Prime BBQ

The succulent, perfectly grilled lamb showcases exceptional flavor and tenderness. Beyond the delectable cuisine, the restaurant's ambiance is elevated by classic Japanese-style decorations, creating a charming and immersive dining atmosphere. The combination of flavorful dishes and tasteful decor makes Prime BBQ a standout choice for those seeking a memorable gastronomic adventure.

This new place is a Chinese BBQ with Japanese yakitori. Interesting concept and hey, you'll never know whether you'll like it or not until you try it right? Well, I have to say, did not disappoint! We ordered a bunch of skewers to try, but some of my favorites were the pork belly, A Choy, King Oyster Mushroom, Rib Eye, Broccoli, and Oyster. We wanted to try a little bit of everything so we ordered a variety of dishes, but I wish I had more oysters and A Choy! They were so so good! This place seasons their dishes very well and everything was very flavorful. I also ordered the Blackcurrant Fizz w/ Crystal Boba, which is really good too. A little tart, not too sweet and my favorite part was the crystal boba. Surprisingly crunchy with a bit of fruity flavor, it was a fun drink.

Decor was super cute inside with the flowers and lanterns, definitely sets a very comfortable and cultural ambience. Even though it was a little busy, the servers came around to check on us regularly and gave some great recommendations on dishes. Everyone was very polite and courteous. Overall, from food to service, I say everything was excellent and I can't wait to return to try other dishes!

Really excited for a new Chinese bbq place in San Mateo! It’s currently soft opening so they are still working out a lot of kinks.

Pros:
- food comes out very fast
- the skewers and veggies are well seasoned, the beef and lamb were both quite nice, the scallop vermicelli was another highlight, and we really liked the chicken wing (teba saki) which came out hot and crispy
- it’s nicely decorated inside and a nice atmosphere
- pretty conveniently located and easy to park

Cons:
- it’s pricy - I was really shocked when the king oyster mushroom skewer we ordered ($2.89) only came with 1 skewer and the pork cheek skewers are very small
- most of the skewers did not feel freshly cooked - they came out lukewarm and felt like it just sat on the side for five minutes. The plate on our table had candles underneath to presumably keep food warm, but the candles were too weak to do that
- they gave us plastic cups for water instead of normal glasses because apparently they ran out. I later saw them giving proper glasses to other tables
- we waited a while for our table even though there were many open ones
- they have a waitlist at the front but the waitlist didn’t really work properly, it was buggy and we couldn’t see our spot in line
- their payment system had issues

I think they still have a long way until they run smoothly. Will come back again in a while to see if things get better.

Super excited about this new spot for Chinese BBQ skewers with a mix of Japanese yakitori in the peninsula. Chinese BBQ restaurant options are definitely scarce in this area compare to the south bay and I am thrill now that good Chinese BBQ is now more within reach.

They are having soft opening now, as I was told, and therefore not all items on the menu were available at but there were still more than enough to satisfy our cravings/appetite. The seasoning are on points and each table has a jar of the house special seasoning to spice things up if anyone is wanting a flavor blast. I went with a group of 7 and we loved almost everything we ordered and trust me we ordered a lot. I am personally not a veggie person and I usually hate brocoli, but I enjoyed their brocoli, egg plants and other greens. They are not super oily like most of the other restaurants has the veggie soak up all the oil. I could still feel the crunchiness in the egg plants.

Did I also mention their business hours? They are open till midnight!! It's so hard to find a restaurant that opens late ever since the pandemic and this place can serve as dinner or round 2 for late night snacks and drinks. The place is nicely decorated and the lighting is just perfect for happy hours with friends. The staffs are friendly and they approach for comments and recommendations for improvement. I truly wish they keep up the food quality and service. It's definitely a great spot you don't want to miss out on.