With over 700 locations world wide, the global franchise restaurant chain, Gyu-Kaku, is definitely not unique to NYC, but I do live close to the city, so Manhattan is the most accessible place for me to enjoy their Japanese barbecue. According to the restaurant’s website, the name, Gyu-Kaku, means “Horn of the Bull” in Japanese. The chain strives to replicate an authentic yakiniku, or grilled meat barbecue, dining experience that isn’t so easy to find outside of Japan. Although I’ve never been to Japan, what matters is that Gyu-Kaku still serves high-quality dishes prepared with lots of care.
The real charm about this place is how worth it the food is, ESPECIALLY if you go during their “Happy Hour”, where they offer many dishes at a discounted price (GO DURING HAPPY HOUR!!). You get so much food for a reasonable price, making this one of my all-time favorite meals. I leave feeling so whole-hearted every time without my dad needing to spend way too much.
At Gyu-Kaku, yakiniku is grill-it-yourself! You can kind of think about it like Korean BBQ, but the taste is REALLY quite different from Korean barbecue. However, if you like KBBQ, I have no doubts that you’ll LOVE yakinuku! They are both very unique dining experiences, as in my opinion, a Korean BBQ meal is only complete with a large set of banchan side dishes, such as your typical kimchi, Kongnamul bean sprouts, mung bean jelly, among MANY, many others (I am by no means an expert on either KBBQ or yakiniku, so I’m sure I’m missing a lot) that are meant to be enjoyed alongside the meal, whereas yakiniku can be enjoyed with simpler accompaniments.
So the first order of business: the meat! They offer TONS of different types of meat, such as chicken, duck, pork belly, salmon, BBQ calamari, Japanese-style pork sausage, and of course, beef. I would say the stars of the show are the beef preparations, however, as their beef options range from classic thin beef tongue to premium USDA Prime kalbi short ribs. You can choose from meat marinated in their signature marinades* OR just naked meat with some salt + pepper - you can’t go wrong with either!!
My personal favorite meat (beef) options are the garlic-marinated bistro hanger steak, ultra-thin, super-fatty toro beef, and of course for a treat, the kalbi short ribs marinated in sweet soy tare. Those might be my favorites, but ANY of their meat options, beyond just beef, are absolutely fantastic. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of the sauce bottle trio on the side of your table!! The best sauce is the combo of all three, ponzu, sweet soy, and “spicy”.
I know that as a yakiniku restaurant, the premise behind the whole place is their grilled meat. But the things that keep me coming back are their incredible plates of cooked dishes that make you feel so cozy inside.
I’ve been coming to Gyu-Kaku for as long as I can remember. My mom used to work in the city, and this spot was a favorite among her and her coworkers. When my sister and I were first introduced, we couldn’t stop coming back!! So this place really brings back a lot of fond memories that make my heart warm every time.
The first dish that I’d like to talk about is their garlic noodles. Let me tell you, if Gyu-Kaku ONLY sold these noodles, I’d be okay with it. This is the first dish I ever ate Gyu-Kaku, and I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember. The dish is made with thick, udon-style, egg noodles that are coated in a slightly sweetened garlic sauce and vegetables. You have the choice of ground chicken, vegetables, or shrimp. They’re served on a cast-iron plate, which slightly browns the outsides of the noodles.
Another dish I love is their absolutely non-traditional, but no less mouthwatering, spicy tuna volcano. It’s a crispy fried block of rice topped with spicy tuna over a layer of Japanese shoyu BBQ sauce. Enough said.
These two dishes are some of their best-sellers, and it’s not difficult to see why. These might be my two favorites, but not far behind (at all) are any of their bibimbap rice dishes that achieve glorious browning from their hot stone bowls and their tuna poke nachos - something about a fried wonton skin just feels right, you know?
Gyu-Kaku will forever have a special place in my heart, as it has been since I was young. This restaurant chain makes food that is so effortlessly comforting and tasty. I can confidently say that I’ve never had a bad dish from here, despite the overwhelmingly large menu. Even though the place isn’t catered towards vegetarians, they make some great grilled veggies (with or without a touch of butter), of which I recommend the corn, and salads too. If you aren’t stuffed by the end, they also serve great desserts, like crêpe cake slices from Lady M and chocolate lava cakes, of which I’ve included photos below. I highly recommmend this place for any and all occasions, as they serve well-priced food that leaves you feeling happier than a traditional “5-star” meal would.
See you soon,
Carissa 😊