GAJA Korean BBQ & Bar Amsterdam in Nieuwmarkt/Lastage

Great place, good service and all you can eat for two hours

I've been here 5 times and the taste is great

The Food and restaurant fits the vibe and the workers are also very friendly one girl she help us every single time also always smiling thankyou very much for the experience her name is Mi 🫰🏼

I called Caja Korean BBQ. I asked the restaurant if there was room and what the costs were. I got the answer "what are you saying boy??". I immediately hung up That's not how you treat potential customers. I'm not going to eat there.

UPDATE: first review was October this will now be June update. I went recently to try AGAIN and actually ate. It was about $50-$60 a person. 2 things that stood out: ribeye & chicken gyozo They also do not accommodate splitting the check so keep that in mind. Would I go back: I can do without but the place is cool though. Location nice. The restaurant atmosphere is also nice. Wasn’t a fan that they make the whole entire table order all you can eat. Traveling in I wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to sit with friends to enjoy an appetizer and a glass of wine while they ate the all you can eat. They said “not possible” so I had to leave unfortunately since they wouldn’t accommodate. My friends stayed and ate, I feel that there should have been a solution and accommodations. A euro is still a euro a dollar is still a dollar.

A little expensive but it's the same everywhere here....

We ate here with 4 people. There is a lot of choice. The pork belly and pink teokkboki were delicious. You had a limit of dishes that you could do per round, only the banchans (side dishes) such as kimchi and lettuce also counted as a dish which we thought was a shame. Sauces on the other hand also counted as a dish. Service could be better.

Just a perfect moment!! Service is so good!!

Great selection with all the fixings you need for a satisfying Korean BBQ experience. Easy to order right from your phone but the staff is friendly and ready to answer questions and help. The spicy duck breast, short ribs and king prawns were our favorite. Get the all you can eat and smash as much as you can in 2 hours. Sesame ice cream was an immensely satisfying conclusion.

Great Korean BBQ – Even for Vegetarians! Loved the all you can eat Korean BBQ experience! Lots of tasty vegetarian options, which was a nice surprise. The atmosphere was fun and the service was amazing — Shane was super friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. Will definitely be back!

Little man behind the bar makes the best drinks!!!

Fresh and delicious foods, friendly service and a beautiful view. Definitely coming back in the near future

Kiara was especially good, Romanian girls, too, great service thank you.

They have good service and the people.(derick)😁

I love it hereeeee highly recommend. The service is sooo lovelyyt

Very tasty food, cozy atmosphere and friendly staff!☺️

Best KBBQ option in Amsterdam. Friendly staff. A must-visit for ARMY!

We chose the unlimited option here yesterday. The portions are large and of good quality. The BBQ is proactively cleaned in between. A beautiful location and friendly staff. It is very tasty, but not cheap.

How lucky that the restaurant where we actually wanted to eat was full, because that's how we ended up at Gaja. The four of us ate here on Tuesday night to celebrate a birthday and it was so good! The food was so delicious, really a lot of choice and the service was fast, friendly and super attentive. A really nice atmosphere too. I will definitely come back here when I want to eat near Amsterdam Central again. Had a great night!

Food was good, however not everything arrived and we had to ask if dishes really arrived. Service was a bit strange, they gave glasses but touched the upper edges of the glass, sometimes got ice with your glass, sometimes not. Ambience was fine.

It’s really a shame I can’t give this place 5 stars. The food was absolutely amazing, I loved the amount of options they had for the barbecue. But the reason for the 3 stars is how FORCED my friend and I to have and pay for 2 alcoholic drinks. We don’t even drink but they have a no waste policy and charge more which led us into having the drinks. We didn’t add these drinks we only wanted a bottle of water but ended up having to pay for it. Either it was added to their ordering system by them or it was truly added by mistake. Nobody should be FORCED to have something they don’t want. Other than that, I really liked the atmosphere, I loved the music choices. Bit pricey. Hence the 3 stars.

Food was great and so were the wait staff with the exception of the older lady (guessing she is the floor manager). She wasn't friendly and hardly made eye contact when she spoke to us.

It is a nice restaurant to do something different. The tables are quite close together and when it is full you can hardly hear each other. The service is what you expect in an all you can eat restaurant, the dishes are on the table quickly and impersonal. The quality of the food is not bad and there is enough choice. Nice to do once, especially if you go with a group.

I had dinner here. Although the staff was very friendly, the quality of the food didn't match the price of €36, excluding drinks.

GAJA is an amazing place near Central Station. Great atmosphere and delicious food. Pay attention if it says spicy, it's for connoisseurs only.

If you are in Amsterdam and looking for a koreanbbq , “Gaja” is the best. Service is excellent and the food is delicious. All the staff are polite and very accommodating. We specially want to thank one of the staff members, Daisy . She was attentive and really kind. All the very best for your future Daisy! 😀👍 We tried #yakultmocktail and it’s now one of our favourites. Wil definitely keep coming here again!

They're delicious!!!! Kimchi soup recommend 👍🏻

Great experience thank you I recommend

Tasty food. Better than I expected. Every piece of meat was flavorful. The table BBQ works very well and there was no problem with smoke... great. What struck us most is the speed at which everything is brought to the table. The system with the code they use really works incredibly well. The fried things tasted like they were freshly fried. The desserts were tasty too! Recommended in our opinion.

Delicious food, employees are super nice, happy and energetic, only radiates good vibes. The food is also great and the idea of ​​the BBQ is also well put together. Definitely recommended for everyone

GAJA Korean BBQ & Bar in Amsterdam is a great option if you're looking for a fun, quality Korean experience. It is very well located, close to the central station. The atmosphere is modern and lively, perfect for both groups and couples. In addition to meat, they have typical Korean side dishes, hot dishes and a good menu of drinks with soju and cocktails. Agile service and very good quality ingredients. Highly recommended if you fancy something different and well-made in the center of Amsterdam.

The short bartender makes very good drinks and is fast.

Bro, this tent is really next level! 🔥 I recently went to eat at Gaja and honestly, they kill it there. As soon as you walk in, vibes are chill, staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is just cozy. No stiff stuff, just relax and eat good food. Took that teo bokki and maaaan, that shit was tasteless! Juicy, well seasoned, and you can just taste the love they put into that kitchen. My mattie had fried chickah and he was just nodding like "yes man, this is it." Portions are big, you won't leave here hungry.

Loved the service, everyone was so kind especially Derrick was so sweet to us and recommended us the mango Bingsu ice cream, we loved it.

Compared to the other kbbq in Amsterdam Gaja is the best. Our neighborhood guy named Kyano gave us very good advice and service. Very grateful. Definitely recommended!!!!

Gaja Korean BBQ offers delicious marinated meat, fast service and a cozy atmosphere. Perfect for a night out with friends. Authentic and tasty – highly recommended!

Yes, just delicious! Can't say much else

Food: 2 - everything was 50% authentic--Chinese interpretation of Korean food. - Korean BBQ without gochujang? anything spicy is based on chinese chili sauce instead of gochujang, so completely different taste from the original dish...marinated meat, fried chicken, tteokbokki etc. - but many of the food wasn't too bad afterall, if I imagine I was at a Chinese place. Service: 5 - the staff were super attentive, fast, and kind

Lovely food experience. Service was good too. Thank you!

Joann is very friendly! The food is tasty and they are quick to serve

We always eat very well here. Meat is nicely seasoned and they have many other tasty dishes. Also a good extraction so your clothes don't smell. Beautiful view of the water

derrick in the front is so kind !!

Friendly service and the food is served quickly. It tasted delicious.

After a nice city stroll and quite a few kilometers of walking, we built up quite an appetite. We made a reservation at Gaja, as we had a craving for Korean BBQ. The quality of the meat at Gaja is excellent, and Chiara, our waitress, was very attentive to our needs. In short: a great place to spend a lovely evening..

Nice atmosphere even if a little cold, good quality food and nice experience. Available waiters.

Amazing food in a amazing atmosphere x 10/ 10

Of all the kbbq restaurants in Amsterdam, this is the best restaurant I have eaten at so far! They have an extensive selection of dishes and cocktails, which is great. I will definitely come back here more often!

Very tasty food. A wide choice of different dishes including, of course, BBQ meat and classic Korean dishes. The service was very friendly, especially Jimin, and the food was delivered quickly! The atmosphere was very nice, thanks for the nice evening!

Just a great experience! Delicious

Had a delicious meal with some friends. Wide choice!

Excellent food quality. Attentive and super nice staff. I think this is the best Korean BBQ restaurant in Amsterdam :) We took our guests from the UK to this restaurant for dinner. Staff are able to speak English to us. Service went above and beyond our expectations. Big thanks to the team of staff👍🏼. If you are looking for an authentic Korean BBQ restaurant with excellent meat quality, this one is highly recommended ❤️

First time doing Korean BBQ and the bar has been set high. Wandered in with no booking on a Friday evening and two of us got seated despite it being very busy. It is an all you can eat menu so come hungry to eat your monies worth. Huge selection between meat, fish and veggie options and service is quite fast. Ordering is done by phone and you can order up to 4 dishes per person at any one time. If you want to keep the food flowing, consider ordering a couple of minutes before you are 'ready' for the next round. Drinks are a bit expensive and a bottle of water seems to be the worst offender so watch out for this. The waiters are very attentive and polite. Would definitely come again.

What a party! This Korean BBQ restaurant is truly a hidden gem! From the moment we stepped in, we felt welcome. The meat? Delicious. So tender and tasty that we almost got into an argument about the last piece. Grilling yourself at the table is just too much fun - a little cooking, a little chat, and in the meantime enjoying all those tasty snacks. The atmosphere is pleasantly busy and the service is super friendly. They explain everything well, so even if you are not a BBQ pro, you will be fine. In short: eat, laugh, grill, repeat. We will definitely come back!

Thanks Jimmy BBQ dream! Fancy sizzling meat and fun? This is the place to be! Everything was super delicious, service with a smile and that banchan… addictively delicious. We are fans!

Top spot! Delicious food! The meat was super tender, the side dishes were delicious and grilling yourself at the table is just too much fun. Friendly service especially Jimmy and cozy atmosphere. We'll be back anyway!

very friendly staff helped us alot bcz we came late food is delicious,very delicious worth every penny.

2nd time going. 1st time with a bigger group and reservation & 2nd time without a reservation. Place was packed (both times), and we were happy we could be seated. Lovely staff and very helpful all around!! Delicious fresh food, drinks, & desserts to choose. Superb view if you're seated @ a window table. Even the eaters are happy and cheerful.. Recommend highly as it is a fun experience for old & young❣️

I ordered the Soy Garlic Fried Chicken. It was not tasty, very greasy, very hard coating, meat inside dry because it was reheated. The only thing was the beer was tasty :)

Too bad water isn't even included.

Very nice and busy restaurant. The waiters attend all the tables on time, and make sure everything is clean and has enough space. Food was great and tasteful. Atmosphere was fun. Grills were very clean before we started. Our waitress kiara was super nice and made sure we had a great experience. Our favourites were the marinated short rib beef and the spicy marinated chicken.

I came here with my friends a few days ago and we enjoyed the food a lot. The vibes & music was really nice. Super nice staff, especially the girl that helped us, Mi. Would definitely recommend.

I came here with a big group to celebrate a birthday, and the service was incredible! The food was fast to come, and the waiters were incredibly kind. We hadn’t expressly asked them to but our wijker Olayah heard that it was a birthday and brought us a candle to blow out and sing together. The cocktails were great and fruity, I especially loved the gaja tropical. 10/10 would recommend, I loved the spicy marinated duck the mpst, come here if you want to eat well and have a good time!

absolute amazing experience when i crave korean food!!

Delicious food, delivered quickly and friendly service, we will definitely come back again.

What an experience! A mix of pre cooked and cook your own dishes - fast service and a very interesting and unique ordering system. Five people dined at 18:30pm on a busy Saturday but the service was brilliant. Lot's of food choice for the savoury and desserts! Highly recommended! We managed 65 dishes in 2 hours :)

Had a very nice time tonight. Beautiful restaurant, fantastic view, great staff and super tasty food! Definitely recommended if you want to have a nice evening out with friends or family!

Fun with loving people around me❤️❤️❤️

This place offers a beautiful view and a great atmosphere. The service was also very friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, the food was too spicy for my taste, so I couldn’t really enjoy it. If you like spicy food, you might have a different experience.

No shortcomings. Literally every aspect of dining has been perfect.

I have been here 4 times already and I have to say that I have never been disappointed. The variety of food is great and the quality of the meat is very good (the taste of the marinated meat is really great). I also have to say that I get really top service every time! The servers are very friendly and make sure that my experiences have been great.

Came here today with my friend and must say that this is the best korean bbq in town! The food is really great, the atmosphere is really nice and they also have really nice staff. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of service! We really liked the beef galbi and the bulgogi that they served as well. Big shoutout to our host; Kevin!!! He was really amazing and gave us all the service we could’e asked for (thank you very much!!!!)

This place did not disappoint. The food was fantastic, they had a ginormous menu. Everything was all you can eat and the food came out super quick. We went on a busy Friday night and the food still came out super fast. The bulgogi was my favorite. Also the veggies were awesome. The only thing I did not like about this place is that we asked for tap water and they said they were not allowed to serve that so we had to pay for a very expensive bottle of water. I know this is a normal thing but it is not normal to refuse tap water especially when you are drinking alcohol. Other than that it was fun and very clean.

Typical Korean Barbecue place, nice environment, and a nice place to have some good time with some friends. Food is ok, not to many BBQ choices, but meat have a good quality, for some the lack of seasoning of any kind makes it taste like the same. Service is quick, orders are processed very quickly, but with some lack of efficiency, as they request the name during the order, but employees just drop it in the table without telling nothing, and without no name on the plates. During the payment I had an issue as my card got rejected via contactless, I asked to insert the chip and the machine don’t even blink (so clearly machine issue), and the employee just keep saying “try other card”, “try other card”… I just ask him for a couple minutes, call another colleague saying want to pay, and voiala it works…..

A wonderful restaurant in a good location, if you like Korean BBq you will love it here. There were 8 of us and we got a table with 2 grills. The food we ordered was of high quality and came quickly despite the house being full. Everything was reasonably priced. Gladly again.

On Google it said that the kitchen closed at 10:30 p.m. but when we arrived they told us that we only had 30 minutes to order, then the payment could not be divided by 4, only a single payment and we ordered quite a few drinks and at one point we asked for tap water and they said they didn't serve it even though it is illegal in this country!

Bad service, no bill split with no reason. Food service also not nice

I would have rated this restaurant higher if not for their extremely poor attention to customer satisfaction. The food was as you would expect for this type of establishment and (satisfactory). It was quite empty when we arrived but filled up by the time we were ready to leave so cannot really comment much on the atmosphere. When it came to paying the bill, the payment system crashed. causing a 30min plus wait. I had made arrangements to meet a friend at another bar after this and subsequently they were kept waiting so I had to let the rest of my party go on ahead of me until the payment situation was resolved. The staff were very dismissive of my frustration at the situation telling me that I had only waited about 10 minutes -_- and offered to deduct the cost of a bottle water as compensation. I told them not to bother. As a result if their shabby attitude, with no apology, I wouldn’t go back nor would I recommend.

Very good, definitely recommended

Overall good restaurant, most of the food was good.. except for the kimchi, it was not giving. Tasted like it's been sitting in the fridge for too long, and didn't really taste much like kimchi either. They have a rule where you can only order 4 dishes per pers. every 8 mins. I thought that was gonna be annoying before going there, but turns out it didn't become an issue. By the time we wanted to order more the timer had run out so that wait wasn't really noticeable

Great experience! Definitely not expensive for what you get. The only downside is that you only get one ice cream scoop per person and then have to pay €2 per additional scoop. Furthermore, the food is delicious and the experience very nice. Keep in mind that the wok pans can get hot, but that is to be expected. In addition, the staff is fantastic and very friendly. The prices for drinks are normal.

Amazing place, great food, great service and atmosphere 👌

A hidden gem in Amsterdam Central! Highly recommend:) We had an enjoyable experience there. The food is high-quality, fresh and well-marinated. The staff are very friendly. This restaurant has an all-you-can-eat concept and is very affordable. We’ve been there 3 times.

Probably the best and authentic Korean bbq restaurant u can find in Amsterdam, an allyoucaneat buffet but still has good portion and quality of meat. Service are considerate and fast, highly recommend the doroyaki and the beef bolgugi

This Korean restaurant offers a fun 2 hours all you can eat experience for €36-€39 that I definitely recommend checking out. You get to grill your own meats which can definitely be a fun date experience and perfectly solo. As a starter I ordered the ‘Kimchi Pancakes’ which are delicious (definitely recommend). Everything I ordered food wise had flavor which was really good which the cocktails lacked. I tried 3 different cocktails and all 3 of them tasted a bit watered down. They are a bit too pricey to taste that watered down.

Nice food, decent price, friendly personnel:-) Cool interior, pretty view of the Amstel. Loads of space. Clean utensils and grills, food tasted fresh. Quick service.

Super tasty food! Service is good, you get your food straight away and it's hot too. Everything in good portions and well seasoned. I'll definitely be back!

food and service were both amazing, very fun dinner

Explanation is in English, but understandable. Furthermore, staff only comes to the table to deliver/collect the food. You can also request service via the QR code. Atmosphere is not super cozy, we sat by the window but with a large pillar in front of it. Food otherwise fine! Be sure to enjoy a drink too!

Super good, top service, the app system for ordering top too 👍👍

BBQ meat was good enough and a lot of choice. Side dishes were not as good. Service is fast, but they really make a point about the time and want you to leave exactly within 2 hours.

Food was tasty. Drinks such as cocktails and mocktails are a bit pricey.

Super super nice fast polite careful and with smile service. Food are nice and fast. I would say the restaurant train their waiter and waitress very well how to serve the customer.

Best Korean BBQ I've gone to. Everything was delicious. I wish we could've ordered more ice cream though!

Nice place to eat if you want a different experience. The service is very good and the food is also of good quality. The grill is cleaned regularly so that you do not get burnt bits on your food. The choice of food was also very wide, there is something for everyone. All in all a very good experience!

Me and my friends decided to Surprise our friend Mac for his Birthday here in GAJA Korean barbecue grill & Bar in AMSTERDAM and it was absolutely delicious! The highlight for me was being able to grill the meat right at the table-such a fun and interactive way to enjoy a meal. But what really made the evening stand out was the exceptional service. The staff were incredibly attentive,making sure we were comfortable with how everything worked. Their knowledge and friendliness made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Overall, it was an amazing dining experience, and I can't wait to come back! Thank Very Much kitchen Crew and Service Crew. 🙏 You’re all AWESOME!❤️🫰

We arrived at opening time for 1 p.m. Very cold and not very friendly welcome. The staff was vacuuming and mopping while we were eating. There were still dirty tables from the day before, with uncleaned leftover food. Fortunately the dish was good but the service needs to be reviewed.

They don’t serve tap water so that they can scalp people with 8€ bottled water. To me that’s an immediate 1 star. In some countries that’s flat out illegal to deny people water.

If this is your first time doing this concept, it will be fun to have a BBQ at the table. The food was not bad, but certainly not wow either, not something we would repeat. Ordered dishes that did not arrive, but dishes kept arriving that we had not ordered. The bimbibap was very disappointing, if you are a fan, skip this one. Meat was also good and fresh. Thought it was quite pricey for 2 adults and 3 children between the ages of 9 and 15, as they are not big eaters. With all you can eat including drinks elsewhere we work out slightly cheaper.

On Boxing Day, the five of us enjoyed a wonderful evening at Gaja Korean BBQ in Amsterdam. They offer a unique dining experience where guests can grill their own food at the table. This interactive concept makes it possible to try different dishes and prepare them to your own taste. You can easily place your order via a QR code. You can also opt for dishes prepared in the kitchen, which offers a nice variety. The restaurant has a relaxed and informal atmosphere, perfect for a fun evening out with friends or family. 🍽️ We all thought it was a great success. Moreover, the restaurant is about a 10-minute walk from Central Station, which makes it extra convenient! Keep in mind that you have a 2-hour time slot to enjoy your meal. ⏰

Once and never again! After exactly 2 hours you have to pay immediately and indeed leave. We still had Coke to drink, but that was also unceremoniously taken away. Really very bad and unfriendly!!!!!! It is definitely not worth repeating, and I really don't recommend it to anyone!!!!!