Amazing spot to take someone you wanna impress--I took my family out for Father's Day and we were all pleasantly surprised! The ambience was nice and clean for a restaurant that's still soft opening. Our server Thomas was super kind and attentive all throughout service, not to mention it was during full service on a holiday. It was packed for Father's Day but they were super great about communicating when tables will be ready and giving us tips on ordering. We didn't have to wait too long for a table and it's located in the middle of the downtown area so we had a nice walk around the area before being seated. They let you choose between having them grill for you or you can grill for yourself. Good variety of cuts and apps! We ended up ordering soft shell crab, karaage, 4 different cuts of wagyu, and the kimchi stew. We definitely over ordered, the portion sizes for the appetizers were bigger than expected and we were a party of 4 so I'd recommend sticking to 2 appetizers! Definitely a great spot to take your family out for a celebration with friendly servers read more

Meat quality, side dishes, and ambiance were all very good, service was also friendly and surprisingly fast. They also cook your meat for you which was cool read more

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Great food, beautiful presentation, and a really upscale dining experience. The premium cuts were delicious and everything came out quickly. James and Ella was welcoming, attentive, and helped make the meal even more enjoyable. Can't wait to come back! read more

Our family stopped in on a busy Friday night during the long weekend. We were promptly seated, and a few minutes later, the restaurant started to fill up. Within 15 minutes, every table was filled. The restaurant has a black and gold theme for decor which has a moody vibe where house music played in the background (not over bearing, but you could feel the bass knocking as you ate). The meat quality was superb and the service we received from Ella was exceptional. She offered to cook for us and did a lovely job of ensuring the meat was cooked to our preference. We appreciate the way she took care of our party. The -1 star is for the lack in consistency with our order. We ordered the furikake rice, but we were only offered plain white rice because the team said they ran out of furikake. Our daughter who requested the rice noticed that two tables down from us, the party had the furikake rice. She was quite disappointed the rest of meal. As other patrons have mentioned, the six compartment appetizer (similar to banchans you get at AYCE) was steep in price at $16.95 with no refills was not worth the cost. All in all it was a good experience. Give it a try if you're in the area. read more

We came during soft opening so we received a 10% discount Service - Server wasn't very helpful look like they didn't know their own menu and was extremely unattentive. Food - The quality of the meat was decent, 3/5. However we ordered the marinated galbi and garlic pork belly, after eating it upset my partner and I's stomach. It was a 1/5. Ambiance- is ok. Not high end at any means. The fan wasn't very strong at the table so when the fatty meats were cooked, it generated a lot of smoke. Why the 3 stars? The price and the experience didn't quite match up. They charged for the appetizer $25.00 a dish which is usually free at other Korean restaurants (including 10butcher and Kunjip Tofu nearby) The tempura vegetables and shrimp platter was $19! It consisted assorted veggies, but extremely bland. It was a very expensive dinner, the 2 of us with a 10% discount with sodas was $140. But we didn't feel that we had a very satisfying dinner at that price we didn't even finish the appetizers. For that price, I much rather go to 10butcher or even Super Hot on hope street further down which has a better variety for much cheaper or Kunjip Tofu which has better food. read more

Yakiniku Ginza is a new Japanese style bbq place on Castro street. The place is nice and clean and modern. You can have them cook or DIY. We chose to have them cook the food, and I think that was the right choice. Some of the food would have been kind of tricky to grill. Also the staff is very friendly and helpful. The food is generally very good. The chicken and pork belly were absolutely delicious with excellent seasoning. The Australian Wagyu was just ok. It's much cheaper and less fatty than Japanese A5 which also means it's drier and less flavorful. The rice and tempura need help. Rice was hard and dry and the tempura was generous but not exceptionally flavorful. I appreciated that they didn't overdo the batter but it was still missing some kind of seasoning. read more

We came on a weekend, so it was busy. The restaurant is small, and it was a little awkward figuring out where we should be waiting to be helped. We ordered the Japanese A5 Wagyu short rib, LA galbi short rib, and the AUS Wagyu 9+ brisket. We were given the option to have our (or any?) server cook for us, which we opted for, given the prices. They started us with the A5 Wagyu short rib; it was amazing. All the sauces paired well with it. The other meats were nowhere close to as good. The galbi was tough, and the seasoning tasted made it taste like beef jerky. The brisket was similarly tough, and its marbling was awful - another staff member looked at it quizzically and asked if it was brisket. The lack of complimentary bonchon and sides made these meats dull, since there's no variety to brighten up the flavors (or textures). Overall... if you decide to visit, pick up the A5 Wagyu short rib. Otherwise, the extra-premium price tags don't quite justify the meats, especially since they don't come with any extras. read more

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Christine and Steve did a great job cooking everything to perfection! Meat quality, service, and vibe all left me satisfied and with a belly full of happiness. Great dinner spot :) read more

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We came during soft opening so we received a 10% discount so that's nice Service - Server was helpful, she cooked all the meats for us. I noticed they have a lot of servers for the space and tables. Food - The quality of the meat was good, I will give them 4/5. However we ordered the Kimchi Beef Soup and it was so salty, none of us can finish it. It was a 1/5. We also told our server about it and she didn't offer to comp it or anything even though she saw we didn't eat the soup. Ambiance- is ok. Not high end at any means. The fan was not very strong at the table so when the fatty meats were cooked, it generated a lot of smoke. Why the 3 stars? The price and the experience didn't quite match up. They charged for the appetizer $16.95 which is usually free at other Korean restaurants (including 10butcher and Kunjip Tofu nearby) The vegetable platter was $19! It consisted a few mushrooms, tomatos and lots of onions! It was a very expensive dinner, the four of us with a 10% discount no drinks was $250. But we didn't feel that we had a very satisfying dinner at that price. For that price, I much rather go to 10butcher which has a better ambiance or Kunjip Tofu which has better food. read more

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The food quality was sooo good. I am the type of person who loves thin meat slices & the fat. The meat were easy to chew and they also offer to cook for you. We decided to cook on our own so we can get the perfect cooked preference. I really liked their fried soft crab! Unfortunately this place isnt all you can eat but the package they offer was filling enough for two people. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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We stumbled upon Yakiniku Ginza while looking for a dinner spot and saw that they were having a 10% off during their soft opening. They are located within downtown Mountain View so parking can be a bit difficult. The interior is super modern, sleek, and clean. The restaurant is a bit small with around 8-10 tables and no waiting area so other patrons are waiting right in front of your table. I understand this is their soft opening so the service and servers are still getting a hang of things. They do cook the meat for you if you prefer that. The menu had a variety of wagyu cuts. In my opinion, the cuts were lackluster for the expensive price point. Food: - beef tongue: a favorite of ours - Finger meat: a favorite of ours - garlic sauce pork belly: aromatic garlic taste and the meat was tender - brisket: too chewy - scallops: super tiny for $22 - kimchi beef soup: tasted more like tomato soup Overall, I don't think I will be returning anytime soon. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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We've been walking by waiting for this place to open. It was busy on Friday night. The other days we passed by, it only had 3-4 tables full. There was a 10% special off your check for their soft open. Terrance was a great waiter and cooked all of our protein. We had the spicy pork belly, bone in short ribs, and the steak which was 10% off. It came with unlimited banchan including seaweed salad, potato salad, kimchee, broccoli, cucumber, and daikon radish. We had like 4 refills of everything but they ran out of broccoli. Service was slow in the beginning. Many people were commenting that once you are seated, then there's at least 20 minutes where you are waiting for them to get the iPad with the menu. The problem is you cannot order from the iPad but it is there to show you the price and items. There are 2 very black bathrooms that are clean. Since it is Downtown MV, there is parking on the street or in the back. Our bill came out to $120, but I'm sure that at most Japanese BBQ places, it would have been $150-200. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Saw this place was soft opening on social media and were really excited to try this place out. We walked in on a Saturday ~5pm and were seated without any wait. The interior itself is very modern/upscale at first glance, but the details within the restaurant made it a pretty unpleasant experience. The plates keep spinning while trying to eat from it, we had to hold it down with one hand consistently to be able to eat without the plate spinning around. We were also seated relatively close to the door (the second table from the door), which was probably the most unpleasant part of the experience - with every entry/exit, a huge gust of wind would blow all the smoke right into our faces, the dishes on the empty table next to us would all spin with the the wind, and the door would slam loudly shut. We got the beef tongue, Aus wagyu tender meat (10% off special that day), and Aus wagyu ribeye. We had originally wanted the LA kalbi ribeye but it was out that day, and we were recommended the Aus wagyu ribeye instead. Honestly, both Aus wagyu options were pretty tough to eat (we self-grilled to be cooked medium/well done). The beef tongue was our favorite of the 3 options. Portion size looks small at first, but was definitely enough for the 2 of us. The side dishes are very much like what we usually see at KBBQ, but all weren't that good (compared to the better KBBQ places in the bay). The staff were extremely attentive and helpful, shoutout to our server Jeffrey. Other staff members also came by throughout to proactively offer us to change grill and refill side dishes, which was a highlight of the overall experience. We ultimately rushed through the meal to leave as soon as possible due to the door/wind situation. Overall, the price (with an additional 10% off entire bill for soft opening) was relatively reasonable (~$95 after tax, pre-tip). The meat quality and side dishes didn't really impress us, but it was still nice to try a new restaurant in the bay. read more

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We came here after seeing it on Instagram, and it looked really good. The service was decent, although it still seemed like everyone was figuring things out. We didn't realize they were still in their soft opening phase. The meats were decent, nothing terrible, but nothing especially memorable either. The kalbi marinade was a little off for me. It tasted like it had too much black pepper, and I actually love black pepper, so there was just something about it that didn't work. It was also disappointing that you had to pay extra for the side dishes, since those are usually included at Korean BBQ restaurants. The rice was probably the worst part. It was extremely hard and not at all like the softer rice you normally get at Asian restaurants. It honestly reminded me of Uncle Ben's rice. Overall, the experience was just okay. I'm not sure I would come back. read more

We came here during their soft opening and we had an amazing experience! Ella was our server and she did a fantastic job! Yakiniku Ginza is a Japanese grill style, and I have to admit their meat quality is supreme. I love how Ella attentively cooked the meat for us, even changed the grill halfway through our dining experience. I realized the price can be pricey, they charge for the side dishes and the price is the same as appetizers, unfortunately. However, the meat was so delicious and I would come back for that. At that time we took the advantage of having 10% off, and we definitely will be coming back. read more

The food was all delicious. minus 1 star because Just seemed a bit ridiculous for $20 for giant bowl of tofu and clam soup. for that price, should come with MORE tofu. garlic edamame too big portion and thus $$$ (I think they want every dish to be minimum price of ~$20) LOTS of servers. GREAT service. We asked for help cooking, then thought we could do it ourselves. When the staff saw us floundering, they stepped in. Thank you, Caroline!! Cool, modern decor they don't have the latest korean BBQ which sucks the smoke down. Instead they have standard overhead hood but it they were quiet (didn't notice them sound-wise at all) definitely recommend Unusual to charge for the ban-chan. so we didn't order it we did get the salad which was large!! which was a nice accompaniment to the beef. so don't eat all the salad BEFORE the meat. you can eat it without the meat without the dressing and feel "healthy" wish they had coke zero and ice tea option. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - photo of the cow and which meat comes from where. - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Came here around 6:00 PM on the Saturday of Father's Day weekend. We were seated in less than five minutes for a party of three, which was a pleasant surprise. The menu is accessed by scanning a QR code. It took a little while before our server came to take our order. We were seated at Table 6, which has a unique backdrop of wine bottle holders that makes for a nice photo spot. We ordered the Japanese A5 Wagyu Short Ribs, Wagyu Beef Tongue, AUS Wagyu 9+ Brisket (6 oz), Garlic Edamame, and Truffle Fries. The garlic edamame was enjoyable, but the truffle fries were a bit disappointing. They seemed lightly salted, and we couldn't really taste any truffle flavor. This was our first experience cooking premium Wagyu ourselves, and unfortunately we weren't given much guidance on how long to grill each cut. As a result, we likely overcooked the meat, so I don't feel it's fair to judge the quality of the beef itself. I'm giving this restaurant 3 stars because the premium meats are quite expensive, and for first-time diners, it would be helpful if the staff provided cooking recommendations to ensure guests can enjoy the meat as intended. Without that guidance, it's difficult to fully appreciate the experience, especially considering the price. For that reason, I probably wouldn't return. read more

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Notice how all of the good reviews mention the servers names? It's because they're soliciting good reviews. This place is bad. Horrible meat quality, expensive sides and definitely not worth it. Also, the servers are nice but have no clue what they're doing. They totally ruined some of my meat by burning to the point it was inedible and didn't offer a replacement. $17 banchan too. read more

First time dining here, and it happened to be shortly after they opened, so we even got a 10% discount! The restaurant is beautiful, clean, and very comfortable. The food was excellent, and the quality of the meat really stood out. Every cut we tried was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The staff were friendly and attentive, which made the experience even better. Overall, we had a wonderful meal and will definitely be back. Highly recommended for anyone who loves good yakiniku! read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Came here on a Sat evening with the soft opening sign still on with the 10% off. The place was not crowded at 6:30pm and possibly due to Memorial weekend. Despite that, the three poor waiters are still struggling to keep customers happy due to poor operation efficiencies. There was a table of fathers and son that sat for 15 min to finally get their hands on the iPad menu and then placed their order but gave up and left without food being delivered. There was also a couple that were told to wait while they are cleaning this one table. Then another waiter came and gave that same table to another couple that arrived after the first couple. It is a shame really because food was quite tasty and the waiter/waitress were super nice. The meat marinades were good and meat quality is pretty good. The Wagyu short rib is not worth the price however. Beef tongue, pork belly, chicken thigh, Kalbi were all quite good. Also I think the price on the menu vs what was on the receipt also did not match. Anyways too frustrated by the end of dinner to even bother checking. We had to watch other tables who got their side dishes to remind them multiple times before we had ours delivered to the table. They even put a nearby miso soup order onto our table and delivered to our table which turns out to be next table. Three weeks of soft opening and still lacks efficiencies. Operational improvement that I would recommend: - sign up for Yelp waitlist or some system to track waitlist so that you don't have to piss customers off while you give away tables to people that arrive after others (some people are not gonna feel bad skipping line and take advantage of the mistake the server makes) - get a system so that customers can place their own order and even pay themselves - you need more iPads or just print the menu out or create QR codes that customers can see menu on their phone - sauce and side dishes can be setup at each table right before you open (to speed up) - no need to cook for customers (unless you hire another one or two additional servers) - Hire a few more waiters and waitress on weekends if they are all new. The restaurant has potential (nice ambiance, friendly staff, yummy food) however at the present service level, I am not sure I would come back again as this is meant to be a relatively higher end restaurant. I also noticed a few parties left due to frustration. read more

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This place serves super high quality meat and the grill gets super hot. That combination is always so good and if you're too scared to cook yourself, you can have a server cook for you. Special shout out to James. He definitely added a lot to our overall experience. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a while and it definitely lived up to the expectations. The wagyu was the highlight of the meal--high quality, rich marbling, and incredibly tender. The beef tongue, shrimp, and scallops were all fresh, and the banchan selection was a nice touch. I also really enjoyed the miso clam soup, which was flavorful and comforting. What really stood out was the service. The staff even grilled the meat for us, making sure every cut was cooked perfectly so we could just relax and enjoy the meal. They were attentive throughout the entire dinner without being overbearing. The restaurant has a clean, upscale atmosphere with built-in grills at every table, making it a great spot for a date night or special occasion. It's not the cheapest place, but you can definitely taste the quality and experience you're paying for. I'll definitely be back. read more

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This place exceeded our expectations! The food was perfectly seasoned and beautifully plated. The ingredients were really fresh and the meat were beautifully marbled. The service was great and what we expected for a yakiniku place. All the meats were cooked to perfection. We had ordered everything through an ipad. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Great experience during their soft opening. The staff were super attentive and friendly, always topping off our tea without us even asking. There were 4 different sauce options. We tried a bunch of different meats and everything was tasty. Great location in downtown mountain view with ample parking nearby. They've got beer, sake, and soju too if you're drinking. Overall, amazing food and great service-would definitely go back. :3 read more

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Went with family. Service was great, staff were really friendly. Ambiance was very relaxed, type of restaurant to go to for Japanese BBQ with nice cuts of meat. We ordered a lot of meat and it was all delicious, really enjoyed the sauces. I don't usually eat beef tongue but they cooked it surprisingly well and it was tender. Would go back again for a nice, fancy date night. read more

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The experience was excellent. Steven served us very well and great conversations! The food was awesome, we had the Wagyu short ribs and top blade, the edamame was very tasty and the cheese corns were unstoppable!! The restaurant was very cozy and well decorated! read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Our food! - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Yakiniku Ginza is still in its soft opening, so there may be some adjustments along the way. The meat quality was good and enjoyable, although I found it a bit pricey. One thing that surprised me was that the staff offered to cook the meat for us. We gave it a try, but after the first couple of pieces, we ended up cooking the rest ourselves. The biggest miss for me was the value of some of the side dishes. The banchan was close to $16 with no refills, which felt hard to justify given the portion size. The scallop dish was $27 and came with six tiny pieces. I would skip both. Service started off attentive enough, but after the initial interaction it was essentially nonexistent. It also felt like they were understaffed, which may have contributed to that experience. The one bright spot is that everything is currently 10% off during the soft opening. Overall, the meat was decent, but between the pricing, underwhelming side dishes, and lack of service, I left feeling the experience didn't justify the cost. read more

The smoke was way too irritating, the food didn't taste good, the servers weren't skilled at grilling the meat and ended up burning everything, and the plates weren't stable -- they kept spinning around, which made them really inconvenient to use. read more

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This is a great place for the whole family; the meat is fresh and delicious, and the service is excellent! read more

Yakiniku Ginza - This is a great place for the whole family; the meat is fresh and delicious. - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Service is good. But they are not trained well to grill the meat. Not coming back. Basically burnt the a5 jap Wagyu beef. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

We came here with family and had an amazing dinner. The Japanese A5 Wagyu was the star of the meal. The marbling was absolutely beautiful, and every bite was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. We ended up ordering multiple cuts because everything was so good. The restaurant is also great for groups. The seating was comfortable, the table setup made grilling fun for everyone, and the atmosphere felt perfect for family gatherings. It's hard to find a place that offers both top-quality Wagyu and reasonable prices. This will definitely become one of our regular spots for celebrations and family dinners. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Delicious, James cooked our food and it was great. He cooked the meat very well at different temperatures based on our requests.

Came by on a whim to check out their soft opening and left very satisfied and delighted. Special thanks to my server Terrance, Thomas, Ella and Christine! You guys made my night wonderful. Meats were pristine and grilled to perfection by the staff. All my needs were accommodated before I even had to ask. Highly recommend , it was definitely my highlight of the week. read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Grilling Meats - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Great food and great service. James was friendly, attentive, and made sure everything at our table was taken care of. He made the experience smooth and enjoyable. Definitely would come back! read more

I came here with my family. The food was high quality, but expensive. We got a platter of veggies, 3 meats (no wagyu), 1 shrimp order, rice, 3 Japanese sodas, and the appetizer platter, and that was about $230 with tip. The meat dishes are about 6oz, so 1 per person is plenty if you have a side of something or a rice bowl. On food alone, I'd give it a 4 or 5, however, the staff forgot to bring us drinks that we ordered, and we reminded them. It took about 20 minutes to get the beverages. They forgot one of our meat orders, and even when I reminded them, they still didn't bring it, and offered to remove it from the bill at the end (I waited for it). I've been to other yakiniku restaurants before (including in the Ginza district of Tokyo that this place seems named after), and I think there's something a little wrong with their grills. They only heat in the very center, like they're missing a heat spreader. Yakiniku grills definitely have a warmer center than the edges, but here, you had to manage the cooking very actively due to a very small hot spot. Anyhow, I love this style of food, and I will be back. Hopefully they'll figure out their new restaurant teething pains, and I'll update this to a 5/5 one day. read more

One of the best yakiniku experiences in the Bay Area. The quality of the beef was amazing -- super tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Every cut tasted fresh and premium. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made the whole dining experience feel welcoming and smooth. The atmosphere is clean, modern, and perfect for both date nights and family dinners. Their sauces and side dishes paired really well with the meats too. Definitely worth the price for the quality you get. Will absolutely come back again. Highly recommend trying the wagyu selections! read more

Yakiniku Ginza - Japanese Near Me - Mountain View, California

Good: High quality meats and vegetables, friendly service. 10% off the entire tab because of soft opening Bad: if you're hungry you're going to be shelling out duckets to fill yourself up I ordered the spicy beef soup which was way too salty. I mentioned it to the waitress and she offered to swap out with miso soup but I declined. She should have removed the soup from the check which any other reputable restaurant would've done The Korean appetizers (panchan) had to be ordered. And no refills. Not typical for a kbbq joint. I also don't really know whether they're a Korean place or a Japanese gyukaku place based on the name. Why name the restaurant a Japanese name when you're Korean. I think they're trying to replicate 10 Butchers in Sunnyvale but it's not close. One and done for me. read more

High quality meats for good prices, good selection of alcohol drinks, and upscale ambience. Great service too.

Just had a really good meal at Yakiniku Ginza and wanted to share. First off, their salad is delicious which was unexpected--and the dressing is actually flavorful without being heavy. It's a nice way to start before diving into the meat. The garlic edamame was perfectly cooked and seasoned, not something you always get right at every place but they nailed it here. The real standout is their meat selection. They've got different cuts for everyone--wagyu, ribeye, short ribs, brisket, and thinner cuts for people who like them quick on the grill. Quality is solid across the board and the staff clearly knows what they're doing when it comes to helping you pick what works. Atmosphere is fun, and Jeffrey provided excellent service--super attentive. read more

I've been looking for some good Japanese BBQ in the Bay Area and I have finally found it! First of all, this place is beautifully decorated with an upscale feel to it. It lived up to the expectation when the meats were presented in front of us as the Japanese Wagyu was on par with what I have had in Japan. The beef tongue was another star of the show as it was very tender and juicy! The sauces that were provided also complemented the meats perfectly as there were a few options to explore. Our waiters Angelina and Christine were very generous and helpful from the time we walked in until we left the door. The service was immaculate! Overall, would definitely recommend visiting as it exceeded all of our expectations. We will definitely be coming back in the near future!! read more