Relaxing and modern ambiance to the restaurant. Super friendly service for an enjoyable experience. Hidden gem outside the hustles of the downtown area of San Mateo. The dishes were fresh and well presented. Ordered the Tom Yun Shrimp noodles and Keema Curry Rice. Nice Japanese infusion of flavors and techniques on South East Asian regional dishes. Can get pretty busy during lunch rush. We got there at 1:45pm and beat the rush.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tim
It's very rare to see a 4.8 star establishment with over 1000 reviews on yelp. The 2 reasons for Rin-Tei is because they ask for a review after each meal (without bribery, just a QR code to review on yelp) and their food/service is actually good. So they actually earned it.
Called in a couple days ahead for a reservation for lunch on Christmas day at 11:15 and we were the first ones there. The table was ready. Other customers tricked in steadily after. Its a strange ordering set up in that you are seated at a table with menus, order and pay/tip at the register whenever you are ready, then the food is brought out to your table. They serve a variety of non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, but no full bar or draft beers. It is full table service in that they will check in on you regularly. Very nice staff and good service. Indoor seating only. Very clean medium sized restaurant with many small tables and a long row of counter seating as well. Metered street parking right in front of the restaurant.
We ordered the chicken croquette $15, green curry $23, and creamy soy milk pho with mushrooms and chicken $25. All the food was good. Nothing was salty and the quality is apparent. The croquettes were tasty, especially the sauce it comes with. Green curry isn't anything special from what you would get at a Thai restaurant, I would skip that. The star of the meal was the creamy soy milk pho. Very unique. Broth is not salty yet very flavorful. It is loaded with noodles, mushrooms, chicken. The price is justified by the portion for the pho dish, but the other dishes seemed a bit pricey for what you get, but you are paying for quality. I highly recommend the soy milk pho and would come back just to have it again. I recommend this place overall
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Suzanne Liu
San Mateo sets a high bar for Asian food, and Rin-Tei is easily at the top. We've eaten here dozens of times -- the food and service is consistently excellent. We've tried most of the menu. The pho and kra pao are outstanding, and we haven't had a dish we didn't like. The quality of the meat and freshness of the veggies is significantly better than most restaurants. The staff is engaged and consistently shows care in their work. We love Rin-Tei!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anthony Dana (Unseenparallel)
A very nice owner with fantastic food! The service is great, and food comes out of the kitchen very quickly. Rin-tei also has a large selection of asian fusion. I highly recommend if you are in the San Mateo area. A parking garage is also close by making it easy to get to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Herman Lee
We had dinner for the 1st time here. The food was very good and the service was excellent! Hope to return in the near future to enjoy the rest of the dishes on their menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mina Z
Best beef stew!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lance Mock
All in all an above average experience. Food was very good. Service was also good. Atmosphere was only okay. I will be going again when we n the neighborhood.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Rice with Miso-Ginger Sauce, Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce, Basil Tofu
Maria Stoimenova
Loved this fine establishment. Tasty food and a good selection. We made a reservation, so we were seated right away. Service was fast, friendly and professional. The food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Monica Hoang
Have you ever had COLD PHO before? 🍜
@rintei_asianfusion will help transport you to Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam with no flights needed. They have the ultimate trio serving up the most unique fusion dishes we’ve ever seen! It’s a cozy spot that really makes you feel homey and service is amazing.
What We Ordered: 🍽️ Rin-Tei Plate 🍛 Keema Curry 🥗 Vietnamese Papaya Salad 🐟 Clay Pot Caramelized Cod 🍜 Cold Sesame TanTan Pho (MUST TRY) 🥩 Kra Pao with Braised Beef 🍲 Japanese-Inspired Braised Beef (braised for 48 hours in white miso 🤤)
Looking for a nice little lunch date, my partner and I had decided on Rin-Tei after hearing a lot about it on social media. At first I was a little confused about the whole concept, as it seemed to be Japanese owned, but had Thai flavors with some Vietnamese ingredients. However, this place was fantastic. The flavors were complex and the fusion of dishes actually made a lot of sense in this case. Fusion foods are always a bit risky, as they border the line of appropriation or disrespect for the given cultures, however this restaurant nails the flavors it seeks to combine. We ordered the Cold Sesame Tan Tan Pho, Thai fried Chicken, and the Kra Pao with Braised Beef. We thoroughly enjoyed each item. Service was a little surprising as you order and pay at the front, before you have your meal, however, everything was awesome. The vibes were cozy and the food was warming. I definitely have to come back to see what a dinner service is like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Edj N
They insisted on seating me right in front of the restroom, even though the restaurant was nearly empty at that time. The restroom side smelled of trash, some kind of curry, which made it very difficult to enjoy the food.
Twenty-three dollars for rice noodles in sour soy milk? The vegetables were just two or three small bok choys. I also found out why their reviews are so high because they offer a free drink if you write a review. For the price and taste, this restaurant does not deserve such ratings.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
SHAWN STEINBERGER
Wanted Pho kinda late, 9pm, and when looking around this place was open late. Stopped by, as expected seated right away as only a few people in the restaurant at that time. Waitress was great, right away brought a cup of water with extra bottle table side for refills. Already knew I wanted pho, but still looked at the menu, everything looked good, if i didn't have my heart set on Pho already would of been a hard decision to make. Ordered the Beef Pho, braised oxtail broth was delicious with shredded oxtail throughout the broth. Came with the typical, bean sprouts, lime wedge, jalapeno slices and fresh basil. Added some of everything. Didn't get a picture when my food first came out as I forgot and was hungry, but remembered when 2/3 through. Can't wait to be back in the area to try some of the other menu items. Would recommend if your looking for some food Asian fusion food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lily Huang
So delicious. The restaurant is very cozy and nice. The owner was so kind to us even though there was a bit of a wait. We ordered the kra pao with beef, beef pho, and tom yum soup. All three were very delicious, full of flavor but different. It was also my friend’s birthday and we didn’t tell them but I guess they overheard and surprised us with a candle. So sweet!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex Kwok
This is a very mom-and-pop place off of downtown San Mateo. Parking is pretty easy there, but there's always the 2nd and El Camino Parking Garage diagonal from the restaurant. We showed up at around 2:30pm on Saturday, worried that they wouldn't take us. However, they graciously let us sit down if we were finished by 3:00pm (closing time for lunch), which we were fine with.
We got the Chicken Rice ($18) and the seasonal Cold Sesame TanTan Pho ($23). The Chicken Rice was delicious, different than the normal Hainiese style we're used to, but the standout was the Cold Sesame TanTan Pho. The noodles were very springy and I loved the additional crunch of the garlic chips. I definitely would go back just for that dish alone (they will have it till roughly end of this month or early September).
The portions aren't massive, but it feels just right if you're not trying to overtly stuff yourself. The place itself was small, had a few tables and bar counter seating, just like you would find in Japan. It was very clean and the service was great. Would recommend.
Relaxing and modern ambiance to the restaurant. Super friendly service for an enjoyable experience. Hidden gem outside the hustles of the downtown area of San Mateo. The dishes were fresh and well presented. Ordered the Tom Yun Shrimp noodles and Keema Curry Rice. Nice Japanese infusion of flavors and techniques on South East Asian regional dishes. Can get pretty busy during lunch rush. We got there at 1:45pm and beat the rush.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It's very rare to see a 4.8 star establishment with over 1000 reviews on yelp. The 2 reasons for Rin-Tei is because they ask for a review after each meal (without bribery, just a QR code to review on yelp) and their food/service is actually good. So they actually earned it.
Called in a couple days ahead for a reservation for lunch on Christmas day at 11:15 and we were the first ones there. The table was ready. Other customers tricked in steadily after. Its a strange ordering set up in that you are seated at a table with menus, order and pay/tip at the register whenever you are ready, then the food is brought out to your table. They serve a variety of non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, but no full bar or draft beers. It is full table service in that they will check in on you regularly. Very nice staff and good service. Indoor seating only. Very clean medium sized restaurant with many small tables and a long row of counter seating as well. Metered street parking right in front of the restaurant.
We ordered the chicken croquette $15, green curry $23, and creamy soy milk pho with mushrooms and chicken $25. All the food was good. Nothing was salty and the quality is apparent. The croquettes were tasty, especially the sauce it comes with. Green curry isn't anything special from what you would get at a Thai restaurant, I would skip that. The star of the meal was the creamy soy milk pho. Very unique. Broth is not salty yet very flavorful. It is loaded with noodles, mushrooms, chicken. The price is justified by the portion for the pho dish, but the other dishes seemed a bit pricey for what you get, but you are paying for quality. I highly recommend the soy milk pho and would come back just to have it again. I recommend this place overall
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
San Mateo sets a high bar for Asian food, and Rin-Tei is easily at the top. We've eaten here dozens of times -- the food and service is consistently excellent. We've tried most of the menu. The pho and kra pao are outstanding, and we haven't had a dish we didn't like. The quality of the meat and freshness of the veggies is significantly better than most restaurants. The staff is engaged and consistently shows care in their work. We love Rin-Tei!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A very nice owner with fantastic food! The service is great, and food comes out of the kitchen very quickly. Rin-tei also has a large selection of asian fusion. I highly recommend if you are in the San Mateo area. A parking garage is also close by making it easy to get to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had dinner for the 1st time here. The food was very good and the service was excellent! Hope to return in the near future to enjoy the rest of the dishes on their menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best beef stew!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
All in all an above average experience. Food was very good. Service was also good. Atmosphere was only okay. I will be going again when we n the neighborhood.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Rice with Miso-Ginger Sauce, Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce, Basil Tofu
Loved this fine establishment. Tasty food and a good selection. We made a reservation, so we were seated right away. Service was fast, friendly and professional. The food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Have you ever had COLD PHO before? 🍜
@rintei_asianfusion will help transport you to Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam with no flights needed. They have the ultimate trio serving up the most unique fusion dishes we’ve ever seen! It’s a cozy spot that really makes you feel homey and service is amazing.
What We Ordered:
🍽️ Rin-Tei Plate
🍛 Keema Curry
🥗 Vietnamese Papaya Salad
🐟 Clay Pot Caramelized Cod
🍜 Cold Sesame TanTan Pho (MUST TRY)
🥩 Kra Pao with Braised Beef
🍲 Japanese-Inspired Braised Beef (braised for 48 hours in white miso 🤤)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pretty expensive and food is alright
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Looking for a nice little lunch date, my partner and I had decided on Rin-Tei after hearing a lot about it on social media. At first I was a little confused about the whole concept, as it seemed to be Japanese owned, but had Thai flavors with some Vietnamese ingredients. However, this place was fantastic. The flavors were complex and the fusion of dishes actually made a lot of sense in this case. Fusion foods are always a bit risky, as they border the line of appropriation or disrespect for the given cultures, however this restaurant nails the flavors it seeks to combine. We ordered the Cold Sesame Tan Tan Pho, Thai fried Chicken, and the Kra Pao with Braised Beef. We thoroughly enjoyed each item. Service was a little surprising as you order and pay at the front, before you have your meal, however, everything was awesome. The vibes were cozy and the food was warming. I definitely have to come back to see what a dinner service is like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
They insisted on seating me right in front of the restroom, even though the restaurant was nearly empty at that time. The restroom side smelled of trash, some kind of curry, which made it very difficult to enjoy the food.
Twenty-three dollars for rice noodles in sour soy milk? The vegetables were just two or three small bok choys. I also found out why their reviews are so high because they offer a free drink if you write a review. For the price and taste, this restaurant does not deserve such ratings.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Wanted Pho kinda late, 9pm, and when looking around this place was open late. Stopped by, as expected seated right away as only a few people in the restaurant at that time. Waitress was great, right away brought a cup of water with extra bottle table side for refills. Already knew I wanted pho, but still looked at the menu, everything looked good, if i didn't have my heart set on Pho already would of been a hard decision to make. Ordered the Beef Pho, braised oxtail broth was delicious with shredded oxtail throughout the broth. Came with the typical, bean sprouts, lime wedge, jalapeno slices and fresh basil. Added some of everything. Didn't get a picture when my food first came out as I forgot and was hungry, but remembered when 2/3 through. Can't wait to be back in the area to try some of the other menu items. Would recommend if your looking for some food Asian fusion food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
So delicious. The restaurant is very cozy and nice. The owner was so kind to us even though there was a bit of a wait. We ordered the kra pao with beef, beef pho, and tom yum soup. All three were very delicious, full of flavor but different. It was also my friend’s birthday and we didn’t tell them but I guess they overheard and surprised us with a candle. So sweet!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is a very mom-and-pop place off of downtown San Mateo. Parking is pretty easy there, but there's always the 2nd and El Camino Parking Garage diagonal from the restaurant. We showed up at around 2:30pm on Saturday, worried that they wouldn't take us. However, they graciously let us sit down if we were finished by 3:00pm (closing time for lunch), which we were fine with.
We got the Chicken Rice ($18) and the seasonal Cold Sesame TanTan Pho ($23). The Chicken Rice was delicious, different than the normal Hainiese style we're used to, but the standout was the Cold Sesame TanTan Pho. The noodles were very springy and I loved the additional crunch of the garlic chips. I definitely would go back just for that dish alone (they will have it till roughly end of this month or early September).
The portions aren't massive, but it feels just right if you're not trying to overtly stuff yourself. The place itself was small, had a few tables and bar counter seating, just like you would find in Japan. It was very clean and the service was great. Would recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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