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    The Skewers Bar

    4.8 (68 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Skewers Bar Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - The Skewers Bar

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    Great appetizer
    Sir C.

    News Flash!!! New owners, new recipes! Great service, Above and beyond my expectations! Hands down! Great atmosphere.

    Yibin ran noodles
    Hubert L.

    I was a massive fan of the old skewer bar (I gave it 5* twice). I went many times. It was my top 1 beli. I love chinese skewers. I agree, as the time went on, their quality did degrade, and I do think the quality of the new management is better than the quality of Skewer Bar at the end of the previous management's lifespan. But I do not think it could get 5* from me. I will explain why. Firstly, the interior is roughly the same. The Kaws statue is gone, and the signature lighting is also gone. The rest is similar. Same # of tables (About 10) and it gets busy at night on weekends. I will rate 4 criteria, and even give a comparison to the old skewer bar. 1. Value for price: 3/5 This was the biggest hit for me. The tendon portions in the old management were gigantic. Even the meat skewers were bigger. I would say I'm getting like 30-40% less meat for the same price point as before. This is a massive degradation. 2. Quality of Skewers: 4.5/5 This is the biggest uplift. The seasoning is my only gripe- the vegetable skewers were slightly sweet which I don't know how I feel about. However, rub is good, and some skewers are very tender, even more tender than before. tendon is soft. 3. Variety in Menu: 5/5 The menu was one of skewer bar's selling points. I am happy to say the variety is still good. I see chicken heart (not there before), and several new things that I didn't see previously. I want to confirm that my belief is management should continue to iterate on the menu. Adding things like tripe for example would be a nice welcome. 4. Service: 5/5 I think the service is very good. I can tell they care much more about the service than before. The cook comes out to greet you. They serve water / etc. without asking. That being said... I don't care about service that much at skewers. Obviously it is a nice to have. So, why is the overall rating only a 4* and not a 5*? because of value for price. The drop is simply too much to ignore. It's literally 30% less, while quality is higher, I don't think you can excuse such a drop in portion size without lowering the rating. Please rethink the value per skewer, business owners.

    Beef and Lamb
    Edward D.

    The spot is relatively new and replaced the old Skewer Spot. The food was great and the portions were sizable as expected of a quick eat and Service was very homey and comfortable.

    Skewers
    Kevin T.

    Change in ownership again for the better. Food tastes like how it was when it first opened. Their seasoning is slightly sweeter than Gao bbq. They serve beer and soju again. Service is friendly and welcoming. They completely remodeled the inside and it looks like a new restaurant. I do notice that menu is smaller than the other skewer bbq places but they still have the core dishes one would expect from a skewer place.

    Fish ball, beef, gizzard, squid
    Megan L.

    This spot has changed ownership a few times so this review is for the most recent owners as of Aug 2026. We ordered a variety of skewers so it can get expensive depending on how much you get. To order: you scan the QR code on the table and add the things you want to the cart. Here's the ones we liked: Juicy tender beef Grilled beef tongue Grilled chicken gizzard Grilled crispy chicken skin Grilled lamb Grilled pork collar Fish ball w filling The new owners were so nice and they even gave us plums to eat. Overall it was pretty good and would come back again.

    Kevin T.

    New chefs and owners since 10 days ago!! If you were disappointed in the past, I'd highly recommend giving them another try. The skewers had really amazing flavor. Our favorites were the chicken heart and the beef skewers. Would definitely come back

    Takumi A.

    If you are looking for authentic Chinese BBQ and Chinese skewers, The Skewers Bar is a very good representation of the casual barbecue culture found throughout China: skewers, cold drinks, friends, conversation, and repeated rounds of food coming to the table. What impressed me most was actually the process control. Unlike restaurants where customers cook the skewers themselves, everything here is grilled in the kitchen and delivered fully cooked to a heated tray at the table. From an engineering perspective, this is a much better-controlled system. The kitchen controls the thermal process, seasoning, and endpoint instead of introducing a different human variable at every table. The heated tray is also more important than it looks. With skewers, surface area is high relative to mass, so they lose heat quickly. Once the temperature drops, rendered fat begins to solidify, the perceived aroma decreases, and the texture changes. Keeping the finished product warm reduces that thermal drift. More importantly, we ordered multiple rounds during the meal, and the batch-to-batch consistency was remarkably good. The later skewers had essentially the same seasoning intensity, doneness, texture, and cumin/chili profile as the first batch. In semiconductor language, their process window seems pretty well controlled. The lamb and meat skewers have the classic northern Chinese BBQ profile: cumin, chili, salt, rendered fat, and high-temperature browning. Good surface caramelization without turning the interior into dry material. The vegetables were also properly seasoned rather than treated as an afterthought. One item I would absolutely recommend is the garlic vermicelli scallop. This is a classic Chinese seafood preparation and works particularly well here. The scallop sits over glass noodles with a generous amount of garlic. The vermicelli essentially functions as an absorption matrix for the scallop juices, garlic, seasoning, and oil. From a mass-transfer standpoint, wasting those noodles would be irrational. The restaurant itself has the atmosphere of a modern mainland Chinese skewer bar. There are Chinese decorations, jokes, and little pieces of questionable life wisdom everywhere. You don't need to read Chinese to enjoy them -- point your phone camera at the writing and use translation. That is part of the entertainment. This is also not a restaurant where I would order everything at once. Order in batches. Get some lamb skewers, meat, vegetables and seafood, have a drink, talk for a while, then initiate the next production lot. That is where this restaurant's system really works. Batch 1 eat. Batch 2 drink. Batch 3 continue the discussion. Batch 4 somehow order more lamb. And remarkably, the process remains reproducible. For Chinese BBQ, lamb skewers, cumin-spiced meat, garlic scallops and late-night food with friends, this place gets the fundamentals right: controlled cooking, good thermal management, and excellent lot-to-lot consistency. Low process variation. High repeatability. Good yield. As for the restaurant's final contribution to quality management: "If you don't have the ability to clean up the mess, don't indulge your fickle emotions." Apparently SPC applies to relationships too.

    Juicy tender beef skewers
    Davin C.

    New ownership but same quality! Actually enjoyed it more, as they've really improved the quality of their skewers. Service is super friendly and attentive, shoutout to the super sweet and fun auntie running front of house! The beef skewers were the main highlight for me, had to order another round of them!

    bread, beef skewer, tornado swirl

    The Skewer Bar on Landess Ave in San Jose is an absolute gem! From the moment you walk through the door, the incredible atmosphere sets the stage for a great evening--it's lively, welcoming, and has the perfect energetic vibe for hanging out with friends or grabbing a late-night bite. The food is on another level. Every single skewer is grilled to absolute perfection, packed with bold, unforgettable flavors, and served piping hot. You can really taste the quality and care put into every dish. To top it all off, the service is top-notch. The staff is warm, attentive, and genuinely dedicated to making sure you have a fantastic dining experience. Outstanding food, vibrant ambiance, and stellar service--The Skewer Bar easily earns a 5/5 stars and is a must-visit spot in San Jose!

    Jiaying W.

    Food is good, I like the overall tastes, service, and the environment. Really recommend it!

    Andy S.

    Amazing late night skewers when I was sick of waiting in long line for a bowl of pho nearby. I didn't expect the quality of food here is that good! Give this place a try and you might be surprised! But your tummy will definitely thank you!

    Grilled stinky tofu
    Clare C.

    Very tasty skewers, Grilled stinky tofu is juicy inside, clean environment,friendly staff. First time to try Wusu beer , we all like it!

    Richard W.

    New management, and the food is great! The flavors and spices are delicious, and everything tastes fresh and well-seasoned. The place is clean, the lighting is perfect, and I love that they're open late. Definitely worth checking out!

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    1 month ago

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    24 hours ago

    The best place to have dinner after work. Love the skewers. Staff service was amazing will come back again

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    15 days ago

    All the mushrooms are good. The squid was our favorite. The fried rice was fresh and delicious. Will visit again.

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    23 hours ago

    Great flavor and good vibes! Great location for catching up with friends. Definitely recommend the fried rice. Would come back

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    Ask the Community - The Skewers Bar

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    The Skewers Bar - chinese - Updated September 2026

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