AJ’s Mongolian BBQ
9620 N Metro Pkwy W, Phoenix, AZ, 85051
AJ’s Mongolian BBQ Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
9620 N Metro Pkwy W
Phoenix, AZ, 85051 - Phone (602) 944-6818
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Vladimir P.
Great place never disappoints because it's clean, food is fresh and it's cheap. No matter if you are casual or a big eater that plate can be filled according to your hunger. Let me explain. You pay the cashier and move from right to the left. The choices are in meat, noodles, veggies and sauces. As you pack your bowl with meat, veggies, noodles you use a thing peace of paper to push it all into the place. I recommend you use your fist! Yes your stronger fist! Push it all as hard as you can so more can fit into the place. In the end the little room that's left is for the sauce. And then give that master peace of yours to the grill masters and they will cook it to perfection. When you get it back after a minute in a new fresh bowl you self seat and eat at your pace and take your sweet time. If you happen to be hungry like a bear you can go for round 2. I've never seen it done though but I suppose it's not impossible if you are hungry like a bear! This is a cool, chill, cheap place to eat in my opinion good food. The value for your dollar is excellent and if you're humble simple person that does not need server attention or paintings at the wall you won't regret going here.
(4)Richard M.
I have been eating there for years. I drive a long way, too. I try to get there once a week. The place is always clean. The meats and vegetables are always fresh. The decor is not fancy, but I'm not embarrassed to bring a business guest there. The selection of meats, vegetables and sauces is very reasonable for the price. Only one other place in town offers more, and that's not many more. As for some of the negatives some others have noted: The name notwithstanding, this should not be confused with a Chinese restaurant. It's a cuisine unto itself. For the money, it's an good deal. If you overload your bowl with rice noodles, they tend to come out gummy. That's the nature of the cooking process. Mine usually are cooked just right. Tip: If you like to eat with chopsticks, ask the cook for some. They keep them hidden behind the counter. Bottom line: It's your own concoction. If you don't like it, you only have yourself to blame.
(4)Karin R.
Very good Mongolian BBQ especially given the area it's in. Wide variety of options for mix-ins. Reasonably priced as well. Free frozen yogurt included.
(4)Dave W.
Have gone here several times over the years. Not an impressive place, decor wise. Food is fairly good. For the price, there could be alot more choices. Sauces are fairly unimaginative. There's a tip jar on the table by the grill so big that a blind man couldn't miss it. However, you wonder for what? How could you eat the food without it being cooked? The service is almost nonexistant.. A tip? Give me a break!
(3)Steve S.
The food came out tasting dry and a little old.. I was not too impressed but I have had some pretty good Mongolian grill before this was kind of like the McDonald's version of YCs taste wise.
(2)Cody N.
$9 for one bowl or $10 for all you can eat. Value is excellent. Vegetables are all fresh. Meats remain frozen which is nice as it keeps bacteria away. Sauces are amazing. Been there 2 days in a row.
(5)Deni G.
Guess it's not my thing. I've been to Mongolian barbecues in the past and the food has been okay to good , however Aj's Mongolian Grill falls short of being good or even okay. The meats appear to be frozen and when cooked have a tendency to lack taste and are some what grainy, the noodles were gummy and I hate to repeat myself but they to were flavorless. The veggies are also frozen which causes the veggies to lose a lot of their flavor when cooked. I realized after tasting my meal that I should have drenched my dish in sauce in order to get some semblance of flavor Even the ice cream for dessert lacks luster. No toppings, just soft serve vanilla ice cream. However, if you wanted crushed nuts to top your ice cream there was a peanut dispenser that cost 25 cents. If you decide you want to take your meal home that will cost you 75 cents for a carry out container. To be honest the only thing that was good was the fountain drinks. Maybe Mongolian grills are not my thing.
(1)Mark H.
This place is the best always hot and fresh. .and friendly faces super clean and that's a big deal. .
(5)Liz V.
Wow! Nice choice of fresh vegetables cooked in a stir fry! Thank you for helping me stick to a healthy diet. It's a pleasure to eat in this bright friendly place that is always a clean welcoming place to bring my friends and family.
(5)Erik B.
This place was pretty good, all the ingredients were fresh and cooked correctly. The price was right. But the choice was kind of limited.
(3)Jillian F.
Was told I couldn't use my own Tupperware to take left overs even though I wanted to pay. The owner was afraid I was going to give other patrons "ideas."... There was no one else in there. LAME.
(1)Claudia G.
Delicious. Very nice w my kids and they helped them out. Clean place, nice staff and extremely good food. Will definitely be going back. The order comes w one bowl, rice, & frozen yogurt. The drink is extra but it's free refills. $9 for dinner price or $10 all u can eat. I tried the AJs hot and spicy combo on the sauce and it was perfection. Hubby did the sweet and sour sauce and it was just as yummy. Follow the sauce ingredients though don't try and venture off to create ur own concoction cuz my hubby did that first time around (he got the all u can eat) and it was weird tasting.
(5)Lee S.
We've been coming to this restaurant since the early 90's. The quality has been consistent for all these years. Just so happy that rice noodles have been added as an alternative to egg noodles. My choice of recipe has changed and has been modified since the 90's.
(5)Ed C.
How can you go wrong? Fresh ingredients you assemble yourself. You then hand your masterpiece to the grill man and watch ordinary food become extraordinary. I love this place been eating here for over 10 years. The owners are very friendly and will go out of their way to make your trip pleasurable.
(5)Carri H.
Love this place this place has been around for years. Always has a variety of things to make if you want to make all veggies or if you want to have some tofu. Great service, friendly faces
(5)Shokouh H.
I hate giving local restaurants bad reviews but this place is in need of some major improvements. I also don't see this so much as a bad review but a critique that will hopefully help the owners make some changes. I wish more business owners would read their reviews and try to take them to heart. We went there on a Saturday afternoon and were the only customers. It feels a little depressing when you walk inside. The space is big but unfortunately doesn't have a good vibe to it. The walls are in extreme need of a fresh coat of paint and the bench covers are all ripped and fixed with ducked tape. Music comes from a radio with a lot of advertisement. It just doesn't feel good to be there... As far as food goes, I think most people would compare this to Genghis Grill, where meat is fresher and the sauce and seasoning selection is much larger. Shredded, frozen meat just doesn't look that appetizing. Maybe they are just trying to cut costs on all the wrong places. Price is a little too high in my opinion, especially considering the location of the restaurant and the quality of the ingredients. Then, also, please, if you are the manager and are reading this, get rid of the 75 cents for the to go box. It just seems unreasonable to pay to take food home that you have already paid for. I understand and know that a lot of all you can eat places have a policy that doesn't allow to take left overs home and that is reasonable. However, if you only pay for one bowl you should be able to get a to go bag, for free. Obviously this has upset customers in the past and I just think that 75 cents aren't just worth losing a customer.
(3)Allan A.
I've been coming to this place for roughly a decade. I've weathered name changes, staff changes and renovation and still come back from time to time. I went back there today and have mixed feelings toward the new management and what they did with the place. First, I will say that, aside from the bathroom, the place was cleaner than I remember it. The mens room could use the floor bleached and the walls painted. Second, their latest remodel, while only slight, was done well. They could use some new bucket seats (tape doesn't cut it even if it does match color) on some of the booths. AJ presented a diverse variety of offerings in their buffet. To my recollection they offered many more sauces (including one jalapeño - yum!). The cook did a great job, the noodles were properly cooked, and the bit of service we received as polite. The price per person seemed a little steeper than what I remember but that could just be the time since I last visited. Overall, I'd go back. Though, I'd avoid using the bathroom.
(3)Richard M.
Over the past years I have been a fan of this stir fry joint. You get to choose your meats then vegetables. So if you feel going a bit light on either one it is your choice. Then you hit the wide variety of sauces that you can add to spice things up. Overall I think it is one of the best values in the metro mall area. It is up to you how you want your meal to turn out. They also have chopsticks for those like me that want to eat in a little more traditional way.
(5)Courtney K.
Not a fan. Pretty sure I was waiting for a food poisoning experience. It was clean, I will acknowledge that. But I am not sure about the frozen lunch meat you are offered. It seemed gross and chewy. No flavor after adding 10 ladles of sauces. It was a miracle we survived, since we only went based on our GPS and not reviews. Lesson learned......read Yelp!
(2)Randy M.
This place is great, but you have to know what you're doing. I recommend going with somebody who's been there before so they can show you the ropes. I'll explain how you're supposed to do it, for the new people: 1. Pack the meat! Do not just throw in a few pieces of unpacked meat, the stuff really cooks down. I usually fill the entire bowl of meat and it's pressed down and packed in almost to the top of the bowl. Use the pieces of wax paper they have there so you don't have to touch it with your hands, that's what the wax paper is there for. Also, don't be freaked out by the frozen meat, it tastes just like any other meat once it's cooked. It's like some of these people have never heard of freezing food before. 2. Put whatever veggies you want, you can do these in normal sizes and don't have to pack. I usually do mushrooms, bean sprouts, spinach, and cilantro. You should have a mound of food in your bowl by this point. 3. Pile those noodles on top. It should look mountainous, like you have 2 bowls worth of food stacked into one bowl by the time you're finished. If you could place another bowl on top upside down and have both bowls filled, you've done it right. Like I said, this stuff really cooks down. When it's cooked, it will be 1 bowl. If you don't like noodles or are on a low carb diet, pile on the veggies as high as you can without them falling out of the bowl. 4. Add at least 5 spoonfuls of YC's house sauce, then a few more of other flavors. I usually do 5 YC's, 2 garlic, 2 lemon, 1 sesame, and 2 cooking wine. You really want to get a lot of those sauces in there, as if you don't have them, they will put more water in during the cooking process and wash out flavor. If you're going to try to follow one of their flavor combinations, I recommend adding more ladles of the flavors they list, proportionately. No fewer than ten ladles of sauces. 5. Once it's cooked, you top it off with some sesame seeds and some spicy chili oil if you like spicy. Don't go overboard with the chili oil, the stuff is very spicy and will overpower the rest of the flavors and leave you with a scorched mouth and runny nose. About a tablespoon is good. Then add a tiny bit of soy sauce, and you're done. You've created a delicious bowl of food bursting with flavor. I never bother with the soup or rice, they're bland. Takeout boxes cost $0.75, but all in all if you've done it right, you should have enough food for 2 to 3 meals, all for about $11-$12 out the door, unless you're really fat. I usually eat there and get full and still have enough to stuff an entire to-go carton that I snack on throughout the rest of the day. I'm a fan of eating the leftovers cold, but some people probably wouldn't like that. P.S. Don't listen to the reviewers that give negative reviews because of the atmosphere. I've never understood those people. It's not like you're eating in the center of a landfill, it's just a little plain looking. Big whoop. Most of the negative reviews seem to be based on the fact that these people didn't know what they were doing. If you take my advice listed above, you can't go wrong here. Btw, there is 0 quality loss since they changed the name to AJ's from YC's. The only difference is that they added more sauces since it was named YC's, everything else is EXACTLY the same, I'm talking identical. I've been going here for over 10 years.
(5)Lindsey C.
Honestly this is one of the worst food dining experiences I have ever had. First off the place was completely empty and the cashier was like the 12-year-old daughter of whoever now owns this place. The second that I paid and saw what food that they had laying out on the line, I wanted to get my money back but was too embarrassed to ask the little girl. I looked so horrified that the little girl came over and tried to explain to me what to do because they thought I was confused. All the meat is in dried up looking shriveled curls it all looks the same color and the same texture I honestly wasn't even sure if it was the actual meat that they had it labeled as. All the sauces look really really runny and watered-down and the vegetables looked really old. All I ate there was crunchy rice and soy sauce. I would not recommend this place to anyone ever. There's no chance I will ever be back.
(1)Morgan M.
In short, I'll come back. Like $12 for all-you-can-eat and a refillable soda. It's a Mongolian Grill, it's clean, and if you like Mongolian you'll like it here. The people were nice and everything is right up front, no surprises. My only negatives are not uncommon, Mongolians should always have Parmesan cheese, I don't love premixed sauces, and it's not like the kind of place you'd take a date maybe. My main issue is with all the other reviews, I see like two stars because of to-go issues, unfamiliarity with meat, people bagging on music and decor, I don't know how picky people are but there's not a lot of choice in this area for decent Mongolian. Another thing-- having curled frozen sliced meat is normal at these places. I saw a one-star for not having to-go boxes on a buffet? Give me a break, you're eating at a buffet if you're going back up for more, of course there are not to-go boxes. It's unfortunate that clueless reviewers will probably further limit already limited choices for Mongolian here.
(4)Stuart P.
I've been coming here with the work crew for the past 6 years. Over the past two years it's gone from what I would have given 4 stars to just two. My biggest disappointments are: 1. They have recently replaced the big ceramic bowls with smaller metal bowls. 2. They have raised their prices... again. Less food for more money. Normally I would fill a heaping bowl then spend the additional $0.75 to get a to go container. Two meals for the price and I loved it. Great value! Granted, I still leave full, but now I'm paying more for only one meal when I could easily stretch it across two and I don't feel the quality of the meal now is worth the higher prices. I'm done with them. I wouldn't say "don't go", but I wouldn't recommend them as I would have several years ago.
(2)El R.
Me and my coworkers thought that this was a YC's location.... as it was not!!!! Presentation to me sells everything and this placed looked like a 80's retro theme on accident!!!!
(1)Norm R.
The establishment is spacious, the decor minimal. I do like the location; you'll never have any problems parking in any of the shopping complexes of MetroCenter. And no, the area is definitely not ghetto - I lived and studied in the South Bronx for years; I know what ghetto looks like. The ingredients are really fresh, the service is OK. I do wish they would could cook the lo mein noodles a bit more, it was too al dente for me; but I guess that's a compromise for avoiding overcooking the veggies and the meats. Being used to getting more choices during my buffet excursions with Rand H., I found 9 bucks (tax included) a bit steep; but this allows you repeated passes through the food line. I recommend paying for just one pass-through for the food line (a buck cheaper) and then doing what the ASU students have become experts at, in YC's in Tempe: pile your bowl high with ingredients, press 'em down, then pack on some more.
(3)Kitship L.
After our favorite restaurant of all time closed down (Stir Fry Paradise), we turned to AJs for our Mongolian BBQ fix. I remember coming here when I was younger when it was a YC's, and honestly I can't tell the difference in quality. The prices aren't terrible either for all you can eat. I will agree that it is kind of a depressing atmosphere but good food nonetheless.
(4)Brent F.
One of my favorite places to go when I eat out, partially because it's close to home but mostly because it's good. There's a buffet-style set-up. You simply pay the cashier, grab a bowl and load it up. There's a good assortment of meats and vegetables with a number of different sauces you can mix and match. Experimentation is key so repeat visits will allow you to find your preferred mix. After that, simply give your bowl to the cooks who will prepare it for you and you're ready to go. It's a very self-serve kind of place, which I like. Everything's provided for you so waiters are unnecessary. Drinks, sides (like rice or soup), condiments and an ice cream machine are all there for you. When you're done, just leave your tray at the table and they'll pick it up. They aren't trying to wow you with atmosphere or decor and what little service you need is perfunctory. Personally, I like the no-frills, self-serve set-up of the place... you're not there for an "authentic Mongolian experience" you're there for a good bowl of food with (hopefully) some friends. If you're going to Metrocenter for a bite to eat, this is the place
(5)Anita B.
First and last time coming here! The food wasn't great but what really turned me off was that they refused to sell takeout boxes to the rest of the people at our table after a couple of people from our party of 12 decided to purchase another bowl. Not cool. We felt accused of trying to rip them off. They even had a 12 year old (daughter of owner?) watch to make sure those few people ate their food. Seriously? I felt so uncomfortable. How are they still in business?
(1)Kris C.
The beef my husband had smelled B A D
(1)Rand H.
= = = = = = DAILY LUNCH BUFFET! = = = = = = Stopped in here for lunch today with Norm R. The descriptions of the place in Scott & Iain's reviews mostly matched what I saw, so I won't cover the same ground again. This veggie selection is a little larger th
(2)Kirstin E.
After our fav Mongolian place closed I was set on having Mongolian the night we came across AJ's. It was decent. It seemed a bit over priced. The soft serve was kinda gross and the chocolate was out of order. The all you can eat soup looked like it had been sitting there for a good 8 hours. Will I go back? Maybe. Was I impressed? Not really. Did I leave full? Yes.
(3)Kimberly M.
Absolutely one of the worst mongolian bbq's I have ever had. The night I stopped in for take out.. I proceeded thru the fix ur bowl line as per normal, but to discover this frozen weird looking assortment of meat? No shrimp... I opted for the cod. I was happy with the veggie assortment and I made the 'spicy sauce' recipe as the sign indicated. I thought $8.50 for a take out box that wasn't full was a bit pricey . When I finally got it home, I couldn't finish it, it was that awful. Guess I will drive across town to my fav mongolian bbq in Tempe the next time I get the urge for that!
(1)Bill J.
As far as Mongolian stir-fry goes, this is definitely a good place. I've been going since the days when it was called YC's and under different ownership, but I don't understand the gripe that most people have with the change to AJ's. You do realize it's the exact same people cooking the exact same stuff on the exact same equipment in the exact same way? All the sauces are the same, heck they still have YC's special sauce. I've noticed nothing change except a slight price increase, but if you can't afford another dollar for a drink, then maybe you shouldn't be eating out in the first place. I'd personally prefer that they up the prices by a buck rather than going out of business. The food is still great, the decor has improved and it's still a wonderful hole-in-the-wall type of joint that you can slide into whenever the craving hits. I've you've never been and you're in the area, definitely give this place a try. Price increase or not, it's still one of the cheapest options out there and definitely good food.
(4)Beth C.
As I grew up in the Metrocenter area I've been going to AJ's for years, since it was YC's. It's pretty good. It's inexpensive, they offer turkey, beef, pork, and chicken, lots of veggies, and sauces for a myriad of flavors, fast service, and plenty of food, even for the lunchtime deal of one bowl per customer (dinner is all you can eat). I've had other Mongolian BBQ around town and AJs is the best. Since it gets 3 stars, I suppose that means PHX isn't exactly the place to be if you want amazing Mongolian BBQ, but there it is.
(3)Jake D.
It's a shame to watch this place take the turn it has. I have been visiting less and less since discovering Stirfry Paradise (both are about equal distance from the office). The only leg up AJ's had was that it was a bit cheaper with the price of the drink being included with the meal. On our most recent visit, it was found that is no longer the case. So a lunch that was at one time around $7 now apporaches the $10 mark when you add a soft drink. With this price increase you might assume a higher level of quality, but that too was not the case. The noodles were poorly stocked and no one seemed to care to be on top of it. The rice was not fresh at all, it had that crispy "I left my take out on the counter too long" texture. I'm afraid this puts one of the final nails in the coffin when it comes to my preferred Mongolian restaurant.
(2)Joe E.
This place apparently used to be a YC's, so I've got to make my comparisons against YC's (which I love). The setup is pretty much identical, starting with the meat: choice of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey (and I think there was a fish choice). I always go with turkey - by far the healthiest of the four. Next up are the vegetables. At YC's, I always go with white onions, green onions, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes. Unfortunately, no green onions, tomatoes, or peppers here. The rest of the stuff seemed similar to YC's, with a couple extras. Nothing that caught my eye, so I went with just carrots and onions. The noodles are pretty standard. Sauces come next - a few less choices than YC's, but there was YC's BBQ (which I assume is just "YC's Own"), garlic, ginger, a spicy sauce, and a lemon sauce. The food was pretty good. The meat was cooked nicely, the carrots and onions cooked but not overcooked, and the noodles maybe a tiny bit firm, but still good. The sauce was not quite as good as I'm used to with YC's, but it's trial and error to get your flavor perfect, so it's possible I just didn't make the right combination. I'd come back, probably reasonably often, but only if they added some more vegetables - I'm not a fan of spinach or broccoli or some of their other choices, so I really need those tomatoes and peppers to add some color to the dish.
(3)Chukki S.
Not sure what some of the negative reviews are about, this is a great Mongolian grill. It is very similiar to most of the other mongolian grills I have been to. For around $9 they give you a huge bowl and I fill that thing up so high that stuff is falling off it. I advise smooshing the meat with those metal tongs. The meat is frozen very thin and then curled up so that it's more difficult to stuff in your bowl. Just smoosh it very hard with the metal tongs and/or your fingers and you should be okay. Just keep stuffing as high as you can go. I'd advice NOT getting the noodles and instead get rice after they cook your meat and veggies. You also can get a little bowl of ice cream for dessert. Overall a great mongolian grill. Lots of choices for meat, veggies, sauces, etc. It worries me that last time I was here at dinner time and I was the only one in here. I hope this sticks around because it is the closest Mongolian Grill around.
(4)Korina A.
I was so very disappointed. My experience with mongolian bbq has always been great - lots of fresh choices, cooked and chopped on a sizzling griddle, then piled high, piping hot in a bowl. YC's was the antithesis of this experience. Old, bland ingredients, limited choices, no broad array of sauces and spices to spruce up your bowl with. I couldn't even bring myself to finish one bowl. To make matters worse, the place has all the atmosphere of a warehouse.
(1)Mark C.
AJ's has become one of my Sunday lunch favorites. I like going there because I can control the ingredients in my food. I have never had a bad meal there. The vegetables always appear fresh, and if you know how to pack your bowl then you can always get your money's worth. Even though I do enjoy my meals at AJ's there are some things that I think they can improve on. First, they only have three recipes posted on the buffet line. Other Mongolian BBQ places have at least a dozen recipes. I prefer a greater variety. Next, I really wish that they would monitor the buffet better. On one visit there was a family with many children. The parents couldn't possibly watch all of their kids. One of the youngest was picking up carrots with her hands and putting in in the bowl. When she realized that she had put too many in her bowl, she put them back on the buffet with her hands. There were no employees around anywhere. I went to the cash register to tell the girl about it, and she didn't seem very concerned. In fact she seemed bothered that I would complain. When I insisted that this was not very hygienic, she finally relented and replaced the carrots. They really need to monitor the buffet, and especially at high traffic times. They need to institute a policy requiring parents to assist young children. I also wish that they would bus the tables more quickly. I went there last night, and there were tables that were not cleared the entire time that I was there. I noticed that there were only two employees working, but the lady working at the cash register seemed to be more interested in baby sitting her child, than clearing tables or monitoring the buffet. It seemed to be a slow night, and I really can't think of a reason why she couldn't have bused the tables as well. Lastly, the decor of the restaurant is a little off putting. The first time I went there I was inclined to turn around and go somewhere else. If I had not been there with friends, I probably would have gone elsewhere. I only stayed because they swore that food was really good. I am glad I decided to stay.
(3)Dolores G.
Close of one of my work sites it is one of our lunch options where out here. Admittedly one of usually only two places in the area I go between when here. The interior is simple clean and diner/cafeteria style. The veggies and meat are always fresh and the sauce options there are several to pick and mix. And if you're not sure some one there will usually help you pick a few options. On top of the noodles you can get at the bar, the price includes stir fried or steamed rice and soup. A lot of food! For about $10 total you get all this and a drink. Simple, easy and fits into the lunch hour.
(3)