356 Korean BBQ & Bar

While Mission Valley Breakfast Company hands you a finished plate and a mimosa, 356 puts the flame at your table and expects you to work for it. That's the pitch here: Korean BBQ as performance, ritual, and occasional therapy session, all conducted over tabletop grills in a lofty modern space that somehow survived the Mission Valley Mall exodus. You're not ordering dinner—you're orchestrating it, flipping brisket at 10 p.m. because that's when the craving hit and this spot stays open late enough to accommodate it.

The brisket's the anchor. Reviewers name-check it specifically, which in a place where the menu runs deep says something. It's fatty, marbled, and responds well to amateur grilling—forgiving enough that you won't carbonize it on the first flip. The soju cocktails keep pace with the pacing, which matters when you're managing multiple proteins across three courses and the outdoor patio's busy enough that ringing for service doesn't guarantee immediate response.

Staff quality swings—some nights you get Kathy-level attention (grill swaps, pacing advice, the full treatment), other nights you're on your own out on the patio. The format works better when you've got a group: more hands, more grilling real estate, more justification for the all-you-can-eat option. Solo diners will find it functional but not ideal.

Parking's mall parking—adequate but soulless. Last call comes around 9:45 despite the 11 p.m. posted close, so don't push your luck. The patio takes dogs, which in San Diego means it takes half the neighborhood on weekends. If you want the full experience, grab a booth inside where the ventilation actually works and the server-to-table ratio makes sense. This isn't a hidden neighborhood treasure—it's a DIY grilling spot that delivers exactly what it promises, as long as you show up ready to flip your own meat.