This place is a little more expensive, but so good. Be careful ordering extra sides they charge for everything without disclosing it and they aren't cheap. Lesson learned. read more

We went around 8PM on a Saturday night for a party of 2 and got sat almost immediately. It was our first time here and the food was good but had an issues happen during our visit. BTW this is NOT AYCE. It is also on the pricey end. Also they cooked all the food for us. Not sure if we will be back but maybe on a special occasion or if we are invited by friends to go. Food: We ordered the SOT Sampler Plate and a fried rice. My favorite was the Prime Short Rib. Everything was good but personally I can't tell the difference between the meat I ate here and from another KBBQ place. For the fried rice they kinda burnt our fried rice. It was so burnt that when we tried to scoop up the rice to try and get that charred bottom, it was stuck and moved the grill itself. Service: Staff were good and attentive to when we needed water refills and more sides. They cooked all the food and asked type of doneness we would like our meat. The only time they slipped was for the fried rice. Ambiance: The place is a nice smell of meat cooking. Feels like a pretty professional establishment. Definitely a place where you could bring a much larger party. Parking: This area has a parking lot space and at the time we came there were still plenty of spots. read more

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Had a great experience at SOT BBQ! This is NOT an all you can eat KBBQ spot so you can expect higher quality meats and cuts. For two we ordered the SOT Sampler and everything was delicious! We also ordered the spicy cold noodles and it was the perfect side dish (alongside their countless tasty banchan). This was plenty of food for the both of us and we even took some home. I wish we had the stomach space to try their fried rice! The service here is A+. They cook everything for you so all you need to do is enjoy. Servers are constantly coming around to make sure your meat is cooked well and offering to refill the banchan. Can't wait to come back! read more

Great quality meats and definitely one of the better Korean BBQ spots I've tried! SOT BBQ is definitely on the pricier side, especially with their sampler plates, so I'd say this is more of a special-occasion spot rather than somewhere I'd go for a casual meal. One thing that makes SOT different from your typical Korean BBQ spot is that they cook for you instead of having you cook everything at the table. I actually really enjoyed this because you can just sit back and enjoy your meal without having to worry about timing or burning everything yourself. My favorite was the Wagyu Sampler! It doesn't look like a lot but it was enough to feed 2-3 people, depending how hungry you areThe only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because the service can be a hit or miss depending on where you're seated. The first time I went, our server left and never came back. Fair warning: you WILL leave smelling like smoke so plan your hair wash day accordingly lol. Overall, really good-quality meat and a fun experience, especially for a celebration or special occasion with friends and family! read more

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I learned of this sport through a friend's recommendation and it completely exceeded expectations! Sot refers to the traditional iron/stone cooking vessel used in Korea, and here they grill the meat right on top of the cauldron lid so all the savory meat juices seep into the grilled kimchi and bean sprouts underneath. Highlights: - Sot Combo: We ordered the combo, which was more than enough food for three people to share. All of the meat cuts were fantastic quality! - Banchans: The side dishes were very tasty too. There's a large variety of options that stood out from standard KBBQ spots. Service: The staff actively helped grill everything for us, keeping the experience smooth and enjoyable. Next Time: We really wanted to try the fried rice at the end, but we were way too full. Highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area. There's really nothing quite like this in OC! read more

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This is the best spot in SD for KBBQ. I've been here 3 times already! They use a traditional cast iron grill and have premium meats! Service is also excellent because they grill the meats for you! On my last visit, we chose the brisket and marinated short ribs. For marinated meats, they also torch it to give it that extra smoky flavor. I like that the have other non meat options like chive pancakes and honey butter garlic shrimp. If opting for à la carte, the only suggestion I have for the restaurant is to have less portions of meat so that you can try more meats ( when dining for 2). We were full with just the two meats, appetizers, and ban chan. Also, the veggie platter was just lettuce, garlic, radish, and jalapenos. Otherwise, all of my visits have been excellent. read more

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We had a celebratory dinner here for a graduation party and the service was great! We got the wagyu selection which was priced relatively well and was more than enough for the 5 of us. We also ordered the marinated raw crab and a couple drinks for the table. Meat was grilled to perfection, kimchi was not too fermented which I like, and the new marinated raw crab was delicious (not many places have that). Would definitely say this is one of the better KBBQ spots in San Diego. Definitely would go here again for special occasions. read more

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Great service, tasty sides and the special touch with the torch flame at the end adds some crisp. The kimchi stew (찌개) flavor was a bit bland. This is our 3rd visit while in San Diego and would go back. You reserve or get in line through Yelp. read more

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Food was so good I forgot to take a pic when it came out. Our boy Gavin cooked our meat gooood. The short rib was so good I was fighting my husband for it. Everyone gives good service. When Gavin was helping another table, another lady stepped in and helped make sure our meat wasn't overcooked. the vibe is fun without being obnoxious. Definitely a higher end kbbq place. read more

SOT BBQ - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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We basically ordered the same things as last time but this time we saved room for the fried rice. They use the left over bits on the bbq to make the fried rice which gave the rice so much flavor. They incorporated seaweed, lettuce and sprinkled cheese on top of the rice too. By cooking the rice on the bbq it made some of the rice crispy so it's definitely a nice flavorful texture. If you have room after this meal try the fried rice cuz it's good. read more

SOT BBQ - Fried rice - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

This is not your typical all you can eat Korean barbecue. They offer higher and cut of meat, including Wagyu beef. Highly recommend a reservation, and for parking we didn't have any trouble, but it is shared with another very popular Ramen place right next-door. This is a place where your server will help you cook the meat, which was nice, we've ordered separately outside of the sampler plate they do offer. We just ordered some Wagyu and briskets. A portion of these plates are very small so I would recommend ordering more than what you would order at all you can eat buffet. Yes price is higher due to higher quality of meat. Also, the ventilation of this place was a little better than the other Korean barbecue place because we didn't really smell that badly afterwards. Overall, this place was great for service, ambience and for food. Highly recommend. However, for other dishes they offered were very much meh. Do not order anything else but meat here. read more

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Delicious KBBQ in Clairemont Mesa! Note that it is not AYCE (all you can eat) KBBQ. Meat quality was great, loved the variety of banchan and a la carte dishes, and the servers were SO attentive as they cook the food for you. For two, we ordered the Sot Sampler and spicy cold noodles as an a la carte dish which was the perfect amount. Make reservations or go early as it gets really busy! In a small strip mall so parking is available. read more

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Great spot for high quality korean bbq. The service was great, they help do all the cooking and even grill up some kimchi to pair with the meal. The favorites were the wagyu tongue, tartare, and the marinated short rib. The kimchi fried rice is a nice meal ender as well. Would come back to try more of the other options! read more

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Korean bbq Kearny mesa Parking available Amex accepted Restrooms inside Indoor seating only Reservations highly recommended Good quality cuts First visit great service. Second visit horrible service or more like no service. Came in as a two top and services attended everyone except us and it was not busy. We wanted to order more and by ringing the bell and still no service. Took 30 min to get the bill after flagging them down. read more

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An elevated KBBQ place perfect for special occasions! The meats are high quality and the servers cook the meat for you. You can choose between various sampler plates and à la carte meats. I have tried both the sot sampler plate and the prime sampler plate, and both are delicious! They provide unlimited refills of the complementary banchan (and they have a good variety too!), matcha salt, and additional sauces for dipping your meats. They also have a selection of appetizers you can order for an additional cost - their cold noodles are so refreshing and are a perfect way to end the meal! read more

SOT BBQ - Prime sampler plate - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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A more elevated KBBQ experience, SOT offers high quality meats and service. The servers will cook the meal for you and explain what best pairings of salt and sauces go with which meat. They prepare the set meals beautifully and display them for you before cooking as well. I loved every piece of meat I tried, and the sides were delicious too! I was a big fan of the steamed egg and banchan that they give free refills on. Definitely the place to go for a celebration with friends and family! read more

SOT BBQ - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great experience getting premium meat and Wagyu korean bbq. I loved that the banchan was already waiting for us at the table and the servers cooked our meats at a manageable pace. Meats were delicious and service was great. read more

Came to celebrate a birthday so we weren't skimping out. Wagyu was good quality. I felt it was worth it and will provide a better elevated experience than AYCE KBBQ if that's what you're hoping to get going here. I'd skip on the SOT sampler and spend the extra $$ on Wagyu Sampler. There was 9 of us. We got 2 of each sampler plate and one spicy noodle. More than enough food. We were stuffed. Next time I'd probably order the Wagyu sample plate for 3-4 people. Banchans are unlimited and the grilled kimchi is tasty. Really enjoyed their jalapeño pickled radish. The cooks can be a bit busy so even though they do cook your meat watch out for it as they let ours over cook a few times. read more

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Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 This Kbbq spot features traditional cast-iron cauldron grilling, with the staff handling all the cooking tableside. Tonight, four servers rotated between tables on our side of the restaurant, grilling meats and keeping everything running smoothly. While I appreciated the full-service grilling experience, I had mixed feelings about this dinning format. Reason being that at times, it felt like there was always someone flipping meat right in the middle of our conversation, which kinda took away from the intimacy of the dinner. To be fair, the staff wasn't hovering at the table the entire time. They would cook a round, step away, and give us a few peaceful minutes before returning. Still, at times I wished we could slow down, enjoy our conversation, and savor the meal at our own pace, as the experience felt a bit more rushed than relaxed overall. That said, our servers Heejeong and Brittany were genuinely pleasant and easy to talk to, and their attentiveness clearly reflected good service. As for the Wagyu Platter we ordered, the cuts were nicely marbled, with the short rib easily my favorite. And while the meat quality was definitely above average, I expected something closer to top-tier A5 wagyu at this price point. Overall, it's a decent option if you're looking for something different from the typical AYCE experience, but the premium pricing is a bit hard to justify based on the meat quality alone. The strong service helped bring this up to a 3.5-star rating.. read more

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SOT is a great KBBQ option when you're looking for quality over just stuffing as much brisket as you can. The Wagyu Sampler was great for trying a bunch of different cuts of meat; I loved all the different textures! The banchan was good and I especially liked that they had my 2 favorites besides kimchi: cucumbers and potato salad. Our server Jason was super attentive and cooked our meats to our liking as well! I liked how wide the space was and there was a good amount of space between tables so it wasn't really smoky in there when we ate. read more

SOT BBQ - Wagyu Sampler - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

The dining area is very spacious. And I love that they have photos with autographs of the famous people that came to visit their location. The staff was very friendly. Fast working and accurate. We were a total of 3 and ordered the Prime Sampler Plate for $145. The meat was of really good quality. All the sides come with your platter. Potato salad, kimchi, rice, cucumbers and sauces. I loved that they cook the meats for you. We will definitely be back! read more

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Such quality in their food and service. We went with the wagyu sampler and it easily fed our family. The place is nice and well put together. I'll Be coming back for sure ! read more

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Excellent service (they grill for you, expertly), tender cuts (our favorites were the outside skirt, the garlic marinated beef, and the pork jowl), and tasty banchan (replenished on the house). This meal knocked it out of the park. The cast iron cooking surface is unique; I wish more K-BBQ restaurants in the U.S. would adopt it. It's low-smoke, and the meats cook more evenly/efficiently than they do on a traditional grill. The prime sampler was more than enough meat for two people, but we were gluttons and added a couple of extra à la carte cuts. No regrets! They were all terrific in their own right. read more

SOT BBQ - Finger ribs and grilled veg on the cast iron sot - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Absolutely phenomenal! You can really taste the quality of all the ingredients from vegetables to the meat. The service was amazing and attentive, they cooked for you in their special grills. We got the SOT sampler which was the perfect amount of food for three hungry people. The presentation and taste of the food was superb. Their cold noodle was also delicious! Highly recommend and will be back in the future. read more

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It's a kbbq kinda day but you don't want to cook for yourself so, where do you go? SOT! My family and I were in a mood for kbbq and decided to try out SOT for the first time. We were seated immediately upon arrival. There was a pretty big variety of combos to choose from and we went with the SOT sampler plate. We figured the plate could feed 3 people well but I still wanted to add some cold noodles, kimchi stew, and steamed eggs because those are my goto. (I believe the steamed eggs were already part of the sampler plate?) Service was phenomenal and the staff were great. They not only cooked well but were super attentive and one of them chatted happily with us and explained to us the different things on the table which really elevated our dining experience. The soju cocktail was great and complemented the meal well (flavor recommended by the waitress). The restaurant is a nice size and we saw a number of corporate diners, friend group diners, and family diners which showed that this was a restaurant meant for all types of crowds. Food overall was great, service adding a cherry on top. I highly recommend trying and I will definitely be coming back soon. Overall Rating: Food: 10/10 Service: 11/10 Menu: 10/10 Restaurant Vibes: 10/10 Price to Overall Dining (POD): 10/10 read more

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Sometimes you just need to treat yourself. Whether it's after a long week or a friend's birthday this is the spot. Came here for premium KBBQ at SOT (not AYCE) and ordered the SOT sampler. This is an elevated experience where they cook the meats and veggies for you on the grill. For food: - Prime short rib - highlight of the meal. Rich, tender, and almost wagyu like - Ribeye - a bit on the chewy side compared to expectations. - Beef belly - really delicious, great flavor and texture. - Pork belly - solid - Mushrooms - simple but really good and juicy, absorbed the grill flavors nicely. The cooked kimchi and potato salad were standout banchan. The fried rice at the end was a great meal bookend. They mix it with the leftover meats and sides, which makes it super flavorful. You can also add cheese, which takes it in a richer direction. We were actually pretty full at this point and ended up taking most of it home. Service was mixed. Our server was very quiet and mostly hands-off. Kai who was also manning the front on the other hand, was excellent - stepped in to help cook, explained things, and brought energy to the table, which noticeably improved the experience. The interior of SOT is really nice and newly renovated. The ventilation is strong and I didn't feel the same eye burn from the bbq smoke that I usually have at other KBBQ joints. Overall, SOT had high-quality meats with a few real standouts. Service can vary, but when it clicks, the experience feels very premium and worth it. read more

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Came here with a party of 4 and decided to go with the A++ Sampler Plate ($285). It was the perfect amount of food for our group. First things first: this is not AYCE, it's à la carte. The sampler option makes it easy to try a variety without over-ordering. The very first cut they put on the grill (can't remember the name, but I *believe* it's the A5 Wagyu Ribeye Thick Cut) was insanely good- super soft and literally melted like butter. The marbling on it was ridiculous. The rest of the meats were solid too. Loved the variety of banchan. They gave a lot of sides and it kept the meal interesting. Also appreciated that they cook the meat for you so you can just sit back and enjoy. Our server was nice, but like other reviews have mentioned, they seemed stretched between multiple tables. We ended up flipping some meats ourselves and pulling pieces off to avoid overcooking. A few cuts ended up more done than they should've been, which was a little disappointing given the price. Overall, it's on the pricier side, but you're paying for quality. Good for a nicer KBBQ night, just be prepared to step in and babysit the grill a bit. read more

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Love the cast iron grills! Cooks the food very fast and the server comes to assist in preparation. When dining at a Korean BBQ restaurant, you tend to want to try all cuts of meat. Easy to do at this place but your final bill will be high. First time, you have to do this because you can then identify the cut that you want more of or will order mostly next time. Quality of meat is fantastic. Service was attentive. One of the better KBBQ restaurants in San Diego + parking is readily available. read more

SOT BBQ - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

I think this place is my fav Korean bbq place in SD. It's definitely pricey but it's very clean and service and food are good! We tried prime sampler plate but it wasn't much for our little family. But the food was pretty tasty and meat seems descent quality. Definitely will come back and try other things read more

SOT BBQ - Prime sampler - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was craving some quality Korean BBQ and been meaning to try SOT BBQ. I know it'll be more costly than other AYCE places but the quality of their meat is really up there as well as the cleanliness! The friendly staff cooks the meat for you and they were so efficient and organized. My husband and I shared the SOT sampler for $99. It came with three types of beef and pork belly. The ban chan and rice are already included and refillable. Between us two, the serving was generous. We loved all the cuts of meat! Might just be our new go-to spot for KBBQ in town. read more

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Ordered the Sot Sampler to share between 3 people and the portion was perfect with the sides. Glad they cooked for us too. We thought all the beef was good and the pork belly was below average. Wish we didn't end with pork belly. read more

SOT BBQ - Sot sampler - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

Quality service, meats and venue! 10/10 recommend. Visited on a Sunday and received friendly, efficient service. The sides were varied and delicious (and quickly refilled.) We tried the SOT Sampler, Jowl and Brisket. - The Short Rib and Jowl were amazing. - The Ribeye was soft and very good. - The Brisket was underwhelming. The space was very clean and the venting was good. Can't wait to come eat here again! read more

SOT BBQ - Brisket, Jowl and SOT sampler - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Quality meats and good service. My party of 3 arrived on Friday at 6 pm with no prior reservations and was sat within 10 minutes. Parking can be difficult later on in the night so come early to snag a spot. The table came prepared with a variety of banchans before you're sat. We ordered the Prime meats sampler, an order of chive pancakes and 3 rice bowls. The beef was juicy, tender and had great marbling on it. Your server/host will help cook the meats and everything for you - and they do a great job! I'd say the prime sampler does feed a party of three - but for you extra hungry folks, might be worth ordering some appetizers as well! If you want quality kbbq and good service, I would recommend SOT BBQ. Just keep in mind, this place is A La Carte only, no AYCE. Which in my opinion, is the superior way to enjoy Kbbq! read more

SOT BBQ - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

Probably one of the best KBBQ spots in SD! San Diego is lacking in the KKBQ scene and SOT BBQ is definitely raising the bar! They offer a more upscale experience with an a la carte menu, an impressive array of side dishes, and a traditional cast iron grill. We got their Sot Sampler Plate which features prime short rib, ribeye, pork belly, and beef belly. A really well-rounded spread if you want to try a bit of everything! Their staff is super attentive and cooks the meat for you, making sure everything is cooked to perfection. While super yummy, I think there are a few spots in LA/OC that trump them in terms of meat quality. Excited to see how they'll continue to expand! read more

SOT BBQ - Sot Sampler - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

Sot BBQ on Clairemont Mesa in San Diego is the best Korean BBQ spot in SD. My father in law has raved about it for months and I'm glad that I had a chance to come in last night! Though it's not all you can eat, they feature top quality, thick cuts of beef and pork at a reasonable cost. We started with their Sot sampler, which gave us a better appreciation of the quality of their ribeye, pork belly, short rib, and beef belly. Also got a full sized order of their pork jowl, which was delicious. The signature element of the Sot experience is their huge cast iron pan. Their staff will grill the meats for you to get the perfect crust and doneness. Definitely take advantage of their banchan. I really enjoyed their herb salt with ribeye and I made my own ssam with their thick cuts of pork belly with salad and soybean paste. San Diego deserves a great Korean bbq spot and they have one here in Sot! read more

Located in the Convoy area of San Diego. It's in the same plaza as Menya Ultra and Daiso. It is not all you can eat. There are set meals. We came with a large group of about 11 people and got two of the set meals and there was plenty of left over. The service is amazing and they cook everything for you at your table. Sorry, I don't know what we ordered but the quality of meats were superb. You also get a large number of banchan and everything is great. This is my new favorite KBQ in convoy. Note, you can also order things like bibimbap, soon tubu (tofu stew), or yukgaejang (spicy beef stew) if you don't want to eat bbq. read more

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This KBBQ continues to shine and be the best in the SD area in my opinion. Despite being a busy Sat night and I was worried about the wait being listed 12 I was still seated in 40 mins. Super efficient, clean and service is amazing. Table side cooking by the staff is dying these days and it's amazing to see them continue to pull this off well. All the cuts are great but I recommend pork jowl and beef rib as my fav read more

Fancier kbbq experience with premium meats. We order the a5 plater. Its enough to serve prob 3-4 people. We had 6 so were still a bit hungry afterwards. Whats unique is they add matcha to their salt for dipping and a different clay pot for cooking. Also add wasabi on top. The best cut was the rib cap. Its a cut of meat we usually dont get and butchers keep it for themselves. I'll prob order that again. The servers cook for you so sit back and enjoy. Theres plenty of tables but that parking lot does get pretty busy. read more

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So I'm giving this place 3 stars because for my family of 5 it cost us $250 for dinner and my boys were still hungry. You just don't get a lot of food for the prices. The food was good and I love that they grill the food for us so I can eat my food while it's still hot. The service was good. It felt like a typical kbbq place, big, no frills and good ventilation. The only thing holding me back from going back is the price. It's just way high. I would rather go to an AYCE and cook for myself. read more

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"SOT" is a Korean style cauldron that the meat is cooked on. I'm not sure what the material is, but I would describe it similar to a cast iron where it retains heat well, providing a nice char on the meat. It was my first time here and I would gladly come back. It is NOT all you can eat and they have signage at the front that states that. It is a little pricey, but you get quality and service with the staff cooking the meat and everything for you. All the servers work together, so you most likely won't just have one server. They are very attentive and will gladly refill any additional sides, sauces, drinks, or rice that you need. I got the prime Sampler that came with four different cuts of meat and it was just enough for two people. Next time if I'm feeling in the mood to splurge, I would like to try the Japanese a5 waygu sampler! read more

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