Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ – Harvard Square

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Harvard Square offers an interactive take on dinner: Japanese-style barbecue, or yakiniku, grilled by the diners themselves. Each table has a smokeless grill where guests cook premium meats to order, then pair them with sake, shochu or cold beer. The setup is built for groups of friends and families who want a meal centered on conversation and laughter as much as food.

Founded in Tokyo in 1996, Gyu-Kaku has grown into an international chain with hundreds of locations. Its menu leans on marinated beef, including short rib and skirt steak, with pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables also available for the grill and rice and noodle dishes to round things out. Dishes come in shareable portions, so tables can order a spread and grill a little of everything over the course of the evening.

What to Know

• The Harvard Square restaurant is listed as a special event venue for group bookings.
• The brand name means bull’s horn in Japanese.
• The chain’s dessert menu includes s’mores toasted over the grill.