Delicious vegan options. We tried the garlic tofu, spicy vegan eel sushi, and the tofu katsu curry. We loved them all and will be coming back to try more of the menu.The woman taking orders was incredibly friendly and gave us hot tea while we waited for our order.Would highly recommend if you're looking for a takeout meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tofu Katsu, Vegan
Amanda Chang
Tried Minako for the first time today for lunch takeout and my taste buds are just blown away! The food is incredible. It’s a mother daughter operation and they are so nice!
My favorite family-owned, Japanese-cuisine, small-business, mother-and-daughter restaurant!The flavors are unbeatable & their quality of service is the icing on the green tea cake ?.It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, run by a team of just 2... phenomenal.I highly recommend trying EVERY item on the menu-- especially the curry!Dietary restrictions: Very knowledgeable & accommodating
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Vegan Shoyu Ramen, California Roll, Tofu Katsu, Chicken Teriyaki Don and Chicken Karaage Curry with Inari, Garlic Chicken, Chicken Wings, Vegan, Chicken Teriyaki Bento, Karaage Chicken Curry, Chicken Katsu, Corn Tempura
Dong Xiao (Fire)
Food is great, but it's mostly for take out. The only "dine in" place is 2 small tables on the street.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 3
Andy Ng
I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me.We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared.To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost.Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant.As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.Vegetarian options: Vegan Tofu Kaarage, Teriyaki, a few vegan sushi rolls
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
andyjng
I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me.
We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared.
To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost.
Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant.
As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.
Niko Yasui
10/10, lots of gluten free options, specifically for customers with celiac or wheat allergy.Dietary restrictions: Lots of Celiac and Gluten Allergy friendly options!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cayla B.
i could say a million nice things about how great it was to eat here. judy is so kind and funny and full of good stories. her mom's cooking is delicious, fresh, thoughtful, and feels like home-cooking in the best way possible. i very much appreciate the concerns for food safety and the usage of masks and sanitizing methods to keep both the customers and judy and her mom safe. the plants out front make it feel like a lovely sidewalk garden and it feels so nice to be offered little snacks while we ate. judy has a lot of information about other restaurants that offer options for people with dietary restrictions so if you have some time she can show you a notebook with great offerings! i enjoyed every moment here and the food was DELICIOUS. thank you and i can't wait to come back!
Kala'i K.
Amazing food! Amazing service! This is as authentic as it gets. My family and I just moved from hawai'i. We were worried we would not be able to find a Japanese restaurant that would be as tasty as the ones back home; as of this review I am glad to say minako's has exceeded our expectations! Can't wait for the next meal:)
David R.
I got lunch here for my wife and I today - tofu and katsu curries, with a portion of tuna nigiri.The wait was quite long, but when everything is handmade to order you can't complain. I spent the time chatting with the lovely lady at the front about food and other local restaurants, which was delightful.The curries was delicious (apparently the curry sauce takes a month to make!) and the nigiri was great as well. Would definitely come back the next time I have a hankering for delicious handmade Japanese food.
One of my favorite restaurants in San Mateo. Minimal dine in seating outside, but the food is just so darn tasty.
James Nguyen
So glad I found this restaurant! The food is delicious and the people are awesome!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
S. H.
Excellent food. I'm really glad this place exists and plan to come here more often! The main reason being that the food here tastes CLEAN. And so wonderfully homemade. And the little side dishes taste so fresh and healthy. What a precious little rarity! Hope they stay in business for a long time. Service was fine; we had takeout but the person taking the order was nice. In short-come here for some healthy & homemade Japanese cooking.
tony kaplan
Nice little takeout spot with tons of vegetarian and vegan options, plus very friendly service.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christen D.
Perhaps the best ever customer service I've received in all of my years in the Bay Area! Judy is the sweetest, most compassionate person ever. I came on a Saturday by walking over. There was no one in line. It is a take-out service only spot, and masks are required - if you don't have a mask, you'd need to stand at the entrance. I highly recommend wearing a mask just to be considerate! :)I ordered the chicken curry after hearing my boyfriend rave about it. It definitely lived up to the hype. How they managed to get it to taste extremely healthy but with so much flavor at the same time - I have no idea! It tasted like there were no additives and no salt.. which I LOVED! Definitely made me feel good after eating it - I didn't feel weighed down or heavy like I normally do after eating such a heavy kind of dish.Judy was so, so kind throughout the ordering process. While I waited for my curry she spoke to me about my time in the Bay Area and how we were liking San Mateo and the weather that day! She also introduced me to some cooling methods and we spoke about other cuisines. On my way out she handed me some adorable dog treats for my pups (who I left at home) and some complimentary snacks just for stopping by. Total was $15 for a great serving of delicious curry - definitely will be back!
Delicious vegan options. We tried the garlic tofu, spicy vegan eel sushi, and the tofu katsu curry. We loved them all and will be coming back to try more of the menu.The woman taking orders was incredibly friendly and gave us hot tea while we waited for our order.Would highly recommend if you're looking for a takeout meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tofu Katsu, Vegan
Tried Minako for the first time today for lunch takeout and my taste buds are just blown away! The food is incredible. It’s a mother daughter operation and they are so nice!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Tofu Katsu, Vegan, Chicken Katsu
My favorite family-owned, Japanese-cuisine, small-business, mother-and-daughter restaurant!The flavors are unbeatable & their quality of service is the icing on the green tea cake ?.It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, run by a team of just 2... phenomenal.I highly recommend trying EVERY item on the menu-- especially the curry!Dietary restrictions: Very knowledgeable & accommodating
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Vegan Shoyu Ramen, California Roll, Tofu Katsu, Chicken Teriyaki Don and Chicken Karaage Curry with Inari, Garlic Chicken, Chicken Wings, Vegan, Chicken Teriyaki Bento, Karaage Chicken Curry, Chicken Katsu, Corn Tempura
Food is great, but it's mostly for take out. The only "dine in" place is 2 small tables on the street.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 3
I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me.We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared.To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost.Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant.As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.Vegetarian options: Vegan Tofu Kaarage, Teriyaki, a few vegan sushi rolls
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me. We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared. To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost. Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant. As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.
10/10, lots of gluten free options, specifically for customers with celiac or wheat allergy.Dietary restrictions: Lots of Celiac and Gluten Allergy friendly options!
Food: 5
Service: 5
i could say a million nice things about how great it was to eat here. judy is so kind and funny and full of good stories. her mom's cooking is delicious, fresh, thoughtful, and feels like home-cooking in the best way possible. i very much appreciate the concerns for food safety and the usage of masks and sanitizing methods to keep both the customers and judy and her mom safe. the plants out front make it feel like a lovely sidewalk garden and it feels so nice to be offered little snacks while we ate. judy has a lot of information about other restaurants that offer options for people with dietary restrictions so if you have some time she can show you a notebook with great offerings! i enjoyed every moment here and the food was DELICIOUS. thank you and i can't wait to come back!
Amazing food! Amazing service! This is as authentic as it gets. My family and I just moved from hawai'i. We were worried we would not be able to find a Japanese restaurant that would be as tasty as the ones back home; as of this review I am glad to say minako's has exceeded our expectations! Can't wait for the next meal:)
I got lunch here for my wife and I today - tofu and katsu curries, with a portion of tuna nigiri.The wait was quite long, but when everything is handmade to order you can't complain. I spent the time chatting with the lovely lady at the front about food and other local restaurants, which was delightful.The curries was delicious (apparently the curry sauce takes a month to make!) and the nigiri was great as well. Would definitely come back the next time I have a hankering for delicious handmade Japanese food.
Restaurantji Recommends
One of my favorite restaurants in San Mateo. Minimal dine in seating outside, but the food is just so darn tasty.
So glad I found this restaurant! The food is delicious and the people are awesome!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food. I'm really glad this place exists and plan to come here more often! The main reason being that the food here tastes CLEAN. And so wonderfully homemade. And the little side dishes taste so fresh and healthy. What a precious little rarity! Hope they stay in business for a long time. Service was fine; we had takeout but the person taking the order was nice. In short-come here for some healthy & homemade Japanese cooking.
Nice little takeout spot with tons of vegetarian and vegan options, plus very friendly service.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Perhaps the best ever customer service I've received in all of my years in the Bay Area! Judy is the sweetest, most compassionate person ever. I came on a Saturday by walking over. There was no one in line. It is a take-out service only spot, and masks are required - if you don't have a mask, you'd need to stand at the entrance. I highly recommend wearing a mask just to be considerate! :)I ordered the chicken curry after hearing my boyfriend rave about it. It definitely lived up to the hype. How they managed to get it to taste extremely healthy but with so much flavor at the same time - I have no idea! It tasted like there were no additives and no salt.. which I LOVED! Definitely made me feel good after eating it - I didn't feel weighed down or heavy like I normally do after eating such a heavy kind of dish.Judy was so, so kind throughout the ordering process. While I waited for my curry she spoke to me about my time in the Bay Area and how we were liking San Mateo and the weather that day! She also introduced me to some cooling methods and we spoke about other cuisines. On my way out she handed me some adorable dog treats for my pups (who I left at home) and some complimentary snacks just for stopping by. Total was $15 for a great serving of delicious curry - definitely will be back!