Tobang, Santa Clara CA

The most affordable Korean place around if you do one of their meat combos. It comes with their excellent and varied side dishes which they refill efficiently, rice (regular or fried), and a crisp small seafood pancake. I am unsure if you can get refills on that but they did give us another pancake without charge. You can add tofu soup among other things for $8 which is a steal. I got the mixed one and there was plenty of beef, squid, and 3 shrimps. I was desperately craving tofu soup that day and all the ones nearby on El Camino K town were about $20. The $8 one could be smaller but I didn't notice. It doesn't come with egg which is reasonable but I'm sure you can add it on for extra.

The meat portions are generous and they are not too fatty, in a good way. If you do find them too oily: the lettuce, radish, and rice wraps included in the sides are good for soaking up the grease. I would recommend the beef belly, the brisket, and the pork ribs if you don't want to upgrade your meats. There is a small aluminum foil with cheese corn that comes on the grill with the meat. They give you a refreshing mini yakult with your bill.

Love hate relationship with ToBang.

Pre-covid, one of my favorite KBBQ spots. Post-covid, I've only gone once or twice because the service is usually a miss and value just isn't there if they don't refill sides.

You can make reservations on Yelp.

Tobang has one of the best sides in south bay. Hence, I go there to eat a ton of them.during COVID, I remember they limited refills to once time only, which was unfortunate.

Meat quality is ok. They still give you a mini yogurt drink to top off the meal which is nice.

Parking in the plaza can be super difficult. May be due to give them another try soon. Hoping for the best!

Very delicious food and generous portions. Special A would be enough for a small family but we were just two of us so we had take a lot of food with us. Very nice people work there.
The atmosphere is not fancy, it is very simple and fast. They definitely specialize on very good food rather than a nice environment.

They were able to accomodate our group of 12 in a timely manner when we were there. Food was great with such a lively atomosphere. To top it off, they gave us the little yogurt drinks too!

This place is a little hidden gem. We had option A with Bulgogi and the Short Ribs and it was delicious along with all their sides.

Just a heads up: We didnt actually get to cook these our selves. When looking at the menu, you will see the word "raw" next to some of the meat choices. Those are the ones you can grill yourself.

Tobang was a family favorite been coming here for years. However, our recent experience was not pleasant. It was four of us and a baby. Forced us to pick their 4 meat option even telling them we just had snacks and the 3 meat is good enough. Told us can have it to go, like excuse me we know that but korean left overs aren’t always fun to eat unless it’s freshly cooked from the grill. They charged us 18% for tips they counted baby for the group of 5. Real disappointment, might not come back anymore there are much more other competitors out there.

Pro: inexpensive food
Cons: bad service. We had a 7pm reservation and when we arrived at 7, we were asked to stand outside and order food first before sitting down. I was freezing. I’ve never been to any place that I have to order first with reservation. Will not go back again.

Before the seats are warm, plates of meat were dumped onto the grill. Not a moment wasted, the fried rice arrived, then the pancake, followed by more meat. It was everything, everywhere, all at once. Pacing is forbidden in this culinary factory. You must chew faster than you can swallow as the clock is ticking. This is not a sanctuary for the slow eaters looking for a pleasant dining experience, it is a refuge of sustenance. You are here to eat, not to taste. The tab arrives before you are even half way done with your food, that is efficiency. To-go box is brought to your table to signal that other hungry guests are waiting for your table, that is courtesy. Everyone here is participating in a speed eating contest and you must have mistakenly walked in. It is not their fault, it is yours.

The food was good, the service was quick and efficient, the staff was kind.the specials that they have set up is a good way to order.the staff seemed really lethargic the day we went, which might have been just that day.my only real nitpick about the place might be a bit silly: one of the ladies rushed out after we left to ask for a tip, but i only went in with two other friends (typically, i would understand a gratuity tip for a party of at least 5). We’re all college students, so we paid the bare minimum.other than that, it was a good experience.

Horrible experience. The wait staff rushed us to leave in less than an hour with our dinner reservation. We arrived at 6 and we were asked to leave at 7pm because “the 7pm reservation is here”.

THEY DEMAND TIPS OF 15%, 20%, OR 25%; IF YOU DO NOT CHOOSE ONE OF THEM, THEY WILL ASK AND WAIT FOR YOU TO SELECT ONE IN FRONT OF OTHER CUSTOMERS.
Although we used to enjoy this place, it was terrible this time. They asked us to make our payments at the front desk. Since we were in a hurry, we finished quickly and paid.we paid roughly 13.5% to round out the amount. After making our payment, we were leaving, but the owner chased after us and made us pay 15%, 20%, or 25% in front of other customers. This is ridiculous. I have never had an experience like this before. We were forced to pay the tips we didn't agree to pay. The behavior of the restaurant owner should not be encouraged. I will not go to the restaurant again.

I went there with my friend. We ordered only 1 portion of meat because I knew their 1 portion is large and good for 2~3 people from my past experience. But they say we have to order 2 servings, which is obviously too much for us. At the end, they refuse to serve us and kick us out. Terrible weekend experience.

We ordered package A: spicy pork ribs, bulgogi and added a seafood tofu soup. A lots of meat enough to feed 4-5 people. Seafood pancake is the best among all the dishes. The meat and side dishes are bit too sweet for me, but still a good deal for a causal Lunch for 4.

Excellent food and service. Everything was flavorful and interesting. The atmosphere is kind of dive bar mixed with down-to-earth Texas BBQ.

Best Korean BBQ restaurant this side of town! The food and service were fantastic. Such a pleasant experience! Reservation is a must unless you plan to be on the wait list forever. This is a popular joint. The servers were really busy but they made us feel welcomed and checked in on us frequently. The Korean male with a man bun (forgot to get his name) was very nice and thorough in taking care of the customers. The banchan was superb! I will be coming back to this restaurant again.

Delicious Korean barbecue served with amazing banchan (side dishes) including kimchis, japchae, radish and more!

They have a minimum order of 1 less than your party size. We had 5 people so we had to get the combo for 4 people as the minimum but it was honestly enough food for 6 or 7! We had a lot to take home.

I recommend making a reservation, it saves time. You have to order ahead and they seat you once your table is set up and ready.

Its well worth the wait!

Dinner only offers BBQ. There are a few sets you can choose. There are a few different meats you can select. The marinated meats are usually pre-cooked. I would recommend to pick both marinated and raw meats. To cook the meat on your table is more fun but the volume could be small. The pre-cooked meats have a good portion. You can add a soup for $8, which is a good deal. The service is ok but they are very busy and could be slow to respond. The meat is good quality and the price is considered as good for Korean BBQ.

Got Special B (3 meat choice) and this option is more than enough for 3 people.
If you want soft tofu soup, extra $8.00 - which I think is totally worth it.
Love the service here. Everyone is sooo friendly and attentive. I highly recom.ent this place