Gen is a Korean Barbecue restaurant located in Oxnard that allows customers to cook their own food.

Experience 

The Gen Korean Barbecue House I went to is located in The Collection, a shopping mall located in Oxnard. There are other locations throughout the United States such as Texas, Hawaii, Arizona, and Nevada. The restaurant has an unconventional style, and traditionally works like so: the waiters bring as much food as the party or individual wants. The waiter will then regularly check up on the customer(s) to make sure the meat is being cooked correctly.

The wait time was very short, and as we were walking to our table, the sight of exotic meats and the sound of sizzling grills was breathtaking. The drink menu has soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and many exotic drinks such as a creamy yogurt soda as well as alcohol from out of the country. As soon as our drinks arrived, we started ordering food. We started off with a beef bulgogi; however, the Korean Fried Chicken sounded appealing so I ordered a bowl of it as well.

Food

The menu has a large variety of meats available — including beef, chicken, pork, squid, octopus, shrimp, and more. Certain foods are cooked prior to arriving at the table due to their complexity. For instance, the Korean Fried Chicken (similar to orange chicken) is a breaded chicken nugget covered in a mild spicy orange sauce. There are also other smaller dishes that customers can order like rice cakes, salads, noodles, rices, and gyoza.

The portions were a pretty good size and the food tasted amazing. As we were cooking, we ordered some gyoza, rice cakes, and noodles, which were enough to hold me off until the meat was finished cooking.

All of the meat is cut in ways that make it easy to cook. At the beginning of the meal, there was a standard white rice bowl with soy sauce. Our group all had different preferences of how well done the meat was. I had no clue what I wanted, so my friend cooked a softer and crispier type of beef bulgogi. The rice cakes could be described as mushy yet tasty.

Overview

There is a flat fee of $22 per person. Drink costs are separate from the flat fee and are added onto the bill. The bill for the meal is paid when you leave, and leftover food is added onto your bill. Customers are also not allowed to take any food home. If you are able to eat a lot in one sitting, then this restaurant is good for you. However, if you can only eat small portions, there are other great restaurants in The Collection. All in all, I liked Gen and I recommend it. The restaurant has a visually appealing ambiance in the idea that the colors compliment the fiery grills. The staff is also nice and respectful, and they take care of their customers.