GUI BBQ
About GUI BBQ
GUI BBQ is an innovative Asian restaurant located in Irvine, CA, specializing in a unique self-cooking barbecue experience. The restaurant features a menu centered around various BBQ skewers, including premium meats and seafood, alongside cherished Chinese dishes. Diners can enjoy interacting with their food through self-turning grills at the table, which enhances the communal dining atmosphere.
While many patrons praise the flavorful skewers and the fresh ingredients, feedback indicates that some noodle dishes may not reach the same standard. Overall, GUI BBQ appeals to those seeking a lively dining setting where they can enjoy freshly grilled dishes in a hands-on manner, making it a popular choice for gatherings and celebrations.
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I love Chinese skewers so we decided to give this place a try. It's different from other skewer places in that we have to cook these ourselves. The tables are conveniently equipped with a self-turning grill, so you don't really have to worry about turning each side to cook. I thought cooking the meat ourselves would alter the flavors from the traditional Chinese skewers, but that was not the case at all. The flavors were all there and very delicious. It was a fun experience as well, we were able to cook to our liking and desires crispness.
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I think I've been here enough times to write Gui an honest review. I was a bit disappointed along with the friends who came with me the second time. The first time was a few years ago when they first opened. We didn't order that many skewers because it was an early lunch on a Sunday. Yes, I probably drank more that afternoon than we ate. Okay, it was my b-day. Lol. But the skewers are good! Nicely marinated on some, such as the lamb and beef, while no marinate on other beef, and perhaps the organs... yes, nothing is wasted anymore.
The second time, I was here again with friends for dinner. We had no idea how big each order was... unlike now, they use a parenthesis to let you know how many skewers they serve per order. The disappointing part was that there were six of us. And we basically said how many skewers of each lond we wanted. So we thought each skewer ordered was by piece. Guess what? We ordered waaay too much, along with noodles, appetizers, shellfish, etc. The waitress never said anything about us over ordering, and she basically entered every order without saying a word! Anyhow, there were enough skewers and noodles to feed a village!
Now that we know better, we order appropriately. The waiters and waitresses are more informative. I guess they're more well trained.
The skewers here are delicious! So definitely come for their skewers. The muscles and clams are also tasty. They add vermicelli noodles in the shellfish, which I thought was something different. Unlike they skewers, these are already cooked when served. The grill is built into the table. The grill automatically rotates the skewers, I thought that's an awesome concept. Very enjoyable!
However, I don't recommend their cold noodles or any types of noodles. It's not good, imo. Other than that, everything is okay. Oh, they also serve alcohol. Gunbaeee!
I still like coming here when I get the chance. It's located on the second floor in a large plaza off the 60 freeway. You need to use your GPS, or else you might get lost.
3-1/2 stars for the experiences. They're lucky the skewers are good, and the ambiance is a bit fancy. So, 4 stars. -
I love this place! Try to come during off hours so you don't have to wait. I think this is a good place to go with a group of friends, the food is cooking in front of you, so it feels interactive. Plus everything here is kind of made to share. I always get the lamb here. It is so delicious! I'd have to say that at first when I came by thought that we ordered too many, but the skewers are smaller in size than I thought, so make sure you just keep ordering! The vegetables are actually quite good too, after they've been roasting. I really enjoy the cucumber salad here. Also, the noodle dishes are good. I will 100% recommend the crawfish garlic flavor. This was so yummy. I even order it to go frequently and just have it for dinner at home!
Service is great here, very attentive. The restaurant is also very clean. -
My go to late night spot. I love the concept of having the skewers cook in front of you. I like the peanuts you get as an appetizer. They are so addicting. I like to order the beef skewers and cucumber salad. I dip my skewers in the chili powder they provide. The new addition of corn cheese to the menu is delicious. It's the right amount of creamy and sweet. It's also a decent size. The service is quick and efficient.
Note: Expect a long wait during dinner time. -
The food here is so bussin! Also the service here is very good. I like how everything is seasoned, it is a mixture of salty and spicy. Had the best experience here.
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Came here on a Friday night with a party of 2. Wait time? Non-existent. Long tables? Super cool. Rotating skewers? Very convenient. I always wondered how the rotating mechanism worked. Easy, seamless eating experience. Quality of the skewers? Top-notch. Loved how they did the portions, making sure you don't have too much or too little. Peanut snacks? Nice. Ambiance, decor, and cleanliness? Comfortable. Restaurant is located on the second floor with plenty of parking in the structure nearby. Highly recommend this place for some good skewers.
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This was an amazing experience , the ambience is great and their open till midnight!! Service was attentive and the place is every clean the Korean bbq itself was good everything in skewers which makes it much easier. Very authentic
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Nice area with good parking and friendly service
Food here is super good and not too overly priced, I loved the grilled oysters and grilled scallops, spicy crawfish noodles were ok but way too sesame/peanut butter flavor for me it was almost dandan noodles
The skewers were really good, we had way too many different types to name but they were all well seasoned especially the premium beef and the pork belly 10/10 for sure. Minus the beef tongue it was a little weird and I usually love beef tongue -
Whoa, why did I hold out on so long on coming here!?
Wife and I have had this place bookmarked (I think) for awhile and we alllways pass it on the 60 and kept saying we should try it and we finally did last night!
We ordered several different skewers: Premium beef, premium pork belly, original lamb, and gizzard. In addition, we also ordered a jelly fish salad, pig ear salad, scallops, and Chongqing noodles.
ALL the skewers were sooo good! The skewers were heavily seasoned, so each bite was packed with lots of flavor. LOTS!! I'm literally salivating over here while typing this like a fat ass.
The pig ear salad is, well, pig ears on a bed of bean sprouts which my inebriated alter-ego enjoyed last night. Normally I am 1000% anti bean sprouts, but the dressing/sauce made it tolerable... good even. I can't believe I said that. Gross. Anyway, the jelly fish salad was very refreshing and was a welcome contrast to all the bold flavors going on with the BBQ, but was severely lacking in jelly fish.
My wife did not like the Chongqing noodles because of the mala flavor, but I personally liked it!
The scallops were absolutely delicious. Little addicting bites of scallop with bean thread noodles and like a garlicky sauce thing. Yum!!
While this was not my first time having Chinese BBQ skewers, it was my first time at a place with the rotating grill at the table. I like when the dining experience is interactive and engaging. Definitely makes it more fun.
We got sat inside a room, so I can't really speak on the place's vibes, but it was lively and busy. Wife and I had a great experience and can't wait to go back to try their other skewers!
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are some popular dishes at GUI BBQ?
Some popular dishes include BBQ skewers like the Premium Angus Beef and the Spicy Crawfish. The Spicy Crab and Grilled Pork Brain are also customer favorites!
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Do I need to make a reservation, or can I walk in?
Reservations are accepted, but you can also walk in without a reservation, especially during off-peak hours.
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What dining options are available at GUI BBQ?
GUI BBQ offers dine-in, takeout, and no-contact delivery options for your convenience.
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When is the best time to visit GUI BBQ to avoid long waits?
Visiting during off-hours, especially on weekdays, can help you avoid long wait times.
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Is parking available, and what payment methods are accepted?
Yes, there’s free parking nearby, and they accept debit and credit cards, as well as NFC mobile payments.
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Came to celebrate my brother-in-laws birthday, so there are private rooms here for big parties! I never got to try skewers like this here, so this was a lot of fun having these. The machines would kind of get stuck sometimes and doesn't rotate it that well. The meat here was all pretty good! It does taste greasy after eating too many, but that is the meat sweats. The noodle dishes here were just alright. I ate a lot of the corn cheese and wish there was more cheese than milk/cream.
The service here could have been better. Not as attentive so occasionally I just stepped outside to ask for service lol