Best Korean BBQ on Convoy
10 picksThe short answer
Looking for the best KBBQ in Convoy? Convoy Korean BBQ comes in two styles: all-you-can-eat, about $25 to $60 a person with a 90-minute to two-hour clock (Manna, The Fire Spot, DJK, Handoo, Champs, Olleh and Prime Grill) or with no clock at Jeong Won's self-serve buffet, and a la carte at SOT BBQ (premium cuts) or SongHak (combos and beef intestines), where the servers cook for you.
The best Korean BBQ on Convoy depends on what you're after: SOT BBQ for a splurge or date night, SongHak Korean BBQ for intestines and a la carte on a budget, Manna BBQ for classic AYCE.
- Best for a splurge or date night: SOT BBQ
- Best for intestines and a la carte on a budget: SongHak Korean BBQ
- Best for classic AYCE: Manna BBQ
- Best for charcoal-grill AYCE: The Fire Spot
- Best for charcoal AYCE plus Korean home cooking: DJK Korean BBQ
- Best for late-night KBBQ: Handoo Korean BBQ
- Best for no time limit and picky eaters: Jeong Won BBQ Buffet
- Best for the cheapest AYCE, lunch or dinner: Champs Korean BBQ
- Best for skipping Manna's wait: Olleh Convoy Korean BBQ
- Best for picking your AYCE tier: Prime Grill Korean BBQ
How to choose
All-you-can-eat KBBQ is a Convoy sport, and Convoy Korean BBQ is the densest cluster in San Diego — but the ten spots worth your evening do it very differently: tiered AYCE with a two-hour clock, real charcoal (twice), a self-serve buffet with no clock at all, a lunch price that undercuts everyone, a room open till midnight, and two a la carte rooms where the servers cook every cut for you — one a splurge, one an everyday intestine-and-combo spot.
Pick by the kind of night you want. For a big, loud group feed, go AYCE — Manna for the classic, The Fire Spot or DJK for charcoal smoke, Champs for the cheapest, lunch or dinner, Prime Grill if your group wants to pick from five price tiers. If nobody wants a clock running, Jeong Won is a self-serve buffet with no time limit and drinks included. For a late dinner, Handoo runs till midnight every night. For a birthday or date where the meat matters more than the volume, SOT BBQ is a la carte and worth the bill. For a la carte on a normal budget — or grilled beef intestines — SongHak.
AYCE here is priced by tier: the cheaper menu covers the staples, the top tier adds premium cuts. Most spots put you on a 90-minute to two-hour clock once you're seated, so front-load the rounds you care about.
Before you go: tips for Korean BBQ on Convoy
- Put your name on the waitlist before you look for parking — the lots at Manna and The Fire Spot are brutal at dinner
- Lunch is the cheapest AYCE on Convoy (Champs, $24.99 every day)
- Jeong Won's posted price is cash — paying by card costs more
- Most AYCE comes with a 90-minute to two-hour limit — order your favorite cuts first
- KBBQ rooms get smoky — wear something you don't mind washing
- Groups of 6+: call ahead or split into two tables
Compare the picks side by side
| Spot | Best for | Style | Per person | Time limit | Parking | Past 11pm | Reservations | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOT BBQ | A splurge or date night | A la carte | About $50-90 (samplers $79-295) | None | Medium | No | Yes | - |
| SongHak Korean BBQ | Intestines and a la carte on a budget | A la carte + combos | About $30-40 (combos $69-95) | None | Medium | No | Yes | - |
| Manna BBQ | Classic AYCE | AYCE, 2 tiers | $30.99 / $37.99 | 2 hours | Brutal | No | No | Often |
| The Fire Spot | Charcoal-grill AYCE | AYCE, 2 tiers (charcoal) | $37.99 / $41.99 | 90 min | Brutal | No | No | Often |
| DJK Korean BBQ | Charcoal AYCE plus Korean home cooking | AYCE (charcoal) + a la carte | $38.99 (kids $20.99); combos $79.99-249.99 | 90 min | Medium | No | Yes | - |
| Handoo Korean BBQ | Late-night KBBQ | AYCE, tiered | $31.99 / $38.99 / $59.99 (wagyu) | - | Medium | Yes | No | - |
| Jeong Won BBQ Buffet | No time limit and picky eaters | Self-serve buffet | $38.95 cash (drinks included) | None | Brutal | No | No | - |
| Champs Korean BBQ | The cheapest AYCE, lunch or dinner | AYCE, tiered | Lunch $24.99 (daily); dinner $29.99 / $38.99 / $48.99 | - | Medium | No | No | - |
| Olleh Convoy Korean BBQ | Skipping Manna's wait | AYCE, 2 tiers | $34.99 / $45.99 | 2 hours | Medium | No | No | - |
| Prime Grill Korean BBQ | Picking your AYCE tier | AYCE, 5 tiers + a la carte | Lunch $28.99 (weekdays); $32.99 / $38.99 / $46.99 / $59.99 | 2 hours | Medium | No | Yes | - |
Prices are approximate, per person before tax and tip, as reported by recent diners. A dash means we haven't confirmed it.
The 10 picks
SOT BBQ
The a la carte splurge: premium cuts up to A5 wagyu grilled on a cauldron lid, servers cooking every piece. A sampler ($99 for 2-3, $149-199 for 3-4) plus free banchan refills goes a long way; book on Yelp and save room for the cheese fried rice.
SongHak Korean BBQ
A la carte without the splurge: combos at $69-95 feed 2-3 with corn cheese, steamed egg, a stew and banchan, and servers grill every cut. The specialty is beef intestines (gopchang, daechang); half orders make it work solo, and it's open until midnight on weekends.
Manna BBQ
The OG AYCE on Convoy, freshly remodeled: two tiers ($30.99 and $37.99), tablet ordering, a two-hour window, corn cheese, steamed egg and free ice cream. The waitlist is the price of admission — join it on Yelp before you park.
The Fire Spot
Real charcoal AYCE with actual smoke flavor — marinated hand-cut beef, short rib and five-spice lamb — for $37.99 (the $41.99 Deluxe plan is only $4 more). No reservations: sign in on the tablet at the door and expect one to two hours at peak.
DJK Korean BBQ
Twenty years on Engineer Rd, just off Convoy, and one of the few spots in San Diego cooking over real charcoal — all-you-can-eat since spring 2026 at $38.99, ordered by circling a paper sheet (the numbers are portions, not rounds). Spend your limit-1 picks on LA kalbi and short rib early, ask for a charcoal table, and don't skip the naengmyeon.
Handoo Korean BBQ
The late-night AYCE workhorse, open until midnight (last seating about 11pm) — tiers from $31.99, unlimited LA galbi on tier B, a $59.99 wagyu tier, and staff who swap grills without being asked. No solo diners.
Jeong Won BBQ Buffet
The old-school self-serve buffet: walk up and take exactly the meat, banchan and sauces you want — marinated wagyu and "fruity" bulgogi get the most love — and grill at your own pace with no clock. Fountain drinks and tea are included, solo diners are welcome, and the posted price is cash (card costs more). Mon-Wed is dinner only.
Champs Korean BBQ
The value play: lunch AYCE for $24.99 every day until 2:50pm, dinner from $29.99, rare waits and fast service, cooked on a flat stone griddle that ends with cheesy kimchi fried rice. Last seating is around 9pm.
Olleh Convoy Korean BBQ
AYCE in the big Convoy Village plaza — Premium $34.99 or Prime $45.99 — and the go-to overflow when Manna's wait is long. Fast service, unlimited steamed egg, solo diners welcome; last seating is around 9pm.
Prime Grill Korean BBQ
Five AYCE tiers, from a $28.99 weekday lunch to $59.99 with prime rib eye and short rib, in a calmer room than the big names — plus a full Korean menu (galbi with cold noodles, soondubu, galbitang) for anyone not grilling. Two-person minimum for AYCE.
Not Korean, but close: Japanese BBQ
Want the grill without the Korean part? This one is Japanese.
Korean BBQ on Convoy: common questions
What's the best KBBQ in Convoy?
For classic all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Convoy, Manna; for real charcoal, The Fire Spot or DJK (which also has a full Korean menu); for no time limit, Jeong Won's self-serve buffet; for a late night, Handoo (open until midnight); for the cheapest, Champs — $24.99 at lunch every day, $29.99 at dinner; for a splurge, a la carte at SOT BBQ; and for intestines or a la carte on a budget, SongHak.
Should I do AYCE or a la carte KBBQ on Convoy?
AYCE is the Convoy default: about $25 to $60 a person with a 90-minute to two-hour clock, best for big appetites and groups. Go a la carte at SOT BBQ when the meat matters more than the volume — premium cuts up to A5 wagyu, cooked at the table by the servers, for a bigger bill. For a la carte without the big bill, SongHak's combos run $69-95 for two to three people, sides included.
What's the cheapest KBBQ on Convoy?
Champs Korean BBQ's lunch AYCE, $24.99 every day with a 90-minute limit (opening to 2:50pm). At dinner Champs is still the cheapest, with its Winner tier at $29.99; Manna's tiers start at $30.99 and Handoo's at $31.99.
Which KBBQ on Convoy is open latest?
Handoo Korean BBQ, open until midnight every night (last seating around 11pm). SongHak is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and Manna and The Fire Spot stay open until 11pm on weekends (Manna on Friday and Saturday, The Fire Spot on Saturday and Sunday).
Do I need a reservation for KBBQ on Convoy?
SOT BBQ, SongHak and DJK take reservations (DJK is worth booking for groups). The Fire Spot doesn't — sign in on the tablet at the door, ideally 30 to 40 minutes before it opens, because peak waits run one to two hours. Manna runs a Yelp waitlist that gets long on Friday and weekend nights, so join it before you look for parking. Champs and Olleh usually have shorter waits, and Olleh is the go-to overflow when Manna is packed.
Where is parking easiest for KBBQ on Convoy?
SOT BBQ, SongHak, Handoo, Champs, Olleh and DJK are rated medium. Manna, The Fire Spot and Jeong Won sit on lots rated brutal at dinner — get on the waitlist first, then park.
What's the best KBBQ on Convoy for a big group?
All nine handle groups. Manna has the longest meat list for a classic AYCE feed, and Olleh sits in the big Convoy Village plaza with a shorter wait. For groups of six or more (SongHak adds an 18% tip at that size), call ahead or split into two tables.