvs around the place and were able to watch the olympics while eating. The place overall was great and would recommend trying out! read more

I don't know what happened, used to be great. Super limited menu, nothing had flavor brisket bad. Expensive and bad.

I stopped in at Gogi time with a small group and we really enjoyed the food and outdoor atmosphere at Gogi Time! We didn't do the AYCE Korean BBQ but we did get a bunch of yummy small plates to share from the Blind Tiger Menu. We tried the fried brussels sprouts, esquites, pork belly baos, spicy chicken wings and the bbq pork ribs. Each item we had was so flavorful and so delicious. There isn't an item we ordered that we wouldn't order again in the future. I'd definitely recommend stopping in for small plates and I hope to be back soon for AYCE Korean BBQ! read more

See all

Korean Bbq Atmosphere: outdoor seating SoCal vibe very chill And relaxing no rush Food : many other places don't serve kalbi in the Bay Area at AYCE places but this place is one of the few places that does so plus one star all day The beef tongue sheeesssh Brisket was very Lean and good quality Fish tofu some of the best quality I've had here I got 2 orders Garlic fries tasted like I was in Gilroy garlic festival Ask for their house brisket sauce it's fire! What else was on fire was the in house service Very cordial and very family vibe service. This place is my all time number one Korean bbq spot and it will not disappoint. It has never disappointed me. #tell me when to Gogi read more

See all

Hadn't been here in years, my LBY - "Life Before Yelp" years where I: didn't remember what I ate, didn't take pictures of the food or establishment, didn't give service a second thought, didn't use a phone app to make reservations or put my butt on a waitlist... yeah, the good old days? Not! Life has changed for the better. There used to be a long parking lot in front that you could drive in on one side and exit on the other. Well, now there is only a 4-5 space lot as much of the previous lot was replaced with outdoor dining enclosures sheltered from busy Telegraph Ave (Note: Don't leave anything visible or of value in your car as you embark on your close to two-hour dining experience). So, Korean BBQ outdoors so you won't smell like Korean BBQ after queuing? Good idea. Well, can't confirm the "after smell" as all of the outdoor sections were full, thus went indoors as soon as we arrived per our waitlist time. Indoor dining? No worries as diners are spaced out on up to six at a grill tables with inset vents. Masked up employees, in addition to masking when not at the table are the rules. You'll still smell like BBQ at the end but the vents do a pretty good job. AYCE is $31.95pp (6/9/21) which includes appetizers, banchan, choice of meat and seafood plates. Two tongs (use one for raw and one for cooked), scissors, and plenty of condiments. The three of us had 12 plates of meat ( Beef - Galbi+, Brisket+, Tongue+, Belly, Bulgogi, and Pork - Belly, Neck+, Cheek+, Intestine-) with some doubles up. Didn't partake in seafood or chicken. And appetizers of Cheese Corn+, Japchae+, Kimchee Pancake+, Steamed Egg-, Lobster Balls-, Fried Tofu). And of course a pitcher of beer. The quality of the meat varied, don't expect SoCal quality or prices... but do expect to have a great time still. Service was excellent - host, order takers, grill changers were polite, quick, and attentive. Closes at 10:30pm with last call before 10pm. read more

See all

The staff were very attentive and timely they checked on us often. Very frequent grill changes when needed. I even got two cherries in my Shirley! read more

Gogi Time - Shirley Shirly Temple - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

STARS: 3.5 MENU AND FOOD: Gogi time offers a variety of all you can eat appetizers, barchan, soups, and meats for bbq. SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE: Service was quick and fast. Their indoor decor was plain and simple, but their floor is obviously sticky and some utensils were visibly dirty. They have both bbq tables and non-bbq tables. PARKING: They have now reduced parking spaces due to the placement of covered outdoor dining structures by neighboring businesses in the lot, so street parking is an option. They also have a parking lot in the back, but I wasn't sure if it was for their customers. IMPRESSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Their meats are pretty standard in quality; the brisket was a bit chewy. In addition, we had their garlic pork belly, garlic sesame pork belly, baby octopus, garlic shrimp, cheek, jap chae and kimchi jjigae. One of the tongs was visibly improperly cleaned and the grill plate was oozing out some type of grayish foam as the fire heated up before we had a chance to place our meats. We had both replaced, but the same thing occurred with the grill, to a lesser degree, so we ignored it and started grilling. The wait staff was a bit overly attentive at some point in regards to taking order, but our grill plate was never changed. This experience was much different from my last visit, so I'm unsure if there has since been a change in ownership. read more

Gogi Time - Lunch Menu - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California

Last two times I've been there I've had my car broken into. One time was a few months ago where I parked on the street around the corner. This last time I literally parked in their front enclosed private parking lot -- literally directly in front of their front entrance -- and still had my back window broken into. I had no items visible and I have street smarts -- lived in East Oakland for years. Very disappointing experience to feel that I can't even park in their main parking lot in FRONT of the main entrance to the restaurant and not feel safe. Apparently they have a security guard for the back parking lot but it makes no sense that they don't have one in the front lot since the security guard even acknowledged that the cars in the front always get "bipped" -- yet the restaurant doesn't seem to do anything to protect their customers in this front lot or let alone NOTIFY them that the back lot is safer. This oversight and lack of communication from the restaurant is irresponsible. Yes, the staff were very helpful in helping us review their security tapes afterwards and were very sympathetic but the management at this restaurant could be taking proactive steps to remedy this known problem at their location. The food and service were good, but this experience left a bad taste in my mouth (no pun intended) and I don't have plans to ever come back. read more

My friends and I came by on a Saturday evening, and checked in for a table of 4. The kiosk estimated wait time of 54-76 minutes, so we went downstairs to Blind Tiger for some drinks. Drinks were great, and the wait time was a lot less than anticipated! We ended up having to chug our drinks to go upstairs and get our table. Which made us all pretty tipsy when we tried to order food! We decided to go with AYCE KBBQ outdoor seating, which none of us has had since before covid. We sat down and got our menus and began to order. The menu seemed a bit smaller than before, but maybe It's just been a while and I forgot how it was. The meat was good, and always arrived in a timely matter. For some reason they kept forgetting our sides/appetizers, and other utensils. We either got it after reminding them multiple times, or never got it! My friend was really upset about that, as she ordered cheese corn three separate times, we never got it. We still wonder what happened to her cheese corn. When we were ready to pay, they mixed up our check with someone else's. Which was kind of funny after a few drinks, but in hindsight I'm giving them a 4/5 stars because they seemed very disorganized and chaotic. I guess for over $40 a person, I would hope that we got our appetizers after asking multiple times! (Oh yeah, we never got our rice paper too....) read more

Gogi Time - Korean Near Me - Oakland, California