YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her." Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards! read more

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Horrible meat quality and even worse service quality. Imagine being first in line with a party of 2 and then watching a party of 3 and another party of 2 getting sat before you. Well we didn't need to imagine because we watched it happen in front of our faces. The party of 3 actually got their food and the other party of 2 got their side dishes before we even got our water. You literally have a Yelp waitlist to help you stay organized and all you have to do is follow it. Somehow they still managed to fuck that up. We got the premium AYCE--expecting some higher quality meat. We were deeply disappointed. The SF Cut Short rib was the saddest short rib I have ever seen. There was little to no meat on the bone. The ribeye was extremely thin. Not even a full minute of cooking on both sides and it was well done. At this point I turned the heat down to the lowest setting. The short rib bites were filled with tendons and ridiculously hard to cut much less chew. The boneless short rib and the ribeye caps were skinnier than a coke addict. 10 seconds on each side and they were basically well done. That was the end of round 1--I thought I was being hangry and grumpy so I tried to let them get their redemption. Hahaha or so I thought. We got the miso pork belly which somehow managed to burn itself on the side of the grill while the center part was still raw. I put two pieces on the grill. Clearly the meat cutter didn't know what they were doing because while one looked like it had cancer causing blackness on it the other one was still more raw than a dog. I guess they just can't cut the meat uniformly even. The beef tongue was also extremely thin and burned immediately when put on the grill. It's Korean BBQ--your restaurant and chefs don't even cook the meat. How can you not know how to cut meat properly? Not to mention paying extra for "premium" meat only to have the exact same quality as the rest of your meat. I would recommend this place to anybody who wants their Korean BBQ experience ruined. Honestly come here for your first or second time at Korean BBQ and then go somewhere else and you will be GLAD that the other place exists. YaqiniQ BBQ is by far the worst KBBQ I have been to. read more

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Came here for dinner and were able to get seated right away. Got there before it got busy. The staff wasn't as attentive as you'd like but it's probably because of the dinner rush. Some of our orders came quickly and some took a while to get. Regardless of wait, the food was good and plentiful. Liked the little dessert ice cream afterwards. Our diner went well with some soju of course. My only thing was our table had some sticky areas, our seats had crumbs, and some cups & utensils didn't look clean. Honestly, not a top five when it comes to AYCE Korean bbq. read more

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Carlos is the absolute best ever!!! Would recommend and would definitely come back. They have a wonderful lunch special deal for AYCE. Carlos is very attentive, kind, caring, he is very knowledgeable and attention to detail. I would only request for Carlos as my server. He is absolutely wonderful! He goes above and beyond for his guest. Some oil dripped off the top of the fan and Carlos wiped my hand for me with a warm towel. He didn't have too, but he did that and he moved us to the table next to us and moved all our stuff. He works very fast and is such a hard worker. Very diligent. Very professional. Thank you Carlos for your hard work, kindness, and integrity. May god bless you and I pray you become very successful in your life. read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here recently and they super updated the menu at YakiniQ. The vibe is still the same. They just added more lights and everything. I think new ownership as well. Staff is super friendly and reliable. read more

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I've been coming to YakiniQ for years and at this point I genuinely consider it an AYCE KBBQ staple in SF. In a city where spots constantly change, that kind of consistency matters. My family always orders the Premium option, and the Premium plate alone gets us completely full every time. The portions are generous and actually feel worth the price. Service has always been friendly and efficient. Refills come quickly, grills get swapped without asking, and the pacing of the meal feels smooth. Ambiance is always cozy and has a family feeling to it. The banchan selection is fresh and well balanced, and everything pairs well with the meats, especially the coleslaw ! Pork Belly Thick cut, grills up beautifully crisp with a rich, savory bite. Beef Brisket Well marbled, tender, and satisfying straight off the grill. Cheese Corn Creamy, slightly sweet, and always a comforting side between bites of meat. (My Top 5 in the City) Soy Brisket Rice Savory, hearty, and the perfect way to round out the meal w/ carbs. YakiniQ might not be flashy, but it is dependable, filling, and still one of my go to AYCE KBBQ spots in SF after all these years. read more

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A nice experience the service is promp and attentive would recommend it for the experience

There is always a line but it's worth the wait!! Sometimes with AYCE the skip out on the freshness but not here

I love yakiniq and it's one of my go to spots. The brisket is always right, order some bulgogi, get some soju and you're set. The service is pretty fast too and reliable. Just be ready to eat!!!!! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came by on New Years Eve and was surprised they'd be open. I had tried calling ahead to confirm that they were open, but their phone answering machine informs you of their open times automatically and you can't reach a live person till they open. I was able to add a table of two to the waitlist via Yelp and got a notification that our table that was set to be ready in 40 minutes was actually ready after 10. We left the waitlist and rejoined to give us time to walk back to the spot from japantowns east mall. A packed spot, but we were seated quickly. The space can get smoky and a bit loud, but staff were friendly and quick. Our grill was changed regularly and we were checked in on often. The bathrooms are down the stairs toward the back, and one of the stalls was locked and out of order. They immediately gave us banchan and the table had assorted salt/pepper/soy sauce/sesame oil/spicy sauce. The spicy peanut butter sauce wasn't bad! Kimchi fried rice was also pretty good. Unfortunately what made it 3/5 stars was the value and quality of meats. We ordered the more expensive AYCE because the more basic option charged for side dishes ($3 per corn cheese plate!). Once you order a type of meat from the premium section, you can't change your choice. There also seemed to be more side options than solid meats, as we stuck to beef belly, pork neck, and brisket. Unfortunately the rib eye steak wasn't great. We also ordered the $20 deal for 3 highballs, and we liked the lime and lemon, but not really the yuzu. Very light alcohol content and it felt like we were drinking sprites, which wasn't a bad thing. Overall for $50 a person, I wished the food quality and value was a bit better. read more

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If you're hungry and not looking to spend a lot..Yakiniq's BASIC AYCE $39.99, is a great deal! For that, you get Marinated Beef Short Rib (1 serving per guest) as well as unlimited other meats like beef belly, brisket, spicy chicken, octopus, shrimp etc. There are many unlimited sides including steamed egg, rice cakes, Jap-Chae, etc. We arrived at opening at 4:30PM, seated right away. Great service from beginning to end. We did not feel rushed at all and servers came to check in several times to see if we wanted to add on more food. The reason for the 3 stars, is the quality of the food is low. Everything from the banchans were cheap (radishes, macaroni, bean sprouts) instead of spicy cucumbers, fish cake, potato salad like some places serve. Quality of the meat is low as well. You get what you pay for but at the same time, is it really AYCE when they limit the short rib (for basic) and the rib eye cuts for Premium AYCE. Lastly for the 3 stars, the environment is disgusting. Everything from STICKY tables to STICKY benches (we were seated in a booth) to TORN and DUCK TAPED benches. You know they don't care for cleaning nor the look of the restaurant. Everything feels old, dated and dirty. I definitely did not feel at ease eating at this location. The air flow was lacking, the whole place smelled so keep in mind if you don't want your nice clothes to smell afterwards. Also, something about their bbq grills which Im glad they change out frequently. The oils jump at your skin and burns you. This has never happened at any Kbbq locations before. I would recommend, wear clothes you dont mind getting smells and oils on, in fact, best to come here with long sleeves. read more

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In terms of ADA friendly, this place unfortunately isn't. You have to walk up a lot of stairs and there isn't space for waiting especially if there's a lot of people. To use the restroom it's bad too since there restrooms are downstairs. The restrooms are also small with only two stalls. I will say the meat and food is fresh very delicious! I just wish it was ADA friendly. They also ask to change your grill but the bad thing is it does get smokey in there since there isn't much air ventilation. read more

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The food was amazing and honestly I would come back because this is one of my favorite KBBQ spots in the bay. We waited like an hour in the line, they can get pretty busy but honestly it was worth the wait, so beware! read more

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Brought in some out of town friends here after work since I've come to rely on a solid KBBQ experience here. The all you can eat setup is straightforward with a variety of freshly sliced meats that grill up nicely with that classic smokey flavor. Service was quick and attentive even when this spot gets packed. The marinated short rib and pork belly were my standouts; juicy with good char once they hit the grill. The beef bulgogi was solid sweet & savory balance which along with the japchae, spicy tteokbokki, and sweet cheese corn are all must gets when doing AYCE. Their banchan selection was fresh and refillable which is always a plus. A couple small things keep it from 5 stars for me. Some cuts like the brisket came out a bit chewy and the ventilation could be stronger so you wont definitely walk out smelling like the grill. It gets pretty loud and crowded during peak dinner hours and on weekends which is expected in Japantown but can feel a little chaotic. Parking in the area is the usual hunt street spots or nearby garage. Overall, it's still my reliable go to spot for KBBQ in the neighborhood. Good value for AYCE with consistently solid hit for my cravings. Been here a few times now and it stays in the rotation as my Japantown KBBQ go to. read more

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Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore location in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here. read more

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A japantown staple! This has been the first time I've been here in such a long time, maybe even before Covid. The menu was a little different but overall still a good choice if you're going to Japantown and craving Korean bbq. The hours on Google map vs yelp are different so it's good to double check- we thought it opened at 5 but it turns out they opened at 530- I think yelp said 5 when google said 530. The service is great- servers are so nice. You will smell of kbbq so prepare for that!! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The place definitely looks a lot nicer after remodeling. There are parking structures within japantown which made the location convenient. Service was smooth as we were seated earlier than the estimated time. The place was mildly busy but not busy to the point I kept getting waved off for small requests and refills. Sorry had to say it. The food was decent. The short rib was the highlight and the pork belly was the low light. The top piece of the pork belly was traditional with its marbling of fat and pork. Thought the pieces under it appeared to be straight pork shoulder??? I'm not trippin but damn I'm fallin. Loved the apps, but not a fan with how the menu keeps shrinking for the basic menu am I right broke king and queens? read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love having a nice time with friends or family in this BBQ spot. Food is always so nice. And staff is always so welcoming, friendly, welcoming! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Solid AYCE kbbq! They have two choices of menu Basic and Premium. We opted for Basic since it already included the beef and pork short ribs and was quite satisfied! All the cuts of meats were pretty yummy even the marinated cuts felt like good quality. Our fave was definitely the pork short rib, had a handful of plates that night! Came with a big group on Thursday night and it was really busy with the line all the way to the door. You can do a reservation with bigger which makes it great for parties. Restaurant setting was casual and lively. Service was quick and on point! Would come back for my kbbq craving! read more

Yakiniq - Short ribs - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best kbbq i've had in a while. The premium menu option is definitely worth it when you enjoy the variety and take in all the sides. There is even a instant noodle bar with different packets to choose from. The quality of meat was good, with even cuts and good portions for a large table. The sides were all tasty and well made, you can tell they care about the full meal and not just the meats. The corn cheese was a star side for me, with a lot of cheese and big portion that's ready to eat when it comes out. They didn't come out with rounds as fast as some people wanted, but I didn't mind since we were talking and didn't feel rushed. I think maybe it was just a busy weekend, and next time we can order our rounds a bit earlier. We wanted to celebrate my friend moving to the bay and went out here with a big group of about 10 adults and 2 kids. This place was able to handle our group size and we could reserve our table ahead of time. Even while full, we could still easily talk to each other as it wasn't echo-y nor had loud music playing like other spots I've been too. Overall a great experience, worth it for the price and quality and in a great spot right by Japantown and the parking garage. read more

We arrived on a Tuesday at around opening and found free parking just down the street. The host very warmly greeted us and were immediately seated. The servers immediately asked us which all-you-can-eat package we would like to order. We decided on the premium package, and the wave of meat began. We started with some corn cheeses, which came out very quickly. The corn cheese was VERY cheesy, more so than the other KBBQ places that I've been to. The meat we ordered arrived quickly. My favorite was the premium meat platter. All the meat was very tender and flavorful. The servers were speedy to replace our grill when it had become too charred. One thing I did not like was that the bill was given IMMEDIATELY at 90 minutes (the max for our party of 3), but it was the rules, so I have no real leg to stand on here. The sign going to the bathroom is good for a chuckle, as well. read more

Service was great, they were very fast in bringing the ordered food to us and always check on us to make sure we r doing ok. Food wise, enough variety for us and the prawns are really fresh. As for the meats they are not exactly tender but could also be our cooking skills. Taste is subjective and this one is not for me. read more

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Food is pretty good, sides are big and lunch special price is good! Service is good, they're good at switching the grill consistently. They give ample amount of food too!! read more

Yakiniq - Happy hour AYCE - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

We actually were waiting to eat at another restaurant in Japantown but the wait was SO long we decided to just eat here because there was no wait LOL. It was super empty when we first got there but the service started good and food was okay! Not the best kbbq I've had but also not the worst?? It got much busier towards the end of our meal and the staff got super swamped so service was pretty terrible then. Wouldn't seek out this restaurant to go again but if I'm in the area I'd give it another try. read more

Yakiniq - Green (???) daikon radish - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is the only AYCE KBBQ place I ever go to in San Francisco. I've tried so many KBBQ spots in the Bay Area, and none of them compare to this spot. If you're going to come, you must get the premium option. The basic menu will not give you the full experience or do this place justice. The premium plate meat quality is phenomenal. The meat has an incredible marbling, and it's just melts in your mouth. The boneless short rib is the best! After the premium plate, I always get the beef bulgogi and marinated beef short rib. If I had more room in my stomach, the beef brisket, prime beef tongue, and miso pork belly are my next picks. And the sides are just as good as the meat. I always get their green onion salad to help wash down the fatty meat, and the spicy tofu soup is the perfect way to end the meal. Whenever I go, I never manage to try all the sides / meats because I'm always too full by the end. The service is quick, the lines can be long, and the place will make your clothes smell, but the quality, variety, and experience make the place well worth it. Also, shout out to Jay for being an amazing server / host. He always makes me feel so welcomed whenever I go. Definitely well deserving of 5/5 stars. read more

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Loved the prime meat. Understandably, you can only order it once. Rest of the meat options & side dishes were great. Kimchi jjigae was really good & authentic. For $49.99 for prime ayce in SF, it's a deal! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This has to be my favorite kbbq place in the Bay Area especially after going to Japantown. I usually join the waitlist on yelp so I don't have to wait too long. The service is really good even when they're busy. Our server kept checking in on us which I liked. I like getting their cheese corn, thinly sliced beef brisket, thinly sliced beef belly, rice cake wrap, pork belly, lettuce, and soju. It could get pretty loud in here when it's busy so it is sometimes hard to hear when you're having conversations with a friend and you guys are sitting across from each other. read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If I could give 0 star I would. Very bad place and very disrespectful we called half an hour before we arrived and they said we have change shift and made us wait 40 minutes. And the way they act and talk is very disrespectful. Never ever ever I would go there again. I attached the photo of the rude server below. Don't go!!!! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nothing about this place was good. Food quality was really bad. The meat had more fat than meat, the veggie skewer was onion and bell pepper, and mostly onion. The service wasn't impressive either. We had to ask multiple times before our grill top was replaced. The vent wasn't working properly, so, the entirety of the smoke was in our faces, and the strong smell of charred meat killed our appetite right away. $260 for a low quality food and unpleasant experience was way too much. Won't go there again, and won't recommend it either read more

Idk why this place got 3.3star but its was good.We got premium AYCE but i guess not necessary.i can truly recommend. Enjoyed. read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was my second time dining at YakiniQ in Japantown, and it seems like the prices and rules for AYCE have changed. Since we arrived late at 8:00 PM (they close at 9), we were only given 25 minutes until the kitchen closed. But despite the time crunch, the server did an excellent job of getting everything we needed in 20 minutes or less -- and they didn't disappoint! We opted for the Premium selection ($45 per person), and the meats were tasty but a bit on the harder side. However, I was a bit confused when I learned that you can only order the premium meats -- Rib Eye Steak, Boneless Short Rib, Rib Eye Cap, and Chuck Flap Tail -- once. We thought this was an AYCE deal, and there were three of us, so we expected more. The meats were served on a wooden chopping board, and when we tried to order more, the server told us it wasn't allowed. We were also limited to just two steamed eggs, though I'm not sure if that was a new rule or just because it was getting close to closing time. It was a bit disappointing. Also, if you choose the basic option, you'll have to pay extra for sides, which doesn't make much sense. You might as well go for the premium option instead. I don't remember it being like that before, but again, the rules may have changed. As a hardcore ARMY, of course, I had to try the cup noodle fried rice, which is supposedly inspired by Jungkook from BTS. Even though I don't eat rice, it was actually pretty good IMO. The place was packed for a weeknight, but the tables were clean, so no complaints there. They could use a revamp on their meat scissors though -- they were looking a bit worn out. Overall, it's still a pretty decent Korean BBQ spot, but the prices have definitely gone up since my last visit to a YakiniQ about a year ago. read more

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Great food and lots of fun. Service is solid and the ambiance is great. Tier 1 bbq please

Exactly what you want in the food department. The best of its kind in the city. The premium menu is spectacular and has the best dishes, which you can't otherwise get. The decor needs to be cleaned and updated; come when you are hungry and want a long, memorable meal, not for ambience. 4.5 stars. You will smell like meat when you get home ;) They have hollow chairs that you can store your overclothes and bags in, so they don't pick up too much smell or stray sizzle! read more

Located in Japantown, Yakiniq is one of the few AYCE Korean KBBQ restaurants in SF! They get pretty crowded (almost everyday) so make sure to join their Yelp waitlist or call them to make a reservation. My group of 6 came on a Saturday night and got seated within 15 minutes. We got the $45 Premium set and it was OK. The meats were on the harder side and wasn't very memorable. They did have a large variety of sides. Service was ok; they're definitely really busy so it's hard to track anyone down to put an order. They have almost no ventilation inside (the grills don't have that handy dandy Korean exhaust hood that sucks up all of the meat smell) and most tables are booths catered towards larger parties. The space is pretty big for a SF restaurant with a front and back area. Overall, very OK! read more

Yakiniq - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

They've changed up the menu a bit. They have a premium cuts set now if you get the higher tier AYCE option. It has a really good selection of different cuts which I think is super worth it. They also have a little DIY ramen bar area where you can choose an instant ramen as one of your sides. Also the stools (top is removable to protect your jacket from the smoke) have backs now! They don't have perilla leaves or the rice balls anymore but they still have ssam lettuce wraps and the rice paper wraps too. Overall I still think it's a great meal! On a Saturday dinner our group of 7 was able to snag a spot with barely any wait, and the yelp waitlist is great too. read more

Yakiniq - Premium meat set - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Yakiniq is an AYCE KBBQ spot that has a few locations throughout the Bay Area including San Jose, Livermore, and this one in San Francisco. It's located in the heart of Japantown on the second floor. You can put your name down on the Yelp waitlist which I recommend because without it, it can be a 2+ hour wait during their busiest times. It was pretty convenient that the menu was against the wall so we didn't need to flip through a menu to order. They have a basic menu ($34.99/person) and a premium menu ($44.99/person). We got the basic menu which unfortunately didn't include sides which was an extra $4.99/person. Of all the items we ordered I particularly liked the fresh short rib, the pork short rib, and the beef brisket. The service was a little slow at times serving the food and they occasionally missed some items. However they were pretty good with the grill changes and were accommodating with some of our requests and questions. read more

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Always get the premium buffet for unlimited short ribs. It also come with a beef plate combo where you get to try out different pieces of beef, it was pretty worth it. Ask for lettuce wrap and eat the beef together. The only thing I was super disappointed was they removed the spicy squid. The octopus is okay but I still preferred the squid. read more

Top Korean bbq spot in the city! Their cheese corn is my fav side dish!! I like the meat collection of the full option, even though the price went up a lot over the past couple years (as it did everywhere, I guess) read more

I think this restaurant but it was a little too much for me. The space is small, and crowded and full of smoke from all the meats. There is smoke everywhere and no visible ventilation. It got very overwhelming very quickly. Food is priced fairly, and it's all you can eat which is awesome. I liked it and there's nothing inherently wrong with it, just not my cup of tea. read more

Before coming here, I was a little skeptical about the food, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I'm really glad I did. The wait wasn't bad at all, and the overall experience turned out to be great. The service really stood out. Our server was very caring and attentive throughout the entire visit. Every time they changed the grill, they made sure to ask someone to help block and protect my baby, who was sitting in a high chair. That level of thoughtfulness made me feel very comfortable and welcomed. Overall, a great experience with both good food and excellent service. I would definitely come back again. read more