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Blue Sky Café

4.3 (666 reviews)
ModerateChinese
Closed • Closed
Updated 2 months ago

Blue Sky Café Photos

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BLUE SKY CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Blue Sky Café

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Pumpkin with salted egg yolk
Allena C.

*** U P D A T E *** It's been a few years since our first visit to this cozy and casual Chinese eatery, but we still think about Blue Sky every now and then. It's rare that we're in this area, but we made a point to come back from SSF and give them another try. Like our first visit, there was a waitlist! We got here on a weekday at lunchtime around 12:30, and there were 3 parties ahead of us. Thankfully, the wait was only about 15 minutes this time. The owner was friendly and welcoming. Once we sat down, it took us forever to decide what we wanted to order! We ended up placing our order with the owner, but you can also order through the QR code on the table. *** O U R P I C K S *** BEEF CHOW FUN ~ good flavor and wok hei. We really enjoyed this dish! So much so that we ate the rest for dinner too! 5/5 PUMPKIN WITH SALTED EGG YOLK ~ this was a memorable dish for me from our first visit, so I definitely wanted to have it again this time. Still very good! The pumpkin is mildly sweet, while the salted egg yolk adds a little saltiness that balances everything out. 5/5 SWEET AND SOUR PORK ~ something we almost never order, but my partner was craving something sweet and tangy. The meat was nicely fried, so it didn't get too soggy even after being coated in the sauce. Good dish that seems popular among their customers. 4/5 BAKED PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW WITH SPAGHETTI ~ out of all the dishes, this one was bland and our least favorite. The sauce had more of a mild yellow curry flavor with coconut milk. It also didn't really look baked, since there was no browning on top that you'd normally expect from a baked dish. The stew itself was good, but we probably wouldn't order this one again. 3/5 Generous portions for every dish! Two people could easily get away with ordering just one dish and be satisfied. But with so many tempting choices on the menu, it's hard to order just one! Now we have tons of leftovers that'll last us for a few days! Oh, and the owner gave us a sample of their homemade hot chili sauce. It was tasty and savory, but nothing too spicy. My partner enjoyed it so much that he wanted a jar to take home! So we bought one to go for $8. With so many good things on the menu, we'll definitely have to come back again sooner than later. Already thinking about what we'll order next! Can't wait!!

Only Salt and Pepper Pork Chop is 5/5
Yvonne Y.

We came to Blue Sky last night just for the salt and pepper spare ribs and pork chop, which are usually the dishes we crave. We also decided to try a couple of things we had never ordered before after seeing other tables enjoy them. The beef chow fun looked amazing when we saw someone else order it, so we gave it a try. Unfortunately, it was a bit disappointing. The noodles were on the dry side and lacked the flavorful wok hei and savory taste that I usually look for in a good beef chow fun. It was just missing that something special. We also ordered the Chinese chicken salad because we wanted something lighter to balance out the meal. I was expecting the traditional shredded chicken with lettuce, but instead it came with thin tortilla-style chips underneath. That really changed the whole feel of the dish for me. I was hoping for a refreshing salad, but the chips made it feel more greasy, and the mustard oil dressing was not really my preference. The chicken was also a little dry. I probably would not order this again. The good news is the salt and pepper spare ribs were still delicious, just like we expected. They remain one of our favorites here. Overall, I would stick with the dishes we already know and love and skip the beef chow fun and chicken salad next time.

Hainan Chicken Rice Plate &  Milk Tea Hong Kong Style
Michele T.

Craving Hainan Chicken. Placed an online order and picked up shortly after. Chicken was moist - good with the ginger scallion sauce. Just plain rice, though. HK Milk Tea good complement.

Clams, Sauteed Large Pea Spout with Egg Tofu, salt and pepper pork chops
Crystal H.

We walked in Tuesday around 7pm and had to wait about an hour. This place is sure busy! We ordered Eel clay pot, Clams, Sauteed Large Pea Spout with Egg Tofu, salt and pepper pork chops, and herbal grass jelly. Everything was good. Nothing was overly salty.

Chicken Chow Mein
John V.

This was the best restaurant we ate at while in the San Francisco area. A small family owned Chinese gem. We had about a 45 minute wait as the dining room is quite small. Maybe only 15 tables? Nothing fancy here but all the food I saw come out looked simply wonderful. We picked a couple basic dishes but they were certainly top notch. I'm no expert but everything seemed very authentic. Delicious.

Leona V.

My new comfort spot for claypot rice! Also loved the egg tofu w pea shoots. Wait can get up to 2 hours by 5pm on a weekend. Takes 30 minutes for claypot but so worth. Didn't find any bones in the eel claypot Easy to order for your table with QR code. Staff were really friendly and sweet, very obviously an appreciated spot in the community.

General's Chicken lunch special, I can't believe how much I crave it
Nicholas W.

Going to update my review here since I've now been here ~10 times. Let me say this place is an EASY five stars but since I've been a lot of times I have noticed some things that could be better. That said, I'll talk about the good things first. Pretty much everything on the menu is good here. If there's something that sounds interesting, get it. If you've been curious about spaghetti dishes at southern Chinese restaurants, get one. The General's Chicken is actually insanely good here, like the best lunch special I know anywhere, and it's General's Chicken. Hainan chicken, salt and pepper spare ribs, rice clay pots, eggplant dishes, and even Chinese curry are items I commonly see ordered around me. The tofu seafood claypot is fantastic. Pretty sure they have Peking spareribs and they were great iirc. The chow fun dishes are only good, not super exceptional, you rarely see people order them. Alright the few things I've noticed that could be improved have all happened when I come closer to closing than opening. I've had a couple times where the tea kettle was still soapy, so the tea tasted awful. Their kettles keep the tea piping hot for the whole meal, so maybe that makes them hard to clean. But I've also had the tea come not very hot. They don't like giving you water and tea, some Chinese service lol. And for some reason, the food has also been a bit worse when I came later too Space is small and it can be crowded, especially on weekends. Come early for the best experience

Joyce L.

I haven't been back to this place for a few years and thought I should give them a try again when I saw a huge line as I passed through the area. I was here around 5:15pm and the place was packed already. I ended up waiting over an hour for a table. Was it worth it? Not really to be honest. This is a neighborhood mom and pop restaurant. The owner used to be really friendly but I think over time, he's overworked and started to show signs of attitude. Their portion size remained to be large, so definitely expect left over. The price had gone up significantly but reasonably justified. The tofu dried scallop vegetable entree was about $28.95 if I recalled correctly. If you want to save a little, just order the bean sprouts without the toppings.

Indonesian Fried Rice
Mark L.

I'm going to regret writing this review. This place is tiny but apparently very popular. 11:30 and it's packed with line out the door. Any positive review gonna... Oh well... Milk tea. Legit! Better than some HK style restaurant. Indonesian fried rice - Excellent wok air and huge portion. Bake pork chop rice - Be mindful this is not baked pork chop over rice like usual one. This one is pan fried pork chop over white rice. They add a little bit cheese and the sauce actually pretty good, like the better HK 茶餐廳 style. Suggestion? Go with fried rice and use 吉列豬扒 instead of pan fried. Big difference.

4/26 - Chinese Sausage & Preserved Meat Clay Pot Rice
Dexter D.

I wanted my dad to experience the Clay Pot Rice here so I dragged him over from the East Bay. I asked if he'd prefer the Eel or the Chinese Sausage with Preserved Meta and he asked, "why not both?". Because neither Clay Pots comes with very much in the way of vegetables, I also ordered a plate of Buddha's Delight. Additionally, he got a hot milk tea and I got an iced one. Perfect meal with plenty of leftovers! I have one suggestion that might help the restaurant. They have three rows of tables. The middle row consists of two four-tops. Get rid of those two tables and install four two-tops instead. That way, the tables can be pulled apart and single diners won't tie up a four-top and more diners can eat at the same time without having to share tables. Great service, great food. Get there early if you don't want to have to wait for a table. Blue Sky consistently rocks!

Pumpkin with Salted Egg
Amber F.

Authentic Cantonese-style restaurant located on the border of San Mateo and Belmont/San Carlos. Very limited seating, so make sure to get there 10-15 minutes before they open (or you'll have to wait for a table). They also take to-go orders, but they do cut off orders once it gets busy. The parking lot is kinda of a nightmare (narrow, so you have to make 3+ point turns to get out). We ordered 6 dishes for a party of 5. We heard they're known for their Pumpkin w/ Salted Egg and Minced Pork w/ Salted Fish, so we started off with those. We also ordered Eggplant w/ Garlic Sauce, Beef Chow Fun, Salt and Pepper Fish Fillet, and Egg Tofu. My favorites were the Minced Pork w/ Salted Fish (get bowls of rice to go with it, or just order the fried rice version) and the Salt and Pepper Fish Fillet.

Chicken and Shiitake Mushroom Clay Pot
Madison B.

Ambiance: A small Cantonese restaurant with sit down tables and take out available. The tables are decently spaced out from one another but can be a little noisy and crowded during peak hours to eat. Wait time: Take out is roughly 30-40 minutes or slightly over depending on the food you order and could be longer if you attempt to sit down due to popularity and limited space available for dine in. Service: Extremely friendly staff who were both efficient and diligent with dine in guests and managing take out orders as they were ready. Food: Extremely good clay pot rice without feeling overly greasy or heavy on the palette. The chicken tasted fresh and the shiitake mushrooms provided an earthiness to the chicken along with Chinese sausage to bring a slightly sweet flavor balancing out the dish. They do offer two various styles of spicy sauce which both pair well with the clay pots and further compliment both the mushrooms and the Chinese sausage. I would definitely recommend checking out Blue Sky Cafe for good Cantonese food and friendly staff, but beware of potential wait times due to limited seating available if you are in a rush.

Sautéed green beans with tofu
Elly P.

Delicious Hidden Gem! Food: - Salted fish minced pork clay pot rice: Star of the show! This specialty is hard to find, and it did not disappoint! The rice was perfectly crispy which added a multitude of textures. Good portion of tender meat which exploded with both meaty and salted fish flavors! - Salt and Pepper Fish Filet: tasted like asian fish sticks! large portion sizes and light flavoring - Sautéed green beans with tofu: crisp green beans! the cook knew what they were doing, paired well with the tofu Service/Ambiance: - Parking: there is a small parking lot in front, but more parking in the back lot - Service: polite cantonese employees - Seating: only a couple tables, so make sure you come early if you don't want to wait!

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Reviews are largely positive. Diners praise the authentic Cantonese food, large portions, and friendly staff.

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Ask the Community - Blue Sky Café

How successful are walk-ins during dinner time?

Me and hubby check in 30 min after opening time for dinner on a weekday and didn't have to wait ! It's our second time here! We came last time for lunch and waited about 45min but was worth the wait😅

How does this place compare to SilverLake on El camino in San Mateo?

This is better but both serve different cuisines. SilverLake is cheaper especially with 3 3-item combo. Silverlake is kind of Hongkong style cuisine and this is China.

How long do I have to wait?

It depends on what time you arrive there. I have seen a minimal wait time when they just open up. They do accept reservations.

Do they have indoor dining yet?

There was a recent post on Nextdoor from a customer who asked the owner this same question. He was told that Blue Sky cannot reopen indoor dining because they were hit with two opportunistic lawsuits for ADA non-compliance, and it would cost… 

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Peking Alley

3.9(316 reviews)
1.5 mi
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Solid Beijing cuisine with huge portions and a great value. We came for an early Tuesday dinner,…read morethe restaurant was mostly empty but they seemed to be doing a solid takeout business, and more guests trickeled in later. Staff was friendly and checked on us occasionally to make sure all was well. We ordered: - Smoked chicken (5/5): Definitely the star of the night, this was a cold dish perfectly smoked and tender. A large portion that seemed like a whole chicken and a steal for only $23 - Green Beans (4.5/5): Another large portion, well charred with perfect texture. Served with ground pork and a hint of spice - Meatball Clay Pot (3.5/5): the server did say it was soupy but it was probably my mistake as I thought it would be more like the Shanghainese lion head braised meatballs. Instead it was a very simple clear broth with Napa cabbage, small meatballs and a few strands of vermicelli noodles. The broth flavor was extremely mild and the meatballs didn't have much flavor and were firmer than expected. Our Cantonese friend liked it as he felt it was homey and comforting but I felt it was too boring - House Special Fried Rice (4/5): another huge portion, a solid egg fried rice with very large shrimp and some beef. - Pan Fried Beef Buns (2/5): In Beijing these are often translated to Doornail Meat Buns due to their round shape. Extremely juicy, almost like a gravy inside, and generously filled but the beef tasted a bit gamey which may be due to the spices used, but were off putting to us.

We came to celebrate my husbands birthday. The fish and eggplant clay pot and the honey walnut…read moreprawns were delicious! The prawns were jumbo. Eggplant bursting with flavors. Portions were generous. They gifted us some sesame balls with red bean, they were delicious. The service was friendly and homely. Thank you for a delicious dinner.

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Peking Alley - Cute and cheerful dining area.  This business also does lots of takeout!

Cute and cheerful dining area. This business also does lots of takeout!

Peking Alley - Cumin Lamb, Beijing Mu Shu Pork, Soft Tofu, and Chive Pie - Photo taken 12/6/2025.

Cumin Lamb, Beijing Mu Shu Pork, Soft Tofu, and Chive Pie - Photo taken 12/6/2025.

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Sunshine HK Cafe - Bbq pork over rice with egg - only on weekends | ig : whaevaeats

Sunshine HK Cafe

4.0(229 reviews)
0.7 mi
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Locally owned & operated
Catering service

No wait and not crowded on a Sunday evening. Interior is nicely decorated, homey, and comfortable…read more Service is friendly, and food was served quickly. Prices reasonable. We shared the cheese baked bolognese spaghetti, BBQ pork and pan-fried egg, salt & pepper wings, and Hong Kong style club sandwich and fries. My favorites were the cheese baked bolognese spaghetti which was piping hot and hearty, and the salt & pepper wings which were thick juicy flats that were also piping hot. We also all got a cup of the hot Hong Kong style milk tea. Loved the cup and presentation. Everything was pretty solid and I like that their menu is extensive and has a large variety. No complaints about the food / service, would come back.

It's great to see that they have a restaurant is now located on El Camino--growing from their…read morelocation on Laurel Avenue. I still remember their early start at the food hall in San Mateo. It's so good to find really delicious Hong Kong comfort food outside of San Francisco. I keep coming back because it tastes delicious--it does check the "comfort food" checkbox for me & my taste. The menu has a lot of choices--HK style breakfast, BBQ lunch combos (& lunch combos in general), afternoon tea time snacks (cha-chaan teng). Anytime is the right time to visit for me--breakfast, lunch or dinner. Definitely worth checking out! NOTE: No cash is accepted--card only.

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Sunshine HK Cafe - Steak & Egg =)

Steak & Egg =)

Sunshine HK Cafe - Breakfast Menu - Side 1

Breakfast Menu - Side 1

Sunshine HK Cafe - Breakfast Menu (Side 2)

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Breakfast Menu (Side 2)

Ping’s Bistro - 椒麻脆贡菜Lettuce Stem Salad with Sichuan Peppers

Ping’s Bistro

4.1(115 reviews)
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a very traditional hunan/yunnan spot! the prices are on the higher end but it's worth in my opinion…read morebecause you pay for high quality ingredients and dishes you don't find in most places in the US. we got the: - 小炒下山菌(白灵菇,金耳,鹿茸菌,虫草花)Sauteed Mixed Seasonal Mushrooms ($29.99) - 姬松茸蜜汁红烧肉 Braised Pork Belly w.Blaze Mushroom ($24.99) - 大理酸木瓜炖黑鱼片(鱼嫩汤鲜) Yunnan Style Spicy & Sour Papaya w.Snake Headed Fish Fillet Soup ($42.99) - 千巴蘭韭菜花炒土豆丝 Stir-Fried Hot & Sour Shredded Potato ($15.99) my favorites were the fish fillets soup and mushrooms!

So I'm an OG who has lived in mid-Pen for 25 years, grew up with uncles who owned a very popular…read morechinese restaurant in a different state, and consider myself with refined food palate and know where the good local all asian restaurants are. Forgive me PING'S, but I only recently discovered this really terrific restaurants w/a cuisine from a region called Yunnan I had not discovered before. We got a "funghi" (mushroom) dish that the region is known for and it was amazing. The braised pork belly was really well cooked that was tender but not over done. The lastly got a veggie dish called "chayote leaves" that again, I had not even heard of, we decided to try even though the price seemed a bit expensive; it was absolutely one of my new favorite vegetable dishes and hard to describe. They do put alot of red peppers in many of the dishes so if you don't like spicy, it may not be for you. We saw other tables order frog legs and a fish dish looked quite good too, so this is very local Chinese. Lastly, this restaurant was quite busy on a Friday night with long lines and now we know why. Even though they were very busy, the services even more so for a Chinese restaurant was really good and they checked up on us many times. Ping's will be part of our regular rotation of mid-Pen restaurants now going forward. Highly recommend.

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Ping’s Bistro
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Blue Sky Café - chinese - Updated November 2026

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