Christina G.

Absolutely amazing AYCE Korean bbq. I've been wanting to come back and try the AYCE Korean bbq. I knew to make it worthwhile we'd have to bring our husbands so we could try a lot of different meats. It is definitely worth coming with a larger group to be able to try a bunch. There was six of us total. They bring a bunch of banchan, plus cheese corn (which was a table favorite) and steamed egg (which I loved). All the meat was amazing. My favorites were the brisket and bone in short ribs. The table loved the bulgogi (which was also my husband's favorite.) But honestly all the meat was great so you can't go wrong. We also got to try a variety of soju and Korean beer which everyone loved. I've only visited Seoul twice, which isn't a ton, but I did feel like this experience mirrored restaurants I visited there. On a Tuesday night it was busy but not packed. The perfect amount of people for it to seem bustling but not overcrowded. The parking lot is huge so you won't have any issues with parking. This place is family owned and operated by a local family so it is definitely worth checking out. You won't be disappointed.

Micaela R.

One of the best AYCE menus in Tampa. Love the endless banchan, corn cheese, and steamed egg. I used to go to their old location in Clearwater whenever there was a special event and they always provided great service!

Ruthie R.

I went to their soft opening a couple of weeks ago. The staff was friendly and the restaurabt was clean. Hubby and I were seated right away without reservationsm The service was a little slow, but I think it was due to newly opening and perhaps training new servers. We weren't in a rush anyway so it wasn't a big deal. We ordered: * Seafood Pancake * Japchae * L.A. Beef Short Ribs Of course, it came with 2 bowls of white rice and several typical Korean side dishes, which they did not refill. I'm used to the side dishes having more options AND refills, but I'm also comparing this to NJ and NYC Korean restaurants (where I grew up and spent 30+ years of my life). I have to say, the appetizer and 2 entrees were very large portions. We only ate half of these dishes and we had plenty of leftovers. It's always nice to have leftovers for work the next day! The flavor was also fantastic. I definitely recommend this Korean restaurant. I look forward to going again. I should mention that we ordered already prepared dishes. We weren't in the mood to cook over the grill, we just wanted to eat. So maybe I'll update my review when we decide to dine in a group.

10 out of 5 stars... Not only is the quality of their cuisine top of the line, but the fantastic people that work here brought me back a day after my first visit. It's the kind of place you think about going back to and are eager to go back to... I love this place and also how cozy it is. The first day I was recommended the Jjamppong and it was everything I needed and more. The next day I needed to try the AYCE and the spread, the preparation and care is just something you only find with very few places. Can't recommend Matjoa enough, so much so that I might go back again a week later haha! Thank you to all 3 of my wonderful servers! See you again soon.

Brigitte L.

Hands down BEST Korean cuisine around. I'm in love!!! Now in Tampa, just off of Gunn Hwy in the Ace Hardware plaza. This place is awesome, both food and service. Staff is attentive and I love the grill carts that's used for frying up your bbq. Hubs and I came in, having never tried the Clearwater location and have made this our top place for Korean food. I ordered the bulgogi beef and hubs got the jj jang myeon and some veggie mandu. Food didn't take long to come out and it was fresh and so flavorful. The bulgogi was the best I've had. They have plenty of seating, along with a bar and a room that could be used for hosting larger gatherings. We will definitely be back. Actually writing this review is making me hungry so we're going to go now lol.

Kim N.

I've officially found my favorite Korean restaurant in Tampa ! and even better, it's right near me in the Citrus Park area! We ordered Galbi, bulgogi, stone pot, mandu, Galbi tang, japchae, cheese corn, and teriyaki chicken . every single dish was well seasoned and cooked. The restaurant stays busy (they recently moved from Clearwater and brought a loyal following), but we only waited about 10 minutes on a Saturday night. Service was experienced, fast, and genuinely friendly with drink refills without us asking. We loved it so much, we ordered takeout the very next evening for a family get together , and it was just as amazing. Definitely our new go-to Korean spot! Minus a star: my brother forgot his credit card there after paying for dinner on Sunday evening. By the time we were able to return on Monday afternoon to retrieve it, a $400 charge had already been made to his card. This is unacceptable. The restaurant should have better safeguards and accountability in place for holding customer payment cards, it's concerning that it wasn't secured properly.

Jackie B.

My husband and I just finished watching Culinary Class Wars on Netflix. Now we wanted to try Korean food! I went to Yelp and found this new spot within 10 miles of our house. They have only been open a few weeks. We were there at about 5:15 and promptly seated. By 5:55....the place was packed! Service was more attentive prior to the rush. It just required a hand raise and they did come over to provide refills on our sauce and water. We had the combo for two and it was plenty of food. Because there were so many people when we left...we did smell like chefs as everyone was cooking their meats tableside. We were able to cook the meat at our pace which we enjoyed. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean and staff was friendly. We will be back. In our combo we had the following meats: Brisket Pork Belly Shrimp Beef bulgogi Spicey chicken

Jessica S.

I'm so happy this place opened very close to my home! Finally - a tasty authentic Korean restaurant here! I only got takeout so I can't say what the Korean bbq meats were like but for the kimchi soup and the japchae, it was so so good!!! The kimchi soup was spicy and hearty. There were tofu, rice cakes, mushrooms and of course kimchi. For $17, yes it is pricy but it comes with the small sides of seaweed salad, more kimchi, rice, fish tofu. The japchae noodles were also very tasty and full of flavor. The shaved beef was tender and veggies were great. I wish the portion was bigger but I'll gladly pay for good food over cheaper mediocre dishes. The kitchen was a bit slow for takeout. They told me 15-20 minutes on the phone and it turned out to be 40-45 minutes instead so I was waiting around for them to finish. I almost took a star off for this but I decided to keep it 5 stars because of the food and the friendly staff. Highly recommend a visit to this new restaurant!

Donald L.

Overall, the experience was great. This was their soft opening week and we dined at 6pm on a Saturday, so the place was packed as expected. We had the pleasure of previously dining at their old Clearwater location. Their new location has nice and open layout and no elevation changes(steps) for the patrons to stumble on! A definite plus. Also, acoustics were good in here. If you have any hard of hearing friends, this is a good restaurant bc there wasn't too much echoing or background noise, even with a full house! Plenty of free parking is available, especially in the evening as all of the other businesses in the plaza are closed. We were greeted promptly and seated. We selected the ayce A package and it came with everything we wanted (side dishes, miso soup, rice, lettuce, corn cheese, steamed egg, samjang, sesame oil, onions, garlic, and jalapeños. Perfect! Our meat choices came out promptly, and the portion size was generous! Our reorder also was generously sized. Two thumbs up. In addition to the ayce, there were many other options for ordering. I forgot to take a photo of the menu. Sorry! This is a good option for Korean BBQ!

Arash R.

We had gone to their former location in Clearwater and weren't impressed at all. We decided to try this new location, and they have genuinely turned things around. Super friendly service, good food and terrible k-pop music (j/k). We were impressed and quite happy that we discovered a new legit Korean restaurant in the Tampa area. We will return.

Lisa R.

I've eaten Korean barbecue in Seoul, LA, and New York. Matjoa in Odessa just casually walked up and took the crown without breaking a sweat. From the second you walk in, you know you're somewhere special: sleek modern room, perfect ventilation (your clothes will NOT smell like smoke when you leave), and 20+ glowing tabletop grills ready for battle. Then the banchan parade begins; easily 15+ little dishes hit the table, every single one house-made and refillable. The potato salad is creamy crack, the kimchi is perfectly funky-spicy, the fish cakes and cucumber salad are ice-cold and addictive, and the seaweed salad alone is worth the drive from anywhere in Florida. Meat quality is straight-up stupid. The prime galbi (short rib) is thick-cut, gorgeously marbled, and melts the moment it touches the grill. The chadol (brisket) gets those lacy, crispy edges in seconds. But the real MVP is the A5 Wagyu rib cap; they bring it out like jewelry, sear it for literally 10 seconds per side, and it dissolves into beef butter on your tongue. Even the pork jowl and spicy pork bulgogi are flawless. The combo deals are insanely generous (we did the "Matjoa Special for 4" and left destroyed in the best way), and the prices somehow feel 20% cheaper than every other KBBQ spot in the state. Service is lightning-fast, super friendly grill attendants who cook for you if you want (or happily let you be the pitmaster), and they keep the soju and Hite flowing like it's their job to make you happy (because it is). Extras like the cheese corn, steamed egg, and soybean-paste stew are all perfect. The lettuce wraps, ssamjang, and garlic slices never run out. Matjoa isn't just the best Korean barbecue in Tampa Bay; it's a destination restaurant, period. I'm already planning my next trip from Orlando because nothing else will ever compare. If you love KBBQ even a little, cancel your weekend plans and get here. Five stars is an insult. This place is pure fire (literally and figuratively).

Thien D.

It's a great find for an authentic Korean restaurant in Tampa. It's still their 2nd week of soft opening, but the foods and services are great! Added to our list to Korean restaurants and we are looking forward to our next visit. Hope the liquor license will be there by then.

Chinn P.

10/10 for authentic Korean bbq. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great food and even better service! If I could give more stars, I would