Great place for Korean BBQ... food was very good and staff was very responsive and quick... ambience was also very nice... Dinner on Moday was $28.95 for all you can eat meal. There will be lot of smoke around if you visit during peak hours... they can improve on their exhaust system...

I’m currently at the restaurant, the food was fire, but my water cup has been empty for a solid 20 minutes. I would love some water 😛

Went here for lunch when its more affordable and although we miss a few of the dinner items, we still had our fill and found the lunch menu still generous for its price. EDIT: I just want to update my review of 3yrs old. We still cone here almost weekly but this month of Oct/Nov probably had the best and consistent lunch servers ever. They move fast and very attentive of our needs. Kudos to them and hope their work attitude become contagious. They've made our visits more enjoyable.

This place is amazing. LA galbi and all you can eat BBQ are very good. I love all BBQ menu and side dishes. Yogurt Soju was good too. They started inside dinning today and we were lucky.

I’m a loyal customer here! The food is really yummy and lots of varieties. Service is 50/50 sometimes good sometimes you will be waiting for a bit. Kids love this place because they can help flip whatever you have on the bbq. My favorite is the spicy pork belly a must try! Lunch is less than $25 for all you can eat

Opening weekend was quite impressive, you can imagine a Saturday busy night but well managed/short wait time for 2, excellent service by all staff from the front desk to our server SHOUT OUT TO MING!! Request for his service and you'll share a few belly laughs, prompt attention and of course GEN's famous meats. Happy Hour is everyday 930pm-close. Lunch is only Mon-Thu 10-3pm. Enjoy!

Had a wonderful experience with Yuli as our host!! She was so attentive and gave us great recommendations, despite it being quite busy, and offered to change our grill consistently which is always huge! The meat selection was awesome, favorites were the Spicy Calamari, honey chicken and spicy pork! Super fun and definitely will be frequenting here more often!

Best darn Korean food I ever had! Absolutely loved and enjoyed it! The price was decent too! Great concept of cooking up your little own all your can eat selection of food, exactly as you like it, as and when u need it. Well within two hours that is! Definitely worth it and highly recommend it.

Manager was kind and understanding. We were able to resolve an issue efficiently. The staff were service focused and oriented and responded asap!

Really great location for Korean barbecue with tasty all you can eat food, friendly and fun staff, and some great soju custom mixes! There was a short wait to get a table, but once seated you get 2 hours for all you can eat (drinks extra). We had a great server and a neighboring server who were both really knowledgeable about the dishes and made us laugh and really enjoy the experience! I think I caught their names as Jamison and Bradley - hopefully that's correct! We even got to try one of their own soju creations with a tropical twist to it! Unfortunately we had already had a lot of soju by the end of that and didn't get a chance to try the other's orange creamsicle soju - fingers crossed this is on the menu for when we return (and the tropical one!). Definitely recommend going! Update: second time going wasn't quite as good. They were a lot less attentive and barely got enough food in during the two hours as they didn't bring out many of the requests quickly or at all.

food was good, plenty of options for the all-you-can eat. my friend basically cooked everything for us so I cannot comment on the difficulty of cooking correctly, but it's normal kbbq. honestly, no complaints. the waitress was attentive and food came out quick, and we did leave full!

Counter point to some odd the reviews I have to mention that we were seated immediately and our server was very attentive and checked in with us multiple times. We had a “pitcher” (actually it’s a carafe) of the apple soju. This is the only thing I wouldn’t recommend, unless you like wine coolers. It was too sweet for me and the fountain soda water they used had that chemical co2 taste.

Great service! Definitely my favorite location. Felt very clean & safe. Booth seating was all spaced out and plexi glass dividers up. Thanks!

Recently, my family and I have experienced mediocre service at Jen. However, today we were pleasantly surprised to see a significant improvement. We were extremely impressed with the service provided by Wesley, Brian, and Tom, the manager. They were very attentive, polite, and courteous, and they met every need of ours. We are truly grateful for this staff. Please keep up the good work. Thank you!

I’ve had a great experience every time I have come to this restaurant. The highlight is the outstanding service provided by the incredibly responsive, courteous and hard working staff. They never seem overwhelmed by the demands of the clientele and go about their business efficiently and cheerfully. The food and ambience are great too.

First time at Gen last night with my daughter. Saturday 7 ish. We were seated quickly, within a few minutes (no reservation as you can’t make one with a party of less than 10). She wasn’t a fan of the smokiness inside, and I agree that there can be better ventilation. We had the premium menu because we wanted to find out what we like and don’t like. For me it wasn’t worth it as we’re not big fans of t-bone to begin with and the wagyu was mid at best. It didn’t help that it created a flame that burned my fingers. Better instructions would have been helpful. Salad was terrific, one of my favorite salads immediately. Kimchi fried rice was excellent and full of flavor. Pickled sides were tasty. Ramen was very good (we have ramen regularly). Steak squares were our favorite protein. Marinated carne asada was a close second in proteins. Best of all was the service. Orders always came quickly. From the moment we were seated, and particularly Bryan! Empathetic, attentive, great suggestions, sincere in caring about our experience. It was his service that made any of the negatives irrelevant and 5 stars. We’ll be back, and we’ll know better what suits our tastes.

Came here on a Tuesday night with little wait and the inside seating had cool blue lighting! They only had their all you can eat menu so we got a ton of meat and I love that the appetizers all come with the food too - I especially liked the rice cake with sweet and spicy sauce - definitely felt more sweet and more of a dessert. I also really liked the brisket and the pork belly, super juicy. The japchae is a little bit dry. The service here is great too the waiters come by a lot to change up the trays!

Absolutely delicious. Prices are not bad and dinner is all you can eat. Waiters are fast and friendly, gave lots of recommendations. Their soju is great and you can mix flavors. Would recommend

+2

Had some awesome takeout Korean BBQ last night. I was skeptical on takeout Korean BBQ but it was amazing fresh and delicious. As you can see, I ordered the 7 meats option for $23 and it was a mountain of amazing food. Hope you open up for dine in someday soon!

Second time at Korean bbq in 4 years. Food was amazing. What can I say, I cooked it myself. Bradley was an amazing server and made sure we were well taken care of. Staff was very attentive and made sure we got a table we were happy with. I had a delicious Shirley temple.

Delivery driver here... Can attest to the hosting staff being very friendly and communicative about the order I was picking up. Food smelled delicious and the setting was nice. I look forward to trying the food soon!!

Our experience at this establishment was great. Lily was outstanding, she got everything to us very quickly, explained the menu to us so helpfully. All while juggling many tables. We cant wait to come back again soon.

Thomas G

Gen Korean Barbecue delivers an experience so exceptional it borders on unforgettable. From the moment you step through the doors, the atmosphere immediately sets the tone—warm, vibrant, and polished to perfection. The space strikes an ideal balance between energetic and comfortable, creating an ambiance that makes every guest feel like they’re in for something extraordinary. The food is nothing short of remarkable. Every cut of meat arrives impeccably fresh, richly marbled, and seasoned with such precision that each bite feels like a masterclass in flavor. The side dishes are equally impressive—thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and replenished with enthusiasm. Every selection from the grill is elevated, indulgent, and consistently outstanding. Service is where Gen Korean Barbecue truly shines. The staff manages to be attentive without hovering, knowledgeable without overwhelming, and genuinely warm in a way that enhances the entire dining experience. Plates are cleared promptly, recommendations are spot-on, and every interaction feels intentional and professional. In every category—atmosphere, cuisine, and service—Gen Korean Barbecue surpasses expectations so thoroughly that “excellent” hardly does it justice. This is a place that transforms a simple meal into a memorable event, and it is absolutely worth revisiting again and again.

+6

Sergio C Rodriguez

My fiancé and I swing by every few months. We usually only have to wait about 10 minutes to get seated, which is great. As for the food, it really just depends on the server—sometimes it zips right out, and other times it takes a little longer. Overall, if you're thinking of trying Korean BBQ for the first time or taking someone out for a special occasion, I think it's a decent spot. Just don't expect a five-star experience—it can get a little hectic, especially if they're short-staffed. That said, they generally do their best to give you good customer service.

Jeremy Ly

Quite a long wait to get seated but once you get seated the servers are ready to help you out. You can order 4 items in one go and if you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck when you’re almost done eating your round you can already order your next round. I like the blue lights inside the restaurant it’s nice vibes.

Marc Aguilar

First time AYCE KBBQ solo! I was traveling for work was craving meat after the gym and decided to give this a go. I was a bit worried about some of the reviews that said service was super slow. I didn’t have that problem though. It was semi-busy, but they did seem under staffed. However, it was clear my server David A was hustling to cover as much as possible. Despite him being very busy, he was polite, friendly, and professional, and moved with a sense of urgency. So, I didn’t experience the slow service that others have written about. I ate quite a bit, and I bought the premium AYCE dinner. Honestly, it’s still mind blowing what you get for the price here. There are some meats that are better than others, so it does take some experience to know which meats are a waste of time and stomach space, but once you know what you like, the value you get for the price especially in this area of CA is hard to beat. Leaving here happy and full. Thanks

Letty

Best place to enjoy a good meal with family and friends. Service is amazing, food comes out fast and servers are very aware of your needs. Diana and David are so friendly, they take great care of us and even remembers our orders. They are a great example of amazing customer service ! You get 2 hours for all you can eat and let me tell you . . It keeps going until you can’t eat anything anymore ! You leave full and satisfied for your k bbq needs. A must try is their crazy sauce, you’ll be hooked! Stop by and try it, you won’t be disappointed.

+3

Aponte Visuals

This place stands out from the other Korean BBQ places I've been to. The atmosphere reminds me of a nightclub. Seating was spacious and comfortable. My preferred beer was out of stock, so they comped me some hot sake for the trouble. Staff went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we asked for. At the time of visit, they were swamped with guests and had us seated in less than 15min. Every cut of meat I tried was tender and of quality taste. I had just about all the beef and pork cuts I can order. Stop by if you're ready to eat mountains of great tasting food.

Jasbir Singh

Great Korean BBQ place in mountain view. Ample seating. Food was really good, they keep on bringing more meats as you order. Ambience is good , plus they keep on changing grills very often. Must try once

+2

XC Kevin

I had the pleasure of dining at Gen BBQ on Christmas Eve, and it was a fantastic experience! The food was not only delicious but surprisingly affordable, making it a great value for the quality. Our service was elevated by a wonderful, amicable waitress. Although I didn't catch her name, she was incredibly friendly and helpful throughout our meal, adding a personal touch to our dining experience.

Bulgogi fries were decent, although they were kinda cold when they got to us. The staff missed a few items we ordered but we eventually got our items after we asked. The prime steak was mid. The bulgogi was quite good. The other items were decent. They might be kind of understaffed but the food was overall decent

Gen is a very nice place to come with fam and friends If you don't mind the smoke and cooking

Overall we had a great time but we almost left before we even sat down. The hostess was not very pleasant and the cause of a lot of confusion and frustration. Once we were seated our server was pleasant and attentive. Food was good but plan for a long dinner.

Food was really good. Servers were really nice. I came around lunch hour and it took 30 to 35 mins on average to fill an order, so id recommend to order more food once they deliver the food.

It took a very long time for the service to get back to us in general. We had an absolute blast and the food was really good, but I wish they had enough manpower to keep the food coming. We were a group of eight and found ourselves waiting a good while before we could flag down a server to order the next round. I know the staff is very busy, so it’s not their fault. I just hope in the future they’ll have enough people on hand to serve parties of that size more efficiently :-)

The food is amazing, definitely loved it! The workers are friendly and will explained how the place works. They change the grills after every cooked meal and they are checking on you while you are there! Definitely going back. Very impress!!

The food is great, but we could use a few more hands to make sure everyone gets a great service.

+2

Decent Korean Barbecue chain location right off of El Camino Real in Mountain View. Highlights here are ease of location, plenty of parking, affordable and good food, and decent ambiance. It’s roughly 30 dollars for all you can eat within 2 hours. You’re charged 5$ for each order you can’t complete before leaving (to avoid people wasting food and taking advantage of the system). Alcohol and desserts are not included in price but everything else is, including appetizers. Service was decent but not overly friendly. The restaurant was clean and bathrooms tidy. It’s a bit dark inside for my liking but it’s part of the style I suppose. The food was also pretty good, quality comparable to maybe a large chain restaurant. Overall, this is a good spot if you’re looking for Korean Barbecue in a convenient location, fast service, and good prices.

Good food, but service feels RUSHED. iPads could make ordering easier :)

15 min wait to be seated. We were sat in the corner, close to the kitchen. There were staff speaking inappropriately in Spanish. It was frustrating. We had to wave down our server for napkins and more food. It was a decent experience. Drinks is not included with the fee.

BLANKS

Pretty good kbbq for the price. Decent cuts and good flavor. Service was okay considering they're so understaffed! Pretty sure they only had 2 servers for the whole place when we went. It got to a point where our group started feeling bad asking for things because those poor servers could not get a break! Despite this, everything came out pretty quick. Hoping they figure out their staffing problem.

Carlos Elizondo

This place has a good vibe. Showed up and was #6 in the que. It took less than 20 mins to be seated. Great meats and friendly staff! It was super busy and service was a bit slow. All in all, I would recommend this place for Korean BBQ.

Mónica De Pruneda

First time visiting a Korean BBQ restaurant. I didn't expect to cook myself on my birthday. I always like to try new restaurants. Love food from all over the world. The food was well prepared and the amount of food was really good. The place is beautifully layout and decorated. The service would be nice if was more friendly. Quick service rigth to the point of order and get serve not even a smile. I personally like friendly servers. I don't like to cook so It wasn't the rigth fit for me. Not much explanation given of how it works for first timers eaters just guess and go with the flow. Bring a jacket the place is freezing cold. If you don't like to cook for yourself definitely not a place for you. Very clean restroom Family friendly No pets allowed Menu had to be downloaded on the phone. Parking lot right at front Handicap accessible

+12

Group of 6 comes in the morning and it was empty. I wonder why they didn’t sit us down first so we waited. After that, the server keeps cutting us off or straight up ignores us. I get that they’re busy so I didn’t really mind until we keep running out of food/grill burnt. It was kinda annoying to be ignore for a good 10-15m until we get their attention again. It’s fine when you’re busy but it feels like they’re actively ignoring us. They sat down the table next to us and that table was attended to more than us. Is it because that table were all white and we’re asians?

Meats and sides are good, but generally there's not much variety of banchan (when we visited, 2 types of kimchi and one picked radish, they were out of the cucumbers). Service, as others have reported, is pretty bad - the server was maybe having a bad day. We never got something we ordered in the first instance, and despite twice reminding the server, never got the item. Water didn't come until we had pretty much cooked the first batch of meat (nor did the sauces or banchan). And the server spilled a banchan dish across the table and apologized and ran off - I thought to get something to clean off the sticky sauce spilled everywhere - but never came back to do that, nor to replace the dish. Just an odd day with the server, with issues beyond slowness.

Atmosphere is nice, but there was a huge lack of food. When we arrived, there were already some items out, but throughout our stay they ran out of all beef, dumplings, most pork, and a few other items. We left not because we were full but because they were out of food items we liked.

We came for a lunch and they were understaffed and missing some items on the menu. Staff was super nice but management needs to hire more people when it opens.

Menu available on phone. Request a paper menu for easy ordering. Service is hit or miss, it depends on the waiter assigned to your table. It is easier to enjoy the experience if you are already familiar with Korean food since recommendations and service could be minimal. Get the Hotteok, Korean Sweet Pancakes as dessert. They are listed as appetizer but they make a great end of meal.

Just opened, no three-hour wait like the Fremont location.. if you come early. They just opened so they're still figuring stuff out. We waited quite a while to reorder. It's in the old fresh choice location. Lots of parking, good bathrooms and a bar.

Unique atmosphere, decent meat cuts, but some of the beef was a little too salty. Beef bulgogi is a must try. Nice to try a ton of different meats with the all you can eat feature, although there is a 5$ waste fee if you don’t finish. Servers were excellent and friendly!

+3

This is the 4th GEN bbq we went to and the worst one of all (Fremont, LA, Milpitas, Mountain View). I took my mom and sister to this chained restaurants that I like for them to try. I work in Sunnyvale, so this is the closest one although the iPhone maps still showed one on Homestead and we wasted time going there before coming over to this one. My 88 year old mom was tired, I was hungry, we’re happy to have found the place, it was Friday and we’re couldn’t believe our eyes, the place was half full, no waiting and looked deserted, how could it be? Yes, it’s GEN alright. There was no one at the welcome booth, no bell to ring, there’s a party table in front with a waiter looking at us waiting, keep waiting on the table without notifying anyone to come help us. 5 minutes went by and it seemed like years, more people came and wondered where we’re all the hosts? Normally I would leave already but because my moms there and waiting a little more still better than driving somewhere else. Then both of the managers and hostess came, we’re seated, wow, so Hungry and nice. My mom and sister were impressed with the decor which didn’t have the big fire screen TV like Fremont but they liked it. We got our food, bulgogi, brisket and spicy octopus which my mom would like. There was no server, only one person running all the tables, not sure if he’s a bus boy or server because every GEN I go, they do introduce themselves. The orders were slow, the burner was burnt and no one to replace until we couldn’t stand it any more and ask Arturo to replace it, he was happy to do it. The meats were still tasty, the soups, Japchae, we’re all concurred. There’s no kimchi. So, what fell short here? The service. If Friday’s like this and with the rent in Mountain View is not cheap, I don’t think this place would last long. I’m quite sure I would not come back here, inadequate service is my totally turn off. There’s always reasons why some restaurants are not full on Fridays, either the foods or services.

+6

Went on Sunday, expected a little wait time because they don’t take reservation for a party below 10 person. We were a little hungry since we were hiking for hours that day… The wait was completely fine, less than 15 mins but as we sat down another 20 mins passed. We waved our hands like we are in a train cabin waving for the people in the platform but the train never started for its journey… meaning no one came by like we were invisible🫥🫥🫥 Then our savior arrived and we ordered our food, which is 4 items at a time, 3 items came instantly like he was hiding it behind im his hands. We started to cook them, asked him to get the sides but didn’t came before we asked third time…. Funny thing is, we ordered our second round but the food didn’t come for 10 mins and our savior came and ‘asked is that all?’ We nodded thinking the remaining food is coming. But he turned off our source of fire. I got surprised and asked him about our lost food…. Then he went and came with the food… we were the last ones to leave the Restaurant that day. Asked the host about the busy hours suggested that we could come before 6pm during weekends to enjoy. Overall the food was great, service was okay (maybe because of less servers). Might try again when its not that busy…

Cindy Lu

Cheese Tonkatsu 3 deep fried, pork, cheesy Honey Soy Beef Belly 3 slightly dry, slightly sweet Pork Riblets (Korean Style) 3 medium juicy, super sweet Marinated Beef Finger Short Rib 4 chewy, juicy Gen Signature Yangyum Galbi 4 marinated bone-in short ribs, medium flavorful, too chewy Premium Chadol 3 thin brisket, unmarinated, not fatty Garlic Chicken 3 not flavorful, juicy when not overcooked Honey Chicken 3 slightly sweet, same chicken Cajun Shrimp 3 not that fresh, 虾线 Calamari Frits 3 deep fried stick, can't taste squid Assorted Vegetables 2 onion, bell pepper, zucchini, pineapple Pineapple 4 refreshing, sour sometimes Jap Chae 2 glass noodles, not flavorful Soondooboo Soup 3 soft tofu, spicy Dwenjang Soup 2 firm tofu, fermented soy bean paste, spicy

Candace Penny

I came for the lunch at 1115am. The meat was not good quality. The banchan (kimchi and pickled radish) tasted frozen and then thawed. The japjae noodles were perfectly cooked and the best part. The lunch AYCE is very cheap and the meal reflected it.

Ed Santiago

Went for lunch on Oct 13 which is a Columbus Day holiday. We're told that they charge dinner prices for the holiday and pointed us to a handwritten cardboard notice on the counter. It's fine with us but then they told us they don't have shrimps and other meat items. Bummer, we have to walk out after driving 30 miles.

Daniel Kofman

The service here is a train wreck! They had 1 server working doing about 20 tables. He forgot our order about 7 times. He kept bringing the wrong food, and never brought our appetizers. We ordered dessert, but it never came. Now for the steak 🥩 The meats were spectacular. All the steak was very well marinated. The Cajun chicken was perfect, along with everything else. Endless meat, so can’t complain there 👍🏼 Sadly, they kept bringing orders to wrong tables, and we received items we never ordered! Only giving 3 stars because the food was good!!

+2

The server missed at least 15 orders that I counted of items, and some stuff after inquiring they said they were out of (but I only learned this after asking the status of my orders). The food is OK but the service is terrible.

Went in on a Saturday night around 0800 and a few of our orders were sold out, not just 1-2 but maybe 5 or more. Also messed up with some orders, utensils, sauce and got a pitcher of beer with no glasses. Then, the men’s restroom didnt have a handsoap, so how does the staff wash their hands???

We went there during lunch time on Saturday and was told lunch price is $20/pp, and on the menu there's lunch selection and dinner selection. Dinner cost $30 and has more premium stuff and on the menu. After we finished lunch, and we received a bill for dinner price. (was told because it's a weekend), but we were never told we could select from dinner menu. I asked the store manager and he said he will educate his staff to make sure it's communicated to the guest. I asked for a discount or gift voucher and he blankly declined. I don't think the store cares about the guest. Also, we have a party of four, and we could only order 4 entries at a given time, each entry is super tiny and it takes forever to wait to our turn to make the next order (of 4 entries). I don't believe I'll visit Gen Korean BBQ place again in the near future.

Came with group of 5. Ordered the premium menu. After an hour of dining, the staff started telling us they were out of meats. Not just a couple items, but pretty much everything on the premium menu. It was 630PM on a Sunday. We found it pretty hard to believe, but you can’t really argue that point. We then waited 30 minutes to get the check. Whether they were just trying to clear our table or actually out of food, we came for all you can eat and they ran out of food half way through our meal.

It was frustrating experience. The staff was not organized - it started with them forgetting about us for 30 mins. We weren't quite sure why people who came after us were helped. One employee finally brought us to the table but it was clear she did not want to work there. Our server was clearly trying but she was definitely stretched thin - taking our order on a paper note pad which she often placed on our table after taking our order instead of submitting it to the kitchen, we weren't given water until about 30-45 mins after we were seated, etc etc. Many items we ordered never arrived. The server would tell us she would check on it but then no follow up. The amount of meat they would bring for a table of 8 was so ridiculously little that it was getting extremely annoying as kids would swallow them as they touched the grill and complained how hungry they were. Unless you plan to sit there and drink for a few hours I do not recommend this place for a family dinner or if you come hungry (wait what? You go to a restaurant hungry??? What a concept!!) I feel like this place could really turn things around with a few small changes. Let people order online if they are capable. That way a server just needs to focus on taking care of the customers. And consider making some side dishes available to self serve. This is how things are in Korea anyway. And ultimately manage your employees. They don't seem to be talking to each other or helping. I saw many people who were idling. Multiple times 5-6 of them gathered to talk.. about .. something. This is very poor management.

Food is good, service can be pretty bad. They require a 20% tip for a party of 5-6 people or more and because they think they are getting this “required” tip, they give you terrible service.

A group of 5 of us came in to the mountain view location and were seated relatively quickly. It was not busy when we first got in but it progressively got busier as the time passed. It took roughly 20 minutes from the time we sat down to have someone bring our drinks and order. our first round of food came after another 20 minutes of waiting with 2 meat choices missing. as we waited one of my friends asked for a refill. they brought the wrong refill, and he requested another 4 times until after an hour of being there he was told that they had run out of his drink. Speaking of an hour, we had to wait almost 30 minutes for someone to acknowledge us for another round of food and yet another 20 to get our meat selections, with another choice missing. eventually they told us they were out of the missing 3 meat selections as well. we spent almost 3 hours here when it could have been an hour and a half. Absolutely ridiculous. At the end, they still got the check wrong. That, funny enough, was corrected immediately. Avoid this location, service was terrible.

The AC is like extremely (feel like10F), I was literally freezing Food was not fresh and a lot of them are discolored. Dipping sauce feels like been in fridge too long that you can barely pick up the salt. The Korean fried chicken is horrible, even worse than Kentucky fried chicken. I’m not even sure if it’s chicken Service was ok This has a lot of room to improve

DuraBurb_07

We when arrived no one was waiting and it still took about 5 minutes to be seated because the hostess was to busy talking to a coworker about thier plans for Thanksgiving. Once we were seated it was another 25 minutes before the waiter even came to great us. The restaurant was probably 40% full so wasn't crowded at all. I will continue to go to the GEN in San jose and never visit this one again.

ssy

Do not upgrade to premium, it’s really not worth it. Check my pictures to see how a"premium" beef would look like. Also, their premium beef tastes bland, just like plain meat with no aroma at all. They also often run out of certain items. Today they didn’t have beef tongue, which they should have told us before we upgraded, but they didn’t. It feels like they’re trying to scam customers, so please beware.

For us it started badly. Own booths and tables available and still waited for 30 plus minutes. The wait list said 715 and we did not get seated till 730. Everyone apologized but the reviews are filled with the same complaints. Our server was nice..helpful but the service was slow. Several things we ordered didn't even come out. Meats and sides were also slow to come out after the initial start as well. For the money... there are other options... with better service. It seems that the mgmt doesn't really care as there isn't any response to the reviews on here or Yelp. I dont think we will be back.

The restaurant was EMPTY with servers walking by every minute, yet I was ignored at the hostess table for over 15 min. Ended up walking out. (I was looking for a table for one, not even a big party)

The food was good, though the portions were smaller than other Korean BBQ locations. The atmosphere was as nice as you can ask. My main reason for 1 star is the service was absolutely horrendous. After seating us, our waiter, Preston, took off without allowing us to finish our order. After our food arrived, nobody checked on us or even looked our way. Our waiter would speed past and check every table around us, and keep his back to us. After about 20 minutes of attempting to get his attention, I had to walk up to the hostess to ask for assistance. After waiting an additional 5 minutes, another waiter came to take our order. He was helpful, but still aided us very infrequently. From then on, we just had to ask any waiter that passed by for help. The bathroom had no paper towels and was not well kept. Eventually, we left due to not wanting to deal with the staff any longer. In terms of customer service, I have never encountered a restraunt as full of inept employees as this one.

Disappointing experience! No sauces and no appetizers!! Have been waiting for over 15 minutes for pan replacement. The service was too bad to enjoy the whole two hours because you cannot order and grill the food.

Services was good but many of the items were not available (out of stock). For those cooked items that were available, they were frozen and reheated. Grill meat was so thinly cut that you could not taste anything. It was a disappointed meal.

If I could give negative stars i would but unfortunately i cant so i will give it one star. The price might be affordable but the quality and service is so bad that you should go spend your money somewhere else. Took forever to take order, take long time to change the grill. We waited an hour for our first order of meat to arrive. As the other review mentioned, be prepared to waste 2 hours of your time here thats not including eating the actual kbbq. Take this as a sign not to go and go to another kbbq where you can actually get your moneys worth and leave with a happy stomach. Never again. 😕

We had family come to town and they don’t have a gens. We took them here and I am so disappointed. I already knew gratuity was included because we had a party of 12. They sat us down then forgot about us. I had to go find someone to help us. When she finally did help us no one was coming to switch out our grills, asking us for refills, asking for more meats, and we all ordered rice and by the time the rice came out we were done. Who doesn’t have enough rice at a Korean bbq spot? The service was horrible and the portions were horrible. We would have tipped anyway but to charge us the highest amount for gratuity we should at least get decent service and our service was horrible. We will not be going to this location or a Gens we know way better places than here. This place is over priced for nothing. Very disappointed and upset.

The head manager is really disrespectful. He yells at his employees and customers I saw him walking around yelling at his employees

It’s the third time we come in a year. We had a reservation at 6:30pm, we were seated at 7:20pm. Our name was apparently removed from the wait list. We had a RESERVATION! That’s the whole point of having one. To be seated when we come in. Also their menu advertises all sorts of cocktails, beers and wine, they have none of it. Only tasteless soju. Management should come clear about that and remove alcoholic beverages from their online and in-restaurant menu, it’s been like this for months. Also, service is incredibly slow. Will absolutely never return.

Here's a guy watching the parking lots who's very poorly trained and racist. I came to eat and when I got to my car I noticed a Latino man parked there and this security guard chased him away just for being Latino.

Update 2021-10-08: We used to love this place (see original review below), but the past few times we've come have always been really disappointing. This isn't the same Gen post pandemic. The quality of the meat and flavor have gone down significantly. I would no longer recommend this place to friends. It feels like they are always in a scramble, and short on supply (there have been menu items unavailable each time we've come). The quality standards in general are down with freezer burned, gritty brisket, cheap plastic spoons for the soup, and a fly in my water. Unfortunate. No desire to return here again. ---original review--- Gen is one of the best KBBQ chains in the area, and this location lives up to the standard. Great food, service, and ambiance. This location also has the newer tables where the smoke vents out the sides of the grill so you end up smelling less like meat than other places.

We were told there’d be 15-20mins wait, but we actually waited for 50mins. There were empty tables but no one went to clean and got ready for new customers. And the environment is not very clean to be honest. They do need to hire more waiters and waitresses.

We literally wait for 37 mins before we can sit down. And another 19 mins before anyone come to us. We are sitting at a table next to the an extreme noisy open kitchen. We requested to change to another table and the cover of the stove fall apart and almost hurting my wife! Any tasted of food is overshadowed by the non-sense service and safety issue. This is the last time I am here.

Not a fan, I ordered the bulgogi fries and they came out cold. Staff barely bothered checking in. So yeah, only order the items you can cook yourself for a good experience.

Food comes in very small portions, and our orders got dropped/messed up with others’, so we never have enough food to cook or eat! Never imagined that we would ever get hungry even angry in an all-you-can-eat restaurant like this one. If it’s allowed I would give 0 stars so it’s as clean as our frying pan.

Food quality was expected for an AYCE Korean BBQ restaurant. Server was really nice, however, in between ordering our meats, it would take 30 mins to sometimes an hour for them to check on our table. We even took a photo of a stop timer of how long it took for them to check on us. Really disappointed with the service, especially since we were going here for years. Might not ever come back to this Gen’s location.

This place is awful, short for staff . Few items are not available even if you see them on the menu. Waitress are not friendly - rude and slow. Came on Monday and waited 35 minutes to get seated and another 15 minutes to start ordering . I would never recommend to anyone this place

I don’t like the way they arranged people. There are so many empty cleaned table after 7 pm, more than the groups waiting in line. The welcome waitress just keeps walking around and around, and doesn’t want to take people to their tables. In that way, it seems their waiting line is always long and their business is hot. They keep people waiting for meaningless

I had an amazing experience at one of the Gen Las Vegas locations, however, this visit left me never wanting to come back again. Let’s start with the wait time. Came in on a Saturday evening, with the restaurant being about 2/3 empty. Still had to wait 35 minutes to be seated. Why? Service was subpar. No greeting, awful at answering questions, and no information about hidden fees. For example, ordered a happy hour drink and asked for a recommendation. Waitress recommended to a mix soju flavors. Ended up charging for the mixing part without letting us know before. Lastly, hygiene. Non-existing. I’ve seen clubs at 2 am having more clean bathrooms. Trash on the floor, around the bar, and probably in the kitchen? Would not recommend a visit.

Staff is friendly. But the whole restaurant is understaffed. You can come in and see a lot of empty seat but take an hour for you to be seated. Then you get greeted by waiter and only see 2 young me waiting tables and seating people. I’ve been to many other Gen chains and they are much more attentive to you and like any great restraint they try and get you seated, your order taken as quick as possible and serve you as quick as they can. Then wait for you to ask for the bill instead of bringing it to you when they think you’re done. I was here at 5:42pm and was very disappointed

I ate there at 8 PM tonight. There was no queue, but the service was extremely poor throughout the entire process. I was eating alone, and they brought me many duplicate and incorrect dishes. There was never a server in sight, and they didn't even prepare any condiments or sauces. The staff chatted idly in front of me, constantly complaining about being tired. I waited twenty minutes for the bill, but they didn't give it to me. I went to the counter to pay myself, and when they asked for my change, I waited ten minutes without anyone giving me any. The manager and a cashier were counting tons of change in the register while I stood at the door waiting for so long! This is not professional service. I am extremely disappointed and will never go there again, as this isn't the first time this has happened. It felt like discrimination.

Carla C

Gen Korean BBQ in Mountain View was a disappointing experience. The food was just okay, but the service was extremely off-putting. The staff made it very obvious they didn’t want to be there, and every time we asked to place an order—something that’s completely normal at a Korean BBQ—we were met with visible annoyance. No smiles, no warmth, and no effort to make the experience enjoyable. Dining out is a choice, and we spend our hard-earned money expecting at least basic hospitality. Unfortunately, this visit quickly became a regret.

Mocha

The service is really horrible. First of all, It took us 20 minutes to get seated as the server has not arrived at the restaurant so we cannot be seated. Lame excuse. The restaurant is large but most tables are empty. The server is very reluctant to provide service, rush us to order. They delivered all the dishes at one end of the table and asked us to pass it down. It is an amazingly poor experience.

Katy Yu

Service was not good. As soon as we got seated, waiter spilled the banchan with barely an apology. Quickly wiped it and after we ordered, food took a bit of time to arrive. Pork belly was tough, and bulgogi was the only notable meat. The appetizers were not well prepared and the calamari was almost burnt; bulgogi fries seemed quickly prepared. When we ordered extra rice from another server, it took them nearly 10 minutes and then simply slid it onto the table with no words — extremely rude. Overall, food was alright at best, and service made the place have an uncomfortable atmosphere.