I love their roast beef Aburasoba noodles. It's very rich and creamy. It's a unique brothless…read morenoodle dish you don't see everywhere. There's usually a long line, but if you go at lunch or off hours there's no wait. I've ordered takeout too and it tastes just as good. The chicken karaage is good too, nice big pieces. Service is good and the place is clean. One bad experience: I brought family from out of town once, waited in the long line, and we got seated outside on a very hot day -- then they forgot our order after we'd placed it. But every other visit has had good service, so I'll chalk that one up to an off day.

Finally had a chance to try this San Mateo hotspot…read more My two friends ordered the best-seller homura aburasoba (spicy minced pork) and I had the unagi version. We also had the squid and gyoza appetizers. Food was well prepared and tasty, even if the service was harried and uneven. A few servers knocked into my friend and one even spilled on her while clearing dishes from the neighboring table. The staff also hovered as we were finishing our meal and asked several times if we were done/needed anything else and then less subtly if we could vacate the table. Also, we had placed ourselves on the Yelp waitlist instead of standing in the line outside and then were told when we went to check in that they don't use the Yelp waitlist, and that set us back a half hour. The food is great, but the logistics could use some work.

The service was the friendliest and efficient I've seen in a while. We rolled in deep an hour…read morebefore closing with my family visiting from other states for 10 people (and added 3 in at the last minute) And we were treated with the utmost kindness and respect. Shout out to the hostess and waiters who kept us posted on when we would be seated and even went out of their way to apologize for the wait. The food was delicious and such fresh quality. I would return again and again if I wasn't living on the east coast. What a gem. Also love the traditional Japanese seating which made family eating super fun.

We ordered the chirashi and kaisen don Both have good…read morequality and very fresh We also enjoyed the beef katsu. It's quite fun to cook the steak by yourself!

Love the San Mateo location. It feels so spacious and fancy! And the kids meal comes with a toy…read morefrom a ball machine. The katsu curry was the highlight. The nabeyaki udon broth is a little too sweet for my taste. We'll be back for the pork katsu and curry!!!!!

I've been a few times to Udon Mugizo so I'm not going to let last night's experience affect the…read morewhole review. But it seemed they were either short staffed, had too many takeout orders, or both because even though there were empty tables, the employees were running back and forth between service and the kitchen and (maybe unintentionally) running away from anyone at the front door asking to be seated. Anyway, once we were seated, everything else was smooth and quick in terms of ordering and getting our food. I've tried their specialty udons before - the mentaiko cream and the spinach salmon one. They're very unique if you ever want to give it a go. The mentaiko is too heavy for me. The spinach salmon one is refreshing, but I don't like smoked salmon so that's the only thing deterring me from ordering again. I typically stick to my favorite tonkatsu udon. The broth had a lot of flavor and the medium spice level was perfect for me in having a little kick without it being overwhelming. I also like their tempura and corn fritter too, it's a great starter, but it fills you up before you get to your soup. The inside is clean and has simple/modern decor. But yeah, it was busy with the employees running around carrying trays and trays of bowls and utensils.

Every time I pass by this restaurant, there's always a long line of people waiting outside. So…read moretoday, I specifically decided to come at 4 PM to avoid the crowd, and it worked perfectly--absolutely no wait at all! The staff was friendly and efficient. They took my order quickly and professionally without any unnecessary small talk, which I actually appreciated. I ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, their signature tsukemen (dipping noodles), and a plate of edamame, which is one of my favorite appetizers. The tonkotsu ramen came with thin noodles, very similar to the ones I've had at Ramen Nagi. The texture was excellent, and the broth was flavorful without being overly greasy or salty. It also came with both chashu pork and tender, fatty pork slices, which were incredibly delicious and practically melted in my mouth. As for the tsukemen, the noodles were slightly thicker, with a wonderfully chewy and springy texture. The dipping sauce was rich, thick, and flavorful, with a taste that reminded me of a concentrated miso-based sauce. Both dishes were absolutely delicious and very satisfying! Overall, considering the friendly and efficient service, clean dining environment, delicious food, and reasonable prices, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Japanese ramen. My only suggestion is to avoid peak dining hours unless you're prepared for a long wait. Coming during off-peak hours, like 4 PM, is definitely a great way to enjoy the food without standing in line! 平常看這家店都是大排長龍，今天特地挑一個下午四點來吃，真的是完全不用等。進來以後，服務人員還算親切，不過完全不囉嗦的幫我完成點菜服務，乾淨俐落。我點了一碗豬骨湯拉麵和他們招牌沾醬冷麵，外加一盤我常常點的毛豆。拉麵用的麵條是我在Nagi吃的那種細麵，口感不錯，不會太油膩也不會太鹹，叉燒和豬肥肉都有，也是非常的美味鮮嫩；另外在沾麵的那一碗，麵條是略粗的麵，口感彈性有嚼勁，沾醬非常像是很濃郁的味噌醬，整體來講都是非常的好吃。 不論是良好的服務、乾淨的餐廳環境和可以接受的價格，我極力推薦這家餐廳給大家，但是不建議在餐點來，會排隊等待非常久。

Can here on Sunday afternoon for lunch. No wait. We were seated immediately. The server was nice…read moreenough to let us know that there was happy hour in a few minutes and out in our order when it was actually happy hour. Chicken karaage and edamame were fine. Niku spicy ramen was okay and average tasting. But didn't like the dipping noodles with soup on the side. I wanted to try it but it was just difficult to eat. The noodles were cold but soup was lukewarm and dipping it just felt I was still eating cold food. It was also a little too salty.

I ordered a custom tray for a large group celebration and we were pleased with the quality and…read morenovelty. The fish were fresh, the rice was seasoned, and the garnishes were interesting. The owner was communicative via text and E-mail. Pick up was from a ghost kitchen. Menu was difficult to find online, but here is the link: https://twodotsco.typeform.com/to/eUm9sISf?typeform-source=linktr.ee The tray was beautifully decorated. At $6.25 per piece of sushi, the price was similar to nice sushi restaurants. I probably would not order from here frequently, but only as a special treat.

I've had the backhouse on my list for a while and finally had an occasion to give it a try for a…read morecelebration. I preordered a deluxe platter ($450) which comes with 60 assorted nigiri for pickup on a holiday Monday around 1:30pm. Ordering via their form online was simple and easy and I received plenty of communication leading up to the pickup on where/when to pickup and who to contact for any changes or concerns. The pickup spot in San Mateo is a ghost kitchen setup, and parking was a little difficult (I got dropped off while my ride circled around). Once inside, there are a few tablets as well as doorbells labeled with different businesses. I pressed the one labeled for the backhouse and got our order at the door after waiting for a few minutes - there do also seem to be a lot of people picking up delivery service orders and generally seems to be confusing for the other businesses in the same space but I was able to get in and out pretty quickly. Onto the sushi - everything was delicious and they were kind enough to give us 3 of everything as I had requested to make it easier to split between our party of 3 which I really appreciate. The rice was nicely seasoned and not over or undercooked, and the standout has to be the uni. I really liked the asortment of fish/topping combinations and felt like there was a good mix of unique offerings and classics but the one thing I wished we had was some kind of guide or lost of what the fish we had were so I could better appreciate what I was eating. Overall, I'm glad I finally got to try the Backhouse and it was definitely tasty and a convenient way to enjoy some really high quality fish, but I think personally I prefer having the fish in a way where I can know more about what I'm eating to really enjoy the meal :)

Amazing! This was our first time here, and we'll definitely be back for more. We came on a Friday…read morenight right when they opened. It's a little hole-in-the-wall spot, so it can be easy to miss, but they're serving fresh, high-quality fish. It's pretty small inside, but we were able to get seated right away. People started trickling in shortly after, though, so I can definitely see this place getting busy, especially during prime time. FOOD Salmon Sampler - 5/5 Very fresh! O-Toro - 5/5 Fresh and good! Japanese Uni Nigiri - 5/5 This was really good and creamy. Noma Roll - 3/5 This was okay. There were too many tempura flakes, which overpowered the entire roll. Dragon Roll - 5/5 Lion King Roll - 4/5 Karaage - 5/5 The kids really enjoyed this. Overall, we had a great experience for our first visit. Next time, I'd like to try more of their specialty rolls and some of their other special items as well.

Fish was fresh but that's about it…read more Sushi rice had absolutely no taste Salmon skin salad had no dressing and was just fried salmon with a little bit of salmon still attached to the skin. Meh The $39 10-piece signature Nigiri was disappointing. All it was maguro, salmon and some weird white fish. Tasteless. I did have some bluefin tuna roll that's supposed to have truffle with it, but had absolutely no hint of truffle but was the most decent dish of the night I wouldn't go back.

Overall, a really solid spot that the whole family enjoyed--the kids especially loved the beef…read moretongue curry. Most of the seafood and skewers hit the mark, with just one miss on the veggies. The Highlights: Abalone in Shell with vermicelli (5/5): Fresh, tender, and perfectly prepared. Scallops in Shell with Vermicelli (5/5): Fantastic flavor and texture Beef Tongue Curry: Rich, comforting, and a huge hit with the kids. The tongue was cooked just right. Skewers & Sides: Abalone Skewers (4/5): slightl larger pieces than the ones served in the shell, tasty and well-charred. Shrimp Skewers (4/5): Well-seasoned and cooked properly without drying out. Corn Skewers (3/5): A bit of a letdown. Heavily over-seasoned to the point where the natural sweetness of the corn was completely lost. Definitely worth a visit for the seafood and curry--we'll be back, but will likely skip the corn next time.

Exactly what you're expecting when you want skewers. Everything was flavorful and well-cooked…read more Favorites were spicy beef skewers, mochi bacon, scallop in butter sauce, grilled oyster with garlic. The mentaiko udon stir fry was ok. I would skip the duck breast as it was kind of dry and not as flavorful as the other options they have. Price is borderline on still being somewhat reasonable but can add up quick if you have a big appetite. Decor made the ambiance nice. Service was fine. Food may be a little slow to come out depending on how busy they are. There is street parking but may be hard to get a spot during dinner time.

loooove kikoro's huge vegetarian sushi menu! so so so appreciated! very yummy sushi with beautiful…read morepresentation and rlly refreshing mango lemonade. also love that it's right next to a menchies for froyo hehe. def would come back. :)

I've eaten here probably 10+ times over the last couple years. Same experience every time…read more Food grade: A Service grade: C- to D Clarification on service: They are functionally very good (timely service, cleanliness) but very cold and unfriendly. Had the same experience every time. Make you feel kind of uncomfortable from placing your orders to asking for more napkins or anything. They have a fluid serving staff meaning you don't necessarily have the same serving staff throughout your experience. Our main server this evening was a man. He fit the description I previously provided about the poor service. There was a woman who helped us a couple times and she was much more friendly. Kudos to her. But generally, the overall service is as I described. If I'm spending $100-$200 plus leaving a good tip, I expect a good serving experience and they do not provide that. Huge opportunity area for the restaurant. It deters me from eating there which is sad because I love the food.

We had a great time eating here. We went towards the end of the night, but were still treated to…read moreexcellent food, wonderful & friendly service, and good drinks, we never felt rushed, neglected, or resented for being one of the final diners & drinkers. This restaurant/bar is among one of the best, fun, and hospitable family-owned Japanese restaurants in San Mateo (along with Sushi Edomata, Izakaya Mai, and Fuji Sukiyaki) serving tasty food, delicious cocktails, and attentive service in a spacious, clean, and dynamic atmosphere. Plus, staying until close & afterwards, meant that I could catch up with Victor (the owner) & his son Bryan (the bartender) who I haven't seen since Tokie's Foster City days, I can't believe they've been here going on 8 years! We came to drink & snack & socialize after a movie, Izakaya-style. No disappointments here as far as drinks go: we tried the Cloud 9, Shiso Beautiful, White Lotus, and the Paloma. Each cocktail was presented in its own unique glass and the complex tastes really came out with every sip. The alcohol was not overpowering, and the many ingredients in each cocktail really came out delightfully & subtly. Of course, the bartenders preparing & serving them were really on top of their drink game and were very friendly, engaging, personable, and like-able. Since we were sitting st the bar itself, it was quite easy to keep the drinks coming, though much to the damage of our overall final tab, yikes! Food-wise, we needed some snacks to soak up this boozy escapade, so we ordered mostly appetizers & small plates. The Chili-garlic edamame was terrific & delightfully spicy. The tofu steak was pretty meaty tasting & filling for just being tofu, with a wonderfully sweet glaze & firm texture. The grilled eggplant was a big portion, also very tasty and a good compliment to the tofu steak. We also tried some mushroom miso soup & sesame spinach to round out the healthy eating intended to balance out the booze session. All the food was served quickly, well-presented, generously-portioned, warm, fresh, and with great flavors, good seasoning, and perfectly prepared. Then came closing time, and once the doors were locked, money counted, bills settled, and counters cleaned, Victor & Bryan treated us like family as they unwinded & relaxed from a busy Saturday night dinner crowd. We shared shots of sake, whiskey, vodka, and beer, and had a wonderful friendly time catching up on things past. I had not seen Victor & Bryan wasn't even born yet when I used to hang out at Tokie's in the original Foster City location. I actually prefer the San Mateo one now, it's spacious, warm, inviting, it uses a lot of wood accents to make it calm, comfortable, and fun to hang out. Lighting is dim, music is low, so it encourages conversation, socializing, and intimate interactions. I'd consider this to be one of the better Japanese restaurants in San Mateo- good food, interesting drinks, amazing service & hospitality, all in a warm, comfortable, and appealing space. It gets super busy here, and parking around here is really difficult, so either come early or come late, and maybe take an Uber/Lyft or walk through Central Park to get here. But you'll be glad that you did, because Tokie's is a solid culinary, alcohol, and social experience. Will be back for more, and I don't want to wait a few years to do it again, maybe just a few days this time, I've been missing out on the party here!

I had been wondering about this place for a while. It didn't disappoint. We tried chicken…read moreteriyaki and mixed tempura. Restaurant was busy on a Wednesday night, lots of families. Service was a little slow but everyone working there is very nice. I would go back.

It's a nice cozy restaurant, food was amazing of course I have to try toro and doesn't disappoint.,…read morebut to top it all, the servers were so great especially when I told her that it was my son's bday. They were so happy to greet him bday.

Local gem, very unassuming on the outside, but it's consistently booked and after trying it out, I…read morecan understand why. The fish is incredibly fresh, the ambiance is cozy, and the sushi chefs/waitresses are so friendly and sweet. We got the deep fried oysters in sweet vinegar sauce as an appetizer. So good! The oysters were placed in a brothy vinegar sauce, which cut the richness of the fried batter. I wish it was served hot, but it was more lukewarm. Taste was still great. We did the 8 piece omakase, which also comes with egg castella at the end. Every piece of fish, even the ones I normally don't love, was fresh and delicious. We also got a few hand rolls, which were solid. Pricing is super fair for the quality. This is one we'll be back to again and again.