I regret that I didn't take any food pics, but this place is fantastic!! After a horrible experience at the nearby Cracker Barrel (avoid at all costs if it's within two hours of closing, refer to my review over there if curious) we got up from there and brought our business here instead and man were we glad!! Excellent service, folks who seemed happy to serve you, and omg the BULGOGI. What a great portion for the $24 meal with rice. If Korean places sold t-shirts that said something about bulgogi, l'd buy it. It's that good. We're here for a week on business and may even go a second time. Worth the visit!! read more

Quite the surprise during our recent trip to St. Petersburg with my family with two kids. I really enjoyed and appreciate the true taste of Korean food, unlike some other cities with smaller Asian communities. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to those who wish to experience true taste of Korean Food! Service was acceptable. There was a Korean lady serving us, had a bit of bizarre moment with unexpected response when we asked for more ban-chan, the side dishes. Other than that, it was good overall. My family would definitely go back whenever we travel back. read more

Food was fun and delicious!! Enjoyed the fact we got to cook our own beef to our liking next to our table. Our server was funny and made the experience really fun. Everyone was having a good time great ambiance chilling and grilling. Did I mention they have great selection of meats and cuts. read more

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Yummy food! I really enjoyed the food and trying something new! Will go back again :) read more

I am glad that a just newly opened restaurant reopen for the take out. This restaurant open just before the pandemic. During the pandemic, I was not able to call them for they are open for take out because they not able to reach through the phone. Until recently they announced in Yelp they open for take out. Although we could not try their in store BBQ on the Korean BBQ, but one day we will be there. In the mean time, we appreciate they proceed with take out menu for us to try their food. We got the bulgogi and galbi plate. This dish come with white rice and four side dish. I like Korean side dish such as the tasty beans sprouts and the Korean fish cake. The Galbi has great marinated sauce. Well grilled, good meat quality, good enough quantity. The food is good for me to read more

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Best gems in Clearwater. Great product knowledge and service. Not your most "traditional" set up as a kbbq, but they make the most of their available space. Pound per pound best kbbq experiences you'll ever have. read more

Kimchi Soup! It's nothing short of amazing. Perfectly balanced. Very large portion. Went for lunch plenty to take home. We're going to poach fish in the broth for dinner. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Kimchi soup - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I found this gem whilst doing a search for where to eat for lunch as bf and I have been running errands and we were starving! I noticed from some other reviews that they had just opened so why not try em! We did the lunch $24.95pp ALYCE(all you can eat) option. They bring you a few sides to start off and 3 meats. Their kimchi's are tasty! I had a hard time understanding what our server was saying but she was very friendly and kept an eye on when we needed to change out the grill mats. If you're going here, make sure you are hungry! Also, they don't have the grills in the middle of the table like most places, the grill sits on the side of the booth so if you're seated right there you'll be the one manning the grill. You will also be smelling like Korean BBQ long after you leave lol which is not necessarily a bad thing. Looking forward to coming back to this place again! read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Only photo I took...I was hungry - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Update: we had the WORST experience today. We had a LARGE party and gratuity was automatically added. First, we were seated promptly as we had a reservation. However, the server did NOT come and say hi or to take our drink order for more than 15 minutes. I asked a question about alcoholic drinks, the server responded "I don't know, you will have to go ask the bartender". After we finally, placed the order and food were delivered to our table, our server NEVER came back to check to see how everything was. He would walk past our table but did not bother to check or refill our drinks. Every time we needed something, we'd have to grab someone else or to yell out for him. After I was done eating, I ordered an additional plate to go and it's supposed to come with rice. No rice was provided. I'm not sure why such BAD service today. But if I had to guess, it's because he was guaranteed 18% tip regardless how bad the service was. VERY DISAPPOINTING AND FRUSTRATING experience. read more

Food 5/5 Ambience 5/5 Service 5/5 We all love Korean bbq especially when it's done right and that's what we have with Matjoa. At most korean restaurants you are bought a banchan which usually consists of fermented veggies and seasoned bean curd . The flavor profiles are slightly spicy , savory and sweet, they are great pre meal appetizer and super healthy too. Meals typically come with miso soup and rice as well as cheese corn and steamed egg. The bulgogi for those who don't know is a sweet and savory beef thinly sliced. You have the option of letting someone cook it for you or cook yourself. The short ribs are sweet/savory as well but a tad less sweet than the bulgogi, very tender but a little gristle as well. Matjoa is definitely one of the better Korean spots I've had in Florida . 7.5/10 read more

Matjoa means simply "good taste" in Hangul. From the owners of Dooriban comes a new grill-at-the-table all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque experience. With a full liquor bar and amazingly robust menu, we had a blast on a Saturday night! Yep, this spot is AUCE and they also have some badass drinks. We ordered a pitcher of Yakult Soju cocktail. But, I didn't see it on the menu--- the bartender just made it for us. The staff was noting how good their bartender is, so just ask for anything and see what happens. Next time, I'm going to ask for a Makolli Sprite pitcher and see what happens. The meats here are fabulous quality and perfectly marinated, especially the spicy pork and bulgogi. The recommended way to eat Korean BBQ is so start with the mild brisket and non-marinated meats first. Then, go to the marinated meats. The last to eat in the spicy meats. This way you build your palate and keep it interesting. The AUCE set is the way to go for dinner. Only in Atlanta and LA have is seen AUCE BBQ come with steamed egg and corn cheese--- It is provided here in Tampa Bay now! I was shocked to see other trendy Korean items like the Mozarella Cheese Corndog so I just had to order it. It was as good as in Atlanta. So much fun to eat! Will return next week to try their lunch specials. Just a note if you are learning Hangul: Matjoa on the sign in not correctly written in Hangul. It is written as an informal slang, but has the same meaning. read more

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This was my first time at a Korean barbecue and I have to admit that it was OVERWHELMING but such an awesome experience! We were greeted by Jaeden, who apparently does it all there! He explained the menu and the process- this was the start of the confusion only because we couldn't decide on what option would be the best lol. We decided to have the grill table side so we could cook on our own! Not the best choice since honestly we wanted to relax lol! Our multiple servers and Jaeden continued to walk by, check on us and help us cook! Jaeden also gave us tips on how to eat the food, using the sauces and really made the experience amazing! We finally had a Korean corn dog and I can't wait to go back and get another one!!! Now, the restaurant is a bit pricey but we felt it was worth it! read more

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Here's my advice on finding a good Korean BBQ; make sure it's owned and operated by a Korean Family! I'v followed this family since their days at "One Family" in Tampa and I frequent their other restaurant Dooriban in Pinellas. Knowing that this place is owned by the same family makes me very happy! Not only is the food great, their service and hospitality is top. If you know a thing or two about traditional K BBQ you can always ask them to bring what you need because the spread is more on the contemporary side. The meat quality is great and they have my favorite beverage; Makgeolli, an unfiltered rice wine! The place is located on the same property as Red Roof Inn and the parking is very limited. The place is BBQ so your clothing will smell like smoke. Like any AYCA, if one person orders it, the entire table must follow and there is a 2 hour limit... but I'm sure if the place is not busy, they will waive it. A definite recommendation from me! read more

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Came here with my friend who lives and works right across the street. He and I didn't really like the food here. Korean BBQ has always been ayce in everywhere I have been and this one has ayce but for a crazy amount of money, so we did the dinner for two. It was priced okay for what we got. The meats weren't the freshest and I'd recommend driving a bit farther to Orlando if you want some decent Korean bbq. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I was in a large group on more than 10. Service was terrible. Sat for more than 20 minutes after being seated and had to chase the waitress to order a drink. The drinks came after our food arrived. Food was adequate if you enjoy that country's food. read more

First spot we hit when we landed in FL for a late night dinner. We was seated right away. The establishment was cozy and the lighting was dim. Where we was seated was not ideal as that's the area where they pushed the dirty grill carts. We didn't really care as we were hungry after a 6 our flight delay. Our waiter wasn't very attentive as he forgot to bring us our refills after asking several times. I had to ask another waiter for them. The food was ok. My kids enjoyed the jumbo Korean style corn dog, nice and crunchy and cheesy. The Budae soup my oldest didn't really enjoy. The spicy pork skillet and the Gaibi skillet was ok. It lacked the depth of flavor that I'm use to. We will give them another shot next time we are in town. read more

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my brother kept telling me about this place and i finally got the chance to try it out. i got the seafood pancake and tteokbokki and i loved both of them. the tteokbokki was literally perfection and the right texture. my brother got the budae jigae and that's his fav from here. servers were very sweet. 10/10! read more

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I am seriously shocked it has taken me this long to review this place since this is easily one of my top favorite restaurants. The staff is always very accommodating and attentive. What can be a pain about some all you can eat places is the absence of staff and the wait times between each serving, but in the visits we had, they never missed a beat no matter how busy. We typically opt for the all you can eat korean bbq menu A, the one with less meats. We don't mind this option since my top two are the brisket and pork belly and my husband gets the bulgogi and spicy chicken. This is plenty and all included in the first package. We probably wouldn't have room in our bellies for more options anyways :) The sides and bon chon are absolute winners and totally authentic. My favorite are the radish wraps and steamed egg. I can never just have one plate, and the servers again are very quick to bring us more when asked. What's great about this place is that the food is awesome whether you order from their Korean BBQ menu or a la carte... Very good beef bulgogi, seafood pancake, and my all time favorite is their spicy seafood tofu soup. I love having both options especially when we are too busy to sit down. It's comforting knowing that you'll have equally as good of a meal taking out as you would dining in! read more

We come here for all the best Korean. Don't miss out on the short ribs and beef bulgogi. They finally have a full liquor bar now too! read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - short ribs and beef bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Food...AMAZING! Service...No complaints Ambiance...The place itself has a nice layout and i like that the bar is on the middle. my only issue is that the ventilation isn't very good so when people are doing the at-the-table bbq the smoke is all around. for that reason i prefer to go on days/times when it's not busy (less people there). read more

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I ordered food to go and omg it smelled amazing and tasted even better. Got the beef bulgogi and chicken teriyaki lunch specials. Comes with kimchi and fried dumplings. Every single thing was delicious. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Kimchi sides and beef bulgogi, bottom was some of the chicken teriyaki I put on there - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

If your most recent Korean bbq experience was a Yakiniku spot in Koreatown Tokyo then you won't really be amazed by this place at all. Grilling on top of paper instead of letting fire touch your meat is so incredibly lame. All the meat that isn't marinated tasted terrible. It's important to salt meat before cooking because the salt helps tenderize the meat and add more flavor thus elevating your eating experience. Owners: Please actually visit Asia and come back with a more authentic concept. read more

Wow. Oh. Wow. This place really hit the spot. If you are looking for exceptional Korean food in Tampa Bay, you've stumbled upon the right place. The service was kind and courteous and restaurant was very spacious. Despite the name, we actually opted not to do Korean BBQ due to time constraints. Fortunately, all of the appetizer and entree options were spectacular. Of course some starters are offered for free, like kimchee or seaweed salad, but the Korean cord dog was really good too! Who knew a sweet, cheesy dog could be so good lol. We also got 3 other entrees for 2 people. In hindsight, 2 people could probably share 1 entree: the portions are MASSIVE. I will definitely be returning! P.S. The parking lot is shared with the hotel, but feel free to park anywhere unless a sign is specifically posted. read more

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This place was awesome for the portion and flavors... As soon as we walked in, it smelled so delicious for dinner time. You can choose the grill table or a regular table. The bar is also open seating. Delicious delicious delicious. read more

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Yay a Korean bbq spot that feels somewhat authentic and has good food. I enjoyed Matjoa very thoroughly with my brother and Friend. The menu is relatively easy to understand and they offer some cool All you can Eat options. I just went with an order of the short ribs and Bulgolgi beef, and Korean fried chicken wings. The wings were a 10, or damn near. Super crispy and all the wing juices were locked in. With or with out sauce, they were incredible. The short ribs weren't quite as tender as I was expecting but pretty good nonetheless, 8/10. And the bulgolgi shredded beef was a solid 8 as well . Personally I've got super high standards for Korean bbq as I've been to Korea town many times, however this place will be an absolute treat to many of those of haven't experienced Korean bbq before read more

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Best Korean place in town!!!! Food tastes authentic! (I am Korean btw and grew up eating korean food so I think I'm somewhat qualified to gage this haha.) Menu represent the korean cuisine and bbq options well. I wasn't feeling too well and wasn't too hungry so I got the galbitang and WOWWWW! Just what I needed. Comfort food. It was like I was eating my mom's cookin at home, and trust me, she can cook! The host and servers and staff were allll very professional and kind and friendly as well! Ambiance was nice too! Some jazz music with cozy warm lighting. I def wanna try their other menu items so I'm hoping another business trip brings me in this direction soon! -DK read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Galbitang 갈비탕 - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

If hungry like a wolf, Korean BBQ should satisfy you. If not, then you're a glutton. Matjoa is a great value if you have the appetite and want DIY grilled meats. This place uses electric grills from what I can tell, and they use a grill mat to make cleanup a cinch and to keep smoke down to a minimum. This place is quite large so if you want to meet with a big group, this is the place to do it. You can do AYCE BBQ and there are two options to choose from. The more expensive option has more meats to choose from and comes with two beers. Priced in the 30s, this is a good value. It also comes with some bonchan and some sides like steamed egg that you can also order as much as you want. Service was friendly and fast in the beginning, but when the restaurant got busier, service was not as attentive and I had to wave down servers more than I cared to. I'd love to come back, but hopefully service is more consistent next time. read more

It was a hike to get out here but was well worth it. It doesn't have the grill in the middle, this threw me off. They bring it on a cart and the waitstaff flips the meat for you and you can do it yourself too. Everything was so yuummy. We did the AYCE and we were so stuffed. It comes with 2 beers and lots of side dishes. It will not disappoint. I think the only thing that was disappointing is that it shares a parking lot with a hotel that's full of sketchy people so I don't recommend coming here late at night maybe right before it gets dark out is good like around 5pm. Will go back but just hate the hour drive over that bridge. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Starters - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

My husband & I came here first date night. It was a fun experience cooking our food on the grill. We got a combo meal. Had so much food leftover to enjoy at home! read more

It's toward the end of the bridge. The meat is very sweet and you'll likely need two portions of rice or share your plate instead. The appetizers were explained but I couldn't remember which name was what. It's very spicy and too much for my palate. My boyfriend really enjoyed them all. It was very busy and had a full bar. I want to come and try the BBQ aspect since all the tables were full when we went. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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Bulgogi Bulgogi! You'll first notice the unique architecture both inside and out. It's a restaurant space you've never been familiar with. Customer Service started upon greeting and the Wolf decided to enjoy the meal at the bar. The Beef Bulgogi and Spare Ribs looked amazing and they did not disappoint. The flavorful Kimchi to compliment these dishes, as the kids would say... slaps. I did order two dishes in purpose for lunch and easily spent over 50$ w/drinks. This is a must-try hidden gem. Staffing seemed appropriate. Bartender was active. Manager/Owner visit bonus. The Wolf Rating : Customer Service - 5 Food - 4.5 Quality - 4 Bathrooms - 4 Decor/Marketing - 3 Price:Quality - 3 Dishes Devoured: Beef Bulgogi Short Ribs Recommendation: Advertise a 2 for 1 weeknight. Price will be justified on the next trip for consumer after their first weeknight 2 for 1. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Short Ribs - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Probably the best AYCE Korean bbq in the greater tampa Bay Area. They have 2 AYCE options that come with meat and sides. My group did option b which has more meats and includes 2 beers and it did not disappoint. Option A is also really good if you can forgo the extra meat options and beers. The meat was good quality and the sides were delicious. I tried pretty much everything and loved all of it. In terms of experience, service was exceptional. I also liked that the grill was off to the side instead of built into the table. read more

My favorite kbbq place in the area. The sides were amazing and so were the entrees. It's always a fun time when you go with someone or a group people. The staff are such hard works. I give props to anyone who can handle a party as big as mine read more

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We decided to try Korean barbecue and this place had five stars. When we got there they asked us if we wanted to do the grill top or a la carte, we decided to go with the à la carte because they were a lot less people on that side, My nieces and I decided that we would try the top three dishes and share them. It was definitely enough food for like five people. The waiter, I believe his name was Joe, was amazing. He knew we had never had Korean food or Korean barbecue so he explained every item to us. We were all beyond pleased with the service and our food and the atmosphere. I would highly recommend this establishment! Thank you!! read more

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The price on the menu is for cash price which is deceiving. It did not list anywhere about credit card price. Basically the restaurant want customers to pay for credit card fees. Make sure bring enough cash. read more

A friend and I hit up this little Korean BBQ restaurant, and we're not disappointed. We did the 2-person combination meal with all sides, and it truly was a feast. The bulgogi was outstanding, and the spicy chicken was equally fantastic. Definitely consider a reservation if you plan to grill your own, but you'll enjoy the experience. read more

Had lunch today. Had their lunch special short ribs. Delicious!!! Tender and the sauce was to die for. Large restaurant and very clean. Everyone was wearing masks. Service was great. Will definitely try other menu items when I'm back in this area. read more

Absolutely love it! Best AYCE K-BBQ in Saint Pete area in my opinion. My whole family loves it here and we enjoy talking with the staff. They're super helpful if you have any questions. If you have a 6+ party, I would definitely recommend calling ahead of time if you plan on going on a weekend! read more

Finally made it over here. We did the AYCE BBQ Option B with ALL THE MEATS and yeah...we have come to learn as a family that we definitely cannot hang. That was an insane amount of meat and side dishes. Like, foreal food coma. You also get two free beers with Option B. I only made it through one lol. Had to save room for the food! Everything was tasty! The beef bulgogi was very tender and flavorful. The marinated galbi ribs were amazing! Our server let us know that everything served is made in house and the meat marinades are all made with fresh fruits as they should be. Spicy pork - super flavorful and tender. The dip with the marinated onions was nice to serve with the steaks. All of the side dishes tasted very fresh. Kimchi was soooo good. The steamed egg was also yummy and brought me back to a similar dish my mom used to make when I was little. I didn't try the cheese corn but my husband and son liked it. Kimchi pancake was on point - crispy and flavorful. Service was good. Menu was explained and our server was friendly and helpful. I mean...there really wasn't anything bad about our meal. It was delicious, we were totally stuffed and I think we are going to be back often. I really want to try some of their non BBQ items. Forgot to take pics as soon as the meat hit the grill LOL. 5/5 recommend for Korean BBQ in Pinellas county! read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - banchan - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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I WANT THIS TO BE A 5/5 BECAUSE OF THE FOOD & JOE...but sadly the other "non-Joe" staff, dragged this down to a 4/5 First and foremost, let me make this abundantly clear...EVERYTHING on the menu...is absolutely... FIRE!!! !!! Solid 5/5!!! Being a NYC and LA Koreatown regular, I've had my fair share of KBBQ and Matjoa, can easily rival any of the restaurants blow for blow on the food. HOWEVER...the service (minus my guy Joe of course, who is evidently the standard bearer) needs a lot of work. 1. You've got one guy who does the mask over the mouth...but not over the nose thing in the midst of a whole pandemic. 2. The other "non-Joe" guy who brought us the wrong order...pork belly instead of marinated pork. 3. I asked both of these two gentlemen, at separate times for more of the bean paste and they both forgot.... Ohhhhh but NOT my boy Joe...when I finally asked him, he came back in seconds with not only bean paste, but TWO other accompanying sauces which he believed would pair well with the meats we currently had on the grill... I'd absolutely come back for another meal, but I'd probably opt to solely have Joe interact with the table. Side Note to Management: Outside of what I've listed above, it's clear to me that every 'non-Joe' staff member's head is in the right place. They all KNEW they should be attentive, they checked in as one SHOULD, they did what each individually believed one SHOULD do when providing great service. But it seemed like it was more of a theoretical exercise than one where your heart is in the right place. Gaps on follow through or going the extra mile to curate an experience like Joe did... matters. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Joe was actually the manager, because the level of care and detail he showed versus everyone else was notable. read more

Matjoa Korean BBQ - Korean Near Me - Clearwater, Florida