Gen Korean BBQ

QueenBe Torres

I LOVE KBBQ we search for a place in every city we visit. That said, I think you should know what KBBQ is really about. This is NOT a buffet ready to eat food experience. This is a low and slow table top, cook your own food place. This experience is for those who have the time, patience and not at all in a hurry to eat. If I remember correctly Gen suggests a 3 serving at a time and while the portions might seem small remember you do have unlimited servings and a 2 hour limit to indulge. My recommendation is start with 1-2 appetizers, always cook the thicker cuts first by time you’re done with appetizers those will be ready for you to enjoy but if time is of the essence thinner cuts might be best option. We usually cook the protein in that order that way we have a steady amount of food. Remember to relax, chat, have drink and enjoy. I love having dates here with my husband (we do brunch or dinner) the vibe is great for it! It also gives us time to catch up on conversation of the home, work, extended family, kids, plans for the future or just plain good gossip🤣 Price wise I really don’t find it over priced. Depending on your menu choice (we always get the premium), your party size and your budget yes do expect to pay between $40-$50/person just like at any Brazilian steak house. Overall I do recommend.

Roy Pulido

Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted promptly by Mindy. She was welcoming, kind, and got us a table right away. Our server was Dylan. This fella was awesome. He was knowledgeable of the meats, excellent conversation, and was so helpful in helping our table cook the larger cuts of meat. His expertise and great customer service was top notch. Their meat quality was superb and the atmosphere was so cool. Blue lights made me feel like I was in a John Wick movie. The decor was lovely and our meats were brought out promptly. Top Marks to Dylan and Mindy for giving myself and my party a memorable, and fun Korean BBQ experience. I'll be back!

Lor’Raine Mosee

My first time and I absolutely loved it! From the food to the atmosphere my all around experience was amazing! It’s all you can eat we ate alot, you don’t get a to/go plate!! I took my noodles tho sorry!! Other than that it was a great meal and place!

Mel V

I had a great time here! I saw a lot of reviews complaining about service, but I must say that our experience was amazing! Our server was Caleb and he was attentive, gave fast service, and he was very kind. I noticed people complaining of the price, but personally I think the $32 per person was reasonable. We went about 5 rounds of meat max amount of plates per round. Some of the options are a little sweet. The best options are bulgogi, kalbi, beef belly, and the spicy marinated pork belly. A couple items are a little too sweet. The marinated chicken is very soft, but tastes a little too strong. The garlic chicken tastes VERY garlicky, like bold strong garlic. Back to service, Caleb was very good about putting those orders in and then coming later to check on us.

Ana Amaro

I had the best experience ever!! Me and my cousin decided to try a Korean bbq place for the very first time and gladly we chose Gen! The atmosphere was amazing, the selection of meats incredible and Nick took very good care of us. He explained the concept of Korean bbq, helped us to select the meats, He was so sweet and even pilled the shrimp for us🥹. We do recommend Gen and we are planning our next visit!

Durand Sentinus

We were originally going to eat somewhere else when we noticed this Gen location was open and decided to give it a try. Having tried several of the Korean BBQ restaurants in the Austin metro area, we were hoping Gen would be at least "as good" as our favorite Korean BBQ restaurants in the area. While it is noticeable that they are "just open" and still finding their stride, the staff is great. We were created in a prompt and friendly manner. The wait staff was friendly, helpful, courteous, and attentive. As for the food, it was easily on par with several of the better Korean BBQ restaurants in the metro Austin area, which is saying a lot given how soon it is since opening. If you enjoy Korean BBQ, then definitely consider giving Gen a try!

Mark C

Expect a wait. Not sure if that's due to being new or because of the food. There are 41 items from which you can choose 4 at a time. Even more if you're willing to pay more for the premium menu. $20 more. They also serve lunch with separate choices. You also get rice, salad, little bowls of some things. Pretty straightforward to cook your food in the center of the table. Definitely a place to try. They also have an extensive drink menu. Strange but no deserts. Probably don't need them anyway as you'll be filled up from the meats.

Kelly Jung

Went here with my brother's recommendation and thinking bout returning already! Woo Beasal is beef belly and I've never seen this premium quality meat at any other AYCE, plate after plate. I don't remember how many orders of this we devoured. The honey soy and k-gochujang flavors were solid too. So good I literally forgot to take a picture. Nook gan sal was good too, but just know that it's a really fatty cut of meat. Just start out with one order and see how you like it. Samgyupsal (pork belly) was good too, which is normally the cut of meat that all other AYCEs tend to cheap out on. Very impressed. Yangyum galbi (short rib) was not my favorite (pictured), and neither was the kimchi fried rice. We loved the hotteok and rice sticks from the appetizer menu.

Brittany A

My friends and I had never had the opportunity to try Korean BBQ. We went to Gen Korean BBQ; just walking in, the atmosphere was beautiful. They have such a unique and modern design inside. The hostest was polite and showed us to our booth. Their was glowing blue glass with beautiful vases between our booth and the booth next to us. There is plenty of privacy to enjoy conversation with your friends. The waiter was very helpful explaining how to order and had delicious recommendations. He even would check on us, being 1st timers, to make sure we didn't have any questions and offer guidance if we did. The menu had an array of appetizers. Meat selections, and drinks. Our waiter was attentive and after cooking each pair of meats, when you ordered your next pair, they changed out the grill. (Again, 1st time, so we thought it was neat.) We will be going again, as it is affordable, delicious, and a we enjoyed the atmosphere.

Resorufin

Had a birthday party here for a friend and all the staff were courteous and fast with their service. Sharon and the rest of her colleagues were great hosts. I give 4 stars for atmosphere due to the abundance of blue lights in the restaurant which can be strenuous on the eyes, especially at night.

Had a blast for Date night with my Wife. Go hungry and go big. Be adventurous, everything is delicious. Our server was awesome, just enough interaction and let us enjoy each other's company. Highly recommend!!

A G

So let me start this off by saying, we’ve seen this place and passed it many times, we never went to try it out because of the rating on google. BUT this week, my banker, a lady who was very critical on restaurants said that Gen was really good, so we decided to give it a try yesterday on a Friday night, and lemme tell you, SHE WAS RIGHT. Food was delicious, fresh and all the sauce options were great! Our server was Nico and he was walking around non-stop and was also so attentive. I will also say that $32 a person for a buffet style of quality meats and sides and appetizers is a really good deal, we easily pay $50 at some of the other KBBQ places around here. We will definitely be back and to whoever is reading this, let this be a reminder to not believe the bad reviews u see online cause u may be pleasantly surprised! So GO GO GO try this place out! 😊

Sat 2/22 1pm, this place is ok but VERY VERY PRICEY so be ready to spend 💰 3 of us 31.95 each and yes it was all you can eat, but the portions were kid sizes, very small. I probably won’t be back. But to each is own. You may like it. Service was ok, he was friendly but he didn’t check on us enough. My rice was already cold by the time the food was ready. I don’t think they should bring out the rice bowl until you’re ready to start cooking away. Only had water to drink. My mom had green tea that she had to ask to take back to heat up, it was cold. The ambiance was very nice. I liked the lighting.

I recently tried out this newly opened Korean BBQ buffet with my husband, and for $20 per person at lunch, it’s definitely a good deal! The variety was great, with plenty of appetizers and a solid selection of meats, so it felt worth it overall. Since it’s a new spot, the staff seemed a bit busy keeping up. Even during lunch, the place was packed, so our orders took a little longer than expected. One thing that could improve is the grill plates—they switched them out twice, but each one still had a bit of residue, which wasn’t ideal for cleanliness. Overall, it was a positive experience, and I believe these small issues are things they can improve on with time.

Had a good experience at this location. Definitely going to be our go to spot in Austin if we’re feeling AYCE. Went on a Tuesday before 6pm and it was packed. Food was good, nothing extraordinary. Prices were pretty fair imo. We had our baby with us and there was a high chair available for use. I saw at least 2 of them. Only thing about the layout is they can only sit at the end of the table where the burner dial is and my baby kept playing with it. The high chair sticks out a lot and I felt kinda nervous that the servers might trip on it. They also had a changing table in the women’s restroom which is greatly appreciated.

Tee MzWright

Sat 2/22 1pm, this place is ok but VERY VERY PRICEY so be ready to spend 💰 3 of us 31.95 each and yes it was all you can eat, but the portions were kid sizes, very small. I probably won’t be back. But to each is own. You may like it. Service was ok, he was friendly but he didn’t check on us enough. My rice was already cold by the time the food was ready. I don’t think they should bring out the rice bowl until you’re ready to start cooking away. Only had water to drink. My mom had green tea that she had to ask to take back to heat up, it was cold. The ambiance was very nice. I liked the lighting.

Mai Pham

Decent KBBQ experience. The meats were fine, and the banchan selection was adequate. Service was efficient. Nothing bad, but nothing truly stood out either. Good for a standard KBBQ craving.

Eun Lee

I recently tried out this newly opened Korean BBQ buffet with my husband, and for $20 per person at lunch, it’s definitely a good deal! The variety was great, with plenty of appetizers and a solid selection of meats, so it felt worth it overall. Since it’s a new spot, the staff seemed a bit busy keeping up. Even during lunch, the place was packed, so our orders took a little longer than expected. One thing that could improve is the grill plates—they switched them out twice, but each one still had a bit of residue, which wasn’t ideal for cleanliness. Overall, it was a positive experience, and I believe these small issues are things they can improve on with time.

Came here for a second time recently; first time was several months ago. I must say, the quality of the food has gone down significantly. The service is great, the atmosphere is decent. Maybe take care of the plumbing smell near the entrance as you enter the restaurant but no complaints otherwise for the atmosphere. The pricing is very reasonable. Presentation of food is great. It's just the quality of the food that is quite disappointing - not just a specific selection or two, but the quality of nearly all items we tried, including appetizers was underwhelming.

I guess making $35 a person, they can’t afford to not cut corners. The galbi was way too fatty (see picture), the brisket was thin and grainy, the rice cakes were chewy it hurt my jaw, and they don’t have a lot of basic kbbq necessities: fish cakes, spinach, corn cheese?? Service is also lacking. Our waitress was sweet but so busy and didn’t come by very often. Also it took too long for grill changes, so some of our food tasted burnt.. Hard pass. Total $42 per person after tax and tip

Incredibly slow service (not that busy of a day but we spent almost 3 hours there, most of it waiting around), the grill needed to be adjusted a few times because it wasn't getting hot, and the icing on the cake was the hostess herself complaining about the amount of work she had to do. Food was decent at very best. It's definitely one of those places that brings you a little bit of meat and then makes you wait 30 mins for the next order so you don't order as much. Definitely not worth the price of admission. Skip this joint.

Aisha Walker

When we first started coming here it was fantastic. The second time we came the prices went up and the waiter tried getting me to go to a different location farther out but we only live down the street. Today we came and waited almost ten minutes on a waiter, had dirty dishes, and they brought the food out too slowly. We were still waiting on a clean plate and waiting so long the food burned. I’m starting to think they don’t want certain races here, but that’s the entirety of Pflugerville if I’m being honest.

David Lee

My daughter wanted kbbq for her birthday. She stopped eating midway. Gen Austin is not the same as Gen Dallas/ktown. This place was very disappointing. The staff was good; doing their best given the limitations of this restaurant. Panchan - 6 miniature plates barely enough for 2 people. Our part was 5. No traditional salad to eat with your meat. No lettuce / leaf wraps. Only a bowl of rice. One dish we ordered was Korean chicken. Ever eat the fried chicken tenders at Dairy Queen? I couldn’t tell the difference. It wasn’t wings or legs. The kitchen couldn’t keep up because the dishes came out slow and sporadic. Some meat dishes were fine. Others came out as a block of semi unfrozen meat. Clearly an operational issue. Perhaps there’s so many dishes to choose from and given that there’s not enough customer base, many foods are forced to be frozen and stored for another day. $32/person.

My husband and I recently visited Gen, and overall, I found it to be significantly overpriced for the experience it offered. When we arrived, instead of greeting us and asking for our party size, the staff placed a sign with a QR code in front of me so that I could request a table. It felt really unusual. The all-you-can-eat option was $31.95 per person, which included unlimited proteins, but drinks were not included. Alcoholic beverages averaged around $20 each, while non-alcoholic options like soda and tea were about $5, making the total cost add up quickly. The portioning was also disappointing. Each table only received a small bowl of rice to accompany the proteins, but since the meat takes time to cook, the rice would often go cold before we could fully enjoy it. The booths were fairly small and cramped, and the interior design felt more like a nightclub, with dim lighting and blue neon lights, which didn’t create the most inviting dining atmosphere. Service was another issue. Our waiter was friendly but frequently forgot requests, such as bringing tongs, and as first-time visitors, we were not given any explanation of how the process worked. The cooking itself took quite a while, and while the staff did come around to change out the grill tops periodically, it felt disruptive. After each swap, we had to wait again for the grill to heat up, further extending the time before we could eat. In the end, my husband and I spent around $80, and we left feeling unsatisfied. The food took too long to cook, the portions were not generous, and the overall experience didn’t justify the high price. If they were to lower the per-person cost, it might feel more reasonable, but as it stands, I wouldn’t return or recommend it.

I’ve been to Gen several times before, and I never really felt it was that clean, but today was the worst… The spoon had broth dripping on it. Even after replacing it, the new ones were still dirty—I had to change six spoons in total. Also, we ordered hotteok, but even though we didn’t eat japchae, there were strands of japchae on the hotteok plate. It seems like the dishes are not being washed properly, and no one checks them before bringing the food out. The water cups were also very dirty—honestly, everything felt really unclean. Please, I beg you, take better care of hygiene.

1 staff is doing a server for 30people now. It is ridiculous. It is all you can eat but you can’t eat. Paid around $100 but still waiting lol

Kaitlynn Pena

My husband and I recently visited Gen, and overall, I found it to be significantly overpriced for the experience it offered. When we arrived, instead of greeting us and asking for our party size, the staff placed a sign with a QR code in front of me so that I could request a table. It felt really unusual. The all-you-can-eat option was $31.95 per person, which included unlimited proteins, but drinks were not included. Alcoholic beverages averaged around $20 each, while non-alcoholic options like soda and tea were about $5, making the total cost add up quickly. The portioning was also disappointing. Each table only received a small bowl of rice to accompany the proteins, but since the meat takes time to cook, the rice would often go cold before we could fully enjoy it. The booths were fairly small and cramped, and the interior design felt more like a nightclub, with dim lighting and blue neon lights, which didn’t create the most inviting dining atmosphere. Service was another issue. Our waiter was friendly but frequently forgot requests, such as bringing tongs, and as first-time visitors, we were not given any explanation of how the process worked. The cooking itself took quite a while, and while the staff did come around to change out the grill tops periodically, it felt disruptive. After each swap, we had to wait again for the grill to heat up, further extending the time before we could eat. In the end, my husband and I spent around $80, and we left feeling unsatisfied. The food took too long to cook, the portions were not generous, and the overall experience didn’t justify the high price. If they were to lower the per-person cost, it might feel more reasonable, but as it stands, I wouldn’t return or recommend it.

이하나

I’ve been to Gen several times before, and I never really felt it was that clean, but today was the worst… The spoon had broth dripping on it. Even after replacing it, the new ones were still dirty—I had to change six spoons in total. Also, we ordered hotteok, but even though we didn’t eat japchae, there were strands of japchae on the hotteok plate. It seems like the dishes are not being washed properly, and no one checks them before bringing the food out. The water cups were also very dirty—honestly, everything felt really unclean. Please, I beg you, take better care of hygiene.

Been here a few times and every time it gets worse and worse. While it’s all you can eat, we waited 45 minutes after ordering before we got meat to put on the grill, 30+ minutes after ordering any additional meat and dessert or drink refills. Literally didn’t see our server for 15-30 minutes multiple times. No actual updates on why it was taking so long besides blaming the kitchen once things finally did arrive at our table.

Terrible service partly due to shortage of staff. Received our food before our drinks which took almost thirty minutes to receive. Waitress said their bartender didn’t come in so she had to make our milk teas when she got a chance. Didn’t offer water to drink in the meantime. Glad we didn’t choke on our food while we were waiting for our drinks. By the time we got our milk teas we only received 3 of them out of 4. She informed they needed to brew some tea to make the 4th one 🤦🏽‍♀️ They didn’t have any rice ready either so that was another long wait then when we received that it wasn’t even warm at least. Food was mid, nothing special. Ordered the double dragon appetizer which is two different types of fried shrimp. Only received one type and wasn’t informed they were out of the other until i asked. The first plate of raw meat she did bring she spilled raw juice meat onto the table and never cleaned it or say sorry. Some items were placed on our table and were unsure what it even was so it just sat there until our waitress was available for us to even ask. Mind you this is on Wednesday evening and wasn’t even busy or crowded. Waitress wasn’t available when we were ready to check out so Carlos the manager assisted us. He asked how everything was and I told him this was our first time here and we will never return and also told him why. All he said was that he was sorry to hear that. Then there was an issue with checking out and he offered no resolution just switched to a different machine. -10 out of 10, DO NOT recommend at all whatsoever. Forgot to mention it’s $32.95 per person for all you can eat dinner. Not one person in our group ate that much food for that price.