Gooyi Gooyi

Food is just okay, a little overpriced compared to other Korean BBQ places in the area but their selection of ban chan is also skimpy. The service is probably one of the worst I have ever encountered at a Korean restaurant. They totally saw us whenever we would try to flag them down but blatantly ignored us and pretended like they are busy. I had to get up a few times and get myself more napkins and utensils, and when you do they act like you’re intruding on their stock even though they completely ignored us. Even when they came by and I asked for something, they don’t even make eye contact and mumble something. Immediately at the end of our meal, they made it very obvious that since we weren’t ordering more food, it was time for us to get out. So for those of you who might think they treat korean customers a little better, you are wrong. They are equally rude to everyone

It’s always a treat coming here. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but the meats are definitely high quality. Would highly recommend the party combos they have here; I think they are big enough to feed their recommended serving side + 1 especially with the extra sides they come with and the sides that are already included in your meal.
The waiter/​waitresses cut and serve the meat for you, which is awesome. The seafood pancake is also amazing if you’re looking for a good side. I also like getting the kimchi fried rice at the end (and it keeps great as leftovers for later).
It can get pretty busy on weekend nights, so it’s best to call and reserve ahead just to be safe.

Came here after the 49ners game to avoid traffic. I suggest making reservations before coming because it was packed by 530pm. There are a lot of parking spaces outside too.
I do not remembered what we ordered so I can’t say much… but I do remember ordering the cheese corn. The taste was basic, it didn’t have that sensation where I needed another scoop in my mouth after the first bite.
It’s really nice that they cook the meats right in front of you. The waitresses are all really nice and attentive.

KOREAN BBQ OVERLOAD
—
THE DEETS:
— Can’t help but overeat
— Roll me out the door
— Go with friends, 4 or more is best
— Order the set meals and you’re good to go
—
OVERALL:
— Portions might not seem a lot at first glance but after you munch on that last piece of bulgogi you’ll say to yourself why did I order another dish? All the side dishes are incredibly good and fresh. My favorite are the rice noodles and the salad. I ordered a meal for take-​away once and it was a bad idea. The best way to enjoy Gooyi Gooyi is to get a table with friends and use the habachi grill.
#488

Came to gooyi gooyi a couple of times for some late night food with some friends since they open late everyday. We opted for the meal deal which comes with meat and a choice of beer or soju. The food itself was pretty good but the prices were a bit high in my opinion. ($ 99) but I do have to say that the ribeye was pretty damn delicious. Everything else though was pretty standard and nothing really stood out to me as spectacular.
Overall, I think if the prices were a little bit lower, I would have given this spot a higher rating.
Also, the customer service was not too shabby as well. The ladies were very attentive and they came by to cut our meats up which I really enjoyed.

This place is awesome. Definitely reminiscent of LA kbbq. Service is quicker than ever, we were served our side dishes just a minute after being seated. Talk about efficiency. I also didn’t expect the servers to begin cooking all our meats for us, I’m used to self-​serve at the majority of other kbbq’s I frequent.
Their combo dinners are pretty good and you can swap out the meats if you want something else. Portions are generous so if you’re just a party of two, no need to go overboard on the ordering! Loved the seafood pancake. Marinated and fresh meats are fresh and flavorful.

what a rude. We figure out late night wanna eating korean bbq on Unilocal.We found here go to waiting inside front door next to refugerater she (worker) was beat me up open the refugerater door and doesn’t care abt us almost 10min.
So busy packed loud i know.
But somebody have to take care of us.
After 25~30min we can get the table.
Meat is just ok nothing special.
Just lil late time can eating korean bbq. (Mostly place closed before 10pm)
Thats all. (Gooyi gooyi can eat until 2am)
What a rude, bad service.
Only 1time (first time is last time)
for experience. Never ever go again.

I was in Santa Clara for an event. Since we were so close to El Camino, I wanted Korean BBQ for dinner. One of my friends loves Gooyi Gooyi (and I love trying new places), so the 4 of us walked in on Wednesday, October 14^th a little before 7pm. We didn’t have a reservation, but the place was about half full, so we easily grabbed a table. It did start filling up about 15 minutes later, so we got there just in time!
Gooyi Gooyi rice paper ddukbossam combo series: #3 (3 servings) $ 99.99
*Fresh rib eye
*Fresh short rib
*Sliced beef tongues
*Seafood pancake
*Steamed egg
*Soybean soup
*Soju or beer
We decided to get a combo and then add a couple of dishes. I’m not sure how much soju or beer this menu comes with, but we got one bottle of beer, about 2 – 3 bottles of soju and one flavored soju. I really have no idea what was included in the menu and what we were charged for. Since my friend loves his meat marinated, we asked for the rib eye and short rib to be marinated instead of being fresh. The meats were good. We got a nice smokiness from the grill and flavor from the marinade. I actually really enjoyed the seafood pancake and I typically don’t even order that. Since I love my pork, we added Sliced black pork belly ($ 21.99). A friend loves soon du boo, so we also got the Spicy tofu soup ($ 10.99). Out of all the meats, I think I liked the pork belly the most. In the end our bill with tax was a little over $ 180.
The service here was great! The servers helped us cook our meat and were really friendly and attentive. I was tempted to bump up the rating to 4 stars because of the service. Unfortunately, when we were cooking our short rib bone, they ended up taking it away to cook in the back instead of us cooking it on the grill. Well, I never saw that short rib bone again. And I adore the meat on the bone.
The food is okay, but the service is awesome. Definitely an A-​OK option for Korean BBQ.

Gooyi Gooyi had a great traditional vibe to it — some of the dishes are quite rare to find in Bay Area Korean restaurants. Also, our drink was served in a cute bowl, we felt like it was a soup or dog bowl, but it was really fun. Here is what we shared (group of 3)
Budae jjigae (also known as G.I. Stew)
This is a very interesting dish! Its name is based on the history of the dish, during the Korean war there was little to eat so people would use all the food they could find (preserved meats, instant noodles, etc.) and throw it together into a stew. Turns out, it can be quite delicious and was a popular dish for a time after the war. Definitely worth trying if you haven’t had it before! There was stuff like hot dogs in it.
Bulgogi
Solid bulgogi. Not much to add here.
Seafood pancake
We ordered a large one and it was basically the size of a medium pizza — but very delicious. Loved every bite of this oily seafood pancake. Won’t disappoint, unless you’re trying to be healthy???
Makkoli drink
This is a rice-​based «wine» — it tasted like it belonged somewhere between a beer and a Japanese sake. All three of us at the table, two girls and myself, enjoyed it very much. One of my friends was instantly hooked and called it «the best drink ever». Just try it. :)

In the battle for best korean barbeque between here and Tobang, Tobang wins in taste, value, and general dining comfort. I was worried that there would be a long wait, but we came at 7 pm and were immediately seated. the two of us shared the smallest combo, which unlike Tobang, is just right. But since I’m used to an almost exhaustingly generous amount of food at Tobang, I was disappointed.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, or the tables are so close together that they can’t avoid eye contact, but the service was more attentive.
In the combo, you only got two kinds of meat: brisket and pork belly. The banchan was just okay, and the steamed egg and soup sides we got were boring. No free seafood pancake like at (are you annoyed yet.) Tobang. The only thing that was better was the kimchi fried rice at the end; there were pieces of pork belly and enough to take home in a big box.

Kbbq for the win and their side dishes (banchan) as well! The sauces that they provided with the kbbq, complimented the savoriness of the meat being grilled.
Skip their tofu soup. It lacked broth.
Service was good. This place hits the spot.

This isn’t just my favorite Korean BBQ place, but it is one of my favorite places to eat in the Bay Area. I love this small hole in the wall restaurant. The food and service is just THAT good!
I made a reservation for 3 on a Friday night and they were able to accommodate us so easily. Even when we arrived they had the appetizers and waters already waiting for us. Man, that is amazing because we were extremely hungry. We ended up going with the Combo #2 (beef brisket, short ribs, pork belly, seafood pancake, and soup). It was perfect for 3 people. The server cooks everything in front of you so you know it is nice, fresh, and hot. We also ordered some soju and beer which made our meal even more fantastic.
The only thing I don’t like about this place is that there is such a small parking lot. We had to park on the street which wasn’t too bad. Just make sure to make a reservation and wear clothes that you don’t mind smelling like Korean BBQ.

Really excited about this place but… I don’t think I’ll be back. Service and meats were just subpar. Wish they gave more instruction for first-​timers as to how their place works, what pairs well with what. All part of good service.
I made a reservation earlier that day for dinner and boy am I glad I did. The place is small and doesn’t fit that many people so we were able ot just walk in and sit down since we had a reservation whereas other people had to wait.
We ordered one of the combinations, I believe with beef brisket, sirloin (?) and pork belly. It also came with a steamed egg and then we paid an additional $ 7 for kimchi fried rice at the end.
Meats — some were overcooked (more detail in service part), and didn’t seem as high quality as some other places.
Steamed egg — mediocre, nothing too special.
Salad — comes with the meal, good to cleanse palate with but they never offered to refill it and when we asked, they were a bit reluctant.
Kimchi fried rice — kimchi was too sour. took forever to make (not made at your table; see service for more info below)
SERVICE
This place is supposed to help you cook your meat and frankly they didn’t really. They were too understaffed to keep an eye out for us so our meats became super overcooked, which I didn’t like. I presume the price of them serving us is counted into the meal so I didn’t like that they weren’t attentive. When it came to the kimchi fried rice, they asked us how many bowls of rice we wanted, which I don’t udnerstand. If we’re payng $ 7 to have kimchi fried rice, doesn’t that mean the more bowls we ask for the more worth it it is? But we only asked for two bowls to share as a family the 4 of us. The rice took like 25 min and I’m guessing they just forgot about it in the back. I wish they actually made it out in front of you b/​c then you’re sure the kimchi and everything is from your table, but they didn’t.
Like I mentioned above as well, I wish they provided more instruction for newcomers as to how their place works, whether they cook it for you etc, what sauces pair well with what etc. I think that’s all part of the service factor, which they lacked.
Overall, I probably won’t be back. Service just wasn’t up to par and they were too understaffed. Food wasn’t amazing either so… won’t be back. Going to try Tobang next time so I“ll keep you all updated on that! I think I have higher hopes for that place!

Gooyi Gooyi is definitely a great place to satisfy those late-​night munchies, woohoo! I love how this place is open until 2AM, unlike most restaurants in our area. And sometimes, you just need some good Korean food in your stomach before you go to bed.
The lady who served our dishes and cooked our meat was very hard-​working and attentive, more attentive than we expected. She made sure that all of us were super happy and I am happy with the experience that I have had at this restaurant, and especially so late at night.
I’m not too sure what exactly our meal consisted of, but I do know that I split a ~$ 75 course that was supposed to be split among three people. It was just the right amount of food, and all of the grilled meats taste super tender, thin, and delicious! Also, the side dishes are to die for and you can definitely ask for more if your party has wiped out all of the sides.
I will definitely be coming back to Gooyi Gooyi whenever my hunger strikes near midnight.

It’s easy to find good Korean places in the area, and Gooyi Gooyi is one of them! It is a bit on the pricey side, but their combos are actually pretty good! The meat variety isn’t much also for the price, but what we had were delicious! They also have pretty good side dishes, but there’s not a lot of variety compared to some places!
My favorite when having Korean BBQ is definitely the pork belly, and Gooyi Gooyi has some really good pork belly! We opted to have our kimchi fried rice at the end. They added some sort of seaweed in their kimchi fried rice which adds a different taste to it I’ve never had before… We didn’t like it at first, but it grew on us after a few bites!
They can get pretty busy during dinner, so make sure to make reservations. The service here is also pretty fast and attentive, which made our dining experience here even better especially when we needed side refills and etc…
Solid 4 STARS! Worth a try!

Pretty packed at 6pm on Wednesday with the few empty tables with «Reserved» signs on them. Came here solo on the way home from work and they stuck me at the end of a «Reserved» table saying the party was just 4 (table sat 6).
I got the Dolsot Bibimbap ($ 12.99) and probably ordered poorly as everyone looked to be ordering the BBQ Combos so should have gone BBQ and take home left-​overs.
Anyway, you get 6 banchan including kimchi, sprouts, fish cake, etc (
). Pretty basic, but good.
Dolsot Bibimbap had a fried egg under all that dried seaweed (
). It was A-​OK.
Plus was the stone pot was really hot so I good crispies even after my initial stir to prevent burned rice. Minus was there was not much beef and the fried egg looked sunny side up, but the yolk was almost fully cooked.
Service was typical. Wave and shout, if you need anything. I took them by surprise when I asked for more kimchi in Korean (only English spoken til that point b/​c my Korean is iffy) ;-)

Legit Korean food. My friend brought me here to showcase great South Bay eats. She loves this place because they’re open late and it’s good stuff. Her boyfriend loves the Bibimbap, she’s gotten the broths but they are a little boring. My Korean co-​worker likes their BBQ.
THE WAIT: None on a Tuesday at 7pm. They never had a wait but there were customers flowing in and out throughout the night.
THE SERVICE: They set everything up super quickly if you’re doing BBQ. They do everything for you for BBQ – it’s like having a personal chef at your table throughout dinner!
THE COST: $ 33.50 total a person for the 3-​person Korean BBQ split three ways.
We got the Ddukbossam Combo #2: Beef Brisket + Boneless Sliced Short Rib + Black Pork Belly + Seafood Pancake + Steamed Egg + Soybean Soup ($ 72.99), plus kimchi fried rice. This was A LOT of food, way too much for 3 of us! We were so full and took most of the fried rice as leftovers. Also, there’s pressure to eat the meat quickly because otherwise it gets overcooked on the grill. The sauces and everything you could eat with the meat were great.
kimchi pile (this would become part of the fried rice):
salad (2.5 stars):
* Free Banchan — 4 stars
pic:
Great variety, including wraps, radishes, seaweed, and garlic amongst the usual stuff.
* Steamed egg — 3.5 stars
pic:
Soft but a little more textured/​bubbly than what I’m used to. Eat this fast, it’s much more fluffy at the start and then it definitely collapses. It’s a little light on flavor.
* Seafood pancake — 4 stars
my piece:
More bread-​y, soft, and fluffy than other seafood pancakes I’ve had!
* Beef Brisket — 3.5 stars
pic:
Sliced very thin, with a lot of chewy fat attached to the meat. This wasn’t the kind of fat that you eat with the lean parts and enjoy – this was the type of fat you pick off because it’s inedible. Of the 3 meats, this was the least impressive.
* Boneless Sliced Short Rib — 4 stars
pic:
Thicker than the brisket, this meat was more enjoyable.
* Black Pork Belly — 4 stars
pic:
Fatty but in a good way. This had the thickest cut of meat and had the most flavor.
* Kimchi fried rice — 3 stars
Maybe we didn’t love this because we were so full at this point, but the fact that we still each ate a small bowl says something. I did find that it was lacking in flavor and didn’t see what everyone’s raving about on Unilocal.
Appetizers part 1:
Appetizers part 2:
Rice Paper Ddukbossam Combo Series:

Finally got to come here after all the hype! Yes, parking is limited, but so nice that you can park next door. The place was larger than I expected as the front area is really small. We had a good table in front with a grill, and fairly good service for Korean restaurant standards.
We ordered the first combo of chadol and pork belly for 2 people. We also ordered the kimchi fried rice in advance. I was so surprised they had dduk (rice cake wrapper) to wrap the meat in! Very unexpected, and was so excited! Banchans were okay, nothing stellar. The grilled meats were good, especially in the soy pepper sauce they provide. My main qualm with this place is they give you 3 slices of pork belly. It’s a shame how Korean BBQ pieces overcharge for meat, when you can buy it at the market for ¼ of the price. They also grilled our pork belly til it was as crispy as can be, which I don’t prefer.
The kimchi fried rice was amazingly good though, and liked how they add bean sprouts and other veggies!

If you’re looking for an authentic Korean dining experience… i can only imagine Gooyi would be it!
Make reservation ahead of time as this place is small and it fills up quickly. Parking is also limited, i’ve had to park on the side of the street many times. Besides that, the food is fantastic! And it’s all you can eat banchan!
The korean lady will grill your meat for you at your table while you wrap your meat with your choice of wrappers and stuff your pretty face silly with meat!

This is by far one of the better Korean bbq restaurants not only in the Southbay but in Oakland/S.F. area. This was the second time that I’ve been here on a weekend and reservations are STRONGLY encouraged. Yes, this is the first Korean restaurant that I’ve been to that need reservations on weekends due to a small dining area and always being crowded. I tried coming with a small party as a walk in and was told the wait would be 2 hours so I learned and called in advance for reservations.
The prices have gone up and the portions have decreased a bit as well but you pay for good quality proteins. This isn’t as great as Southern California Kbbq places but for the bay area, it’s pretty good. I think it’s better than Jang Su Jang and Tobang but that’s my opinion.
We got the combo #1 for $ 43.99 that includes a nice portion of beef brisket that is sliced very thinly and melts in your mouth. Also, 3 thick strips of black pork belly which is Korean uncured bacon. It is tender and goes great with one of their 2 dipping sauces they provide (sesame oil with salt/​pepper and a jalapeño/​onion/​soy sauce/​sesame oil sauce). Also, included is a bowl of steamed egg that is very fluffy and a bowl of bean paste stew (daenjang jigae).
Also, ordered 2 orders of marinated Kalbi which was expensive $ 33.00 per order. I usually do not like to pay this ridiculous amount for short ribs but it is very flavorful and tender. Definitely the best in the bay area that I’ve tasted so far and I eat a lot of short ribs at various restaurants.
There are about 8 different banchans that come out and all are tasty. Sauteed tofu, bean sprouts, kimchi, fishcake and the important rice paper. If you run out just ask and they’re happy to give a hefty refills.
The servers seem to like to do the grilling for you and will cut the meat as it cooks and place the meat to the side to let you know that it is cooked thoroughly. For the 3 rounds of meat, we had a different person grill due to hecticness of the dinner rush. I personally prefer one person to cook all the meats but it’s understandable.
They have a tiny parking lot and seems like they only have a few dedicated spots for the restaurant but there is street parking. Fyi-​when you call the restaurant the hostess usually answers the phone in Korean and if you call during peak dinner hours you might have to shout into the phone because it’s pretty loud. Bonus points for being open late.