My top hobbies include eating copious amounts of food and spending too much money, therefore, Korean BBQ is the epitome of a night well spent. What can I say? I’m a glutton for excess. Luckily, I have some foodie friends who share these feelings and so we’ve established a tradition of grabbing K-BBQ every time we hang out. While this tradition has grown to be a bit tough on the wallet and tight on the jeans, my belly has been having a blast. As UC San Diego students, we’re fortunate to have at least a dozen K-BBQ options nearby, but all of these options make picking one tough. But lucky for you, I’ve put my countless dinner outings and hundreds of dollars spent to good use by gathering data on the best all-you-can-eat K-BBQ in town.

The majority of K-BBQ places I’ve tried have been good, but not memorable. I typically leave feeling ridiculously full, but indifferent about returning. Yet, having now visited at least six of these establishments over the past 10 months, some distinctions in the dining experience have begun to emerge. I like to play the field when it comes to my dinner, so I tend to lack brand loyalty when picking a restaurant. But my most recent stop, Taegukgi Korean BBQ House (or TGG Korean BBQ) has hands down become my newest go-to. 

To start, TGG is located in the Convoy district, but sits conveniently off the main strip and shares ample parking with Zion Market. When you enter, they have an outdoor area filled with nostalgic toy dispensers, games, and claw machines, keeping you entertained and spending money while you wait. We were seated fairly quickly, and the host was delightfully welcoming. The inside was equipped with large television screens and individual vents for each table, preventing an overly smokey atmosphere and giving the illusion of a bumping industrial center — but with barbecue and kimchi. 

With regards to the food, I generally find that most AYCE K-BBQ restaurants sufficiently meet the needs of a standard carnivore. There’s an abundance of decent quality meat and an assortment of banchan, which are the small side dishes. Therefore, unsurprisingly, the meat at TGG was tender and flavorful, and their selection was vast and enticing. Their banchan were tasty, but by far, the best offering was their house salad with a dressing that balanced sweet and savory in a delicious blend of flavors. 

While their ambiance and plates were delightful and delicious, their exceptional service was what set this establishment apart from the rest. Serving at K-BBQ is exhausting and demanding work, often resulting in less patient, less attentive, and less enthusiastic service. But the servers and staff at TGG were friendly and enthusiastic despite not having an empty table. Our darling waitress was an absolute peach who was quick in fulfilling our orders and requests. The staff member delivering our food was also a delight, dropping a little joke and singing a tune as he set down our meats. 

Overall, the experience was fantastic, and when we found out that our dinner receipt would give us a 20% discount on a drink purchase at The Korean Rose next door, I knew I had found my new favorite AYCE Korean BBQ. 

K-BBQ can be pricey, but for a special occasion I’m willing to cough up the $30 to indulge in time with friends and tender treats. Nonetheless, that $30 needs to be money well spent, and I can assure you that it will be if you take your next dinner to Taegukgi. 

If all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ is a carnivore’s wet dream, then TGG is that fantasy lived out. 

Photos by Emily Ito of the UCSD Guardian