Daeho Kalbi Jjim & Beef Soup

Now, let's talk about the star of the show - the food. Daeho Kalbi Jim is famous for its succulent Korean barbecue, and it's easy to see why. The marinated meats, sourced from the finest cuts, are brought to your table and grilled to perfection right before your eyes. Each bite is a symphony of flavors, perfectly balanced and bursting with richness.

Daeho Kalbi Jim is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the true flavors of Korean cuisine. With its exquisite food, welcoming atmosphere, and impeccable service

I will definitely come back later

I really liked:
$66 Boiled Beef
$100 Braised short rib w/ oxtail

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Daeho #goodeats. It's shareable, clean eats and I always leave full. This time and location just didn't hit as hard as I'm used to. I think it has to do with the meat being not cooked as well and it feeling like less meat attached to the bones. Still good food. Just not the fire I'm used to.

Service was pretty quick and polite. It's the expected Asian locations where you do need to flag staff down to ask for things.

The venue is small and could honestly expand so people don't need to stand outside in the Milpitas smell but that's not their fault per se.

This place doesn't need an extra review on how good the Kalbi Jjim is so I'll focus on some key points I took away from this place when I went.

This is what we ordered:

1.) Kalbi Jjim - #1 - Kalbi Jjim size Large with extra Cheese
2.) Suyuk - #5 - Cha Dol
3.) Appetizer - Jap Chae

# 1.) Definitely get the extra cheese for $6 more as you get the "show" with this. The server will bring the bowl to the table and blow torch the cheese on top which is always something cool to see. Also I really appreciate that this dish comes with free rice. We got up to 5 free purple rice since we had a group of 5.

#2.) I really liked this soup (?) dish. The meat was super tender and the broth was very flavorful. You can also ask for more broth if you want if you drink it all up.

#3.) Not the traditional Jap Chae in the sense that the glass noodle is not the circular kind but the flat kind and is definitely on the sweeter side. However, the dish being sweet was surprisingly something I really liked and the flat glass noodle had a nice chewy texture.

**CAUTION**

I came with a table of 5 people and I had no idea they had added an extra 18% service charge already in the bill. When it came to pay the bill in the portable card charger, the options will look like this:

+3%, +5%, +7%, Custom Tip, No Tip.

Since I didn't know the 18% service charge was already added, I just thought that they had low default tip amounts and added another 7%.

As such, just be VERY CAREFUL when you pay to make sure you are not over-tipping if they have already added the service charge.

I had my initial hesitations about this place. Hour long lines, and their most popular dish easily being +$100. But for the sake of making my wife happy, we decided to try it out. We ordered the kalbijjim and cold noodles in beef broth.

After the first bite of that braised beef, it all made sense to me, why this place was so hyped up and why they can get away with charging so much for it. The beef was so tender, so gosh darn flavorful. I didn't care that it burned my mouth because I wanted to eat it all before my wife finished taking pictures for her IG story. That's one of the reasons why I don't have a picture attached to this review, when the food is that good, you ain't got time for pictures.

The cold noodles was a welcome addition. We ordered it thinking it would help cleanse our pallets and balance out the "yeet hay" we ate from all the beef. It was nothing special.

So why not 5 stars? Even though this place was good, like real good. It wasn't a mind blowing experience. It wasn't an experience that I would have to share with out-of-town friends.

Quality/Quantity - Simple menu done well.

Kalbijjim with added thick glass noodles, rice cake & cheese - I really liked this dish. Decent, maybe even generous quantities. I especially liked the thick glass noodles as it was new to me which helped me like it even more. Good flavors. Cooked well, including the vegetables. My only complaint was the beef; it could have been more tender and had less ligament [pieces. I had some tough pieces.

Rice - Our dish came with two rices, so we got one of each; both white and purple. I prefer purple. Actually, our daughter taught us how to make this ourselves, so we now make it at home. Well, for the few times we cook.
Banchan - 4 authentic banchans, not my preferred banchans.

Also available are meal kits, see website.

Atmosphere - Small local restaurant.
Cool educational decor, see pictures.
Clean bathrooms for both mens and womens and the floors were WET and soapy... So be safe.
Plenty of mall parking.
Open 7 days a week from 10:30am or 11am to 9pm.

Service - Good. We at times had to ask for stuff and they accommodated.
My favorite part of their service was when they melted the cheese tableside with a torch.

Price - $107+ generous tip.

Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 2019 with your 5 locations. We have been customers since day one at your Japantown locations. The Japantown location is the one we frequent most. Also, congrats on your 4 "brother" stores - Bansang, Bonmot, YakiniQ, Jina Bakes.

When I think of Korean food, the primary thing that comes to mind is KBBQ. Who knew something as amazing as Kalbi Jjim existed?? TY to my BIL & his gf for putting me on game.

For starter, what is kalbi jjim? This specific Korean dish is made by steaming or boiling your choice of marinated protein in a flavorful sauce or soup. If the restaurant's name wasn't already a dead giveaway, DAEHO KALBIJJIM specializes in beef.

While there are quite a few beefy offerings, our party of two decided to go with the Doh Gal Jjim [beef rib w/ ox tendon and cartilage]. This meal is available in regular or large size and comes with 4 different banchan & 2 servings of rice [choice of purple or white]. These jjim dishes are made to your liking- spice level is customized by NOT SPICY, MILD, MEDIUM, or SPICY. Toppings are available for additional costs to round out the meal.

I initially wanted to go with medium spice, which involves jalapeños, but went with mild because I wanted to enjoy the flavors as is & avoiding the chance of the peppers being overpowering. Adding thick glass noodles was a must.

Food:
Banchan was good but essentially tasted very similar to one another. They all happened to be spicy, nothing remotely pickled in a tart kinda way which would have been nice IMO. At $84 [pre add-on fees for the toppings], the portion provided is hefty. The beef ribs were succulent, servings were generous, and the regular size portion could easily feed more than the estimated 2-3 persons. Flavors were AMAZING- mild spice level left a nice lingering heat that complimented the sweet broth. Veggies found in the meal consisted of carrots, daikon, and potatoes- all tender with a nice coating of the hearty broth.

5/5 stars. Food was great and the customer service provided from Amy was even better. She may be a woman of few words but her genuineness to help speaks volumes. Amy was prompt, friendly, and so accommodating. Thank you for such a wonderful meal and 1st visit, DAEHO.

A classic Kalbi Jim spot that gets super busy with packed lines around peak dinner times. Food is your typical ~$90 for a big portion of kalbi jim and extras for all the regular toppings (IIRC it was $5 each for glass noodles/rice cakes and $6 each for cheese/veggies). Good to split between 3-4 people and each dish comes with 2-3 sides of rice depending on the size you get.

They also have a decent Japchae and a veggie bibimbap (that you can add cheese to!) - both were surprisingly good! Service was okay - the servers are really busy running around during meal times and they ask you to order outside while you're waiting to help expedite the food coming out.

The interior is relatively small but they're flexible with table arrangements to accommodate all party sizes but be prepared for a wait unless you come early!

Daeho Kalbijjim and Beef Soup offers an unforgettable Korean dining experience. The kalbijjim is incredibly tender and flavorful, with just the right amount of spice to enhance the rich, savory sauce. The beef soup is equally impressive, with a hearty broth that's deeply satisfying and packed with deliciously soft beef. The portions are generous, perfect for sharing with friends or family. The atmosphere is warm and bustling, adding to the overall enjoyment of the meal. For anyone craving authentic and expertly prepared Korean cuisine, Daeho is a must-visit!

Have come here several times with family and friends and am always amazed by their braised short rib! You usually have to wait in long lines especially on the weekend or for dinner and the tables/ inside is a little crowded but the food is definitely worth the wait! It is a fun experience seeing the cheese get fired and sharing the meal in a larger group. I also love that they have purple rice and lots of sides. The service is great as well and they even pack your leftovers for you.

Daeho is the best reference point for Kalbi Jjim in the Bay Area.

Known for their Kalbi Jjim with Cheese that they heat up on your table, the combination of tenderized beef and a nice cheese pull gives you a fantastic dining experience.

For tables of 3-4 ppl the Kalbi Jjim (Large) is recommended alongside a beef soup to help you take a break from all the immersive flavors.

Their side dishes are also solid but just be careful as their kimchi is on the spicier side.

Please note the milpitas location is always super packed at peak hours and you may have to wait 45-60mins but use the yelp waitlist/check in for reference.

Becuz it takes a while to make ur Kalbi Jjim they will ask for your order in line so that you don't wait for ur food for too long.

Highly recommend!