“Little hole in the wall/small Chinese food place. Ate here for lunch with my GF this past Sat. [no luncheon specials are offered on weekends - typical]. So, I had the wonton soup [large - more like a medium though]. Glad I didn't get a small, as the large was 11.95. The wonton were huge/dumpling-sized and were delish. The soup broth was rich and meaty/tasty. My GF had the cashew chicken and ordered steamed rice, which she said was good, for 13.95, plus 2.95 for the rice. Overall, a bit pricey [for the serving sizes] but worth it. The service was solid, as I asked for some chili paste and it was delivered promptly. I deducted for the size of the place and the table wasn't completely clean [table had a bit of a film on it]. If you're craving chinese food in HMB, this is the place.“
“The culinary expedition to 'Smoked Heaven' was nothing short of spectacular. Each bite of the tender, slow-smoked brisket melted in my mouth, releasing a symphony of flavors that were both complex and comforting. The smoky aroma, infused with a subtle hint of hickory, enveloped the meat, enhancing its juiciness and depth of flavor. The accompanying homemade BBQ sauce, with its perfect balance of tangy and sweet, complemented the brisket beautifully, elevating the dish to new heights. The sides, particularly the creamy coleslaw and savory baked beans, were delightful, offering a refreshing contrast to the rich, smoky meat. 'Smoked Heaven' not only delivers on its promise of authentic BBQ excellence but also excels in creating an unforgettable dining experience that leaves you craving more.“
“The excellent customer service made this a great place to eat. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. We got in right before they were about to close and were able to order sesame chicken, general tso chicken, pot stickers, and a couple beers.“
“Amazing service, great energy, educational, and of course the food was delicious. Please do yourself a favor and try the Nan Gyi Toke. Our waiter Eric was kind, attentive, and a great representation of Burmese culture and food. Will be back.“
“My wife and I were craving some hotpot and found this place on Yelp in San Mateo. The parking was easy and this place was located on a corner of a building. It's huge...nicely designed and very welcoming. We came during lunch time and no other customers were there. I was surprised and felt bad for such an awesome restaurant to not have it filled with people. I ordered the lamb, beef, wagyu, veggies, rice and noodles with spicy broth. The mild broth is still hot so request for less spice or have them dilute it. Customer service is top notch..our waiter was informative, helpful and took care of us. They have a cool sauce bar with chicken feet, oranges, edamame, and cantaloupe as well that you can help yourself to. I would highly recommend this place. The pricing averages out to about $30-$50 per person depending on what you order and add on.“
“Came for a team event with 6 people. Had to sign up and wait for a table. But didnt take long.We each ordered a noodle with some apps to share. All the food was great. Super authentic northwestern food. Prices were standard bay area prices.Would recommend for a quick meal.“
“Stopped for lunch with a family full of picky eaters, and everyone got something they liked. Excellent customer service, clean establishment, decent ambiance (they don’t blare pop music like so many places this day and are).Vegetarian options: Plenty of protein options, primarily tofu or soy-based noodles.“
“Amazing cutting skills were demonstrated and exhibited here tonight. Ordered deep fried squid. What we got was the extra fat deep fried batter. The squid was cut as thin as (actually thinner than) bamboo chopsticks, just like angel hair spaghetti. Enjoyed batter. Really good batter. Excellent batter. $14 batter. The string squid was used just to hold deep fried batter together. Nobody ever thought of this unique cooking technique. New invention in the Chinese culinary world. I highly recommend this restaurant BOTH to the culinary cutting skill lovers AND to the deep fried batter lovers. What a hidden gem in the Bay Area. I'm speechless. I will definitely come back again.“
“I never… EVER leave reviews for food because I feel like everything is based on bias… BUT I came here with my family last night 20 minutes before they close, not only we were treated very well, the food we wonderful. Yes it’s cheap Chinese food but come on, is hard to find good ones these days. They definitely earned a big family as loyal customers. Thank you for the hospitality ?“
“The portions are small and the prices are high. Yet the tables are full and the wait list is long. Don't be fooled by Ping's unassuming presence, they have multiple locations including 2 in Fremont. I have been to all of them and they all slap. We usually order their Spicy Frog Legs, beef, boiled fish, fried chicken or pork belly dishes. Their Mapo Dofu makes me sweat bullets in the best of ways. I can't think of anything more satisfying on a cold rainy night. Intensely spicy with superior flavor. Truly the gold standard of Hunan cooking in the Bay Area. I give this place 5 stars because I make a 30 minute drive every week just to get to go from here.“
“Order: * Pork Xiao Long Bao * Lamb & Carrot Dumpling * Sliced Beef & Ox Tripe in Chili Oil * Cucumber Salad * House Special Beef Noodle Soup Pros: * Beef Noodle Soup. Great broth flavor and the beef was cut in to bite sized pieces and cooked well enough that the connective tissue was tender and easy to break down, which I find to be so hard to find in the Bay. * Both dumplings were tender and flavorful. The XLB had plenty of soup and the lamb was not gamey. * The sliced beef and ox tripe was cuz so thin that what would normally be too tough/chewy for me was actually pleasant to snack on. * Food came out fast and the servers and kitchen staff were very friendly to us. We sat by the kitchen, which was fun because it was just a huge glass partition where you can see them make all the dumplings from scratch. * Plenty of seating and a fairly spacious interior. Easy, plentiful parking. Cons: * The skin on the dumplings still falls short of DTF, but then again, I've not found any other spot who makes it like them. They're still my gold standard in the Bay. Comments: * 4.5 stars if I could. It's hard to tell someone, "wow, you have to go here," but at the same time, everything was delicious and I really could not find any fault with my experience. If I'm thinking of going for dumplings and beef noodle soup in the mid-peninsula, this will probably be my first thought.“
“Was looking for a new place to try with a friend today and stumbled upon Prime BBQ. Really nice joint in a quiet part of San Mateo, with some surprisingly tasty skewers at fair prices! Design of the restaurant is nice, and presentation of the food was great. My friend really liked the Chicken skewers, but I personally loved the lamb and beef skewers!! They also have proper bar inside for those who drink :) Would recommend checking out and having a fun night out“
“I used to visit this place when it had the name, “little sheep”. I guess that my last visit was more than 5yr. I thought that this restaurant is closed. So, i’ve used MuMu hotpot in Foster City.One day before my today visit, i saw that the restaurant has a new name “happy lamb” and has a lunch menu.When i visited that i found out that the restaurant runs by the same owner with the different business name. ( even same waiters )I like the lunch menu portion. It was good for me and my wife.The restaurant has some kind of self-serve bar for some sauces, little sour salads, and ice cream. I thought it was free, but it wasn’t. It was less than $2 per person. I liked it.I will go this for hotpot from now on.“
“We were in as a group of six and treated our friends who have been amazing helping us move to our new condo nearby and puppy sitting the past half year.We had enough people to make a reservation so waiting was minimal despite the weekend.The atmosphere was on the loud side, music and TV wise so not a lot of conversation (but how much taking when there’s SO much food anyways, I guess?). The variety was pretty good; a nice mix of fresh veggies, decent meat and seafood and lots of fun bits like wok fried peanuts and sesame balls to round out the usual sauces and fruit. The service was good, we got our orders in and everything arrived pretty fast.We did get stuck on a table without the conveyer belts so we didn’t exactly get the immediate satisfaction of grabbing what caught our eye but it was fine as a one off.“
“Went back to "Little Chengdu," which used to be "Little Sichuan" in San Mateo. Happy they're open again after the pandemic. The new place is smaller but feels cozy. Had a nice surprise when my partner debated a third dish; I remembered their big portions, so I said no. The Cold Noodle was still big enough for both of us!My favorite, the Sichuan Spicy Cold Noodle, was as good as always. Big portion, tasty sauce—satisfying.Tried Tea Smoked Duck for the first time, and it was better than expected. Tastes like smoked turkey with a hint of tea. Smelled a bit smoky, but the flavor was excellent, not too bitter. Just a heads up, parking around the area might be a bit difficult.“
“My husband and I have gone here more than a few times, and the service is amazing, fast, and welcoming. The food is always fresh, hot, and full of flavors. The ambiance feels like home it's family-friendly. Definitely recommend this place to anyone and everyone!“
“These people are ALWAYS friendly and professional. When they recognize a repeat customer in person or over the phone, they are polite, and they get your order RIGHT!The salt and pepper fish is excellent! Thank you for your professional attitude and for such wonderful service.“
“Enjoyed crab ragoons, honey walnut shrimp, Mongolian beef (not spicy), scallop chow mein, and hot tea.No alcohol selection seen, nor offered, but I didn't ask.Each dish was absolutely amazing. I can appreciate what other reviewers are saying about the particularly amazing chow mein, rich flavors in each dish while light on salt.Small cozy place with rich visual environment.Between fast friendly service, flexibility on dishes, simple menu, amazing taste, and price, I look forward to going back soon.Vegetarian options: Menu items are separate from protein selection, so you can pick any dish and ask for a vegetarian protein.Dietary restrictions: Anything spicy can be made not spicy upon request.Parking: Street parking, easily found a spot in this residential neighborhood.Kid-friendliness: Our waiter was kid and engaging with our 7 year old with a select pallette.Wheelchair accessibility: Appears to be ADA compliant. The place is cozy, but no access restriction for wheel chairs.“
“Our recent visit to Mingalaba offered a mixed dining experience with both highs and lows. Starting with the appetizers, the vegetarian samusas impressed with their crispy texture and flavorful filling, perfectly complemented by the accompanying sauce. The house special noodle was good, have good coconut curry flavor, but small portion size and a lack of chicken. The mango lassi stood out as a highlight, delivering a smooth and refreshing taste. Conversely, the Burmese iced tea, while enjoyable, failed to leave a lasting impression, resembling standard Thai tea flavors without any unique twist. Moving on to the entrees, the pan-fried string beans with beef proved to be mediocre, with the beef lacking tenderness and the string beans overshadowing it in terms of flavor and enjoyment. Conversely, the pumpkin yellow chicken emerged as the standout dish of the night, boasting flavorful components, although the chunky texture could have been improved with smaller ingredient sizes. An unexpected mishap occurred with the rice order, as regular rice was substituted with coconut rice without any discernible coconut flavor. Despite the culinary ups and downs, service remained a highlight, with an attentive server enhancing the overall dining experience. As we dined on the outdoor patio, ambiance was standard, offering little to comment on. In summary, Mingalaba offers a varied dining experience with both hits and misses. While certain dishes shine, others fall short of expectations, making it a decent option for a meal but not necessarily a standout choice.“
“I really enjoyed their smorked (smoked pork) and bamboo dish and the general's noodles. The string beans with the eggplant were cooked perfectly; I've had a lot of places have trouble with the string beans as of late. The "smorked" fried rice looked pretty good and would be willing to return or order take out to try. They forgot our second order of rice, but we did fine without it.“
“The fried chicken is cooked well, but the flavor is a bit light. The baked pork chop rice has more rice than toppings, but the taste is good. The milk tea lacks a strong tea flavor and is mediocre. Overall, for afternoon tea, the price, taste, and service are decent.The chicken breasts were fried well, but the taste was bland! Baked pork chop with rice, more rice but less food, but delicious. The milk tea doesn't have enough tea flavor, it feels numb. As for afternoon tea, the price, taste, and service are all of a high standard.“
“My wife & I have been customers for 8 years & love mixing these dishes together: -house special chow mein & chicken chow mein -Orange Chicken & Vegetarian Orange Chicken -SZECHUAN Mixed Vegetables Taste/texture/flavor are on point, their noodles, Big portions, leftovers always hit the spot. Thank you Ricardo & Team!“
“The waiters were very attentive and polite. Suggested dishes that we should try. The food was absolutely delicious and fresh. Best noodle house in MilbreaParking: Finding parking is difficult as the restaurant is on a small street. You need to find parking somewhat further away and walk to the establishment.“
“This has become our go-to dumpling spot in the Peninsula. I have been looking for an authentic Northern Chinese dumpling restaurant around the San Mateo area for years. So glad we stumbled upon this hidden gem! Although it is a "no frills" vibe old Chinese restaurant, it's always packed for lunch on weekends, so I recommend going early before peak lunch time to get a table. We have come here 1-2x a month since we discovered Town of Dumpling“
“The food was really good and the restaurant owner and server were so kind!! We got recommended a lot of Hubei dishes: crayfish, eggplant and century egg, wuhan hot dry noodles, and more! All of it was so good! Would definitely recommend this place, especially if you are looking for authentic tasting Hubei cuisine.“
Chinese • $$
“Although I don't particularly like Lanzhou Ramen, I wanted to try something new, so I came here today. I ordered traditional Lanzhou beef noodles and braised beef noodles respectively. The texture of the noodles is smooth, the braised beef has a rich and delicious flavor, and the soup base is not too heavy on MSG. Overall, I am satisfied. A few parts of the noodles were not completely opened, but the impact was minor.Although I'm not particularly fond of Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, I wanted to try something new, so I came here today. I ordered the Traditional Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodles and the Braised Beef Noodles. The noodles are smooth, and the flavor of the braised beef is rich and delicious. The broth isn't too heavy on seasoning, and overall, I'm satisfied. There were a few parts where the noodles weren't fully separated, but it had a minor impact on the experience.“
“I went here, my boyfriend got the Mongolian beef and he absolutely loved it and will be coming back. I got the garlic chow mein and it was very good as well. Everything was steaming hot and fresh. Very amazing experience, we will be returning in the future.Edit: we got our food within 5-10 minutes, we did not have to wait long. Very efficient and friendly staffParking: Slightly compact parking but you should usually be able to find a spotKid-friendliness: Very kid friendlyWheelchair accessibility: Very accessible with handicap parking right in the front.“
“We love the chicken chow mein. Kids love the bbq pork chow mein and fried rice!! It has that nice taste to it. Love it. We also enjoy the hot and sour soup. The Mongolian beef plate isn't that spicy and is great and flavor as well. It's more or a quick take out place. I usually place my order there and usually my order is done with 15 min.“
“This is a great local Chinese spot that is inexpensive, gives generous portions, and has a wide variety of northern and southern mainland Chinese cuisine (leaning toward Cantonese). My favorite dish here is their mushu - it has a delicious wok fried taste! I’ve also gotten wonton soup and a vegetable dish w/ mushroom dish that were great.“
“Honestly unexpectedly good food. The dumplings are top notch. The restaurant feels really messy and a little unhygienichonestly, although the staff was friendly.I see a lot of people to take out which I guess makes sense. Worth trying the dumplings for sure although if the owners clean up the place there's a lot of potential.“
“At noon, I ordered a piece of boiled fish and stir-fried kidneys. Because I was in a hurry, I called my boss to help him fry it first. When we arrived, the dishes were all neatly placed on the table. Moreover, it tastes delicious and the beef is very tender! Good review!“
“Food is sichuan style and perfect for people who love spicy food. I recommend the bean spouts, the goats in spicy sauce and other famous dishes. Service can be hit or miss. The owner who is a kind and generous lady gives great advices, but one server dude is not too friendly. Well maybe he had a bad say. Anyway I really like Chef Sha and I will go back again.“
“Authentic Chinese restaurant serving delicious food at some of the most affordable prices (especially their lunch special of $9.95/dish from M-F 11 AM - 2 PM). They specialize in Szechaun cuisine, so watch out for the spice.Some of the best dishes are their duck and their twice-cooked pork.The staff are incredibly friendly and consistently check-in with the guests. The restuarant has a a small cozy feel and was well decorated when I visited a few weeks after the Lunar New Year. There is even a wall of celebrities who have visited!One of the other redeeming qualities is their platter of Chinese candies by the exit.“
“Best chinese i ever had in the san mateo area. nothing compares to the taste and quality of the food. i have been to this location quite a few times over the years and it's always good. Large quantities as well. My favorite dishes include peking duck, salt and pepper fried oysters, shrimp fried rice, and honey walnut prawns amongst many others. the only thing i could say bad about this place is parking can be an issue. i always order ahead and arrive early to find proper parking to pickup.“
“The food tastes so delicious. This restaurant operates by a couple, they are so nice to customers. But they didn't hire any staff to take orders/packing the delivery/clean up tables, they do that all by themselves, which I totally understand because the owner told me it is very difficult to run a restaurant after a pandemic, it is impossible to earn any revenue if they hire staff. BTW, one of the best family restaurants in Millbrae San Mateo.“
“Social Eatery is a space that has 2 restaurants and 1 boba place all in one - Noodleosophy, Rice Monster, and Grapeholic. It’s very close to the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station (a 3-minute walk) and also has a pretty big parking lot??.There’s a screen near the entrance for people that are just ordering boba to-go. If you’re there for dine-in, they’ll lead you to some seats and you can order from all three places at the same time. Lots of seats for dine-in and there’s even a foosball table⚽️.Our table had a QR code for you to see the menu and order but they brought a tablet over for us to order. Not sure why but I have no issues with that??♀️.We ordered Beef Stew & Tendon (公公半筋半腩) and Pickled & Sliced Beef (知府酸湯肥牛).Took a little while for the orders to arrive (almost thought that they were preparing everything from scratch and cutting a whole cow open on the spot?), and there were kids running around in the place so it was pretty loud?. But after tasting the food, I have to say that the wait was worth it! The servings were pretty big, and the broth was very flavorful. Wasn’t too overly seasoned and the texture of the noodles were great.“
“I love this cafe it's open late and the dessert is just amazing!!! The Super Mango is my absolute favorite. Their crepes are amazing and the Tai-chi almond and sesame paste is sooo yummy and different just what you need on a cold day! The owner is so nice and welcoming. I forgot my bag and he came out to the parking looking for me! Awesome place and a must try!“
“Toppings: crispy pork is the most impressive topping by a mile. Then pork feet is also great with generous portion. Brisket is too chewy, not my favorite . Other toppings are good but does not stand outSoup can be improved from my opinion. That’s the reason of the missing star.It is worth a try!“
“Went for lunch on Sunday at 1pm after it was recommended by a friend for having good dimsum. We thought there would be a wait but there were a few open tables so we were seated immediately. The service was attentive and the food came quickly. Go for the food, not the ambiance. The menu isn't as extensive than a dimsum restaurant, but we appreciated the variety. Our favorites: * String beans - crisp and flavorful!* passion fruit aloe green tea - refreshing! * pork belly with charcoal buns - my son who loves Peking duck said that he would rather get these now. Not sure if the charcoal buns are supposed to taste different than normal bao - they tasted the same to us. * braised beef noodle soup with wontons - delicious shrimp wontons and a very beefy broth. * pan fried soup dumplings - tasty filling and lots of soup to slurp up. Next time we would skip: * cucumbers - too vinegary. Seems like they may have accidentally poured too much vinegar in our serving. At least that's my hope. * beef kimcheese rice - more tomatoey than kimchee flavored. * XLB trio - couldn't really tasty the truffle flavor. I wish we could order just the crab ones. The others weren't that amazing.“
“2nd time here, order turn around time is fast, food quality was great, original Hong kong style cafe, parking is limited at this location but you can park Comerica parking lot just next to the building. Interior set up is warm and daily go to cafe recommended to all.“
“For lunch at Zhen Wei Guan Restaurant in San Francisco, we ordered several set lunches, including chicken rice, roast duck rice, baked large intestine rice, stir-fried beef river and fried steamed buns. Each portion is huge, delicious and not expensive. Five-star rating!“
“Great Chinese restaurant. I really love their seafood. The fried fish was so tender, not dry at all. The beef was also equally as tender. And of course, the porridge was great. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of that, but we got Scallops & Clams Sawo Porridge and it was “
“The food and service here were INCREDIBLE! This modern Chinese themed restaurant combines fresh, tasty food with high-class service. I highly recommend the pork soup dumplings and the Dan Dan noodles. The wait for a group of 4 is about 20 minutes but is definitely worth it. If you're looking for a place to grab some delicious Chinese food at a reasonable price, this is definitely the spot.“
“Best Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area! I have tried Chinese food all over the bay and this one takes first place. I am obsessed with the chow mien and the dumplings. Would 100% recommend. The restaurant is calm and the ambience is very pleasant. I will be back.“
“We came for breakfast on a Saturday. There's was about a 10-15 minute wait at noon. We had the combos. Set D is the mini chow fun with a milk congee; Set I is the boat congee with a Chinese donut and a small dish of fried squid $10. I would recommend not get the milk congee if you never had it before. As for the set D, there are better places for congee. The outstanding dish was the small fried squid. It had this mild spicy powder that made it work. Service was slow but the kitchen was fast.“
“You always hear that the small hole in the wall restaurants are the best, well this is one of them! Excellent, excellent food, good lunch specials and the employees are friendly and efficient. Only downside is they need more room but great for takeout and lunches!“
“The black sesame tang yuan is more than 6$ for 3 balls! Seems pretty expensive and average tasting.Mochi waffle with ice cream also tasted average with an above average price. Also got paged while I was there.Also my pet peeve is they give you everything on one-time use utensils and containers. Makes everything feel cheapSo overall mid experience, nothing very memorable“
“I made an order for only one of my favorite dishes “38. Vietnamese Beef Stew Noodle Soup” Large size. The portion was huge and the taste was so good. The beef stew’s made perfectly the way I love it. I will definitely go back for it again and again. Thank you for making my day!“
“I came here not expecting much, but some of their dishes really blow you away. I got the intestine dish which was flavorful and tasty, but I wish it had more intestine. My favorite dish is the fish, the fish is super tender and the sauce pairs really well with the fish and rice. Plus, I think the prices are pretty reasonable given the larger portions.“
“I had been here YEARS ago pretty much right when the opened up for lunch plates and didn't remember it being great. I had a place in Pacifica that I really liked so for years I never went back despite the fact that I live only 2 miles or less away. We were in the mood for chinese and decided to go and check it out on a take-out for dinner. Got a dinner special and it was really pretty darn good. If you want to eat healthy then you will probably need to go off the ala carte menu. But the dinner for 2 was a ton of food and we had leftovers for lunch the next day. For me this is more a lunch plate or to-go as the restuarant is pretty low key but in a pinch i would sit there. They were very nice too which was sort of against what our memory was of the place.“