Tokyo Kalbi

Great food, great service. We were a table of seven on a Friday night and they were so accommodating. We got served quickly and the food was fresh and delicious. The staff were also really friendly and really helpful. I would highly recommend this restaurant. A word of warning this isn’t really a first date place - very family friendly atmosphere, and there were a lot of kids and it’s quite noisy.

Best Japanese BBQ I’ve had since coming back from Japan! Amazing service and great quality meat and vegetables. The portions aren’t huge, but the quality made it worth it. If you enjoy your bbq with rice, it helps fill you more anyway. For four people, my friends and I paid about $50/each including tip, and were perfectly full. Cant wait to come back.

Great place but pricey! Portions are small but the quality of the meat is great. Side dishes could be cheaper, in my opinion. But overall i really liked the atmosphere and the experience of grilling my own meat.

Amazing Japanese bbq! The charcoal makes everything tastes better. Not to mention, all the waiters and cooks take great pride in the quality of the food and service. Of course, you should only eat here if you know how to cook your own meat!!

On our way from UCLA to Santa Monica, did a quick Google search, trying to avoid the solid but predictable Santa Monica places, and found Tokyo Kalbi. So glad we did! No reservations online but we called ahead and they had room, seating us in a comfortable booth just outside the small kitchen. Located in a typical LA strip mall, it's not much from the outside but the food is quite superior! Took a chance and so glad we did! For the grill, we had a few of the meat selections, plus the seafood and mixed veggie. Small but appropriate portions and good quality. The charcoal grill let off minimal smoke and no noisy hood above. We even ordered extra corn, which most of don't love, but it was so good with the tasty sauces. Appetizers were all hits: shishito garlic, beef tartare with egg, and a soft eggplant dish. Every single dish was delicious and crave-able. The green tea soba noodle was yet another highlight, so we ordered it twice. I've been to Japan numerous times and this soba was on par with my favorite soba shop in Kamakura. Our family is also a lover of kimchi - my husband lived in Korea for 2 years and we eat it regularly at home, and this was some of the best. We were all so happy we just kept ordering more dishes. With lots of re-ordering and 2 pitchers of beer (and dessert), our family of 4 spent about $350, so it's not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The staff was helpful and attentive and comped my husband a dessert for Father's Day. We also ordered the pineapple sorbet which was tasty (nothing exceptional) and placed in a small frozen pineapple which was a whimsical touch. Wish we lived closer so we could be regulars. I'm glad this place exists.

Amazing easy neighborhood spot. Greta food, relaxing atmosphere, friendly. Would reccomend

Page Schult

Amazing easy neighborhood spot. Greta food, relaxing atmosphere, friendly. Would reccomend

wendy meckes

On our way from UCLA to Santa Monica, did a quick Google search, trying to avoid the solid but predictable Santa Monica places, and found Tokyo Kalbi. So glad we did! No reservations online but we called ahead and they had room, seating us in a comfortable booth just outside the small kitchen. Located in a typical LA strip mall, it's not much from the outside but the food is quite superior! Took a chance and so glad we did! For the grill, we had a few of the meat selections, plus the seafood and mixed veggie. Small but appropriate portions and good quality. The charcoal grill let off minimal smoke and no noisy hood above. We even ordered extra corn, which most of don't love, but it was so good with the tasty sauces. Appetizers were all hits: shishito garlic, beef tartare with egg, and a soft eggplant dish. Every single dish was delicious and crave-able. The green tea soba noodle was yet another highlight, so we ordered it twice. I've been to Japan numerous times and this soba was on par with my favorite soba shop in Kamakura. Our family is also a lover of kimchi - my husband lived in Korea for 2 years and we eat it regularly at home, and this was some of the best. We were all so happy we just kept ordering more dishes. With lots of re-ordering and 2 pitchers of beer (and dessert), our family of 4 spent about $350, so it's not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The staff was helpful and attentive and comped my husband a dessert for Father's Day. We also ordered the pineapple sorbet which was tasty (nothing exceptional) and placed in a small frozen pineapple which was a whimsical touch. Wish we lived closer so we could be regulars. I'm glad this place exists.

lyuba buklemisheva

Great place but pricey! Portions are small but the quality of the meat is great. Side dishes could be cheaper, in my opinion. But overall i really liked the atmosphere and the experience of grilling my own meat.

Andy Milne

Great food, great service. We were a table of seven on a Friday night and they were so accommodating. We got served quickly and the food was fresh and delicious. The staff were also really friendly and really helpful. I would highly recommend this restaurant. A word of warning this isn’t really a first date place - very family friendly atmosphere, and there were a lot of kids and it’s quite noisy.

Tina Lora

Best Japanese BBQ I’ve had since coming back from Japan! Amazing service and great quality meat and vegetables. The portions aren’t huge, but the quality made it worth it. If you enjoy your bbq with rice, it helps fill you more anyway. For four people, my friends and I paid about $50/each including tip, and were perfectly full. Cant wait to come back.

David Matchett

Amazing Japanese bbq! The charcoal makes everything tastes better. Not to mention, all the waiters and cooks take great pride in the quality of the food and service. Of course, you should only eat here if you know how to cook your own meat!!

Good Korean barbecue. I am a regular customer here, and they have been increasing prices. When you sit down, a moist towel is waiting for you. The Kim-Chee used to be free, now it is $6. Nonetheless, it is still very tasty. The premium Kalbi is very flavorful. The binbin bap is also amazing.

So good but portions so small…

Javen R

Good Korean barbecue. I am a regular customer here, and they have been increasing prices. When you sit down, a moist towel is waiting for you. The Kim-Chee used to be free, now it is $6. Nonetheless, it is still very tasty. The premium Kalbi is very flavorful. The binbin bap is also amazing.

Emmelia

So good but portions so small…

Great food, good service. The kimchi is flavorful, and the meat is tender. The option to cook it yourself is good. The prices have increased over the past few years, and things like bean sprouts no longer come for free.

Food is good but beware that the portions are very small compared to other places. The server said each order of meat is about 70 to 80 grams (2.5 ounces). So be prepared to need to order 4 meat orders per person if you’re hungry.

Javen Rahemtulla

Great food, good service. The kimchi is flavorful, and the meat is tender. The option to cook it yourself is good. The prices have increased over the past few years, and things like bean sprouts no longer come for free.

Jason Chen

Food is good but beware that the portions are very small compared to other places. The server said each order of meat is about 70 to 80 grams (2.5 ounces). So be prepared to need to order 4 meat orders per person if you’re hungry.

Came as a group of 4 people at 6pm on a Thursday and was greeted with a very nice atmosphere! It was nice and quiet, and the service was really good. The mix A meats were decadent, but the mixed seafood platter was a letdown :/ The 3 pieces of shrimp on the platter weren't properly cleaned and still had the intestines, and the $5 order of corn didn't even seem like an entire cob. All in all, good service but the food is ridiculously overpriced. Left with my wallet as empty as my stomach :(

Mads Knight-Weber

Came as a group of 4 people at 6pm on a Thursday and was greeted with a very nice atmosphere! It was nice and quiet, and the service was really good. The mix A meats were decadent, but the mixed seafood platter was a letdown :/ The 3 pieces of shrimp on the platter weren't properly cleaned and still had the intestines, and the $5 order of corn didn't even seem like an entire cob. All in all, good service but the food is ridiculously overpriced. Left with my wallet as empty as my stomach :(

Meat quality is good but cut too thin. You will end up ordering double the amount to make up for it. Expensive for what it is . Go to Gyu-kaku instead if you're looking for yakiniku.

E110

Meat quality is good but cut too thin. You will end up ordering double the amount to make up for it. Expensive for what it is . Go to Gyu-kaku instead if you're looking for yakiniku.

Food was fine but WAY overpriced and under-portioned. Service was... Ok? It felt weirdly robotic, definitely not inviting or warm, but neither cold nor rude. Grill seemed quite nice but in fact was verrry hot, easy to burn your food and I couldn't even rely on the outer edges to slow cook. I would not go back with better options for similar food with comparable quality and much better portioning.

Yummy meat, sweet server, but overall not such a great time. Very overpriced menu with an owner that does not care about his clients. We were charged for a small salad twice which I've never been charged double for at all of the best kbbq spots and $9 for mushroom/butter mix that was the size of an oreo lol Don't even get me started on meat portions. Do yourself a favor and avoid this spot..

D O

Yummy meat, sweet server, but overall not such a great time. Very overpriced menu with an owner that does not care about his clients. We were charged for a small salad twice which I've never been charged double for at all of the best kbbq spots and $9 for mushroom/butter mix that was the size of an oreo lol Don't even get me started on meat portions. Do yourself a favor and avoid this spot..

Quill Increase

Food was fine but WAY overpriced and under-portioned. Service was... Ok? It felt weirdly robotic, definitely not inviting or warm, but neither cold nor rude. Grill seemed quite nice but in fact was verrry hot, easy to burn your food and I couldn't even rely on the outer edges to slow cook. I would not go back with better options for similar food with comparable quality and much better portioning.

Horrible. I wish I could give ZERO. We were greeted by lifeless staff. We could barely hear their voice. They brought our beef combo plate and there was no introduction of witch meat was what. Just placed and walked off. The grill had weak fire, hence no sizzling on the grill grate. Asked to fix, but no luck. Food was not good at all. Very expensive and not good. Lol. I will never, ever going back.

Mariko Ikeda

Horrible. I wish I could give ZERO. We were greeted by lifeless staff. We could barely hear their voice. They brought our beef combo plate and there was no introduction of witch meat was what. Just placed and walked off. The grill had weak fire, hence no sizzling on the grill grate. Asked to fix, but no luck. Food was not good at all. Very expensive and not good. Lol. I will never, ever going back.