I had a reservation for a party of 16 this past Saturday 10/17 to celebrate my birthday and everything was flawless! I've been here plenty of times, but never for a large group. I was nervous how service was going to turnout, but they did an excellent job. When I made the reservations, Ki (which I'm assuming is the owner), suggested I preorder food so it could start coming out at the reserved time and as the guests trickled in. I preordered (23) rolls to begin with along with a few orders of Chicken Karaage and told him we would just add more food as it finished up. Upon arrival, they had the tables set up along with (2) Sake bottles on ice. All the food came out at a nice timed pace and even after ordering more, nothing took a long time despite them being busy with the rest of the restaurant. Everyone enjoyed the rolls we got and a few others also ordered bento boxes which they also really enjoyed. Thank you Ki for everything and I will return to continue supporting your business. read more

See all

Opens late and food is okay. Sushi was a bit fishy, not really fresh. Tempura was good. Mackerel was alright and so was the teriyaki chicken. The chicken was a bit too burnt and not in a tasty smoky/charcoal way. It seems to get busy here. read more

Izakaya Mai - 3 Items Bento Box - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Warm, homey, and cozy izakaya vibes which was the perfect welcome running in from a rainy night outside. Wide and expansive menu ensuring something for everyone. From little appetizer bites to sushi to bento boxes and more, lots to choose from. We split a couple of items - takoyaki, some sushi, grilled salmon collar, and a bento box. Nice mix to sample the menu and while there wasn't a standout per se, it was overall a satisfying meal. Friendly service. Perfect spot for dinner before dropping off a loved one at the airport. read more

Izakaya Mai - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Casual Japanese restaurant in downtown San Mateo with a huge menu -- they have noodles, soup, sushi, rice bowls, bento boxes, and more. They were able to sit a big group of us pretty easily on a Friday night which was great. The ambiance inside is a bit sticky but no frills. I tried the champon noodle soup which was actually quite good! It has a huge amount of seafood and meat, and the noodles are cooked well. The soup is flavorful without being too bold. I also liked the agedashi tofu, though it was served quite hot and got soggy after a while. Prices are reasonable and portions are quite big (the soup was split into two bowls and I felt decently full after). read more

Izakaya Mai - agedashi tofu, champon noodle - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

I really like this Japanese spot in downtown San Mateo. They are one of the only restaurants that open late at night. I really recommend getting the bento box, their chicken Katsu is amazing and the tempura as well. My favorite is definitely the spicy scallop hand roll. 100/10!!! I really recommend coming here with your friends or family, the atmosphere is really fun and the staff are really sweet and friendly! read more

See all

After dining here a few times since my last review, Izakaya Mai has redeemed itself. The food has returned to being consistently solid and delicious. My favorites are still the geso age, eggplant with miso, yaki onigiri, crazy monkey roll and aji fry. All these dishes go so well with some draft Sapporo. Service is attentive and friendly. The vibe is always upbeat, especially on the weekends. Expect a wait if dining here on a late weekend night. We waited about 20 minutes for a table at 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night. read more

My go to spot with my friends, a great place to get some drinks and delicious Japanese food. Love their fried food here- chicken karaage, mixed tempura, fried oysters, etc. Fresh sashimi and their whole squid. We come here pretty often, every 3-4 months, the service is fast and the staff are so sweet and friendly. Love the vibe here, does remind me of Japan. read more

See all

The nigiri was really fresh and the tempura was really light and crispy. The highlight was definitely the okonomiyako which had noodles on top! Game changer and especially after a night out, satisfied a craving! read more

See all

This place was def quite the ambience! We were starving so we just found the nearest sushi place since that was the first thing that came up in mind. We went during a busy hour so service was dragging a bit, but the food was worth it! I enjoyed the salmon sashimi quite a lot. You can also never go wrong with a rainbow roll as a way to try a glimpse of the other sashimi they had in their menu! read more

See all

Trying to find restaurants opened late is tough these days. We came to San Mateo looking for options and we came across Izakaya Mai. Wasn't sure if it would be a good place but the place was packed. Was seated shortly and we ordered various dishes and note there is a lot to choose from. The sushi was very fresh and did not disappoint. Everything we ordered was great. The clams was good, miso soup wasn't salty like other places the onigiri was spot on as well as the fried calamari. If you are looking for a Izakaya place that has great food and is open late I highly suggest trying Izakaya Mai. read more

See all

Came here around 10 pm on a Monday after flying back to SFO. We ordered a tenzaru soba, rainbow roll and a lion king. The one thing that really bothered me was when the server ( a guy ) threw down my plate instead of placing it down gently onto the table. The soba sauce spilled all over my pants. He didn't even notice he spilled it all over my pants because he was in such a hurry. I was pretty much annoyed after that incident but the food was good for a late night dinner. It was one of the only restaurants open until midnight. read more

Izakaya Mai - Rainbow Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

Came on Tuesday for a celebration. Had a few sushi restaurants in mind, but a lot of them were closed on Tuesday... nonetheless, in the spirit of celebrating the day, I still made the trek to San Mateo. Was very disappointed in the quality and freshness of the food as well as poor service. - Sashimi was fresh - special rolls were very avg - crown roll was problematic and tasted fishy - 2x deluxe 9piece sashimi was the only good thing worth it! - charashi don was also fine - cold tempura soba was horrible. They cheaped out on the actual soba noodles and soba flour, it wasn't chewy and poorly seasoned I don't recommend coming here for sushi rolls/special rolls. Their tuna was a little fishy and when mentioned to the server, I was told that I was wrong. That was fine, I'm happy to pay for the food, but I wanted to order more and it took ages to flag them down. Even after asking for the check, I had to wait 15 min. Overall, a bit of an unfortunate experience especially for a day of celebration... definitely soured my night. read more

See all

Always a great experience at Izakaya Mai. Friendly and fast service. Seated quickly and as always a delicious and fresh meal. read more

See all

The food was good, there are so many selections/. This place reminded me so much of Japan. The staff was nice and very fast service. Young girls are running the show . I don't know if they are a family run business I will be back. I had questions on the bill and it was explained and I understood after - it wasn't itemized about the fees for credit card and tax. I got it after talking with our waitress. Sushi was fabulous . read more

See all

One of our fav places to visit late night- They have a huge menu including tapas, full meals, a lot of sake to choose from, fresh sashimi, and delicious rolls Service is super quick and friendly The perfect place to eat solo, with a date or a whole party Love love love this place I highly recommend their Crazy Monkey roll- eel and fish on the outside Super flavorful Their poke salad is soo fresh and i love the sauce that comes with it The baked lion king roll is phenomenal Highly recommend for late night foods in downtown San Mateo! We love SETH read more

Izakaya Mai - Takoyaki Lion King Roll Miso Soup Poki Salad Spicy Seafood Salad Crazy Monkey Roll Chicken TeriyakI a la Carte - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place always serves fresh and delicious food. We usually order family-style so everyone can share from appetizers and fresh sashimi to ramen, tempura, and udon. Everything we've tried tastes great! We also love their wide selection of sake and beer, which pairs perfectly with the food. Always a great place to enjoy a meal with family and friends. read more

This place is pretty good! It's been a while since my last visit. Fish is very fresh and delicious. The spicy tuna hand roll was great, I know that's basic but that's what you go to places like this for. Wish I got more of them. Pork and kimchi stir fry was chewy and I didn't love it, could be preference. Beef tataki was too well done - this should be kissed with a sear not medium, but good flavor in the sauce. Will be back! Great spot to drink w/friends read more

See all

I eat at this place at least 2 to t3 time a month. Great service and very pleasant and courteous service. The food is and drinks are divine. THe owner Hei is very very friendly and nice. I really recommend this sushi place. read more

The restaurant is dimly lit and has a nice izakaya vibe to it. The restaurant is very well decorated where it actually feels like a comfy cozy restaurant in Asia. They offer a large variety of food selection on their menu as well. Since this is my first time at the place, I didn't have a chance to try a good amount of their items so I didn't want to rashly give out a low rating. However, the grilled squid and nigiris I had were indeed deserving of a 3/5. The grilled squid was a little burnt on the outside to the point that you can taste the bitterness but for some reason, the squid was still cold. The nigiris didn't taste the most fresh and I would say slightly better than Safeway quality. However, the food was very cheap and it does match the quality. I will try other food items from here at a later time and hopefully increase my rating. read more

Izakaya Mai - Ika Sugata Yaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

"Food is the bomb--always consistent and they've been around for over 20 years! Service is great, the place is clean, and the staff is super attentive. If you want good food at a good price, this is the spot " read more

See all

Amazing spots the food is so good and taste delicious. They are fast service and taste like Japan. read more

See all

I went there for a special occasion with my fiancé they are friendly and amazing vibe .. good food and good moments .. I would like to go back read more

Izakaya Mai - yum - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

I'd absolutely come here again; all chairs have comfy pillows to sit on, and the staff are friendly and fairly expedient with orders. Though I usually make reservations (via Yelp), they're not needed. They've got incredible menu diversity, from udon, soba, ramen and other soup noodles to fried appetizers, sushi, rice bowls, and rice plates. In addition, they have lunch specials and meal packages if you'd like a full set. Lastly, they boast a respectable selection of sake and alcohols. I'm not a huge fan of their sushi selection, but it's definitely palatable. My favorite is their curry rice (with katsu). It's amazing value at a full plate for only $13.50! You won't go hungry (or poor) at this place. It's also pretty flavorful and the meat was crispy and tender. If I ever go back, I'd like to try the unagi-don (eel rice bowl) or champon (stew). Overall, I'd highly recommend Izakaya Mai. read more

See all

Had dinner at Izakaya Mai and really enjoyed it! It's a cozy, casual spot with a huge menu and a casual vibe. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

See all

Out here on a trip and needed a place to eat that closed after 9pm on a weekday and Izakaya Mai fit that bill. Not many places are open after 9pm but these guys were. The only real unfortunate thing was they didn't have any uni. It was one of the main reasons why I went but it was okay since everything else was pretty good. I ordered the salmon and hamachi belly nigiris. Both were considered specials and $8 or less for each pair. I thought this was a good deal and wish I ordered more of it cause it was fresh and they have large pieces. Also ordered the full grilled squid. Flavorful and cooked well with maybe just a little too much char but very good. Needed some veggies so ordered the vegetable tempura. I wish it had more green veggies but basically it was mainly yam and a couple pieces of broccoli. Last thing I ordered was a masu of sake. Don't remember which one specifically I ordered but it was sweet and the presentation of the masu is pretty unique that I never had before. Service was pretty good considering how busy it was after 9pm and only a couple of servers. Would definitely come back. read more

Izakaya Mai - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Love that this place is open late for late night sushi cravings. Fish is fresh and everything tasted great. Service was quick and servers were attentive. Will come again! read more

Good spot that's open late, good vibe inside with beer tower on the menu lol. The food was good, with lots of variety to choose from on the menu. Quite an expansive menu! For the indecisive, it can be difficult to make a decision. Roll combo A was great. California roll was good, Oregon (salmon) and Miami (tuna) were both good as well. No complaints. The combo comes with miso soup and salad. The beer tower was an excellent choice for a big party, pours for many. Cheers! Service was warm. read more

See all

Food was tasty. Some of the better sushi in downtown! Service was good. The music was a bit loud but I would come here again for a party vibe. read more

Izakaya Mai - Lion King Roll & spicy baked roll very good! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Have been here three times now, each time with different people and all parties have all enjoyed the food and vibe of the restaurant. Service has been decent and standard every time, no complaints. I also appreciate that it is open until midnight, which makes this a popular, convenient late night spot. read more

Really reasonable bento for dinner. The Sashimi was very fresh and the teriyaki salmon was really good. The service is very fast and efficient and they just pop out of no where sometimes and fill up your water lol. The seating is a little cramped bc the tables and some seats are fixed but they also have chairs that move so it is fine. Your skinny friend will have to sit in the fixed chair. read more

Lots of options and we will go back to try others. We especially liked the ika and nationwide, and the Chula garage. It's hard to find jelly fish. The service is fantastic, they work as a team. And the interior decor is a fun attempt to bring the high walls and ceilings down to an intimate Japanese eatery. The only downside was the aroma of fryer oil that had been left too long in between replacing as we walked past the open kitchen. Fortunately we couldn't smell it at or table. And we didn't order anything fried. read more

Not first timers here but this time was a bit different. I ordered the 2 item combo with teriyaki beef and fried oysters. Fried oysters were great but the beef was wayyyy overcooked! It was more like teriyaki beef jerky!! We also ordered the 3 item combo with teriyaki chicken, saba, and fried oysters. Everything on that plate was terrific! The other items we ordered were delicious and beautifully presented. Would we come back? Of course! Would I order beef teriyaki again? Probably not! read more

See all

Good not great Japanese food. We liked the Crazy Monkey roll, which was pretty big and came cut in 8 pieces. The chicken katsu curry was solid too, as was the buta nasu, though that had a lot more onion in it than I was expecting. It was packed on a Thursday night with beer towers flowing. Servers were really busy. read more

Izakaya Mai - Buta nasu and Chicken Katsu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Was around the San Mateo area and decided to try this new place. They have a variety of Japanese food options but doesn't specialize in anything. They have fried/grilled tapas, sushi, ramen, donburi, bento boxes, and more. They open until midnight which will be great for late night eats with a couple of drinks. Service was decent and space was large. Ankimo - great deal (10$) for a decent size and taste fresh. Curry with pork Katsu - not much meat and it was a lil tough to chew. It seems like the cutlet was uneven fried. Curry was not anything special. Crazy monkey roll - eel inside and hamachi/sake on top. Classic roll, I would recommend ordering a side of spicy Mayo for extra flavor! read more

Izakaya Mai - Crazy Monkey Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

visited Izakaya Mai on my way home from SF... Overall, I was pleasantly surprised! I wasn't expecting much for their sushi, but the San Mateo Roll I ordered was actually pretty decent - fresh rice, big portion and well-made. Their sushi is more saucy rolls than select cuts of fish but it was still a nice appetizer. I also tried the chicken udon and kimchi udon, and both were fantastic. The broth in particular was amazing, packed with flavor and warmth. What really made the experience memorable, was the service. I accidentally left my leftovers behind, but when I returned, the owner had thoughtfully saved them for me. That kind of care and attention really stood out. The ambiance was homey with lots of posters everywhere. Fit right in with the warm udon. I'll definitely be back - the best part is they're open pretty late too! read more

See all

The sushi is great here! I only come here for the sushi and karage chicken. It gets really busy in the evenings but the wait usually isn't long. The ambiance is dim lighting and the service is quick. I do wish they had more variety in their sushi rolls though. read more

Delicious!!! So happy we found this place . Their sushi is soooo good , fresh !! Loved the real crab for the sushi ! super accommodating we customized our sushi! It was so good we order more ! They're open until 12am so nice to know! It is Family friendly, and very nice environment. Also my daughter forgot her phone here and called 15 mins later after we left when she remembered and they were so nice to go ask the table find it and hold it until the next day. ! read more

See all

Food first! We were 4 people that ate enough for 8 and we are not mad at it. The fish was so fresh, the rice to fish ratio was on point, and the cooked food was cooked to perfection. We stumbled on this place a year ago because they were the only place open late and we loved it so much we were so excited to come back. Our expectations were high because it was so good the first time, but the second time around was just as good, if not better! The staff are friendly, clean, and attentive. And the ambiance is really fun and feels like you have stepped into an Izakaya in Japan. Can't wait to come back a 3rd time! read more

See all

On a late night search for late dinner and found this place through yelp! We wanted japanese food but nothing came up unless we drive 30+ mins more to san mateo and tell you what, i will do it again. The staffs were quick and great service! I love the variety of the menu and how fresh the fish was, even at late night. The restaurant gives off the vibe exactly how an izakaya is....perfect for drinks and chatters. Everything was delicious and exactly how we expected it to be. I will definitely make a trip to dine again in the future! read more

Izakaya Mai - eggplant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

My friends and I came in on a Wednesday to grab a quick bite and this place was amazing! The staff were sooo friendly and made the experience amazing! The food was also quite delicious! The okonomiyaki is a must!! I think that was the highlight of the meal. The flavors were super savory and just what we were all craving. Highly recommend to grab a couple beers and munch on some yummy food. read more

See all