My bf and I always visit Pho Element when we pass by San Mateo! The food has been consistently…read moredelicious and we always order the same couple of items in rotation. We particularly love their HaiNan Chicken Rice, Pho Ga, butter tofu, and omg their GINGER SCALLION SAUCE!!! Service is always quick and all the workers are so attentive. Parking is quit difficult tho... like REALLY difficult unless you get lucky. Don't let that steer you away from this place though because I promise it is worth it!

I had such an awful experience here. I ordered the chicken…read morepho, and I was surprised when they told me they don't serve bean sprouts, lemon, basil, or mint.. the traditional toppings that normally come with pho. That really threw me off, especially because I saw a Yelp review before coming that showed bean sprouts with the pho. Secondly, they served my pho with thick, flat noodles instead of the traditional rice noodles you normally expect. I politely asked the waitress if those were the only noodles they offered, and she told me they also have the traditional pho noodles.. you just have to request them. I've honestly never had to ask for regular pho noodles anywhere else, so that was really strange to me. The broth was also very watered down and lacked flavor. The chicken was dark and honestly didn't even look like chicken, which made me not want to eat it. I took two bites of my bowl and ended up leaving very disappointed. I also want to mention that parking was a hassle. There's very limited street parking, which made the experience even more frustrating. I understand that every pho restaurant has its own recipe, and I'm very open-minded when it comes to trying different places. I'm not a picky eater at all, but this experience was just way off from what I'd expect when ordering pho. I'm honestly not sure how this place has so many positive reviews based on the experience I had. The one positive thing I can say is that the customer service was good. The staff was kind and attentive throughout my visit. Unfortunately, the food itself was a 0/10 for me, and I wouldn't come back.

Freakin' yummy Vietnamese pork sandwich. I added sliced jalapeño peppers…read more Customer-service: good:

I am usually all about supporting local mom and pop shops but not when they are this horrible to…read moretheir customers. I've seen sheer lingerie pieces that are thicker than the slice of pork they put in their banh mi and you only get one slice...a handful of veggies. The banh mi is basically just a flavored baguette. They are very shady in that they will give you your to go order and rush you out so you don't check that everything you ordered. They tried to skimp out on my Thai tea and got annoyed when I asked about it in which they finally made one for me....like bro I paid for it why you trying to not give it to me...this has happened twice. Just go somewhere else.

Rin-Tei is a delicious Japanese-Thai fusion restaurant that I'd highly recommend! I came here a few…read moreweeks ago with some friends on a Sunday whim, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. When we arrived, we were easily able to get seated without a reservation (perhaps because it was a Sunday). The service was wonderful from the get-go - they were extremely friendly and attentive the entire time, and made us feel very welcomed. And though we arrived on the slightly later side, they never made us feel rushed. The interior of Rin-Tei is minimalist and cozy, and had a very familial feel, as virtually all the tables are connected by a long bench along the wall. It contributes to the inviting, inclusive atmosphere of the restaurant, making it a great spot to meet up with friends. We ordered a variety of dishes which we all split, including: the garlic shrimp, the Vietnamese papaya salad, cold sesame TanTan pho, keema curry, calamari, sizzling wagyu loin, and a couple drinks. And everything we had was excellent! My personal favorites were the sizzling wagyu loin, which was perfectly cooked and abundantly juicy and flavorful, and the warm, tasty keema curry. I'd also never had cold pho before, but I ended up being very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I don't think you can go wrong with anything here. I loved my experience at Rin-Tei, and will no doubt be back soon!

Overall: 4 stars…read more Asian-centric restaurant that features a medley of common dishes across many cuisines of East Asia. Snap Peas with Beef - Sumptuous dish with a hearty foundation of braised beef and potatoes that really carry. The snap peas are flash sauteed, which give it the light cooked sweetness while retaining its crispness. Tuna Tartare - Uses a blend of cooked tuna which is much less desirable than raw tuna, but in a way that gives much more fish taco flavor with everything going on including the tortilla chips. Flat Iron Steak - Well cooked tender steak that has a little kick to it coming from the blend of Asian caramel glaze of the fish sauce, fall spices, and chili. Cod Claypot - Very boldly flavored dish that helps give the tender fish a depth of flavor that perfectly pairs with rice. Food: +1 Presentation: E Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Insta/Yelp/Beli: @amei_eats Insta/TikTok: @ameizing.race

I ordered the vermicelli noodle bowl with pork and the imperial roll. It was the best vermicelli…read morebowl I have ever had! The portion size was amazing; the portion of pork was so generous and I went home so full! It was also super flavorful and had the perfect ratio of ingredients! The bowl was super refreshing and I will definitely be coming back!

I travel for work almost every week, which means I've eaten enough pho to qualify for a frequent…read morenoodle program. Ben Tre just moved to the top of my list. The broth was phenomenal. Rich, clean, and so good I seriously considered asking for a to-go cup like it was coffee. The rare beef was excellent, the meatballs had great flavor, and the fresh spring rolls were...well...let's just say they disappeared faster than my willpower around good Vietnamese food. The service was friendly, the restaurant was spotless, and everything came out quickly. It's obvious they care about what they're serving. If you're near SFO, don't waste your appetite on another chain restaurant. Come here instead. Just one warning: after one visit, you'll start hoping your flights get routed through Millbrae.

Literally the best spring rolls ive ever had super chill…read moreatmosphere bon bue was amazing perfect spice level

I had a pretty awesome experience here at Pho de Nguyen. The service was great. A very friendly…read morestaff who steadily checked in on me if I was ok or needed anything. Customary at most Vietnamese restaurants, you get your food with minimal check ins and not even a plate clearing until the bill comes. This was NOT the case here. There service was definitely in the A/A+ range! I ordered on my phone via QR code, but there was an option to order in person from a server. I ordered many items to try out. I ordered spring rolls, crispy salt and pepper wings, grilled pork banh mi, beef dac beit pho, and a Thai iced tea. Thai Iced Tea was pretty good. Grade: A I thought the Spring Rolls were decent, but what made them even better was the peanut sauce! I always hate when the peanut sauce is watery and this was far from that! An excellent gooey peanut sauce and maybe one of the best I've had fpr consistency. Grade: A- Crispy salt and pepper wings definitely had an incredible crunch. They were up there in crunchiness. The drumettes were meaty which I appreciated. They were well seasoned also. I think I need to try their other wings before crowning these, but some of the cruncheist wings I've had for sure. Grade: A- Beef Dac Biet Pho had some real high quality meat in it. I had options in noodle and my go-to for any pho spot is the egg noodles. I wish it had more bo vien in it, but I appreciated the combo of meats. The broth seemed authentic, but I wanted a tad more flavor out of it without adding sauces. Overall, the pho grade was a B+ bordering an A-. The star of the show was the grilled pork banh mi. The meat was tender and saucy. In fairness I asked for extra pickles and mayo, but I was very impressed. The bread had the crispy crunch we all look for but minus the stale bread. The breads soft yet crispness made it seem as if it just came out of the oven! I'm going to dub this as the best I've had in the Bay Area! There I said it! Grade: A+ Everyone who ordered the sampler seemed very pleased at other tables, I would definitely try that. Also, want to try the other banh mis and noodle options for the pho. There was a nice vibe at this place. I didn't feel rushed although they do close fairly early at 8pm. The server's mom is the one cooking in the kitchen and I appreciated the family feeling at this place. They do have a newer location in San Francisco that has a DJ Friday nights that I may check out. I believe the server said that they are open til 2am on most nights, but I may have misheard her. Feel free to Yelp that location. My only disappointment was that I really love papaya salad and it was not an option. I may make this my go-to spot from now on, but as a Yelper, we all know we will keep trying new places. This will be the one I continue to frequent. Well done Pho de Nguyen!

Hunan Mifen is another good spot worth trying if you love authentic Asian cuisine…read more I don't eat spicy food so I was happy that they have some dishes that is not spicy, I love the flavor of their broth, tasty not salty and it has a balance. I love that they have variety of appetizers and side dishes. Price is very reasonable for a freshly cook dishes. I would give them two thumbs up

Had low expectations coming here and was pleasantly surprised!…read more Food: T-he braised beef noodles were amazing. Noodles were chewier than most beef noodle soups I've had and the beef pieces were very tender and soft. The soup wasn't too spicy by itself and had alot of depth and flavor. -Pro-tip: There is a little self-serve station near the kitchen where you can get add'l condiments like cilantro, green onion, chili, and pickled daikon. SCORE. Add in the cilantro/green onion for a flavor explosion. -Ordered one of the combo noodles + 2 sides. For my sides, I got a blanched bok choy and a fried gyoza. The bok choy was needed to help cut the spiciness of the soup and to add veggies b/c without it, you'd just be having carbs, beef, and soup. Gyoza was a win too. Service: FAST and friendly, just how I like my non-fine dining restaurant experiences. You scan a QR code at the table and then choose an english/chinese option. If you have questions, you can ask the staff, but there isn't a TON of options to choose from, so make it easy on yourself and order a noodle soup. Ambiance: Ample seating at 1:30pm on a Sunday. Didn't have to wait, which was a big plus as all the other restaurants in San Mateo over near 3rd/4th and B street were packed. Overall: Highly recommend and would come again. This might be my favorite niu rou mian spot!

Special thanks to Isabel for accommodating me as a Vegetarian. I was really craving noodle and glad…read moreI found this place they even took my order right before closing and late me dine-in. Meal was delicious and everyone was very kind! Vegetarians order the - Tokyo Classic No oil, No Pork Chachu And Vegans + No Egg

We tried the Milpitas location before and noticed this location had just opened, we decided to give…read moreit a try. We ordered the spicy tsukemen, spicy ramen, and Sand Storm calamari. The tsukemen here was definitely an improvement compared to our previous visit. The broth was thicker, richer, and the meat was more tender. The spicy ramen, however, had a broth that was just as thick as the tsukemen. I found myself slurping a lot of the fatty broth, and it felt a little too heavy for my preference. We asked if they could add some hot water to dilute it, and the adjustment made a huge difference -- it went from a 2-star experience to a 4-star one for me. The Sand Storm calamari was delicious, just like at the Milpitas location. Service was courteous and quick, and the restaurant had a nice, clean, and comfortable atmosphere. Overall, a solid experience, and I'd come back again -- especially for the calamari.

They have the best bun I've tasted. The egg rolls are so crispy and the pork is so good (#41)…read more They really grill the pork and it is higher quality pork than other Vietnamese places I've tried. The service is also accommodating.

Horrible. Ordered to go based on a photo in the menu. Picked up my order, opened it in the car, and…read moreit was nothing like the picture of the order I placed. Went back in and told them, and they referred me to a sign that said not to refer to pictures when you order. Wthell, then why would you have pictures next to the order #'s? And on top of that, why didn't you even say anything before we placed the order? No comment from them other than to look at the sign. No apologies or anything for the misunderstanding or warning. Customer service is a zero for me. Will def not come back here.