Go early before 6:30pm! Lines become long after that. I got there around 6pm on Friday, and there was no line. Food is very generous portions, especially their porridge. One porridge can feed three people. Food is decent bay area Chinese restaurant quality. Wouldn't wait more than 15min for it though. Enjoyed their Cantonese style porridge as that was recommended by our waitress. We enjoyed the eggplant dish as well, but it was on the more oily side. Pretty large and spacious restaurant. Service is very quick. Parking can be difficult during rush hours, so plan for that in advance. read more

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Nothing special. It's just overpriced Chinese food in the area with small portions and big prices. There wasn't anything memorable or worth the premium. Parking was absolutely chaotic, making the experience frustrating before we even got inside. During dinner, the food took a long time to arrive, and the waiter completely missed our order for the combination cold dishes. The restaurant is also very loud, with tables packed closely together. You can easily hear conversations from the next table, which takes away from the dining experience. Overall, the food, service, atmosphere, and value didn't justify the price. Unfortunately, this was a one-time visit for us, and we won't be returning. read more

I have only dined here once, although I'm in this area at least once a month, over the past several years. The interior is quite large and they can accommodate large parties. We shared several orders of rice porridge, an order of veggies, and a pan fried noodle. Of note here, the serving size is large for their porridge dishes so you could likely share two adults(maybe more) per porridge order. The waiter was light-hearted and warm. This is a solid restaurant if you're looking for Chinese food in downtown Millbrae. read more

I had the chance to grab dinner near SFO and stumbled upon this spot. It serves authentic, typical Cantonese-style food, and I loved it! We ordered the Chow Mein, a seasonal stir-fry, the Fish & Green Onion Pot, and the Beef Brisket. The Highlights: * Beef Brisket: Incredibly soft and tender. It's rich and flavorful--definitely pair this with a bowl of white rice! * Chow Mein: The portion size is huge! It was easily enough for three people. * Fish Pot: Fresh and well-seasoned. * The "Wok Hei" (鑊氣): Every dish had that perfect, smoky aroma from a high-heat wok, which is the mark of a skilled chef. In my "must go " list now read more

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Weird thing happened. We wanted to try the "fried with garlic & hot peppers" lobster $35. There was some confusion when my lobster arrived. Apparently, the waitress changed my order to ginger and scallions lobster without asking us because she felt it would taste better. LOL. We didn't want to wait for them to remake it so we swallowed our pride and accepted the dish. Other stuff we ordered were dry scallop egg white fried rice $21 and deep fried cod fish $20. Those were OK, exactly what we ordered. read more

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Service was quick and the space is really clean and spacious, which I liked right away. The bathrooms felt a little outdated and awkwardly placed because at certain angles you can kind of see in from the dining area, which wasn't the best design choice. Food was good overall, but I do think our ordering choices affected the experience. The roasted chicken (which they're known for) tasted like it had probably been sitting or recooked. I have a feeling it's much better during peak weekend hours when everything is moving fast. The fried calamari was a skip for me too. It tasted like standard frozen wholesale kind that was dipped in a thick flour mixture and then fried like those big chicken fingers you find at the buffet. In hindsight, we probably should've stuck to simpler dishes because the other dishes we ordered came out well. I would definitely give it another shot, just during a busy weekend next time for the freshest experience. read more

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Porridge and Things, Millbrae: 2026 Feb 8 (5 of 5) From the streets of Hong Kong to a respective eatery in Millbrae, Porridge & Things serves comforting food in a modern yet casual atmosphere. The dining room looks clean, with the chairs and tables spaced for easy maneuvering. They claim to use the highest quality of ingredients, and that is confirmed in the dishes we ordered. The food we ordered were excellent. We had Green Beans & Pickled Olives, Scallops, Oyster & Mince Pork Porridge, Chinese Donut, and Salted Fish Chicken & Eggplant in Clay Pot. Green Beans & Pickled Olives ($19.99): The combination of blistered, tender-crisp beans and aromatic garlic fried in a slightly fermented olives gives this savoury dish an umami-rich flavour. I would be happy to savour this one dish with plain porridge. (5 of 5) Scallops, Oyster & Mince Pork Porridge ($24.00): A perfect dish on a cold day, this savoury dish is filled with my idea of comfort food. It's creamy and infused with the intense umami flavours of dried seafood and savoury minced pork. All it needed was a dash of white pepper and a few drops of soy sauce. (5 of 5) Salted Fish Chicken & Eggplant in Clay Pot ($20.99): Oh my, you can't go wrong with this dish. I could taste bits of salted fish in every bite I eat. This dish was heavenly to me. I remember growing up enjoying the same flavours. The eggplants were tender yet held its texture. This dish comes piping hot in the clay pot, the smoky aroma hitting the air as it's placed before us. Pairs perfectly with steamed rice. (5 of 5) Chinese Donut ($4.99): There are various forms of Chinese donuts. This simple version go well with the porridge we ordered. My grandfather used to dunk them in a hot mug of coffee. The golden-brown crunchy exterior gives way to a soft, fluffy interior, making them versatile to pair with anything hot. (5 of 5) White Rice ($2.75): We ordered 2 bowls to split between the four of us. The rice is fluffy and cooked well. (5 of 5) We were served a trio of vege-bits to go with the porridge and complimentary hot tea. The man who greeted us seemed a little guarded, but the lady, Ah Wing (sic) who took over was friendly and accommodating. We had a lovely time eating at Porridge and Things. Overall, this place is a 'must visit'. I'm giving it a 5 of 5. read more

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We were looking for a restaurant that was open on New Year's Day in the area(downtown Millbrae) and we stumbled across Porridge & Things, even though I had driven by this place too many times in the past to count. Surprisingly, it was quite busy on this day but we were seated rather quickly. Once we settled in, we decided to go family style and shared not one but three orders of Porridges, mostly the Abalone choice, and in hindsight, the waiter gave us an odd look but we didn't think much of it until the 3 large bowls of porridge came out to the table. I now know that one bowl can serve probably closer to 3 normal adults. We also shared some other dishes, including their Pan Fried Noodles and a vegetable dish I cannot remember. Overall, a solid Chinese restaurant, especially if you're looking for porridge specifically. This style of porridge is not watery and has a decently thick consistency. Our waiter was a comedian as an added bonus. read more

Had not been here since they printed new menus !!! They have a cash price and a credit card price !!! The porridge is very good and depending on who fills the bowl , you could get a lot or not a lot . Enough for two people as printed . We ordered side dishes - salt and pepper chicken wings - ok but could be tastier ! The chive dumplings were disappointing because we did not know it was pan fried vs steamed . They do a good business with the many items on the menu read more

A bit expensive, but a nice place to eat. Not a fan of their beef chow fun which is underseasoned, but their tomato beef chow mein is good, along with the pea shoots with bamboo pith. read more

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The food here was great, typical Southern Chinese Canto/Chaoshan fare. The English translations leave a bit to be desired (after all, what is the difference between a HK style porridge and Teochew style porridge? Could require some elaboration), but it hasn't deterred the local Chinese population from flocking to Porridge & Things for a no-frills meal. My mom and boyfriend really enjoyed the lobster noodles- agree on the noodles being a tad overcooked/far from al dente, but the lobster itself was great and came in bulking portions! The noodles were seasoned so well, perfectly salty with a hint of ginger and spices. I liked the beef steak with mushroom stir fry the most. The mushrooms have a decent softer texture that pair with the thick cuts of steak very well. The onions and peppers add a crunch that's very satisfying. The youtiao/Chinese donut was pretty good. Decent texture, just wish that this spot sold soy milk to pair with it! Dipping it in our oyster scallop porridge was the right decision to make. It was a bit more watery than my family (from a more Southeast region of China) tends to make it, but the seafood taste in the porridge is especially prevalent which is a plus! I understand that there will always be regional differences in Chinese cuisine. The green beans with minced pork were also a great addition for some fiber and protein. Very classic dish that everyone at the table will enjoy. I'd say that this spot found its niche and also does everything else it offers well. read more

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The portions are amazing and you can build your own porridge! I used to really enjoy their crab and shrimp porridge but it seems to no longer be on the menu. However, the salted pork bones and greens is a wonderful second choice. read more

Food - Love the variety - Tasty - We had to order double dishes we like for our big party of 10. Service - Friendly Ambiance - Large restaurant - Big and small tables I would come back to try more dishes! We came for a birthday gathering and had a great time. read more

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It's a little sticky and smelly, like most great Chinese places, but gosh, the food is served hot and fast. I know porridge is in their name, but we love their chow fun and anything involving noodles. Our daughter also approves. Yes, it's going to be greasy, but man is it delicious. Their classic thousand year egg and pork jook is also fantastic. read more

A homey spot with comforting porridge for any day. Staff is attentive and the food was brought out quick. Items Ordered: - Porridge with preserved egg: Came in a big stone pot full of porridge and preserved egg. Great flavor and you can add more flavor with the added green onions and seasoning they provide for the table. Shareable between 3-4 people. - Green beans with minced pork: Strong garlic flavor which I enjoyed and this dish was also a big portion. Felt like we ate so much but still didn't even make a dent! - Salt and pepper fish: One of the specials for the day and the fish was fried well and not too salty. - Braised tofu: This dish was a little disappointing as it just felt like it was tofu that was pan fried on both sides and the dish seemed like a smaller portion. - Garlic chicken: I can see why they are known for their chicken. There was so much provided in one dish and the chicken almost fell of the bone each time. Great flavor and cooked well overall. Come here for a nice hot bowl of porridge!! read more

Porridge & Things - Porridge Pork, Dry Oyster & Preserved Egg Sawo Porridge - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Haven't been bad here in a long time. The food is still exceptionally great. I've never ordered bittermelon spareribs in black bean sauce to my memory, it was cooked the way I like it, a little crunchy and not overcooked. The noodle dish was quite good with beef chunks and red and green bells with two types of mushrooms. A first for was their goose wings, this was a substitution for the duck wings they ran out of, I must say these weren't bad even though I was craving duck wings. Service was prompt, we got seated right away, I chose to come a little after the lunch rush, the dishes came out pretty quickly. My only gripe is the portion size, I feel their portion size are a little dinky compared to what they are charging. Noodles are relatively inexpensive, a much larger portion would not hurt their bottom line, I just felt shrinkflation should not enter especially when their prices are relatively high. Their food is great but their portion size is in question. read more

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Came in lunch time during arts festival. Ordered Chinese donut, Frog-fish-mushroom sawo porridge. Little later ordered signature stir fry (chives) and lobster noodle. Was seated quickly, service was fast and friendly. First 2 dishes out within 10 min. -Donut was std. fare, good quality. -Frog-fish-mushroom sawo porridge was really nice- add some white pepper for a bit more taste. Good amount of meat inside just be carful frog bones. -signature stir fry (chives) - this was our group's favorite dish. Nice flavors with chive peanut and octopus. -Lobster noodle- large chunks of lobster. Noodles were a tad overdone for my preference but taste was nice. Ambiance- had 2 TVs on with sports- no volume. No music. Level of noise was med to med high . Lighting was comfortable and bright. Overall good experience. Would come back if in the area. read more

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Porridge was a generous amount. On the menu it says for two people but I think this bowl could easily feed three or four. Green beans were flavorful and good. Onion pancakes were not bad, but did not shine. Parking in this area could be sometimes difficult, you might have to loop around the neighborhoods a little before finding a place to park. read more

Porridge & Things - Onion Pancake Green bean & pickled olive fry minced - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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One of the best place for Cantonese dim sum, porridge and barbecue. Always come here if I am around the region.

Food was good but was very disappointed in the service. We ordered 4 items and got 2 items within 10 minutes of ordering. After asking about the last 2 items and waiting for 30 minutes we decided to just leave. No one came to check on us throughout the dinner. When we asked for the check and to cancel the last 2 items they told us they were just about to cook it. Great excuse. The 2 stars are for the food because it was genuinely good. The missing 3 stars is for my missing 2 items and poor service. They 100% forgot about us but that's understandable because they're busy but we asked about our food twice. Wish they had owned up to their mistakes instead of telling us they were juuuust about to start 30 minutes later. read more

First time trying this place. Parking is hard, go around the blocks few times before we can find parking. My husband loves porridge so we found this place to try. I like their build your own porridge that you can order any combo of your choice. Porridge itself is very well made Hong Kong style. We added a few more items, fried oysters pancake was awesome, but their signature braised sauce was a little bland, not flavorful. Where we sit was the very end of the restaurant with no ventilation, that makes us sweats almost the whole stay there. Overall the quality of the food is not bad so I will recommend it and will definitely come back for their porridge and try their other food items on the menu. read more

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It's always nice to find a spot that's open late in San Mateo, and Porridge and Things definitely fits the bill. I tried the Golden Chicken Soup with Fish Maw, which had a rich, comforting flavor, though it was a little on the oily side. The fish maw itself was new to me, gelatinous, collagen-like, and without much flavor. Supposedly it's really good for you, but the texture just wasn't my favorite. The House Special Fried Noodle, on the other hand, was excellent. Savory, well-cooked, and full of flavor though a little on the salty side since I found myself extra thirsty afterward. The menu here is pretty extensive and has a lot of options worth exploring. I definitely want to come back and try the porridge, which you can customize with different meats and toppings. I also noticed they serve Chinese BBQ, and the chicken (or maybe duck) I saw at another table looked really tempting. Huge place, modern decor and surprisingly had a good amount of people at night Overall, the food was good, and I feel like I've only scratched the surface of what this place offers. I'd return again to explore more of the menu and get a better feel for their specialties. read more

I've always drove pass this place. I've always wondered how good it will taste. So today I ordered it on DoorDash! I had the LUNCH SPECIAL: Soy Sauce Chicken Rice. Let's just say, this dish brings me back to my childhood. The first bite was so delicious. It was like a burst full of flavors!! I was impressed. I wasn't hungry when I got it, but I ate the entire dish. The portion was amazing. The restaurant is quick with service as well. Honestly I'll definitely be coming back here for more. read more

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There are basically two kinds of porridge people: the Hong Kong congee crowd (silky, flavor-packed, rice melted into the broth)... and the Teochew crowd (lighter, looser, with a whole table of braised sides doing the heavy lifting). This place quietly says--why not both? The base leans Hong Kong-style (which I prefer--more flavor, more comfort), but then you get access to an entire lineup of braised dishes you don't usually see with it. So instead of just toppings, your porridge suddenly has... options. Went with the century egg + lean pork--classic, smooth, exactly what you want it to be. Also got the free-range chicken with corn, which disappeared quickly thanks to the kids. And yes, fried dough = mandatory. Tear, dip, repeat. From the hot dishes: * Roast duck -- juicy, flavorful, easy reorder * Fish fragrant eggplant clay pot -- rich, saucy, very good with rice or porridge * Roast goose -- everyone else's favorite, just not mine I didn't love the seafood porridge, but judging by how many tables had it, I'm clearly in the minority. Biggest strength here is the range. If you want porridge, this is the place where you can stop overthinking it and just order everything that sounds good. Clean bowls all around. read more

We ordered 9 dishes and they were decent. This was a place our family wanted to try. If your goal was authentic chinese food, this place is more modified to local taste buds. Service was standard. Place is casual; suitable for large gathering to small families or a couple. read more

Their rice porridge is amazing. Love their different combos. Try their fried whole chicken too. So crunchy and juicy!

My friends came around 6pm on a Friday and was able to snag a large table. The restaurant was already mostly full by 6:15-6:30pm. The service wasn't the most attentive and for some people who arrived after 7pm, the wait staff didn't even acknowledge them so they left. I wasn't around for the ordering but my friends said the waiter wouldn't let them order 7 dishes so they had to make it an even 8. We ended up with 9 because we also got the milk pudding dessert. Overall, the food was a bit hit or miss. I liked the pickled vegetables and tofu, goose, chicken soup, oyster pancake, milk pudding dessert. read more

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Order through Uber eats so I can't really talk about the service or ambiance. Pork, dry oyster, and preserved egg porridge - 4.5/5. I loved the consistency (thicker and grains more formed than other places) and the slight seafood taste from the oyster. Wished there was more preserved eggs and that the pieces were bigger though. Large portion sizes for the price Chinese donut - 4/5 pretty good! Kinda pricey for the one pair, split into four, that you got House special fried rice noodle - 2.5/5 does not look like anything in the photo. Really plain tasting, did not really enjoy. Not much shrimp or fish cake either. read more

Porridge & Things - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Food was very good and service was excellent. Drove from Los Angeles to Millbrae to have dinner at Porridge & Things

This is my 3rd time trying this place. I was hoping the price and service can improve the star. It goes from low 3 stars to high 3 stars: Here is my scoring card for this restaurant: 1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and back side with parking lot parking. 2) Decoration : (2 Point) - They still have the original decoration. Clean. 3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve 4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are average . ( must be inflation ) 5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of Chinese food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare in China . Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies Total max is 25 Score 18 Stars = 72% round up to 3 stars read more

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This is mom and pops comfort food. I directly get congee with ground pork and preserved eggs and share it with my girl friend and add garlic green bean that is off the menu. Then we have left over and would bring it home and make out with it all over. Let's just say, it's our own lover. Customer service is quick and kind. The services speaks English and I enjoy coming back when I crave a food transactional hug. read more

Congee is not bad but Don't expect much in terms of service. We ordered to go and wasnt expected much. Basics which is identify our order but apparently thats not normal. We had to ask where our order was and weren't even greeted. Somewhat understandable if they were busy but thats not the case. read more

Some of the best food I've had in the Bay. Cannot believe I did not know about this place before. Opens real late at night and can make for a very quick meal. There was definitely a miss among the 4 things I ordered but man oh man did the other 3 knock it out of the park. However, the restaurant isn't the cleanest looking (esp the booths) and service is pretty terrible so don't go if you can't stand those factors. read more

Porridge & Things - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

It's OK. The porridge was OK and offered in Hong Kong and Teochew style. We orded porridge and adding oysters just made it a bit too salty. We were seated next to the seafood tank and water was occasionally splashed onto our table/food either by the fish or the workers retrieving the seafood. Menu had cash/credit pricing like a gas station and was a little pricey and overall underwhelming. The fried potstickers were crispy but underwhelming. Had to ask staff for dip as there no sauce served with pot stickers and there were no condiments on the table. We liked Laka better down the street or Hing Lung in San Bruno for porridge. read more

The food was as expected. A little disappointed that there wasn't a lot of radish/turnips in the dish with it in beef. However, the flavor for the pork was great! The fried rice was a bit too dry also. It's too bad Chinese restaurants no longer give white rice complimentary with the meal when that only makes sense for any chinese restaurant to do. The service is typical Chinese service. It was a very family oriented meal. It wasn't too busy at 5 pm on Sunday. read more

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Tried the oyster pancake, which was pretty good -- crispy on the outside and flavorful. The abalone and chicken congee was comforting and well-seasoned, and the Chinese donut paired nicely with it. Overall, great taste and generous portions. The restaurant has a spacious environment, and the service was typical -- nothing exceptional but efficient enough. read more

TL;DR: All in all, the meal was fine, and we would order everything again, EXCEPT for the porridge. 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4. After Qing Ming Festival when Chinese people traditionally visit ancestral tombs to sweep them, we decided to eat at Porridge and Things. It's a weekday so the restaurant was only about 50-60% full when we arrived at 1:30pm. The restaurant was clean and spacious. The waitress seated us immediately and told us to order quickly as the restaurant closes at 2:30pm. We ordered Jellyfish salad, Porridge with oysters and scallops, Steamed egg with clams, House special fried rice noodles, Sweet and sour pork ribs and Egg custard buns for dessert...of course that was the FIRST item to come out, but we're so hungry we didn't care. Then the Porridge with oysters and scallops came out. It's incredibly fishy...perhaps it needs more ginger, but definitely the WORST item among everything we ordered...very disappointing considering the restaurant is called Porridge & Things. The other dishes: Jellyfish salad, House special fried rice noodles, Sweet and sour pork ribs were all pretty good. While the Steamed egg with clams was cooked to perfection, it's super SALTY with all the soy sauce on top...wish they had put the soy sauce on the side so people can add the appropriate amount based on their own taste and preference. read more

Porridge & Things - Left: Steamed egg with clams. Upper right: House special fried rice noodles. Lower right: Sweet and sour pork ribs - Chinese Near Me - Millbrae, California

The food was kinda ok but the service was bad. May be because we went in a little bit late but there were people coming in later than us so idek read more

My cousin made a reservation for our party of 12 relatives, most of whom are originally from Hong Kong but raised by their Teochew mother. We enjoyed trying the Teochew specialties, my favorites being the chive stems with squid and the fish porridge. The service was quick and friendly for our large party, and I appreciated being by the sliding glass doors for fresh air. read more

Parking on street, mostly 2 hours or public lot. Broadway usually one hour limit. Fairly good size seating. We ate make your own porridge. We ordered catfish filled. Tasted average to above average, green onion turnips, black fungus included. Braised goose dish tasted average, nothing special. Special rice noodles tasted good, less greasy than other noodles, shrimps, green onions, eggs, pseudo pork. The pork should be char siu but pork substitute was used. Improvement needed, eliminate the pseudo pork. Free tea. Service good, removal of finished plate entrees, gave us take away cartons. ambiance average, this looks like a family style restaurant. Overall, 3.5 stars out of 5, round up to 4 stars. read more

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