38 Best Barbeque Restaurants near Berkeley

“Cute little restaurant. We ordered cucumber salad, bbq chicken set and bbq char siu set. Everything tastes so good. Very very high food quality. A lot of flavors. The spicy and numbing cucumber salad is the BEST I have had in the US. Not exaggerating.

It’s counter service and they have discounts for cash. Staff is very friendly. Great neighborhood restaurant for everyday eats. Would come back again when we are in Berkeley next time.“

“Popped in for lunch to check out the newly opened H&T and loved it. The brisket was delicious with a side of Vaquero beans that packed plenty of flavor as well. I could see the bar is well stocked with a great selection of spirits as well as a bunch of quality local beers on tap. Points as well for having a quality N/A offering. I received fast and very friendly service. Looking fwd to visiting again soon and wish this new business the best of luck as it was obvious that plenty of heart & soul is invested at heads & tails.“

“Super clean, very nice lady at the front cashier :), food was very fast and fresh. Loved the selection of the menu, a lot of variety and theres something for everyone! Good prices as well, especially for the area. Went here because our initial place was packed, but it turned out to be much better.“

“My dad used to drink there in the 1980s and the Asian husband and wife couple who owned the bar bought him a last drink and told him never to come backThe bar was closed for about 10 or 20 years in the 1990s and the 2000sMy favorite part of the bar is spinning the wheel and trying my luck at free drinks cuz half the time it's a l**** deal but half the time it's a winner deal it's a nice bar most people are really coolFor a while they had a 8-bit Nintendo system and I'd play Castlevania and Super Mario Bros over and over again but they do have some arcade games and pinball games really nice“

“Picked up dinner twice this week. Delicious.“

“Incredible! The katsu chicken and crispy shrimp were still piping hot and insanely crispy after being delivered. Mac Salad and Spam Musubi also super flavourful not to mention the portion sizes. Delicious food and awesome bang for your buck“

“A little overpriced, but what isn't. The food is always good. Portions are hit or miss. I was full on my last visit, and I like that they have a low carb option. I've had the pork, beef, and chicken and it's all good. Need to try the seafood some time. Self serve water is always a nice touch.

Parking: Good luck finding parking.“

“Nash cafe is one of the most hospitable restaurants in Berkeley. The food is filling, the portions are amazing, and it's worth every penny iv spent here. I strongly recommend you try nash at least once if you're a tourist looking for a meal. (-Berkeley local)“

“Love ❤️ this place ! For years now✌️😍“

“Overall rating: 4.5/5

Delicious skewers, would definitely come back!

I really liked:
- Lamb Skewer
- Lamb Rib (not the large one, was a little salty but very good)

Pretty good:
- Chicken Skin Skewer
- Chicken Heart Skewer
- Roasted Eggplant
- Smashed Cucumber
- Boiled Potatoes w/ Chili Sauce

Would probably not order again:
- Beef Skewer — Perfectly fine, but not as fatty / tasty as the Lamb Skewer.
- Pork Belly Skewer
- Fried Bun — Pretty crispy outside and much larger than a typical fried bun, my preference is just smaller buns.
- Pancake w/ Beef and Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce — Slightly on the sweeter side.“

“Just incredible Korean contemporary fusion cuisine. Kept the fundamentals of the Korean authenticity with unique broad appealing western gastronomic desires. Well done!!!👍“

“Man, talk about old -school soul food! This place takes me back to the days of flavorful bbq and sublime sides like we used to get in Oakland. And their fish is off the hook, too(pun intended).
Make your way here when you can and you’ll not be disappointed. They deliver!“

“Can’t believe it took me so long to try this place!
I had the brisket and dino ribs, with slaw salad and potato salad on the side.
First of all, I would never in my life order potato salad—but this potato salad is so good I could eat it as a meal! (In fact, I actually had it for breakfast the next morning.)
The slaw salad was fresh and zesty. I loved the dressing, the peanuts, and of course the pineapple.
The brisket melts in your mouth, and the dino ribs were packed with flavor. Honestly, the meat was absolute perfection.
We got a burger to go (very kind lady at the counter!)
The seating is casual, which really matches the kind of food you just want to devour without a second thought.
I’ll definitely be coming back for more - forever!“

“I ran across this place by accident. It is on 98th Ave., East Oakland.Some might not think the neighborhood is very nice, but there is parking and the barbecue was good for the most part. I did ask for my barbecue to be on my meat because it was very good dark, But they put it on the side instead. You have the choice of getting lunch or dinner. The dinner is gonna cost you a little bit more but it’s a lot of meat.The sauce was rich and seasoned just right I got the beans and the mac & cheese. I was told that the potato salad is actually very good. Traffic is swift , on the outside, looking in, you would never know that they have really good barbecue inside but the most part I’m pleased“

“The most tender brisket I may have had anywhere. 🥰🥰“

“The food was awesome 😋😋 The atmosphere was good 👍👍“

“These have to be the best ribs I’ve had in a long time.“

“This is a good, casual KBBQ experience for a group. Not the tastiest or the best bang for buck, but definitely serves as a good fix.

We had a reservation for five and a toddler on a Friday night and were seated pretty quickly. Parking spaces were tight in the lot but fortunately there was a lot of street parking a couple blocks away.

We ordered the supreme set A, a seafood pancake, corn cheese and bossom to share. Between us we shared a grill and had our designated cooks at the table (which is how we prefer it but some might prefer a place that cooks for you). The highlight was easily the galbi (as if often is) and we did wish that the bossom was a little less dry. The others were good (as expected) but nothing to write home about. The banchan was also very standard.

Service wise, the waiters were a little slow to take our order and to give refills (for water, lettuce, etc.). Though, the yogurt soju special for our friend’s birthday was a really nice touch.

Like most KBBQ places, it’s helpful to bring your own bags for your clothes as the hoods aren’t the strongest, and it can get loud, but again - it’s a fairly standard experience.“

“Chef Horn, is something special💯“

“On my way to the Bayfair farmer’s market I saw a guy bbq out on the sidewalk today. After the market, I decided to stop and long behold I found this place! 😄. had the delicious “Thank Que bowl and lumpia”. So fresh, tasty and delicious! I will be back.....thank u Chef Rene!“

“Orders the following for a total of $33.
Sausage link: 5/5 seasoned and cooked well with your choice of sauce.

Brisket chili: 3/5 chunky full of meat but lacks flavor.

Mac & cheese: 3/5 cheesy but lacks flavor

*** idea I tried - mix the chili with the mac and cheese - still lacked flavor.

they put their foot in them greens

Potato salad: 5/5 very good!“

“TL:DR -
I'm definitely going to go back 😀

We tried #18 (Loco Moco) and #1 (Hawaiian BBQ Mix).

Gravy (way) too salty. I'd ask for half as much.
My partner got an extra side, since the BBQ Mix was a dry rub.

Order at the counter ‼️

I had multiple issues with the touchscreen menu 💢 and then finally had to order at the counter anyway.“

“Really solidly good Hawaiian food. I had family visiting from France who wanted to try Hawaiian food and they loved it! Especially high praise coming from Parisians used to amazing restaurants. It's a small place and nothing fancy but the food is really, really good. If you haven't been, you should definitely try it!“

“The food was very delicious! I loved everything I ordered! Ribs, beef brisket, chicken, potato salad, Mac-N-Cheese, and sausage! I highly recommend eating here.“

“las personas muy amigables con los niños...comida riquísima y muy buena presentación“

“I’m a vegetarian, so I can’t speak about the Q (the men in my house cried when the last wing was grabbed), but this banana pudding is so off the hook I want to cry!! So rich and creamy! I’ve eaten 1/2 of the very generous serving and I’m stuffed. I’m gunna power through it though, because I know if I save it, one of these boys will eat it!“

“Food here is so good and a decent price for plates (I think it was $15 for a 1 meat plate and $20 for 2 meats ). Parked right outside Planet Fitness so a perfect post gym meal. The ribs are very juicy and the BBQ sauce he makes is delicious! The baked beans always hit along with the potato salad. Only complaint is that the bread sometimes gets soggy from the items in the box but that can easily be fixed. Definitely one of my favorite quick BBQ spots and I highly recommend giving him a try!“

“Best BBQ I've ever eaten! Moist, great smoke AND nice people!“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I recently visited CJ’S and I can't say enough good things about my experience! The customer service was absolutely top-notch—every staff member was friendly, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about making our visit enjoyable.
The BBQ itself was out of this world! Food had so much flavor, and you could really taste the quality of the ingredients. The smoked meats were perfectly cooked.. I especially loved the ribs.. so good

The atmosphere was laid-back and inviting ..I also appreciated the great selection of sides and sauces that complemented the main dishes perfectly.

All in all, CJ’S is a must-visit for BBQ lovers. I can’t wait to go back for another delicious meal. Highly recommend!“

“This place has the best Chinese barbecue especially Empress chicken, which is my favorite. They used to be in San Leandro and I’m so glad they moved to Oakland. I used to drive from Oakland to San Leandro just to buy their barbecue now longer need to make that trek. So happy they are in Chinatown now“

“We eat here about once a month. There’s a large all you care to eat selection, service is fast and they have decent list of beers to go with all the meat. The only problem we’ve had is that their scissors aren’t sharpened- that’s ok, next time we’ll bring our own.“

“Good food, great place for duck, Asian BBQ pork and BBQ ribs etc. Large amount of menu items. Their egg Foo young is amazing. Picture is their wonton and egg noodles with Peking duck pretty good. 11.00+ unfortunately, they haven’t allowed dine in since the start of the Covid pandemic. Prices have also raised $3.00 plus per item since then .“

“I recently had the Lau Lau…it was delicious. I need another one. I’ve been coming here for about six months now. I was a bit apprehensive due to the few complaints, so when I initially went I went in person. It’s a grease spoon hole in the wall and I love it. The Chinese food is good too. Always tastes fresh. Ordered my girls fries from here too. I almost ate them all, like y’all gotta share lol. Anyways, I gave a 5 stars. That’s rare for me. Staff is serious and nice. I appreciate their mood…no bs and good food. Keep up the good work Frannies. Thank you!!“

“This was not my first visit to Jong Ga House, and it is most certainly not my last. I frequent Jong Ga House when I’m craving korean bbq that reminds me of home.

I have celebrated several birthdays amongst my friends here because it is perfect for large groups and they even throw in a birthday discount ($22.99 for the birthday person), two scoops of ice cream, and they play happy birthday through the speakers across the restaurant! They never fail to provide excellent, attentive service as well as authentic Korean bbq that keeps you wanting more.

This is also one of the more affordable all you can eat (AYCE) kbbq spots in the East Bay. Lunch & happy hour (9pm-11pm) is $29.99/person and dinner is only $32.99. Compared to other spots that charge nearly $50/person and often have slower service or marinades that don’t quite capture traditional Korean flavors, Jong Ga House knocks it out of the park in every category.

I especially love that they offer Mul Naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy buckwheat noodles) on the AYCE menu. These noodle dishes pair perfectly with freshly grilled Kalbi, so it is always a delight to be able to order one of these with my meal here. Mul Naengmyeon is always served with a side of hot mustard and vinegar to mix in to taste. It is such a refreshing dish that brightens your whole meal, make it as spicy or as sour as you want! Pro Tip: Be sure to cut your noodles into smaller pieces, they are super-duper chewy!

Everything here is an absolute hit, but you have to try their Kimchi Pancake, Caramelized Fried potatoes, and, of course, the corn cheese! (Usually I order one of each per 2 people) You don’t have to worry about filling up too fast on the sides—the portion sizes are thoughtful, and you can always let them know if your table wants more or less of a serving.

In addition to their banchan (complimentary side dishes that you can refill at most Korean restaurants), they also offer Booricha (roasted barley tea) which helps to cut the grease of some richer meats, like pork belly and intestine.

Beyond the food, the stellar service has kept me coming back. During one of my first visits, I came with a party of eight, and one of our friends was vegetarian. The staff kindly let her order from the regular menu while the rest of us enjoyed the AYCE KBBQ + hotpot combo.
(FYI: the hotpot add-on is available for parties of 5+ for just $10 more.)

It’s the little things that they continue to do that make them my favorite Korean bbq spot in the east bay. Come give this small business a visit and eat your heart out!“

“Vowed to myself I ain’t leaving Sanfo this time without trying this place. And it didn’t disappoint. Ambience is immaculate. Service was topnotch. And the food is DIVINE. Definitely worth coming back to. I hope they open a branch in LA.“

“Such a great experience eating at this restaurant. The service was top notch and the pizza was to die for.“