Great service, and the skewers were great! We ordered a variety of skewers and most of them, though a little pricey, were very nice. We particularly enjoyed the Chicken Thigh with Green Onions, the Bacon Tomato which was bursting with flavour, and the Beef Tongue. We tried the Scallop with Uni skewer, but felt that the flavours didn't work too well with each other. The Curry Gyutan Over Rice dish that we got was a bit disappointing though, as the meat was not that high of quality, so would definitely recommend sticking with ordering just skewers. Great atmosphere and nice seating on both first and second floors. You could also smell the grills of the kitchen, which definitely helped make this feel like an authentic Japanese skewer place!
Julia ..
This place is amazing!! I've been here a few times already and it never disappoints. The presentation of the dishes is beautifully done. When seated, the waiter explains the QR code system to order and brings fruit infused water. The service is 10/10, Staff are super friendly. They also have HAPPY HOUR everyday: 4:30-5:30 and 9:30-10:30 , 50% off all chicken skewers 8pm-close , beers are buy 1 get 1 free My personal favorites are the: - Zucchini w/ Spicy mayo, they torch the mayo on top which gives it a nice smoky taste and pairs nicely with the zucchini. - Chashu tender belly, this one is amazing, it just melts in your mouth. - Hokkaido Scallop w/ Uni, the uni is so fresh & creamy - Deep Fried Eggplant, although I don't like regular eggplant. deep fried is the way to go, it's crispy and soft with drizzle of sweet/sour sauce & mayo. Also the presentation on this one is wonderful. There is so much more great items on their menu. It may seem like a small restaurant when you walk in, but they actually have a second floor and soon will have a karaoke room too!! Parking is convenient, there are spots in front as well as a parking lot in the back located on Second Ave. Great spot you should check out!!
Ricky L.
Saw this new spot as I was walking around San Mateo so I decided to give it a try and they definitely did not disappoint. We ordered the oyster mushroom, deep fried salt and pepper squid, cumin lamb, oyster w/ garlic sauce, chicken cartilage, rib eye cap, pork cheek, udon carbonara, and chicken wings. When I tell you everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection, I'm not lying. I've had skewers before but this place just hit the spot. The chicken wings and were super juicy and tender, I had to order 2 rounds. Nothing was too salty or not salty enough. The spice was perfect. The staff were super nice and friendly. They are also opening up a karaoke room soon so if you are looking for a place to hangout with friends and have some amazing food, I would definitely recommend coming here. If not, you should still give this place a try!
Sherry C.
Been here several times already and each time the food was really good! Everything is well-seasoned and flavorful, the oyster, chicken wings and uni on scallops are my favorite. The broccoli with salt and pepper is also very good! Good price on alcohol beverages! Yuzu sake is our family's favorite. There are also foods for the kids too. My kids love the nankotsu karaage and gyoza. This place is a great place for family dinner. It is easy to find parking. There are plenty of parking space around the corner and parking garage in the back. Staff are very nice and helpful. Great place for dining!
Michelle L.
THEY HAVE THE BEST BEEF TONGUE in the whole world!! Great food, great service, awesome vibes. I came here with a few friends, we all were super full by the time we left. Definitely will come back!!!
Jeffrey S.
This place sucks. Serving is very small and took them almost an hour to serve some our orders. We left and cancel our remaining orders coz they gave our food to someone else. Supposed to be a nice family dinner but we got pissed on their service.
Jesus L.
Absolutely recommended! Came here as a last choice late at night, and we don't regret it Food was on spot (pork cheek was our favorite), service was really good and food came faster than average They even had BYGOF on beers! Nothing like some of the bad reviews here. We were a bit skeptical based on those reviews, but now we're glad we took our chances Definitely coming back again!
Yeimi C.
Todo estuvo totalmente delicioso 100% recomendable. Buen servicio, la comida con un excelente sabor. Y el ambiente totalmente tranquilo. Hasta la próxima!
Katsluv 2.
Service 5/5 - Waitress poured water for us sometimes. They have a very refreshing fruit flavored water and you can see all the ingredients in the pitcher. She took away finished food promptly and left the sauce so it didn't go to waste. 5/5 - Deep Fried Salt & Pepper Tofu (sweet and sour on the side, fried beautifully, not greasy or oily) , Okra w bonjto flakes (underrated veggie, grilled perfectly), 4/5 - Beef Tongue (covered in a nice sweet soy sauce, a bit hard to chew) Chicken Gizzard (had same sauce, pretty good, nice chew), Cumin Lamb (same sauce w wasabi and mayo), Garlic Shrimp (delicious w a bit of mayo), Green Tea Cheesecake 3/5 Chicken Wings (same sauce, pairs better w the wings than the other meats but already tired of the same sauce), momo duck (side of plum sauce (very yummy and used it on other meats), super tender but reminds me of liver which I dislike, no crispy skin) 1/5 - Scallop w Garlic (super dry and too much garlic) Overall, pleasant experience. Got tired of the same sauce and wish we could choose if it was the sauce or salted version because some meats definitely would've been better with a dry seasoning.
Miko M.
Cozy place to have some Izakaya grill. We reserved a table so we can be seated right away. We are a big party of 8, it's nice to have a big table at the second floor by the window. Foods came very fast and tasted great. The ones we like are grill oysters , scallops with uni, beef, chicken wings and egg plants. Servers there are prompt and friendly. We will come again with fds and family.
Located in downtown San Mateo and going through their soft opening phase, I tried them out a few weeks ago(on a Sunday). The space when you walk is in sort of small but I later discovered there is more seating in the back. Overall not a large number of tables available however. As usual these days, you order via your smartphone and a QR code on the table. I ordered a bunch of skewers and unfortunately none of them were memorable. Although they're located in downtown San Mateo, their pricing seems off. For example, two small lamb skewers were almost $12. Service was polite and prompt. For my money there are better food options in downtown San Mateo.
Patricia
Place just opened and I already love it. Great service, the food was very tasty, and great vibes. The place is larger than what it looks like outside, there’s a second story with more tables and food vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cathy Tang
Arrived at 5:30PM Saturday, we’re the second table and order was online via QR code scan, so got our food pretty fast. Yakitoris are in general good, wagyu with pineapple is pretty expensive, but tastes really good. The yakitori platter is also pretty good. Don’t recommend their don katsu, dry and have little meat. Neither recommend bacon with rice cake as rice cake is also super dry.
Jon T.
My wife and I came here for a Saturday date night, we drove all the way from San Jose and we had reservations so we really were looking forward to it. We were sat upstairs immediately and it was a nice environment overall but when it came to the food it was just a miss. We noticed immediately that all of the tables around us mostly didn't have their food so we were a bit worried, then we overheard the family next to us complain about how small the portions were and that they had add another curry to their meal because everyone was still hungry, then we heard them complaining about how long the curry was taking that they would rather cancel it.. Well we figured at least we were prepared now, we decided not to order too much in hopes of getting our food quicker, we ordered the 7 skewer package and a chicken cartilage (and the chicken cartilage is in Japanese so we actually ordered wrong but that's our fault). Our server was friendly but damn we waited over 50 minutes for the food! it was ridiculous, I ended up going downstairs to ask about it and then eventually I just cancelled our food and we went to get mexican food down the street, needless to say I was starving and not in a great mood, honestly ruined what would have been a nice date night for us since my wife wasn't feeling that happy after the whole ordeal either. The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 was because our server was at least very apologetic and kind
Annie H.
Hmm this was a miss for me. The place was cute and service was good but the skewers could have had a stronger charcoal grill taste. Personally didn't like the mayo on most of the skewers either. My favorite thing was probably the gyoza and the fried eggplant! We ordered ~$100 worth of food for two with tip If you sign up for their membership they will give you 10% off the bill!
Great service, and the skewers were great! We ordered a variety of skewers and most of them, though a little pricey, were very nice. We particularly enjoyed the Chicken Thigh with Green Onions, the Bacon Tomato which was bursting with flavour, and the Beef Tongue. We tried the Scallop with Uni skewer, but felt that the flavours didn't work too well with each other. The Curry Gyutan Over Rice dish that we got was a bit disappointing though, as the meat was not that high of quality, so would definitely recommend sticking with ordering just skewers. Great atmosphere and nice seating on both first and second floors. You could also smell the grills of the kitchen, which definitely helped make this feel like an authentic Japanese skewer place!
This place is amazing!! I've been here a few times already and it never disappoints. The presentation of the dishes is beautifully done. When seated, the waiter explains the QR code system to order and brings fruit infused water. The service is 10/10, Staff are super friendly. They also have HAPPY HOUR everyday: 4:30-5:30 and 9:30-10:30 , 50% off all chicken skewers 8pm-close , beers are buy 1 get 1 free My personal favorites are the: - Zucchini w/ Spicy mayo, they torch the mayo on top which gives it a nice smoky taste and pairs nicely with the zucchini. - Chashu tender belly, this one is amazing, it just melts in your mouth. - Hokkaido Scallop w/ Uni, the uni is so fresh & creamy - Deep Fried Eggplant, although I don't like regular eggplant. deep fried is the way to go, it's crispy and soft with drizzle of sweet/sour sauce & mayo. Also the presentation on this one is wonderful. There is so much more great items on their menu. It may seem like a small restaurant when you walk in, but they actually have a second floor and soon will have a karaoke room too!! Parking is convenient, there are spots in front as well as a parking lot in the back located on Second Ave. Great spot you should check out!!
Saw this new spot as I was walking around San Mateo so I decided to give it a try and they definitely did not disappoint. We ordered the oyster mushroom, deep fried salt and pepper squid, cumin lamb, oyster w/ garlic sauce, chicken cartilage, rib eye cap, pork cheek, udon carbonara, and chicken wings. When I tell you everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection, I'm not lying. I've had skewers before but this place just hit the spot. The chicken wings and were super juicy and tender, I had to order 2 rounds. Nothing was too salty or not salty enough. The spice was perfect. The staff were super nice and friendly. They are also opening up a karaoke room soon so if you are looking for a place to hangout with friends and have some amazing food, I would definitely recommend coming here. If not, you should still give this place a try!
Been here several times already and each time the food was really good! Everything is well-seasoned and flavorful, the oyster, chicken wings and uni on scallops are my favorite. The broccoli with salt and pepper is also very good! Good price on alcohol beverages! Yuzu sake is our family's favorite. There are also foods for the kids too. My kids love the nankotsu karaage and gyoza. This place is a great place for family dinner. It is easy to find parking. There are plenty of parking space around the corner and parking garage in the back. Staff are very nice and helpful. Great place for dining!
THEY HAVE THE BEST BEEF TONGUE in the whole world!! Great food, great service, awesome vibes. I came here with a few friends, we all were super full by the time we left. Definitely will come back!!!
This place sucks. Serving is very small and took them almost an hour to serve some our orders. We left and cancel our remaining orders coz they gave our food to someone else. Supposed to be a nice family dinner but we got pissed on their service.
Absolutely recommended! Came here as a last choice late at night, and we don't regret it Food was on spot (pork cheek was our favorite), service was really good and food came faster than average They even had BYGOF on beers! Nothing like some of the bad reviews here. We were a bit skeptical based on those reviews, but now we're glad we took our chances Definitely coming back again!
Todo estuvo totalmente delicioso 100% recomendable. Buen servicio, la comida con un excelente sabor. Y el ambiente totalmente tranquilo. Hasta la próxima!
Service 5/5 - Waitress poured water for us sometimes. They have a very refreshing fruit flavored water and you can see all the ingredients in the pitcher. She took away finished food promptly and left the sauce so it didn't go to waste. 5/5 - Deep Fried Salt & Pepper Tofu (sweet and sour on the side, fried beautifully, not greasy or oily) , Okra w bonjto flakes (underrated veggie, grilled perfectly), 4/5 - Beef Tongue (covered in a nice sweet soy sauce, a bit hard to chew) Chicken Gizzard (had same sauce, pretty good, nice chew), Cumin Lamb (same sauce w wasabi and mayo), Garlic Shrimp (delicious w a bit of mayo), Green Tea Cheesecake 3/5 Chicken Wings (same sauce, pairs better w the wings than the other meats but already tired of the same sauce), momo duck (side of plum sauce (very yummy and used it on other meats), super tender but reminds me of liver which I dislike, no crispy skin) 1/5 - Scallop w Garlic (super dry and too much garlic) Overall, pleasant experience. Got tired of the same sauce and wish we could choose if it was the sauce or salted version because some meats definitely would've been better with a dry seasoning.
Cozy place to have some Izakaya grill. We reserved a table so we can be seated right away. We are a big party of 8, it's nice to have a big table at the second floor by the window. Foods came very fast and tasted great. The ones we like are grill oysters , scallops with uni, beef, chicken wings and egg plants. Servers there are prompt and friendly. We will come again with fds and family.
Restaurantji Recommends
Located in downtown San Mateo and going through their soft opening phase, I tried them out a few weeks ago(on a Sunday). The space when you walk is in sort of small but I later discovered there is more seating in the back. Overall not a large number of tables available however. As usual these days, you order via your smartphone and a QR code on the table. I ordered a bunch of skewers and unfortunately none of them were memorable. Although they're located in downtown San Mateo, their pricing seems off. For example, two small lamb skewers were almost $12. Service was polite and prompt. For my money there are better food options in downtown San Mateo.
Place just opened and I already love it. Great service, the food was very tasty, and great vibes. The place is larger than what it looks like outside, there’s a second story with more tables and food vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Arrived at 5:30PM Saturday, we’re the second table and order was online via QR code scan, so got our food pretty fast. Yakitoris are in general good, wagyu with pineapple is pretty expensive, but tastes really good. The yakitori platter is also pretty good. Don’t recommend their don katsu, dry and have little meat. Neither recommend bacon with rice cake as rice cake is also super dry.
My wife and I came here for a Saturday date night, we drove all the way from San Jose and we had reservations so we really were looking forward to it. We were sat upstairs immediately and it was a nice environment overall but when it came to the food it was just a miss. We noticed immediately that all of the tables around us mostly didn't have their food so we were a bit worried, then we overheard the family next to us complain about how small the portions were and that they had add another curry to their meal because everyone was still hungry, then we heard them complaining about how long the curry was taking that they would rather cancel it.. Well we figured at least we were prepared now, we decided not to order too much in hopes of getting our food quicker, we ordered the 7 skewer package and a chicken cartilage (and the chicken cartilage is in Japanese so we actually ordered wrong but that's our fault). Our server was friendly but damn we waited over 50 minutes for the food! it was ridiculous, I ended up going downstairs to ask about it and then eventually I just cancelled our food and we went to get mexican food down the street, needless to say I was starving and not in a great mood, honestly ruined what would have been a nice date night for us since my wife wasn't feeling that happy after the whole ordeal either. The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 was because our server was at least very apologetic and kind
Hmm this was a miss for me. The place was cute and service was good but the skewers could have had a stronger charcoal grill taste. Personally didn't like the mayo on most of the skewers either. My favorite thing was probably the gyoza and the fried eggplant! We ordered ~$100 worth of food for two with tip If you sign up for their membership they will give you 10% off the bill!