32 Best Chinese Restaurants in San Mateo

“Absolutely delicious! The food was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The skewers were tender, juicy, and packed with that authentic smoky spice that makes BBQ irresistible. The garlic eggplant was soft and fragrant, bursting with umami, and the vermicelli dish added a nice, tangy contrast. Everything was served hot and fresh, and the presentation made it even more appetizing. If you’re craving real, flavorful Chinese BBQ, this place is a must-try!“

“We went here for the first time and the food was so GOOD!! The beef noodle took me by surprise!! The soup was rich and the beef is very tender. We went there on a week day so the there's no line waiting and the food was delivered very quickly as well.

We ordered the oyster cake, beef noodle soup and the other noodles. Everything was so good and we will definitely come back again!!! So delicious!!“

“Town of Dumpling – San Mateo
I’ve lived in San Mateo my whole life and somehow never tried Town of Dumpling until now — no idea how I missed it, but I’m really glad I finally went. The food was seriously delicious. The soup dumplings especially were a standout — super flavorful, juicy, and perfectly done. You could tell everything was made fresh and with care.

Prices were totally fair too, which was a nice surprise given how high quality everything was. It’s just one of those spots that does great food without trying too hard to be “trendy.”

Definitely coming back. Can’t believe I slept on this place for so long.“

“Food came out hot and fast. Enjoyed the pick 4 item meal. Cantonese Chicken, ribs, green beans and shrimp were great

The two people working there were so efficient!

Kids enjoyed the cute animal videos playing. Very family and group friendly“

“How I just LOVED this restaurant. Me and some family members went here after a boring fishing trip and it made my day! The rice was perfectly cooked, the dishes had large portions enough for the three of us, and the pot stickers were cooked to perfection. The service was great, it was fast and easy! I don't have much more to say about it! The atmosphere had that wonderful Chinese restaurant feel to it with wonderful smells wafting through the air along with the friendly waiters always making you smile.“

“The food are fresh and amazing!! My wife from Taiwan loves it. She finally found a Chinese restaurant in the US that impressed her. The taste and quality are that of premium more expensive restaurants. Props to the cook. We couldn't wait to eat it while charging our vehicle nearby.“

“look for the 3 item specials but also the cho chow mein, Mongolian beef and beef noodle soup are all really good. fast service and friendly.“

“Vegetable fried dumplings, soy sauce noodles, and green onion pancakes were all incredibly good. Staff was supremely helpful, kind, and personable. Highly recommend!“

“After having an amazing whole fried fish at another Chinese restaurant, I have been looking for the same dish at a nearby restaurant. This one met my expectations. Our mapo tofu and curry mixed veggies were good too. The only item that needed improvement was the white rice which was lumpy and too soft.“

“Delicious food and great service! Second time here and my family keeps asking me home back. Staff provides great recommendations and services extremely fast despite having a full house. Definitely one of the better skewer places in the bay!“

“quite good and competitive price. Missing Taiwan a lot!!“

“I’m a huge fan of Malatang, and Zhangliang in San Mateo has the best in the Bay Area. It does get busy, but the wait is always worth it. The ingredient selection is extensive, and I always go for the classic bone broth—it’s rich, flavorful, and has that perfect numbing kick. Orders come out quickly and are piping hot, ready to enjoy.“

“Toa Yuen is such a great spot! The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, the service is outstanding, and the food is absolutely delicious. Every visit feels like a treat I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience.“

“Been coming here for years, one of my favorite restaurants of all time. Every meal tastes home cooked. The pan fried pork buns are to die for.

It’s not glamorous, but the prices are good, service is friendly, and food is tasty.“

“Great food, the people are very nice!“

“Ping’s Bistro is a hidden gem for authentic Yunnan cuisine! They have an incredible variety of mushrooms prepared in so many different ways, each dish bursting with rich flavor and freshness. The food is not only delicious but also beautifully presented, and you can really taste the uniqueness of Yunnan cooking. The staff are friendly and attentive, making the whole dining experience even better. Highly recommend this place if you want to try something different and truly memorable!“

“They only take cash which is a personal grievance of mine but the food definitely makes it worth it. Their beef curry particularly

Parking: Shared lot with the seven eleven that has a good number of spots especially since there usually won't be too many people in the restaurant“

“The service was above and beyond! I came in asking for something that they didn’t offer and they were so quick to find me a solution and I ended up getting exactly what I was looking for and the food was out SUPER fast! Would Highly recommend.“

“One of our favorite places for the last 17 years, small family owned and operated, the salt and pepper wings and great, the won ton soup, the cream cheese won tons, and the fried banana with whatever ice cream they have are some of my family favorites....“

“太棒了，肉品沒吃多少，倒是吃了好幾磅的櫻桃🍒“

“We have been looking for a Chinese restaurant that is good enough for us to often go to. We may have found it at Chef Zhao sichuan cuisine. The food came very quickly and every dish was excellent. The atmosphere was nicer than most Chinese restaurants.“

“Having enjoyed their dishes many times for months, It’s beyond “Very Satisfying”! Excellent, delicious food! Quality well maintained although it is a hard time under C-19. Hygiene suggestions n requests well followed! Thanks 🙏 Customer Service outstanding! Highly recommended 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍“

“Food is super fast, just like Hong Kong. The Portuguese fish baked rice is really good. They call it Lisbon fish rice here. We also ordered ox tongue spaghetti, the sauce is just okay, it was supposed to be tomato sauce but it was more like a gravy. I've had better of this one.

If you're craving Hong Kong food, this is a decent choice. There aren't that many on the peninsula.

The service is so fast that they were literally taking the plate out from under me while I was still trying to finish the last bite. At least they didn't pull the spoon out of my hand 😂“

“My group of 7 got to have a late lunch/early dinner from 3:30-5 since they don’t close after lunch - yay! We had two hot pots at this Taiwanese hot pot place. Great to have one Taiwanese in our group and also my Singaporean husband who had way more hot pot places to compare it to like DinTai Fung. They were impressed and said it more affordable than that famous chain from Taiwan. Most enjoyed/loved the spicy bone marrow broth but we also had the regular bone marrow broth and tomato and enjoyed them all - an overall good quality experience in the unlimited items in all you you can eat at the snack and sauce bar, service (with a fun waiter and robot) and atmosphere.“

“food place for family and hang out“

“Urban Momo San Mateo is a true delight for anyone craving Nepali and Indian flavors. Every dish we tried; from momo and choila to chicken chilly, naan curry, and biryani was packed with authentic taste. The staff are warm and welcoming, making every visit a pleasure. If you’re in the area, this place is an absolute must-try!“

“Honestly some delicious and quite filling rice noodle soup that leaves you full but not feeling heavy.

The noodles do take 10 seconds to cook and are already pre-warmed and perfect to digest. They also come with many different sides that all taste fresh.

Many people complain about the lack of flavor in the broth, but they don't understand that the light flavor is the style of soup. It's not ramen or pho, it's meant to be light.“

“Great food!! Lots of options for vegetarians. Staff is so friendly and helpful. Favorite Chinese restaurant in foster city. They even have a section for take out. The food is served in take out containers which is a win for me as they fill it up and it’s easy for leftovers. You must try if you are in the mood for good Chinese food!!“

“This restaurant has Beijing-style local dishes hard to find anywhere else, and for that, I have to give their food high marks. The jianbing (weekend only) is simple and authentic, and we got some other breakfast items (糖火烧 is hard to find and tastes like the ones my mom makes, but sweeter). The shredded pork with bean sauce (京酱肉丝) has been one of my favorites in the past but the flavor is a bit off this time, more like standard Chinese restaurant shredded pork with perhaps not enough sweet bean paste.

Service is extremely friendly and generous. We have a whole meal leftover for the price of one.“

“Cute little shop, super decorated with murals with HK streets vibes. Super long, authentic Chinese menu for both dessert and street eats like noodles and rice platters. Also has basic american dessert like cheesecake. Got their grass jelly fruit bowl, a bit small for 2 to share but the others like banana split or sweet crepe is a lot.

Kid-friendliness: Dessert“

“Sweet moment is some of the best desert I've had.
First of all, I LOVE their snowflake series and egg puff. Everything there is so amazing, and everything comes so quickly. Like the name says, it's sweet, and wonderful. The drinks are also so good, and I love the handmade momoko ball and grass jelly toppings. Something else so good about it is that there are so many other good places around it, which means you can get a good lunch and then come right to it. There is also a movie theatre, (Cinemark), quite close to it. It is a little far from my house, but it's definitely worth coming. It fills me up all the time, and is totally my type of desert. At the time of this review there is a little leak in the roof, but that's fine and they've got that under control. There is no doubt that this is one of my favorite places, and it deserves more than five stars.“

“Fresh authentic Cantonese food. Always come back to here when we crave BBQ pork, porridge, traditional Cantonese rice dishes. Affordable, but that would mean service would take some time. I would call at least 45 minutes in advance to order takeout because it can get busy sometimes. They have fresh fish on the menu even, and weekday specials like pineapple buns.
Great spot for gluten free and dairy free options with all the porridge and rice dishes.“