My friend's been wanting to checkout this place for a while so we decided to come here on a Friday afternoon as we passed by Mathilda. The ambiance inside reminds me of old school days....wooden logs, kinda like a log cabin. Not a huge fan of the decor. Food-wise, they're decent. We shared the Kal's BBQ pork sandwich and the 9oz filet sandwich, which were both decent. The bread could have been toasted way better to make the overall taste more awesome but overall it was decent. read more

Oh. My. God. This was just awful. The place reeks of old grease. Got BBQ ribs. The meat was tough and tasteless, the sauce straight out of a can. I was tasting it for hours, and it wasn't pleasant. And the service was poor, too. We went because we heard this place used to be good. It isn't anymore. read more

After colleagues raved about this place I drove all the way down the Bay to give it a go. What a disappointment, not only is it not really BBQ but it's overpriced, low quality ingredients and poorly cooked. Nothing else to say. read more

My boyfriend and I live across the street so we decided to check this place out for dinner. Pretty typical BBQ food (think: anything you can make in your backyard), but it was good. Burger wasn't dry, ribs were really good too. Old-timey, no frills, come as you are kind of joint. I just wish they had more sides. I was hoping for something more southern, but there were no beans, cornbread, etc. read more

I had dinner there and the people were nice. Had the steak sandwitch and it was really good. They cook it on a real grill like in the photo. The atmosphere was good as well. We sat by a nice gas fireplace. I liked it! read more

One word. Horrible. Old food sitting under a heat lamp and the pork tasted like microwave BBQ. We took one bite and left. I was so disgusted I didn't even care to ask for our money back. read more

I don't give 1 star reviews, lightly. I went here with a friend of mine. We ordered two rib meals and a pitcher of beer. About 45 minutes before the place closed, the older gentleman there kicked us out, because apparently "There are no customers", meaning, no more paying customers, except us. The ribs were mediocre, and I wouldn't have gone back, probably, but the incredibly rude and unwarranted treatment was the cherry on top. I can't speak for any of their other dishes, or normal business operating procedures, but yeah, don't be surprised if you get treated like shit, there. read more

This place isn't very good. Despite it blanketing Mathilda with the delicious aroma of BBQ throughout the day, I found the burgers to be limp and very over-priced. My co-workers would often go there, and in the spirit of camaraderie I joined them, but would always cringe when they suggested Kal's. Eventually I was able to veer them away from here to other establishments, like Clarke's. For a more melancholy experience, come by for dinner, and it will be pretty desolate and lonesome. Great for poets or musicians that need inspiration. read more

Love this place. Secrete is, don't come here for the BBQ or the Burgers. The Steak sandwich with fries and salad will satisfy anyone for $9. A big juicy ribeye steak perfectly grilled over a hot bed of coals and ready before you finish ordering. I've never had a bad one in 10 years. This place is a classic Sunnyvale Tech haunt, although most of the Bigger companies have moved on, you still see a lot of the military/microwave guys congregating here. You ought to go just once to say you know the place. read more

Breakfast is alright at this place but unfortunately thats about it. I went for lunch recently and got a steak sandwich and needless to say I was very disappointed. The quality of the steak was one notch above Mc Donald's meat and thats pretty much dog food. I'll pass on Kal's and just stick with something that doesn't resemble a turd on a bun. read more

I've driven by this place for a few weeks now and had been looking forward to have some BBQ... but when I walked into this place and looked at the menu there wasn't BBQ!!! WTH!?!? Whack! Since I was short on time I figured I would just get a burger instead of bothering to head elsewhere.... Arter all, how could you go wrong with a grilled burger? The burger was nasty and I ended up throwing it away. I paid close to $9 for a burger and fries and I should have just gone to Burger King for a better burger and fries. I was reading that their steak sandwich was good but from the looks of the giant bag of meat they had... IDK if I would trust the freshness of that steak... I think I'll pass on that. If I want a steak sandwich I'll head to The Cheese Steak Shop! Save your money and don't bother. read more

This place should have more then two tables taken. The ribs where fall off the bone tender

I was in the mood for some truly authentic burgers to fulfill my craving for something salty, delectable, and drenched with calorie-laden goodness, and was so satisfied when my coworker and I decided to take on this new adventure. As we walked in, we felt like we were transported right back into the 1950s. The asian lady greeted me and asked me what I would like to order. She complimented my friend and I and said we looked like twins. I ordered the cheeseburger as per usual, and wanted it medium. It was grilled to perfection! Oh my gosh it was absolutely mouthwateringly satisfying. The only critique I have about the restaurant is I wish they would have more parking spaces. My friend was driving her huge SUV, and it was kind of packed, so we had to wait a bit for to get into the restaurant and I was starving. read more

My office is nearby and we decided to come here for lunch. The last time I was here was sometime in 2002 and the place still looks the same. When we got there at around 2pm, the place was completely empty. I ordered the steak sandwich as suggested by the nice old lady at the register. The old guy who grilled my steak, I think that was probably Kal. Sandwich was delicious as it was in 2002. If you include fries and a drink with your order, the meal can become pretty costly. Suggest skipping the fountain drink and getting a cup of water instead. Will be back when I'm in the area. read more

The problem here is they serve you the briquets instead of grilling with them! Burgers here are overcooked until they match in color to unburned briquets and then stick them on stale bread! I'll never go back!! The only thing worse than Southwest airlines food! read more

I had the steak sandwich, it was alright. The steak was good but thin and there was more bread than meat. I have had better. The service was great, very quick. read more

Um... first of all this place is not a BBQ place as advertised on the outside of the building. This is a burger joint that does steaks. So I ordered the steak sandwich during lunch. It was an okay steak. Nothing spectacular... was sorta greasy which I really didn't care for. The sandwich came with a salad or fries, I chose the salad which was a typical salad... they have the dressings in the middle of the dining area with all the condiments. All and all... I wont be returning I found it expensive for the quality of food. read more

I always heard good things about Kals but I'm dissapointed with the food. Steak Sandwich was fatty and flavorless. Fries were way undercooked. Staff if very friendly. I will try again soon and try another item on the menu. read more

I ate here once and had the barbecue chicken sandwich, fries, and a soda. The fries were warm and tasty -- nothing to complain about there. The sandwich, however, was just mediocre. The chicken was grilled well, and I liked the fact that I could choose my own condiments, but the bun was a little too bland and the chicken was definitely under-seasoned. I probably could have bought a higher-quality chicken sandwich elsewhere for a better price. If you're in the mood for a basic sandwich and/or burger and don't mind overpaying for the quality of food you'll get, this is a good place to go. Otherwise, save your money. read more

I went during lunch last week and the steak sandwich was serious business. The steak was perfectly cooked and ready before I finished paying. I wasn't expecting an actual steak on my sandwich. I was expecting sliced steak just because it was a sandwich, but it was excellent. The owners were very nice and very helpful. I would go again next time I'm in the area. read more

WORST restaurant ever... DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. They don't deserve even 1 star..Terrible food.. read more

So it seems from the other reviews, this is a 'love it' or 'hate it' kind of place, but I'm thinking it may have something to do with what you order. Having Bar-B-Q in the name, I chose to order the bbq pork sandwich with a drink and fries, which came out to almost $9, but I have no problem paying that for good food. Sadly, this wasn't. I know good barbeque, and this wasn't it. The meat was over-cooked and dry, and everything was all-in-all quite bland with very small portions. Maybe I'll go back to try a burger or steak sandwich, but never again the bbq pork. read more

If you like this place you are lacking all of five senses. You must not see because if you could, you would see chili with a cold American slice of cheese in the of the fecal pile of bbq waste matter. You must not smell because if you did, you would smell an egg that smells like an old burger, old french fries, old meat and old oil, all at the same time! You must not hear because if you could, you would hear your loved ones begging you, "no, don't go in there!!" You must not be able to feel because if you could you would you feel the "steak" undulating on your fork under the gise of meat when it is actually a bouncy piece of fat. And finally, you must not taste, because if you could, you would know that everything pretty much tastes like it has been cooking on a grill that hasn't been cleaned since fanny packs were cool. DO-NOT-GO-HERE!!! read more

I'm not sure what the other people here ate but I thought this was comparable to school cafeteria food. For one, there's no ribs or chicken on the menu. Is this really a "Bar-B-Q" place? I had a bbq pork sandwich on a Costco hamburger bun. For $6.50 I expected it to at least take my hunger away. My friend i went with ordered ribs $13 plate (special order cause they are not on the menu) and they were bland as can be. The ribs taste like they were boiled in plain water and cooked over a gas grill. Where's the flavor? The BBQ sauce was just ok. Safe to say I will not be going back here for BBQ. read more

Great steak sandwich! Beware! Look at your receipt...my husband was charged $257,084.44 for his $26 lunch order...on his ATM card and the bank let go through! Just sayin', look at the receipt. read more

Hands down the best steak burger I've went to. I've been coming here occasionally with my family for past 10 years. the meat is very tender, rich, and BIGGGGG. Don't come here for your first date cuz you WILL get super messy trying to consume this foot long steak. The owner is super nice and smiles a lot. He and the other dude ran the restaurant more than 20 years ago. some people compared this to freakin Five Guys.... Are you FREAKIN serious..? this is PREMIUM STEAK burger. G damn, talking about it makes me wanna go sooooo badly... you know what..imma go tomorrow.. read more

I tried to cook a thin steak but they just don't compare to Kal. Yea, it says Bar B Q on the sign (more like flame grilled) but it's the steak sandwich you should try The place is small and gets smokey inside. The condiments selection is fair. Fries are thick and crunchy. read more

Coleslaw sucks. Food was average would not go back. Hamburger bun was subpar

Best steak sandwiches around here. Yes sometimes the telephone service can be a bit abrupt, but the owner is a hell of a nice guy, servuce is always quick, I love the 'what ever you want condiment bar' and as I said you can't beat the3 steak sandwiches, as a matter of fact they are so good I've never had a burger here, with the steak so good why would I? Steaks are cooked over real charcoal the way that they should be. So, need a great steak sandwich or for that matter an awesome breakfast, this is the place to go... read more

When I was in school I went here quite a few times! I believe that after a few years,the original owners said,"I'm Tired" and sold out! The food is not bad...but It doesn't make you want to jump for joy! Oh well,time marches on! Any time you change a good formula,it never works out! read more

Wack. This wasn't BBQ. It's over priced. Not enough food served. The beer mug was like a kid size cup for $8.

Yo- Have been here with two different friends for lunch - have had - and highly recommend the best steak sandwich in the bay area - PERIOD!!! The staff are friendly - which makes the dining experience even that more helpful-eh!! Try Kal's - you will like it-eh!! read more

I felt obligated to do the rest of the world a favor by warning the readers of Yelp about how horrible this place was to eat at. I felt so ripped off after eating there that I registered a Yelp account just so I could post a review. It was very simple an dirty experience - I drove by it a few times and decided to try it out. You start to get feelings of cheapness when you see that there is no one in the parking lot around 12:30-1pm, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I walked in and my second clue should have been the sign on the register that says 10 dollar minimum credit card charge. There were two old korean guys just standing there staring at me while I read the menu. I decided to try the BBQ beef burger, after ordering it I went to use the restroom to wash up. I came back out and the first thing the old Korean man told me was that, "I should have ordered the Steak Sandwich instead". I told him he should have recommended it to me before I decided and then they started telling me that "I just don't know" and that next time I should. I have never felt so ripped off just by how rude they were at the restaurant, the little amount of meat they put in the burger (it was more like a sauce sandwich), the burger was $5.12 which is not bad however it was the size of a Jr bacon cheese burger at Wendy's, I took a few bites and threw it out. It explained why the parking lot was empty and why they were nickle and diming people at the register. read more

This is my first review. I just joined yelp in order to write this review. I can not believe how terrible this place was. They have the nerve to claim this is "the best bbq in the bay area." I got the bbq beef sandwich and it was completely awful. The bun came right out of some 6 pack generic brand from your local supermarket. They even closed the condiment bar! I can make better food than this. Do me a favor and don't come here...its super over-priced. Try wendy's down the street. read more

Someone else said the steak sandwich is a piece of beef stuck between some bread, how true. No dressing was available. I would have been better off eating at In-n-Out. Maybe the lunch menu is better. Won't be going back. read more

I hadn't been to Kals for many years and remembered it being a great place for burgers so decided to stop in for a quick burger yesterday. I ordered the Big Kal burger with sm fries. First, I opened the bun and the burger only covered 2/3 of the bun(and was thin) - way to much bread - and where's the BEEF? I then went to the condiments station and the mayo looked really bad - crusty and sketchy. Once I finally sat down and brought the burger up for a bite, it smelled funny. Sort of like old meat. I checked the doneness and it was definitely cooked all the way through so decided to go ahead. After a few more bites I just couldn't shake the smell and the lack of flavor and decided to stop eating. I expect more quantity and quality in something as simple to prepare as a burger and sm. fries - and for $13.00 Decor is also dated, tacky and cluttered. Will NOT be returning or recommending. read more

I thought this place was gonna be good. Food was ok service was horrible, I ordered a veggie burger with fries. When it was done I walked up to the counter, the cool points right at the veggie burger, I pick it up and start walking to the table, then the cashier yells at me saying that's not my order after the cool told me it was, so I take the order she handed me and I take that to the table realizing after I'm half way through my meal that I didn't get any fries and the burger wasn't a veggie burger. Great service right? I guess it was a bit my fault for not double checking my order. read more

NASTY! GROSS! NO BUENO! The ribs are like rubber. I tried to eat it but I couldn't. I'm not even sure if I should feed it to the dogs. Paid $15 for non edible old disgusting food. NEVER AGAIN. Should have read the reviews first. read more

Asked the owner what the best thing to get was. He recommended the steak sandwich. It was not good.

It's not that Kal's is so bad as it is that they are way over priced. Then again, any burger would taste acceptable cooked over charcoal. Burgers are ok, fries and salad are very tired. Never had the steak so I defer to other reviewers. Overall, a tired and overpriced burger pit. read more