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    Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ

    4.5 (273 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese, Barbeque, Korean
    Closed 12:30 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    OKU-NIKU JAPANESE BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ

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    Vivian P.

    AYCE Prices? My Wallet Said Absolutely Not. Not gonna lie -- I am not your typical "pay as you go" gal, and sadly my stomach can no longer survive all-you-can-eat the way it used to. Although this spot offers AYCE for $79.50 per person, the seven of us decided to go the smarter route and order à la carte instead. And honestly? We still ordered enough food to probably qualify for AYCE anyway. Totally forgot to snap a picture of the menu because our stomachs were already making decisions before our brains could. We ordered everything from: * sushi rolls * mushrooms appetizer * shishito peppers * seaweed salad * broccoli * soy garlic edamame * dumplings * fried rice bulgogi * chicken karrage * garlic shrimp * beef tongue * chicken breast * and of course the star of the night, the Wagyu ribeye beef which was about $45 a plate for roughly 7-8 slices? Most of the food honestly didn't even make it into photos because the table instantly attacked everything the moment it arrived. I don't know the total bill since it was my birthday dinner, but I'm pretty sure it cost a very pretty penny lol. Overall, we really enjoyed the food and I'd give the experience about an 8/10. The only downside was the service was a bit slow. We had the only reservation at 1 PM, yet it still took a few tries to flag someone down when we needed things, so service overall was just okay. Welcoming ambience with beautiful interior with plenty of tables. I'm assuming reservation would be more recommended on weekends? Still a fun birthday meal with lots of good food and full bellies. Happy eats!

    Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ.
    Shik P.

    We had our family dinner for party of 6 on a Saturday night at Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ. It was my first time here but not for my brother as he frequents Oku-Niku and have been convincing us to try this place out for a few months now. Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ did not disappoint and provided both delicious Japanese meals and excellent customer service. Our waiter Sergio was excellent. Thank you Sergio! He kept bringing out replenishment for the different types of meat. We ordered the Premium All You Can Eat for $79.50 per person. It was very much worth the price for what they serve you along with the quality of meats. This Premium All You Can Eat for $79.50 per person included A5 Wagyu. I'm sure you know that A5 Wagyu is the highest grade of Japanese beef. It was tender, rich and buttery. Included in the Premium All You Can Eat for $79.50 per person are to name a few, Scallop, Yellow Tail, Truffle Salmon Roll, Brussel Sprout, Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, Soft Shell Crab and Beef Tongue. The cuts and the quality of the meat along with the quality of the seafood is 5 stars. Oku-Niko Japanese BBQ is now added to our list of favorite eateries to frequent with family and friends. Will be back here again next weekend and we're so looking forward to it.

    Ivan M.

    I really wanted to like this place, but honestly, it just didn't live up to the hype. For $79, I expected way more especially when it comes to A5 wagyu. Being limited to just two rounds of pretty skimpy portions with a BMS of 8 was already a letdown, but the bigger issue was the taste and overall quality. It just didn't hit the way true A5 should, and that was disappointing. If I had known that's what I was getting for the price, I would've gone somewhere else where the quality actually matches lwhat you're paying for. It felt like I paid premium for something that came off pretty mid. If you want Jap bbq, take yourselves to Chubby cattle. That said, the service was solid staff was attentive and did their job well, no complaints there at all. I also don't enjoy leaving bad reviews, but I think this place has some things to tweak, especially when it comes to value and consistency with their meat quality. Hopefully they make some improvements, because it has potential.

    The table
    Lilly C.

    We came here, absolutely starved after doing a Warner Brothers studio lot tour. Everything was super quick. We got some edamame and cucumber salad as well as a couple of orders of meat to cook. It was my friend's first time at an Asian barbecue like this. She's not a big fan! Everything was delicious.

    A5 wagyu
    Anthony R.

    WOW! I stopped by for dinner and this place is top tier! I got the premium all you can eat $79.50 per person and it's totally worth it. You can get every item with this option. Japanese A5 wagyu is an option but only once per person. The a5 Wagyu literally melts in your mouth and comes seasoned already with just salt. We got all the wagyu options and all the meats were so tender like butter. Fried gyozas were perfect for the appetizer best gyozas I've had. The server kept coming refilling our water and asking if we needed any more meats. So the service was really great as well. Definitely my new go to spot when I want Japanese bbq

    Hokkaido scallop carpaccio, yellowtail carpaccio and A5 wagyu
    Janet J.

    We ordered the premium AYCE ($79.95) and all the meat we ordered were quality cuts and delicious. The Hokkaido scallop, yellowtail and salmon carpaccio were great, as well. The spicy eggplant was delicious, but maybe a bit on the salty side. The service was amazing and we came midweek, so we didn't feel rushed. Highly recommend when you're in the mood for some yakiniku!

    Menu September 2025
    Ara G.

    Location 3.5: In western end of Burbank, California, near Toluca Lake and Warner Bros Studios. Located on Riverside Drive off of N. Pass Avenue. This is a congested and busy area with lots of restaurants. Your only parking option is street parking. We had a very hard time finding a parking spot on a Friday night. Venue 3.5: Nicely appointed and modern, medium sized venue with Indoor tables and booths. They feature Happy Hour, Monday thru Friday, 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM (at the time of my visit). Strangely enough, they only take reservations for parties of 5 or larger, and only by phone! You can however use the Yelp Waitlist if your party size is smaller. We were a party of 4 and waited about 45 minutes on a Friday night. There is not a lot of wait area inside so you'll probably be standing on the sidewalk! I would have rated the venue a 4 if they took reservations for all party sizes. Service 4: Our server Sadie was polite, professional, friendly and attentive. Food 3.5: They are a Yakiniku (a.k.a. Japanese Barbecue) restaurant. The large menu includes Asian-inspired appetizers, some sushi/sashimi/carpaccio and specialty rolls, raw meats and vegetables to prepare at the grille on your table, and noodle and rice sides. You can order ala carte or AYCE (all you can eat). We ordered ala carte. To start, we had the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice and the Hokkaido Scallop w/ Wasabi Ponzu Sauce. For grilling at the table, we ordered the Garlic Shrimp, Filet Mignon, Prime Ribeye, Black Angus Brisket, Prime Short Rub, Spicy Pork and Seasoned Pork Belly. We also had the Prime Beef Fried Rice. The meat quality and taste was very good. The appetizers were OK but not on par with a good sushi restaurant. The fried rice was also just OK. They had a small but appetizing dessert list but we did not get to try it. Drinks 3.5: Good selection of beer (tap and bottle), sake and wine. Sapporo and Kirin on draft. They also have soft drinks. Pricing is on the high side. The last word 3.5: A good option for Yakiniku when you are in Burbank. I wish they would add Valet Parking and start taking reservations for smaller parties!

    Vicky T.

    This is a small restaurant off a busy street. We came as 4 adults, 2 infants and a child. The only had one area for large table and it was on a reservation based service. The restaurant opened at 1230 and we got there around 1240 and it was already taken so our group just sat across from each other at different tables. I enjoyed their salmon carpaccio the best. The serving was generous but their serving on all their items were quite generous so I would suggest half servings if you want to try all of their appetizers and sushi. Their Brussels sprouts were also very good! As far as the meat quality, I've had better. It's mediocre at best for the deluxe. We did not try the premium for 75$ pp, it was too hefty a price to pay for some limited items. Service was ok as well. We felt we often had to request to reorder things vs them checking in on us. Since it's a small restaurant , there was only two servers but only one actually taking orders. Would I come back? Probably not, but it was not bad.

    Brian N.

    I came to Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ to celebrate my clients for buying a house and this restaurant really made the evening feel special. First of all, the quality of the meat is ridiculously good. The premium cuts were so delicious and flavorful. The marbling alone is a level above other restaurants. You know it's serious when the meat hits the grill and everyone at the table suddenly goes quiet in awe. And the sides? Incredible. Honestly... dare I say it... better variety than other similar type of restaurants. Definitely try the mushrooms! By the end of the meal I had two realizations: 1. My standards for BBQ have been permanently elevated. 2. Kbbq has some competition. If you love high-quality meats and you want to celebrate a special night, Oku-Niku is a must. 10/10. Would absolutely return to enjoy the premium beef again.

    23) Hokkaido Scallop with Wasabi Ponzu Sauce
    Lauren B.

    Oku-Niku is an upscale Japanese BBQ restaurant with an assortment of meats, appetizers, and sushi rolls to choose from. Our group went with the Premium AYCE, which was $80/person and included the whole menu. Service was great here--waiters are attentive, friendly, and eager to answer questions. In terms of the food, the sushi was good. I particularly enjoyed the truffle salmon rolls. The stir fried mushrooms were also a favorite for our table. Also really enjoyed the flavor and light creaminess of the garlic noodles. Definitely one of the highlights of their menu. The shishito peppers were just OK to me--they were a little bitter and lacked significant flavor. I was a bit disappointed with the meat. Overall, they were quite oily and fatty for my taste. There was one standout, which was either the marinated ribeye or sirloin (unfortunately can't remember which it was), which was super flavorful though a bit rich. I did also like the flavor of the brisket too. Surprisingly, we liked the American Wagyu more than the A5 Wagyu, since the cut for the A5 had too much fat. Usually, I'm able to eat a lot of meat at BBQ but I found myself tapping out much earlier than expected here because the meats were too rich/fatty. So even though my group ate a lot the Premium AYCE was worth not it for me.

    Tuna on crispy rice
    Arlene G.

    We really enjoy going to this place if we're looking for somewhere local. The location and seating is great along with the fact that they have adjustable hoods. We go with the AYCE package and try almost everything from the meats to the sushi. Crispy rice tuna and the eggplant are delish!

    Justin T.

    Hospitality and service were absolutely on point thanks to our amazing server, Javier. The quality of the food was exceptional -- everything tasted incredibly fresh, especially the A5 Wagyu and the other prime meats. The ambiance was modern, vibrant, and very welcoming, making it the perfect place to enjoy a great meal with a fun group. It was my first time here, and I had a terrific experience. Katie and Javier truly provided outstanding hospitality. I'll definitely be back!

    Tiffany W.

    Hubby wanted to try out this place since he recently heard about it & we so happened to be in the area. Ambiance: place was very clean & seats were comfy. Service: servers were friendly. Food: Meat- We weren't too excited about the meat. Pple took great pics on Yelp, but the meat cuts were lacking the tenderness. Overall all the cuts were just really tough to eat. We didn't come here for the wagyu as there are other better places for wagyu. We just wanted to try the deluxe to get a taste of their meat quality. The pork jowl was sliced way too big, but it's still my favorite. After 1 round of ordering, we just couldn't find ourselves to order more. We eat quite a bit of barbecue in general as hubby is a meat guy. Something about the meat just didn't cut it for us. We ended up liking the salmon carpaccio & the veggie dishes. We were a bit disappointed as the place gave a really nice vibe.

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    Ask the Community - Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ

    Is there parking available?

    While we don’t have a designated parking structure, there is a lot of free street parking around on Riverside Dr., N Maple St, W Alameda, and N Pass. Hope to see you soon!

    What is the largest party size they can accommodate?

    Hi Prianka, Thanks for asking. We can comfortably sit 5-12 people via reservation. Parties of 12… 

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    Oku-Niku Japanese BBQ - japanese - Updated August 2026

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