Food is still fantastic after all this time. Portion sizing is still consistent! Ordering is done via QR code and phone. Staff and service is quick to assist with any needs. Only downside is you'll smell like cooked meat/sauce since ventilation isn't super strong in the store. We'll be back since sizzling plate is an entertaining way to have a meal! read more

Sizzling Lunch - Beef Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Back again as this is one of our favorite places when we visit the area. Thankfully coming on a Saturday night wasn't too busy and we got seated for a party of 3 right away. My go to beef udon order. You order with the QR code and everyone's order goes on the same tab even if you order from different phones which is quick and convenient. Learned this time that they could reheat the skillet for you if you ask. Still would rather staff come and check on you at least once. Felt very open and comfortable inside this time around. Parking in this plaza is always a challenge but you find one eventually. read more

My coworkers and I have gone here for lunch a few times in the past, and on our most recent visit, it was great to see that the food is still just as fantastic and the portions are consistent! Ordering is seamless; scan the QR code on your phone (order as a group or individual), and the staff is always quick and helpful. The only real downside is that the ventilation isn't super strong, so you will definitely leave smelling like food. The parking lot can also get a bit busy, so you might have to hunt for a spot sometimes. Additionally, I do wish they would maybe add some garlic butter to the bottom of the hot plate so things don't stick to it quite so easily. That said, we'll absolutely be back--hearing that hot plate sizzling is always music to a foodies ears! read more

This location of Sizzling Lunch is located in Brokaw Commons. This is a busy area, but parking is not too bad here. Not much service, as it was a to go order. My food was ready in about 20 minutes, so it was not too bad of a wait. I am a fan of Sizzling Lunch, so I stopped by here for a late dinner one evening. I ordered their Salmon Udon with an egg and extra beef for to go. It was about $25, which is a bit steep. The portion was very small, I felt like their to go container has gotten smaller - it was a round bowl, but it was a shallow bowl. I felt like they skimped on the salmon, as well as the beef compared to their other locations. I ordered to go at their other locations often and it is so much different. The food was eh - the food was drenched in oil or sauce or whatever they put in it. By the time I finished my food, there was so much oil / sauce at the bottom of the container that was at least a couple inches deep. Overall, I would still get my to go from Sizzling Lunch, but not at this location. read more

Nicely seasoned and a good portion service is 3/5 it's quite difficult to grab their attention and when you do they aren't exactly happy to help besides that it's a bustling environment with good food perfect for a quick meal. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

My daughter had been eyeing this place for a while every time I asked what she wanted to eat, this spot was always one of the links she'd send me. I'll admit, the raw meat pictures with the rice didn't look that appealing to me at first, so I kept putting it off. One day, we were nearby for her haircut and decided to walk in just to grab a to-go menu and check out the place. To my surprise, it smelled amazing inside, and seeing all the sizzling platters coming out completely changed my mind. The food looked SO good that I immediately said we had to come back and try it. We went during dinner time, and parking in the complex was a bit challenging, but we were able to find a spot fairly quickly. The staff greeted us right away, had us pick a table, and asked if it was our first time. When we said yes, they kindly walked us through how everything works. We ordered the Curry Beef Rice with cheese and the Garlic Beef Pepper Rice (their most popular dish). After placing our order through the QR code, the food came out almost immediately on hot, sizzling platters. The waitress explained how to cook the meat first before mixing everything together. I followed the instructions--cooked the meat until there was no pink, moved the butter to the bottom so it could melt, then mixed everything together and added the sauces. It turned out delicious! I especially loved the crispy, crunchy bits at the bottom of the pan. My daughter cooked her meat a bit longer before mixing, so hers ended up slightly tougher--but still flavorful. After eating, we paid at the front. Just a tip: remember your table number (or check your phone order), because they'll ask for it. Overall, it was such a fun and tasty experience, and we'll definitely be back. Also, random but worth mentioning--the water here is actually really good! I usually don't drink restaurant water, but my daughter said it tasted great, and I overheard another table say the same thing. I tried it, and it was cold, refreshing, and had no weird aftertaste. Huge kudos for that, especially on such a hot day! read more

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Had a great meal at Sizzling Lunch and it continues to be one of my go-to spots. The beef was tender and flavorful, and the rice bowl stands out. Everything comes out hot and fresh, and the flavors are consistently strong without being overcomplicated. read more

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Good food, a little on the sweeter side compared to pepper lunch. Staff seems to have a lot of take out orders every time I have gone which kinda leaves the diners a little lack luster of service when needed. Food is comforting and good for a quick and easy meal. read more

Sizzling lunch is one of those places I go to when I want a quick and filling meal. I've been to a couple of their locations, and the restaurant itself is pretty bare-bones, but what they lack in ambiance they make up for with their food and service. I'm always seated immediately, and although I'm not usually a fan of having to order on your phone at a sit down restaurant, it really works well here. The food is always out within 5 minutes of ordering. I alternate between ordering the garlic beef pepper rice and the beef udon when I go, both with an added egg. The amount of meat in the portions is a decent amount, and does not feel overwhelmed by the rice/noodles. If you aren't familiar with sizzling lunch, your food comes out on a hot cast iron skillet with the meat raw, and you mix it around to cook it to your liking at the table. There are sauces and chili powder at the table to add to your meal as well. I especially enjoy adding a generous amount of garlic shoyu sauce and some chili powder to my dishes. read more

This meal was everything I dreamed of and more. Me and my friend were able to get seated right away, it wasn't too busy. We were able to order through the QR code. Staff was friendly and helpful. Restaurant clean and well maintained. Food came out fast. We both ordered the spicy garlic beef pepper rice that came topped with green onions, corn, garlic butter and spicy fried garlic and for our appetizer we got the cheese corn. The entree was so good, I finished it. I can't wait to get it again. The pricing is great too. read more

Sizzling Lunch - instagram: @jlr.eats - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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We've been craving sizzling lunch for a bit. In the past they always pulled through. This time no less. The food was good, I ordered the spicy beef, extra sausage and protein. My wife ordered the same less sausage and cheese corn. Mine was ok, it looked a little light on the extra beef but we were hungry and on a time crunch. The place was very dimly lit today and the floors are always oily so exercise caution. They changed the ordering system again, this time it's a QR menu that opens a tab. Not too bad as everyone seems to be gravitating towards that but you still haw to walk up the counter and close it out. The staff was nice, it was at the end of the night so I didn't want to ask for anything other than a beverage. I failed to take a photo prior but I got what I got. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Spicy Garlic Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Went in for dinner around 6pm in got seated immediately. We ordered a curry beef rice sizzle plate with mushrooms, no corn, and extra meat witb a side of curry sauce. Everything was great and hit the spot! The location was clean and decorated nicely read more

Sizzling Lunch - Curry Beef Rice with Cheese - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

always good but can be very salty. Otherwise a great place for some good beef or pork with garlic rice. would come back

I got the beef udon and I put both of the sauces provided and it was delicious. The beef was tender and the sauces went well with the udon and beef. However, I was hoping for some more udon as I wasn't really full at the end. There was a decent amount of meat though. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Beef Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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FOOD I enjoyed the chicken karaage and gyoza. They have dishes that come on a sizzling plate. You rotate the food on the sizzling hot plate to finish cooking the food. Inside is simple. You can order via a QR code and have minimal interaction with the server. You can pay cash at the register too. It's in the same shopping plaza as Chipotle and City Sports gym. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Chicken Katsu with Curry Sauce - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I personally love sizzling lunch-it's always a reliable place to eat. I usually get the garlic beef pepper rice but this time I tried the beef curry udon as well per a friend's recommendation, and I loved it. The curry pairs very well with the udon in this particular dish. The service was great and there's plenty of seating. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Inside - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Tldr I like this place. Generally I avoid oily places because too much oil can upset my stomach but my stomach has always been ok with this location. It also helps that when I order the beef pepper rice I can get the garlic butter on the side. I've been to the other sizzling lunch locations but this one is my favorite because it's the most convenient for me. Parking is sometimes difficult because of the gym but I can usually find a spot because it's a huge parking lot lol. I almost always order the beef pepper rice and it's just enough that I am nice and full. The plate comes out super hot and if I move fast enough I can get the crispy rice while making sure all of my meat is cooked too. I dunno. I feel like this is a generic sizzling plate place but the quality here is consistent. It's my comfort sizzling plate place hahaha. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Beef pepper rice with the garlic butter on the side(not in pic) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Every time we are in San Jose, this is our go to lunch. Conveniently located in the Brokaw Commons complex. Parking can be very difficult during lunch time on a weekday. A Japanese fusion teppanyaki style food. Service is very quick. Order on the menu by scanning the QR code and food gets delivered. Pay at the counter after eating. I usually order the kurobuta pork belly udon with add on - egg. This is served in a sizzling plate that you need to mix and continue cooking, 2 types of sauces are available- teriyaki and garlic shoyu. I always use the garlic shoyu. Son always gets his pepper beef rice with egg and hubby switches from the other options on their menu. Casual seating, you can choose where you want to get situated. The smell of the food sticks with you until you get home but no complaints. I definitely recommend Sizzling Lunch read more

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Good food, good prices, good service. Nothing to disparage. The place is kept clean. By golly though, the parking lot is full for this location. I wouldn't order the takoyaki again, but everything else is good! I'm a big fan of the beef pepper over the other options. read more

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This has become my go-to spot when I'm craving comfort food but don't want to cook. I've been here enough times to appreciate the efficiency of this place. The setup: QR code ordering from your table, food arrives within 10 minutes (seriously, it's fast), and during off-peak hours you can sit wherever you want. I've never been here during peak hours, I'm guessing they assign seating during those times. My order is predictable - garlic pepper steak with an egg add-on every single time. It hits the spot. The steak comes out sizzling on the cast iron plate (hence the name) and that egg on top is exactly what you want it to be. They have seasonings and sauces at the table if you want to adjust things, which I appreciate. The space itself is nothing to write home about - clean, spacious, functional. You're here for a quick, satisfying meal, not the ambiance. Perfect for: When you want hot food fast without the fast food regret. This is comfort food that delivers exactly what it promises. Price: $20-25 per person Parking: Lot available but shared with City Sports Club and other businesses - can get tricky during peak hours Bottom line: Reliable, fast, and satisfying. Sometimes that's all you need. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Garlic Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Quick service, you order via your phone and pay at the register afterwards. Protein comes out uncooked on an extremely hot plate, you add your extra toppings (teriyaki & garlic sauces, salt/pepper, chili powder) and mix until it's all cooked. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Beef Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Fast and delicious! It made me wonder how a takeout order would fare. Due to the crazy parking situation, I'd be down for a routine takeout visit if the crispness of the rice didn't become soggy. My Garlic Beef Pepper Rice needed some sauce to enhance the flavor, but it was downright delicious. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Garlic Beef Pepper Rice! - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Excellent food and wonderful service. The food arrived within 15 minutes after you had ordered it through the QR code. Noticed all the others enjoying their food. It's one of many locations (Fremont, Cupertino, etc). I totally recommend this place and will check out their other locations. read more

My first time checking this place out. The employee was very friendly and helpful. Ask me if I have been here before. That's very nice of her as I haven't had it. Very cool! Food came out very quickly. Nice place Reasonable price. Will be back. read more

I've been a big fan of Sizzling Lunch for a while now and have visited several of their locations. Honestly I think it's better than Pepper Lunch. The flavors are more consistent and the options feel more satisfying overall. Now that Pepper Lunch has closed down nearby I wouldn't be surprised if Sizzling Lunch locations get even busier. This particular spot can be a bit of a headache when it comes to parking since it's in a shared lot with a bunch of other businesses. Just something to keep in mind if you're coming during peak hours. One thing different about this location is the ordering process. Instead of the iPads some of the other spots use here you scan a QR code at your table. Not a big deal just a different setup. As for the food I usually rotate between two favorites. I either get the Kurobuta pork with rice and add sausage and an egg or I go for the curry beef with cheese and add an egg to that too. The cheese might be too heavy for some people but I love the way it adds a creamy texture to the rice once everything sizzles together. We've also tried the miso soup a few times. It's good though just a touch sweet for my taste. Overall this place hits the spot every time. The food is flavorful filling and just fun to eat. Highly recommend it if you're craving that sizzling plate experience. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Curry beef rice with cheese - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place always hits. Gotta get the garlic butter! Bonus - the wait always moves super quickly, even in a busy place like Brokaw Plaza. read more

This place is a classic. I've probably been here like 10 times already. Whenever I'm with my friends or family and we don't know where to eat, we go here. This place has expanded their menu over the past 4 years, so now I can make my plate perfect! I'm usually seated fairly fast, and once I order the food will usually come out within 10 minutes even when there's a lot of people. The servers are super nice and helpful and always ask you if you've been here before or not. The food is great! The sauce that they provide to add flavoring is super yum. The serving is pretty big too. 5/5 would come back. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Beef Pepper Rice with Cheese, Onions, and an Egg - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

You can always count on Sizzling Lunch when other places are closed. Especially when you have hungry mothers to feed. On a Friday night around 8pm they had a good amount of customers mostly large groups and we were able to get a table for 4 with no problem. The mothers shared a Beef Udon and it satisfied them appropriately, a little on the oily side but that's due to the butter which they know to remove next time. Also ordered a side of Croquettes and it was the perfect crisp and softness on the inside. I had ordered the Garlic Beef Sizzling Rice and paired with the Garlic Shoyu and Teriyaki, it's an instant hit all the time! My fiancee ordered a Croquette Sizzling plate and she had said no Mushrooms but they messed up the order and included it, luckily we had her mom to devour it instead. Good luck with parking, since this is shared with the Gym Rats over at City Sports. read more

I had tried another location of sizzling lunch in a different city before and loved the food but didn't have the best experience with service so when I saw a Sizzling Lunch location when visiting San Jose, I thought it was worth a try again. I was greeted by a friendly host who asked if we had been there before, my partner had not so she explained the menu and how to order using their QR code. We were dining around 9pm and seated right away. We ordered the cheese fries, a sizzling beef plate, and gyoza to share. The dishes came out quickly and absolutely steaming hot. The experience of mixing up the sizzling plate was fun and we really enjoyed all the dishes! Plenty of sauces available to add as well and further customize the flavor and spice level to your liking. The restaurant was clean and condiments on the table fully stocked. Our server was so kind and made sure we were happy with our meal. I wish there was a location in San Diego where I live! read more

Very good rice bowls! Portion is a bit smaller for me but taste is great! Recommend trying! read more

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In the past, I had good experiences eating here. For the first time today, I ordered Togo here. I ordered the cheese fries here and I was very dissatisfied that Togo cheese fries quantity is much smaller than dine in. I recommend they reduced the price for the cheese fries to go if they are going to skimp customers. Attached is two pics read more

Sizzling Lunch - Cheese fries in store - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here on a whim on a Friday night, got seated right away. The ordering is strange it's only on your phone and each individual person needs to place their own order on their phone. The drinks were warm with a couple ice cubes which was frustrating considering it took them a while to refill our drinks. The food itself was pretty good but imo not worth the price we paid. We tried the regular and spicy garlic beef with rice. We also tried the gyoza which was fire. Overall the ordering sucked, the food was mediocre and our servers didnt check on us enough. Probably won't come back again. read more

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The service is great. I came with my mom for the mother's day special and one of the servers spoke viet to her as well. They came out with the food quickly and were on top of giving us more water. I recommend using a lot of that sauce they provide the garlic and teriyaki to give it more flavor. I personally enjoyed the curry udon which gave it more depth than their normal udon. Note: it was p crowded when they have deals but not normally a long wait. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Modern dining space with easy QR ordering, attentive service, and a flavorful garlic beef pepper rice--garlic butter makes it rich and satisfying, perfectly balanced with a fresh salad. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Spicy Garlic Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Jamela was super helpful and nice. Good food, and nice ambiance. Jamela a really good worker

SIZZLING LUNCH GETS 5 BIG BOOMS! My review for this place is long overdue as this is a spot that my friends and I usually go to! I always heard about this one sizzling rice spot that people from my hometown would drive all the way down to SJ to get. And now I am currently living in SJ for school so I have had the opportunity to dine at this place multiple times! My go to order is the Garlic Beef Pepper rice with cheese, onion, egg, garlic butter, corn, and fried onion! I just love how this place lets you customize your meal as they have lots of add on options you can choose from! I have also heard that the udon is really great from my friends and I will definitely try that next time! It is also really easy to order as they can be made through an iPad. I always go during the night so wait times can vary. During peak hours I would say the normal wait is 10 minutes. The servers are always nice and friendly and that definitely adds on to the great experience I always have whenever I eat here. This place is always clean and large. The largest party I had when we dined here was about 15 at a table! I'm definitely looking forward to dining here again in the near future! read more

Sizzling Lunch - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Can never go wrong with sizzling lunch. Lots of savory options between all the sauces and spices. Highly recommend getting the curry beef and the takoyaki. This meal filled me up quite a bit and the salt and savory tastes will keep you satiated for a while! read more

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Final Thoughts: 4.00/5 Definitely been here well over 5 times now. This is a good place for a simple meal and has that affordable price. They haven't seemed to disappoint us on much either, so it's one of our safe places to go if we just want a quick dinner. Food: Chicken Katsu with Curry: 4.2/5 This is a dish that I've only recently tried and I've had it 2 times now. Quick good seeing as I decided to get it again this time around. The chick can be a hit or a miss. This time, it was quite juicy and tender compared to the first time I got it and it was somewhat dry on the inside. The curry is really where it's at though. I have had other curries from other places that I do prefer, but this one is doing it just fine. The consistency is very thick and it has a very umami gravy flavor to it. That combined with the mushrooms on the plate, chicken, and rice work really well together. It's interesting that I do believe this dish still needs the sauces on the table. It's almost feels one dimensional without them because you would think that the curry would contribute all of the flavor. Not the case here though, which is fine. The sauces are always there and I add it accordingly to my tastebuds. Personally, I prefer my rice to be softer versus that crispy burnt rice at the bottom. You can definitely leave it there to crisp up first before adding the sauce, but I add it upon arrival at the table. Cheese French Fries: 4.2/5 These French fries were better than I thought. They're fries topped with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, topped with teriyaki sauce and sweet chili mayo with a dried parsley garnish. This also comes in the hot plate, so the bottom pieces are nice and crispy. The melted cheese gives a nice cheese pull and just works so well with this dish. Because it has teriyaki sauce mixed in, the seasoning is just so delightful. Seems like a simple enough appetizer, but very nicely done. The fries in the middle will be a little more soggy, but honestly, I'm not too picky about a soggy fry so as long as it's seasoned well, has a dip or sauce of sorts, and is hot. Beef Udon (not pictured): 4.4/5 This dish is truly the OG for me. Whenever we go here, this is really the only item that I order because it's such a good pairing. The udon usually has a nice texture. There's a chew, but also has a bite to it. When it cooks with the sauces, all of the noodles soak it in really well. For the beef, it's quite tender and this might be because of how thinly sliced they are. This combined with the corn as garnish is very nice. Something I personally like is adding the sauce in and then having that cook with the udon and beef right as they arrive at the table. This lets the flavors soak in and really reduce to become that nice sauce. The flavors combine really well and does contribute nicely. Caution though because the plates come out scorching hot. This means that the sauce and oil might splatter everywhere when you initially add in the sauce. --------- Quality: Hasn't seemed to change They've been here a while now and their quality is seemingly the same. I really can't say anything has changed over the years which is good. Something that has changed is maybe their portion sizes and definitely prices. Don't think it's anything significant, but inflation hit everyone, so it's either changing the portion sizes, prices, or both. Price: Fair The prices for this place are fair these days. Definitely used to be more affordable, but there really isn't a place that hasn't been affected by inflation. Their prices have increase a little bit with the range being around $16 to $19 and a few outlier dishes. Their standard dishes are within this range though. Service: Fast They're very quick with the service. We used to order through a tablet on the table, but they switched it to a QR code and we can just quickly order through there. They usually bring out the food within less than 10 minutes though. Love that my plate is always sizzing and piping hot. They do check on you to refill water and ask how we're doing. Ambiance: Spacious, but a lil smokey It's a pretty simple interior. There aren't too many tables inside even though the space is fairly big. That means there's a fair amount of space between each table. The interior is kind of dim lit and the surrounding walls are kind of dark, so it makes the place feel a little dark. Some smoke is flying around because the sizzing plates release a lot of that. Again, it's a nice place for a simple dinner. Location/Parking: Depends on the day The location of this spot is in a pretty nice place. It's in one of the plazas near Hmart. Lots of other places to go and things to do around the area. They have a gym, grocery stores, boba shops, etc. The parking is usually a problem, but not really if that makes sense. There really isn't enough space for this plaza because we usually have to go in one or two rounds before we get a spot. There's usually more if you go a little farther though. read more

Sizzling Lunch - Cheese French Fries - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Recently came here to eat with a couple of friends for lunch and the second we walked in it was already really hot. By the time we got our food all of the steam from the plate just made it worse We asked one of the servers there if the AC can be turned on but they replied saying that the AC was already on and there was nothing they could do about it. By the time we were done eating, all of us felt sweaty like we just finished a workout This place completely downgraded since the last time I came here. Food was okay but I wouldn't come back knowing about the heat and the food seems overpriced now. AC should be fixed, the server who told us about the AC being on seemed annoyed about the heat as well. read more

Maybe cause I ordered via phone and takeout, my experience wasn't the best. I didn't receive sauce with my order had to come back. Also the black angus beef I ordered was overcooked not medium rare like how I requested :( I normally love this place but today was less than stellar. read more