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Food portions are shareable. Staff and service are great. Drink menu is ok. Indoor and outdoor seating.
Nice restaurant located in the heart of Willow Glen downtown. Beautiful indoors with lots of greenery. We visited around 5 PM on a Saturday and were placed immediately. Our first time trying Burmese cuisine. Went for the popular dishes Tea Leaf Salad, Chicken coconut curry noodles, Pork Belly with Green Mustard. Loved the Tea Leaf Salad, had a great balance of greens, tea leaf paste and crunch. The server mixes up the dishes in front of you which added to the experience. They highlighted Nan Gyi Thoke (Coconut Chicken Curry noodles) as their favorite dish. The sliced Boiled eggs for decoration elevated the dish. Overall a fun experience. Hope to return soon and try other interesting items on the menu.
Never tried Burmese food but this place was great! Samosas were crispy and fragnav with spice Burmese shrimp chow mein: garlic noodles with a hint of spice 10/10
It's good. A bit too salty. Service was nice and attentive. The place looks nice and vibrant. A bit too salty for some's taste though. The fried food was also oily. I think getting a stir fried thing is best here.
The interior was beautiful. The restaurant also has a bar area. Parking can be challenging in the middle of downtown Willow Glen. I came here for Mother's Day and saw a discount on Yelp that disappeared after I inquired about it. I decided to dine here anyway because parking took awhile. The portions are shareable between two people. Prices are steeper here as well. I have had better Burmese food elsewhere and will likely not return. Workers were nice and patient. The dishes came out very far apart, making it difficult to enjoy everything at once. My family liked the nan gyi curry chicken. The tea salad was okay. The chow mein and walnut shrimp was not memorable.
This place took over the Opa! spot next to the creamery. Inside is nicely decorated with modern furniture. Staff was at the door to immediately welcome guests in. Our group of 4 were starving and ordered the egg plant shrimp in garlic sauce, garlic noodles, shrimp rolls, and the pumpkin pork stew. Everything was delicious! The egg plant pieces were ginormous and the pumpkin pieces too. They did not skimp on the described items in the menu. The shrimp with the egg plant was very garlicky which was expected. The shrimp rolls had great crunch to them. The pumpkin prom stew was good and kind of like a curry with a unique flavor. I would order it again. The garlic noodle was a basic item but still very good base for the dishes. I will definitely be going back!
Food was really good. The tea leaf salad was super flavorful and fresh. The kebat beef (I didn't get to take a pic of it ) was also a standout and the coconut rice paired well with everything. Parking was honestly a struggle and the place gets pretty crowded, but the wait wasn't bad. We got seated pretty quickly since there were more tables outside than inside. We ended up sitting outdoors, which was fine but a bit busy. Service stood out though. The staff were attentive and kept checking in to make sure we were doing okay. Overall, a solid spot if you don't mind the parking situation!
The patio right next to the fountain in the heart of Willow Glen is what caught our eye. My girlfriend and I were finding a spot for lunch today. Burma Roots was just what we wanted... a nice outdoor ambiance, attentive staff, and lots of yummy veggie heavy lunch options. We shared two things... The lettuce wraps with chopped shrimp and the basil lemongrass stirfry with rice. The lettuce wraps came with ice cold crispy romaine and a delicious hoisin sauce. I like the way they chopped up the veggies and the shrimp into a small, "scoop" size, delicious! We also shared the stir fry... the vegetables were nice and crunchy. The sauce was a little spicy, which I liked, but just FYI. Lots of large pieces of portobello mushrooms, which made it heartier than some other veggie dishes. The service was spot on! We were greeted and seated immediately. Water was brought to the table and our drink order & food orders were both taken quickly. Nice service staff. We will definitely be going back to Burma roots.
I would rate this 3 1/2 stars. I've been meaning to try Burma Roots & tonight I had my chance. My friend and I shared the Basil Lemongrass chicken, and the Tea Leaf salad. For the appetizer we shared the Samosas. There was plenty of seating, and large booths, which is always appreciated. We were seated right away, which is awesome, especially since it was Friday night. Our favorite dish I think was the Tea Leaf salad. The basil lemongrass chicken was pretty decent as well. The least favorite, and the biggest disappointment, was the Samosas. They were a little burnt on the bottom and they tasted mushy. I'm not super picky about Samosas. However, these were probably the worst I've had. No taste either. We go to an Indian market in West San Jose that makes even a way far superior Samosa. Anyhow, I'm knocking one star off for that. Also, I'm knocking off one star because the booth I was sitting in, the seat was not secured, so I kept falling. It was a really awkward feeling. I don't like to feel like I'm slipping out of my seat lol. The service was fast and friendly, which was appreciated.
The restaurant is located conveniently in downtown Willow Glen and there's a parking lot nearby. It looks nice, modern, well decorated and everything seems fairly new (since it opened a year or less ago). We were greeted by a friendly server who asked us if we wanted a booth or table - we came a little early, so it wasn't too crowded. It was a Saturday, and I don't know if there are lunch specials during the week, but nothing on the weekend. That would have been nice - I always like lunch specials that give you lunch sized portions and some small things (cup of soup, small app type items) to go along with it for variety. We ordered two dishes, the Moat Hingar (fish chowder noodle soup) which uses catfish along with vermicelli in the soup itself. There's a plate with chili flakes, a hard boiled egg, and some deep fried starch that you can break up and add into the soup for texture and taste. This part was a little heavier/thicker than what would have been ideal for me, but it was still fine. The soup was a little thicker than I expected, not creamy thick, but more like corn starchy thick, though I'm really not sure what the thickening ingredient was. I would have been slightly happier with a thinner soup, but it was still fine. The taste was pretty good. The Burma House Noodles were seasoned very much like pad Thai is, but it was on the sweet end of the spectrum as far as that goes. I got tofu as the protein, and there was plenty of that, nice and firm. Overall, it was good, but not great for my tastes. To be honest, the issue here, for me, is I'm not exactly sure what Burmese food is supposed to taste like. I know Thai food and many other types of Asian food, but the subtleties of Burmese food aren't known to me, so I could either give it the benefit of the doubt and say "I guess this is what it's supposed to taste like?" or grade it to my own particular taste and less than informed expectations and I could be grading too harshly when it's exactly what it should be. I've chosen to give it the benefit of the doubt. So to my taste, it would have been ~3.5 stars, but I'll give it 4. Would I come back? Well, I wouldn't go out of my way to come back or suggest it as a place to meet up for a meal, but I'd be like "yeah, sure, we can do that." if it were suggested to me. I might ask the staff what they'd recommend or what they think they do particularly well versus winging it like I did this last time. I'd suggest they take down the Grand Opening banner though, as it states there's a discount until May xx, 2025, and it just looks a little dated to have that still hanging there when the banner is outdated and doesn't apply any longer.
Came here for lunch on Saturday around noon. Parking at the Town Square garage at the back was easy. The entrance with the water fountain looked really pretty The restaurant wasn't crowded at all. Inside had a cool vibe as well. Service was friendly. We ordered two noodle dishes to share. They came really quickly. The Fish Chowder Noodle Soup was pretty flavorful and not fishy at all. I liked that the toppings came on a separate plate so that the Burmese fritter didn't become soggy. The Burma House Noodle with tofu was just mediocre at best. The dried tofu was kind of hard; the noodles were too sweet and needed more spice. I was quite disappointed at the food as I had high expectations because of their ratings.
My family and I came here on Sunday around 7pm and we were very pleased with everything we got and how quickly we were seated. The food was delicious and it came out pretty fast. The service was great and very friendly. The ambiance made me feel at home as it was very cozy. I would come back with my friends and family. The Shan Tofu is a must try as it's very crispy and light.
What a great restaurant! My friends and I wanted to try a new place and we decided to come since none of us have ever been. I've never been to a Burmese restaurant before so I was excited to try knew things. We arrived on a Friday evening around 6 and it was moderately busy and got busier as the night went on. Our server was nice and took our drink order right away and soon after our food order. Their menu has a good variety and the dishes aren't far from something you have eaten before. What we ordered: String beans Honey- Glazed Walnut shrimp Garlic noodles Their servings are family style and the three items we ordered were plenty. We even had leftovers! We had a great experience here and will definitely be back! Be mindful of the parking, allow yourself extra time for this if you're coming for dinner.
Very good, interesting cuisine that deserves more attention. Excellent service and attractive space. Noisy tho. Full bar. Foods expertly seasoned. Very generous servings. Salads easily serve 3-4. Mains should also be shared. Tea leaf salad screams HEALTHY. DELISH. Sadly I forgot to take a photo. Attentive servers. read more
TLDR : Quick and pleasant service, nice ambiance, decent food. Tried Burma Roots and was a good experience. The tea leaf and mango salads were good. Mango salad could've been more flavorful. In the mains, the burma house noodles were amazing, the butter noodles and chow mein were okayish. Overall a good experience. read more
Pretty tasty Asian food. I haven't been to Burma so I can't tell you if it's authentic. But I'm going to guess it's geared towards the willow glen crowd a bit and the local audience. I haven't tried their tea salad yet like the other famous Burmese restaurant in SF. Decent portion sizes. They do give you some additional powdered chili flakes if you want to kick it up a notch. Nice place to grab a meal with a drink. Or have just a meal. Or just a drink with a decent bar too. Second time here. Can't remember what was ordered the first visit. Chicken biryani and Noodles with Shrimp were both a bit above average. About $20 each dish pre tax/tip. read more
6 days ago
Food portions are shareable. Staff and service are great. Drink menu is ok. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more
Nice restaurant located in the heart of Willow Glen downtown. Beautiful indoors with lots of greenery. We visited around 5 PM on a Saturday and were placed immediately. Our first time trying Burmese cuisine. Went for the popular dishes Tea Leaf Salad, Chicken coconut curry noodles, Pork Belly with Green Mustard. Loved the Tea Leaf Salad, had a great balance of greens, tea leaf paste and crunch. The server mixes up the dishes in front of you which added to the experience. They highlighted Nan Gyi Thoke (Coconut Chicken Curry noodles) as their favorite dish. The sliced Boiled eggs for decoration elevated the dish. Overall a fun experience. Hope to return soon and try other interesting items on the menu. read more
4 months ago
Never tried Burmese food but this place was great! Samosas were crispy and fragnav with spice Burmese shrimp chow mein: garlic noodles with a hint of spice 10/10 read more
The interior was beautiful. The restaurant also has a bar area. Parking can be challenging in the middle of downtown Willow Glen. I came here for Mother's Day and saw a discount on Yelp that disappeared after I inquired about it. I decided to dine here anyway because parking took awhile. The portions are shareable between two people. Prices are steeper here as well. I have had better Burmese food elsewhere and will likely not return. Workers were nice and patient. The dishes came out very far apart, making it difficult to enjoy everything at once. My family liked the nan gyi curry chicken. The tea salad was okay. The chow mein and walnut shrimp was not memorable. read more
This place took over the Opa! spot next to the creamery. Inside is nicely decorated with modern furniture. Staff was at the door to immediately welcome guests in. Our group of 4 were starving and ordered the egg plant shrimp in garlic sauce, garlic noodles, shrimp rolls, and the pumpkin pork stew. Everything was delicious! The egg plant pieces were ginormous and the pumpkin pieces too. They did not skimp on the described items in the menu. The shrimp with the egg plant was very garlicky which was expected. The shrimp rolls had great crunch to them. The pumpkin prom stew was good and kind of like a curry with a unique flavor. I would order it again. The garlic noodle was a basic item but still very good base for the dishes. I will definitely be going back! read more
5 months ago
Food was really good. The tea leaf salad was super flavorful and fresh. The kebat beef (I didn't get to take a pic of it ) was also a standout and the coconut rice paired well with everything. Parking was honestly a struggle and the place gets pretty crowded, but the wait wasn't bad. We got seated pretty quickly since there were more tables outside than inside. We ended up sitting outdoors, which was fine but a bit busy. Service stood out though. The staff were attentive and kept checking in to make sure we were doing okay. Overall, a solid spot if you don't mind the parking situation! read more
9 days ago
The patio right next to the fountain in the heart of Willow Glen is what caught our eye. My girlfriend and I were finding a spot for lunch today. Burma Roots was just what we wanted... a nice outdoor ambiance, attentive staff, and lots of yummy veggie heavy lunch options. We shared two things... The lettuce wraps with chopped shrimp and the basil lemongrass stirfry with rice. The lettuce wraps came with ice cold crispy romaine and a delicious hoisin sauce. I like the way they chopped up the veggies and the shrimp into a small, "scoop" size, delicious! We also shared the stir fry... the vegetables were nice and crunchy. The sauce was a little spicy, which I liked, but just FYI. Lots of large pieces of portobello mushrooms, which made it heartier than some other veggie dishes. The service was spot on! We were greeted and seated immediately. Water was brought to the table and our drink order & food orders were both taken quickly. Nice service staff. We will definitely be going back to Burma roots. read more
I would rate this 3 1/2 stars. I've been meaning to try Burma Roots & tonight I had my chance. My friend and I shared the Basil Lemongrass chicken, and the Tea Leaf salad. For the appetizer we shared the Samosas. There was plenty of seating, and large booths, which is always appreciated. We were seated right away, which is awesome, especially since it was Friday night. Our favorite dish I think was the Tea Leaf salad. The basil lemongrass chicken was pretty decent as well. The least favorite, and the biggest disappointment, was the Samosas. They were a little burnt on the bottom and they tasted mushy. I'm not super picky about Samosas. However, these were probably the worst I've had. No taste either. We go to an Indian market in West San Jose that makes even a way far superior Samosa. Anyhow, I'm knocking one star off for that. Also, I'm knocking off one star because the booth I was sitting in, the seat was not secured, so I kept falling. It was a really awkward feeling. I don't like to feel like I'm slipping out of my seat lol. The service was fast and friendly, which was appreciated. read more
The restaurant is located conveniently in downtown Willow Glen and there's a parking lot nearby. It looks nice, modern, well decorated and everything seems fairly new (since it opened a year or less ago). We were greeted by a friendly server who asked us if we wanted a booth or table - we came a little early, so it wasn't too crowded. It was a Saturday, and I don't know if there are lunch specials during the week, but nothing on the weekend. That would have been nice - I always like lunch specials that give you lunch sized portions and some small things (cup of soup, small app type items) to go along with it for variety. We ordered two dishes, the Moat Hingar (fish chowder noodle soup) which uses catfish along with vermicelli in the soup itself. There's a plate with chili flakes, a hard boiled egg, and some deep fried starch that you can break up and add into the soup for texture and taste. This part was a little heavier/thicker than what would have been ideal for me, but it was still fine. The soup was a little thicker than I expected, not creamy thick, but more like corn starchy thick, though I'm really not sure what the thickening ingredient was. I would have been slightly happier with a thinner soup, but it was still fine. The taste was pretty good. The Burma House Noodles were seasoned very much like pad Thai is, but it was on the sweet end of the spectrum as far as that goes. I got tofu as the protein, and there was plenty of that, nice and firm. Overall, it was good, but not great for my tastes. To be honest, the issue here, for me, is I'm not exactly sure what Burmese food is supposed to taste like. I know Thai food and many other types of Asian food, but the subtleties of Burmese food aren't known to me, so I could either give it the benefit of the doubt and say "I guess this is what it's supposed to taste like?" or grade it to my own particular taste and less than informed expectations and I could be grading too harshly when it's exactly what it should be. I've chosen to give it the benefit of the doubt. So to my taste, it would have been ~3.5 stars, but I'll give it 4. Would I come back? Well, I wouldn't go out of my way to come back or suggest it as a place to meet up for a meal, but I'd be like "yeah, sure, we can do that." if it were suggested to me. I might ask the staff what they'd recommend or what they think they do particularly well versus winging it like I did this last time. I'd suggest they take down the Grand Opening banner though, as it states there's a discount until May xx, 2025, and it just looks a little dated to have that still hanging there when the banner is outdated and doesn't apply any longer. read more
Came here for lunch on Saturday around noon. Parking at the Town Square garage at the back was easy. The entrance with the water fountain looked really pretty The restaurant wasn't crowded at all. Inside had a cool vibe as well. Service was friendly. We ordered two noodle dishes to share. They came really quickly. The Fish Chowder Noodle Soup was pretty flavorful and not fishy at all. I liked that the toppings came on a separate plate so that the Burmese fritter didn't become soggy. The Burma House Noodle with tofu was just mediocre at best. The dried tofu was kind of hard; the noodles were too sweet and needed more spice. I was quite disappointed at the food as I had high expectations because of their ratings. read more
3 months ago
My family and I came here on Sunday around 7pm and we were very pleased with everything we got and how quickly we were seated. The food was delicious and it came out pretty fast. The service was great and very friendly. The ambiance made me feel at home as it was very cozy. I would come back with my friends and family. The Shan Tofu is a must try as it's very crispy and light. read more
8 months ago
What a great restaurant! My friends and I wanted to try a new place and we decided to come since none of us have ever been. I've never been to a Burmese restaurant before so I was excited to try knew things. We arrived on a Friday evening around 6 and it was moderately busy and got busier as the night went on. Our server was nice and took our drink order right away and soon after our food order. Their menu has a good variety and the dishes aren't far from something you have eaten before. What we ordered: String beans Honey- Glazed Walnut shrimp Garlic noodles Their servings are family style and the three items we ordered were plenty. We even had leftovers! We had a great experience here and will definitely be back! Be mindful of the parking, allow yourself extra time for this if you're coming for dinner. read more
4 months ago
Hey there Party People Wondering around Willow Glen to check out Burma Roots. The restaurant has a great date night vibe. Very warm and cozy interior with a small amount of outdoor seating to enjoy the weather and people watch. Burmese cuisine is new to us so or waiter really helped us make some great decisions. We started with Palata with Chicken Curry Dip. It was a flat bread that was moist and soft, a very light coating of oil. The Curry sauce was very flavorful and was the perfect match for the bread. Everything is a shareable size which is nice so you can try more things without breaking the bank. The String Beans were the bomb. Nice mellow spicy kick that kept you coming back for more. The Garlic noodles were cooked well very reminiscent of Pad Thai. The garlic flavor was there with out knocking you over. The Burmese Chicken Curry rounded out the meal. It was a very hearty curry with large pieces of chicken and potatoes. Hubby really liked it but wished it had been spicier. I on the other hand thought it was a bit on the sweet side. I'm sure we could have gotten it made spicier if we asked when we ordered it. As a side note...if you're a vegetarian you really need to come here. You can have any dish made truly vegetarian. Be kind to one another read more
8 months ago
Finally got to check it out tonight. It was pretty good. We had the mango chicken, we tried the coconut chicken, curry, and we tried that walnut prawns. We also had the roti dessert which was served with orange slices and ice cream. The dessert was delicious. My two friends had dinner with really liked it, I just thought it was OK. But I have to try it one more time. The spring rolls are really good as well. I do not love spicy food and a lot of the items on the menu had a lot more jalapeño or garlic chips. I typically like so it could just be me. The quality seemed good. The service was good. They have a full bar and places to sit basically, it's the same exact layout, as it was when it was opa. I hope it gets busy and people fall in love with it because it's really nice to have a decent restaurant there on that big corner spot at Willow and Lincoln read more
Anchoring Willow Glen Square, this place is lively, spacious, and delicious. Burmese cuisine may will likely seem familiar as Myanmar (formerly Burma) borders other places (India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand) whose flavors you already have some experience with. Lesson over, let's eat! We split three dishes and each were big winners. It helped to look over the Yelp reviews first to get some guidance. Still, go for what sounds good for you. We started with the Tea Leaf Salad (Romaine lettuce, fried yellow beans, garlic chips, sesame & sunflower seeds, peanuts, tomatoes and jalapeños) tossed table-side with fermented green tea leaf dressing. So good, plenty of crunch, very fresh, and oh-so shareable. Our next two dishes were brought together. I wish they came out separately, but it was not a problem. The Fish Chowder Noodle Soup aka Moat Hingar: ('Authentic' fresh vermicelli noodle soup made with fresh vermicelli, fresh catfish, onions, garlic, cilantro, lemon, topped with chili & hard-boiled egg). On a chilly night, this especially hit the spot. Wonderful flavors and textures -- a little kick. Didn't spot much catfish, but presume it was integrated inside. Burmese Chicken Curry (Chicken and potatoes cooked in a Burmese curry sauce) is simple and simply delicious. It's also really large, like the other dishes, and that's the one that gave us some leftovers. We also ordered the Biryani rice, which had enough flavor but still pretty subtle not to disrupt the other flavors going on. Some have moaned that it's small, but really, it was plenty. And at $3.50, you can order another. In the spirit of things, I tried the Burma Ale on draft. Refreshing, with a hint of sweetness. Service was ok, though not exceptional. Had to look around a few times to ask for or about something. Still, overall, Burma Roots is a fantastic place to eat - and highly recommended. read more
4 months ago
I ordered the Tea Leaf Salad and the Garlic Noodles with Tofu. I always enjoy tea salad, and it was a neat show for them to mix the salad at the table. The garlic noodles were good, but not really remarkable. The service was good, and the ambience was quite beautiful with expensive looking decor. There was a lot of thought put into the decor of the place. read more
My wife and I met up with some friends at Burma Roots for dinner. Burma Roots is on the corner of Willow Street & Lincoln Avenue where Opa used to be. There is a parking lot close by and street parking around the area. Nicely decorated and a fairly large place that can accommodate large parties and/or an event. Two separate multi-user men and women's restrooms. The service from all the staff was really attentive, nice, and helpful (5/5). FOOD: Burma Candy Dream (Winter Special). Rum, mango puree, coconut, etc. (3.5/5) Burmese Iced Milk Tea (3.5/5) Tea Leaf Salad: Romaine lettuce, fried yellow beans, garlic chips, sesame & sunflower seeds, peanuts, tomatoes and jalapenos all tossed with fermented green tea leaf dressing (3.5/5). Black Pepper Beef: Cooked in a special sauce with red bell pepper, celery, carrot & onion sprinkle with black pepper (3.5/5). Fish Chowder Noodle Soup (Moat Hingar): Authentic fresh vermicelli noodle soup made with fresh vermicelli, fresh catfish, onions, garlic, cilantro, lemon, topped with chili & hard-boiled egg (3/5). Garlic Noodles: Flat egg noodle tossed with garlic and scallions in a tasty sauce (3/5). Chili Beef: Sliced beef or lamb cooked with dried & fresh chili, onions, and basil (3.5/5). Jasmine Rice and Coconut Rice. I'd be interested in trying other dishes here. Overall, 3.5 stars. read more
5 months ago
(Downtown Willow Glen) Food: *Mango Chicken (9/10)-Chicken wok tossed w/mango puree, fresh mangoes, basil & onions. Great potion size for protein. Really enjoyed the taste and texture of mango combined with the chicken. Could have added more mango puree. Loved the smell of basil. *Black Pepper Chicken (9/10)- Chicken breast cooked with garlic, onion, red bell peppers & black pepper. Again great portion size. Has a hint of spice and the chicken with sauce ratio is just the right amount. We were able to bring some home for this and mango chicken *Asian Fried Rice (Beef) 7.8/10- well cooked and seasoned. Beef was a bit too chewy though. Can choose between white or brown rice. *Burma Crispy Chicken (7.9/10) -Breaded meat in a sweet, tangy & spicy sauce w/ chili, garlic & ginger. Breaded portion was on the softer side for my preference. I wish it had more crunch into it. The seasoning was delicious though Ambience: very modern decorations. Offers outdoor/indoor sittings for small to larger groups Service: great service. Staff refilled our water, asked how the food was, and brought us what we would ask for at a timely manor. We were one of the first customers so we were lucky to get all our food quickly. Price: price is reasonable given the ambience, quality and service Parking: parking can be tough since it's limited. Side parking, corners, and small parking lots. read more
5 months ago
5 months ago
Came to this restaurant to meet some friends. The restaurant is beautiful inside and the services is welcoming, kind and helpful. The food was delicious! We had so many options it was hard to choose. We enjoyed the mocktails: Mango lemonade, Sangria, and Lechee-tini. We enjoyed the firey veggies mix. The veggies had a beautiful color, they flavors were so good and it was not very spicy. The Burmese chicken curry was so flavorful and creamy especially with the coconut rice-YUM! And of course our favorite the tea leaf salad. I was visiting from out of town but i definitely look forward to returning. Go Try It! You won't be disappointed! read more
If you haven't tried Burmese cuisine, Burma Roots will open your world to the culinary delights of this small southeast Asian country. Burma Roots is located on the corner of Willow and Lincoln smack in the middle of Willow Glen Square. Parking is plentiful. Upon arrival, park in the back lot, walk through the building and enter through the front gate passing by a beautiful water fountain. You can eat inside or opt for outdoor dining weather permitting. At night, heaters make the dining experience warm and comfortable. We ate outdoors at night. Now on to the best parts: the food and service. Wow! The meal was family style allowing everyone to partake in every dish. We started with the Palata and Chicken Curry Dip, Tea Leaf Salad and Samosas. If you love Roti Canai, you'll love the Palata too. The Tea Leaf Salad was a delayed explosion of flavors and aromas -- a palatable cornucopia of deliciousness. The mains were equally superlative that included: Eggplant Shrimp with Garlic Sauce, Burmese Chicken Curry, Basil Lemongrass Chicken and Burma House Noodles. We cleaned every plate including the three sides of Jasmine Rice. To finish the meal off, we had the Jackfruit Bananas dessert. Yum! read more
Love that there's a Burmese restaurant here. Food is flavorful and yummy but everything was very heavily sauced and greasy. The tea leaf salad was too salty as well. I usually have no trouble finishing salads but even between my husband and I, we left half of it behind. Also a warning that a lot of the food seemed to be mildly spicy including the mango chicken and lemongrass shrimp. We weren't warned about that and the kids weren't a fan. read more
16 days ago
Came here for lunch and ordered the Burma House Noodle with Shrimp and the Fiery Swai along with the Burma Ale. The noodles were wonderfully refreshing and the Fiery Swai was a very pleasant surprise. Staff was wonderful by being attentive at the same time being out of the way. We were blessed with a pleasant weather that allowed us to dine outdoors. Not as expensive as other similar establishments. Definitely warrants additional visits. read more
11 months ago
Honestly, this place is straight crack If you guys follow all of my reviews, I don't mess around with reviewing two and four star places. it's either one star, three star or five star. Well, once again, I was chasing the best fried rice and this place has it. You can choose from many different options, but the one that speaks to my soul is the Asian fried rice with barbecue slices and a fried egg on top. I brought two other people with me and honestly, they also agree with me that this qualifies to be graded as straight crack. Their words and mines as well. The service here is appropriate: they give you your space to talk to your friends and family and keep an eye on you in case you need something. When you're done with the dish, they come over and pick it up. They do not rush you even when they are about to close. I have posted some pictures of the ambience and honestly, you guys are sleeping on this place. I'm not a local here, but even when I drive out I support this place. So from zero out of 10, I give it a 10. Come have some straight crack. Edited review because I was riding the high from this place and realized I made typos. read more
Was in a salad mood, and can always count on Burmese salads to deliver! Came here on a Saturday around noon to satisfy my cravings. Willow Glen is always a bit busy during weekend meal hours, but it was relatively simple to find parking. We were seated immediately in outdoor seating to enjoy the sunny day. I usually always get the tea leaf salad, which is always a hit. Must try if you're getting Burmese food!! The salad includes fermented tea leaves, peanuts, sesame and sunflowers seeds, and plenty of lime dressing - it's crunchy, tangy, and umami. They mix the salad in front of you thoroughly, so every bite can get all ingredients. We also got the ginger salad this time, something we hadn't tried before. I am so glad we opted for this, because it blew away my expectations! There were thinly sliced pieces of ginger, which may seem intimidating, but blended incredibly well with the salad and was not overpowering. There were also roasted nuts and lime dressing, but tasted completely different from the tea leaf salad. A really unique flavor - not even sure how to describe it to be honest! Try it for yourself. Lastly, we usually get the crispy pork belly. This dish reminded me of char siu, except less sweet. The meat was cooked tenderly, and it was a generous portion in my opinion. Excellent Burmese food in the Bay Area! read more
Ordered to go and just came to pick up. It's nice that the restaurant is near a parking lot so hopefully you find parking. It was 5:30 pm on a Thursday so it was not too busy. They had my food ready on time. Garlic noodle: 3.5 stars. thin noodles very garlicky with garlic crumbles. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't packed down into a cube container. But I like the thinness of the noodle and flavor was good but very oily. Tea leaf salad: 3 stars. unfortunately it was already premixed with everything. I can see there is plenty of tea leaf but there is also a bite of heat on my tongue even though I had the jalapeños separated in another container. The salad was soggy as it was already mixed so I was somewhat disappointed. Although it had all the texture the flavors was just ok. If I could suggest they pack the salad and topping separately for people to go that would be helpful like Burma Bay. Salt and pepper calamari: 2 stars. There were calamari pieces but the batter was very much like fish stick batter but without much salt and pepper flavors. So I was very disappointed although it came it plenty of green onions and aromatics it can't make up for the salt and pepper flavors. read more
Must try! Been twice and still great! First time we went it was good, but that was day one. Went back again and it got better - they worked through the kinks and are operating just fine! All of the dishes we ordered were perfect and filled with a ton of unique flavors. TEA LEAF SALAD, BURMA CHOICE NOODLE, HONEY-GLAZED WALNUT SHRIMP, NAN GYI THOKE, EGGPLANT GARLIC Service was great ... the staff were all friendly and helpful with suggestions. And the venue is awesome. They have outdoor seating so I can bring my grandpups next time. The inside is big and clean with a nice bar. The only downfall is parking - Willow Glen can get VERY busy ... but the solution is.. go early :) Highly recommend you try it! Would I go again? OF COURSE!!! So much more to try! read more
Burma Roots is a Burmese restaurant on Willow Glen's Lincoln and Willow that isn't even a year old yet, a restaurant that took over Opa as multiple reviewers have typed up already. Of course, I recall the place not being a year old because their old grand opening banner is still up. Since I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to eat after responsibilities today, I figured that I should get Burmese food, food I can't recall if I'm trying for the first time or food I had in the past, but can't remember prior to today. What's wild is that a high school classmate/friend of mine actually went to this place last year, probably during the grand opening, and I discovered her review shortly after I was seated. Whatever doubts I had of the place not being good went out the window. Seeing that this place is right next to Willow Glen Creamery, I should type that this place would have received a perfect rating if it weren't for a major flaw as it battles a can't help it flaw in parking from the jump. As I type up the usual "Yes guys, the one lady I saw is cute" and "Yes ladies, the guys I saw are cute" statements or a variation of them while waiting for my one batch of clothes to be washed for the evening, I do recall that though the place, a simple and properly set looking place of portraits, was empty or close to it, I got a memorable first impression. Then, multiple parties came in, and the place became lively. There are two seperate menus: one for the foods and one for the drinks. While the method does seem wasteful, the method here is helpful because ordering at a Burmese restaurant can be overwhelming for a first timer as their foods and drinks aren't as well known as Korean ones for example. I requested Burmese milk ice tea, Shan tofu, the moat hingar, and the dessert palata. What's great is that as I wondered what's popular here, my server told me that not only does the tofu go well with the moat hingar. The dessert palata is his favorite dessert. Rabbit hole explaining. While both Thai and Burmese ice milk teas use condensed milk, Burma's version is just tea without anise or spices/food coloring unlike Thailand's. Shan tofu is called that because it comes from the region of Shan, but though it's called "Shan tofu", it actually is fried chickpeas; calling it a tofu alternative does make sense logically speaking and typing as much as I feel bad for typing that part seeing that it is good if you want fiber without the soy. Moat hingar/mohinga, Burma's national dish, is a fish chowder noodle dish of rice vermicelli noodles, fish, usually catfish, onions, cilantro and a bunch of other ingredients. Think of to a point the Burmese fish version of pancit palabok, and you more or less have an idea of what the dish is like. The dessert palata/paratha is flatbread cut into slices, and it has toppings such as sugar and fruits. Burma Roots's version has orange slices and ice cream to make up the sun. You bet that the food and place as a whole are too legit (to quit)! When I gave leftovers to my K-foodie sister and my mom, though my mom wasn't fond of it because she's not someone that likes trying new foods, my sister is the total opposite as in she really likes it. For me, having the catfish dish felt trippy as in real good trippy because I get catfish for pretty much soul food, not Asian dishes. The one major flaw I remember. Sorry friend of mine! I don't want to subtract a star, but I need to because there are no traditional drinks without alcohol or caffeine listed. Whether or not this was done because of timing coordination (there's a drink/dessert for Burmese New Year's Day), I don't know. Not seeing the juices listed as far as I can recall makes the scenario worse. Besides that, the parking scenario and maybe one other flaw I already forgot, that's it. In my Creamery review, I typed that I'd eat at Willow Glen more if it has a rare Asian food place like Japanese Okinawan or Indonesian. Burma Roots does a very good job at fulfilling the requirement. While the place has a can't help it flaw and a not sure if I should call the flaw a can help it flaw (that's a handful) as I feel conflicted here, it does a good job at making me wanting to come back, and it helps that the food here reminds my friend of her grandmama's. (I feel older than ever for remembering Mr. Larry Johnson and "The Addams Family" character after typing that word, and I now have the itch of wanting to write a letter because of "Animal Crossing's"/"Doubutsu no Mori's" Stitches/Patchi.) Visit the place for her because I'm sure you'd want your grandmama's memory alive somehow through a subject like food. +/Burma Roots is brilliant and radical because of its adorable and terrific staff, a look that works and good food. -/If only the drink scenario didn't make me twitch internally. read more
Tea Yourself Sister restaurant to the southside's Burma Choice, Burma Roots is almost a clone of the OG with it's classy décor and upscale Burmese cuisine. They took over the long-standing Opa!, which had been at the north end of Downtown Willow Glen (DTWG) for many years. For the uninitiated, Burmese cuisine is very similar to Thai and Indian, with some Chinese elements thrown in the mix. Personally, I'm obsessed with the Burmese Tea Leaf Salad which features a funky fermented tea leaves mixed in with lettuce, peanuts, and sesame seeds, just to name a few key ingredients. The Good: *Great location in DTLG along the main drag *Dog-friendly outdoor dining *Love the décor *Great service *Full bar *Lettuce Wrap w/ chicken (or pork) was delicious and was a fun, shareable app. We wish it had a little bit of heat to it to balance the sweetness, but otherwise nearly perfect. *Tea Leaf Salad always hits the spot for lunch, as it's nice and light and won't weigh you down. Pro Tip: be sure to get the optional crushed shrimp to give the salad some more funk and saltiness. The Meh: *Personally, I'd love to see some local brews on-tap, but at least they're not charging ridiculous prices on their bottled beer. *Parking in DTWG can always be a bit of a hassle, but there is a (free) parking garage (entrance/exit on Willow St) right behind them. The Ugly: *While the tea leaf salad was good, I felt like it needed a little more seasoning and wasn't as funky as ones I'd had in the past. I hope they're not toning down the food for the, ahem, neighborhood. Hopefully it's just an off day. Conclusion: Great location, great staff, and tasty food. We'll be back! read more
1 year ago
We came here for lunch on a Sunday. It was pretty empty which is crazy since it's downtown Willow Glen on a weekend. But this place is new. However, it should be packed because our experience was fantastic. The decor is gorgeous! And they have a lovely outside area right by the fountain. The service was good. The food was excellent. Everything was outstanding and we would definitely come back. Lots of great things to try. read more
5 months ago
Second try since Valentine's day hair in my food debacle. The food was so good that we decided to give it another shot. This time we walked out after the first bite. We sat down and there was a hair on one plate that was pulled fresh in front of us. That was ok...we brushed it off. My husband took one bite of his samosa and there was a beautiful thick strand of hair sticking out of it. Asked for a manager but was told none on site so we politely stood up and showed the staff and informed them that we will not be eating here anymore. Very sad because the food is really good...but if I am finding hair everytime I eat here it makes me question the hygiene in the kitchen. read more
7 months ago
Overall, food is great & the price is fair given their large portions. Would come again. ± Burma House Noodles are flavorful, although a tad too sweet & could use some spice. Portion is large & good for sharing. ± Burma Crispy Chicken: also flavorful with a nice crispy outer shell, but is also a bit too sweet and overly saucy. + Atmosphere is pleasant and service is good. read more
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1100 Lincoln Ave
Ste 101
San Jose, CA 95125
Willow Glen
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(669) 242-7954
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