I was able to lock in a 7pm reservation here after checking for weeks, this was a hard one to get! I got seated on their patio which was nice, it was like being seated outdoor but indoors at the same time haha. We ordered the following items: Chiizu Tori Katsu - Chicken and cheese katsu, this one was our fav, I think we need more chicken cheese katsu in the world. $23 Kama Tama Udon - Basically a carbonara style udon with a raw egg on top, really flavorful. $16 Maguro no Yukke - Chopped tuna chunks on a bed of rice with seaweed on the side, we enjoyed making hand rolls out of these. $26 All the options we had were good and I'd recommend them all, but if there was one you can't skip, I'd say either the katsu or tuna. Pro tip: If you have an AMEX card, you can use your Resy credits here if you pay with the Gold ($50) or Platinum ($100) read more

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Brought my mom here for her birthday and this place completely delivered! The moment you sit down and scan the menu, the hardest part of the evening is deciding what not to order. Now I completely understand why reservations are so difficult to come by. The sashimi was impeccably fresh, every skewer off the robata was cooked to perfection, and the chicken wings were tender and juicy in a way that made us wish we had ordered two rounds. The mochi in the oden was a revelation, soft and yielding in the most comforting way. And the carbonara udon and maguro rice bowl? Still thinking about both of them. If you can snag a reservation, do not hesitate. Rintaro is the kind of meal that stays with you long after you've left the table. read more

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Rintaro SF has been on my list forever, so we planned ahead and reserved 2 weeks in advance for a Sunday dinner at 7:45pm. Definitely needed it as the place was busy and buzzing (typical izakaya energy). The space is beautiful, probably added to my expectations going in. And maybe that's why the food didn't quite land the way I hoped. It wasn't bad by any means, just... underwhelming for how hyped it is. A few dishes stood out, but overall it didn't feel as memorable as I expected for the price ($90 per person spring menu set) What I had: Ocha no ponchi cocktail: We started with some alcohol to warm ourselves up as it's cool outside. Light, refreshing and easy to drink. A nice start to the meal. Haru no shira-ae: First dish, seasonal veggies with tofu sesame sauce, nothing particularly exciting. San ten mori (sashimi plate with bluefin, yellowtail, halibut): Fish quality was mid, slices were very thin and small. We added uni and sea trout (+$10), was just ok Hitokuchi oden: Had simmered daikon, lingcod hanpen, and sweet potato satsumaage fishcakes. The broth was bland (or maybe because we had a very great oden at a omakase place at lunch that same day, so this broth flavor was less comforting. Yakitori tsukune: One of the best dishes of that night. Juicy, smoky, and very fatty dipping into the egg yolk. Would love to try it again. Chiizu tori katsu (chicken and cheese) & Sakana furai (fish): We had 2 people so we ordered both to try a bit of everything. I prefer fish katsu Chikara udon: Comforting broth and chewy noodles. I like the texture of the grilled mochi. Hojicha panna cotta: My 2nd favorite dish of the night. Smooth, nutty, not too sweet (if you don't pour the syrup - I don't of course). A perfect finish. We also get a free strawberry jelly as a birthday present, so very appreciated the staff! Overall, I'm glad I tried it, but for $100++/person and lacking flavor, I wouldn't rush going back soon. read more

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Had one of those dinners you don't stop thinking about. Izakaya Rintaro absolutely nailed every detail. We went for our anniversary and were immediately greeted with a complimentary glass to celebrate, which set the tone for the entire night. The service was genuinely incredible. Warm, attentive, and effortless without ever feeling overbearing. From the moment we sat down, it felt like we were transported straight to Japan. The ambiance, the pacing, the precision in every dish. Everything just flowed. We skipped the spring set menu and went à la carte, and honestly, it was the perfect move. The San Ten Mori sashimi was pristine. Every cut was clean, fresh, and beautifully balanced. The teba no karaage had that perfect crisp with a smoky depth and just the right hit of sansho. The negima skewers were simple but executed flawlessly. Juicy, flavorful, and exactly what you want them to be. The kake udon completely surprised me. Comforting, delicate, and deeply satisfying with that clean dashi broth and perfectly textured hand-rolled noodles. And dessert... the hojicha panna cotta was the kind of finish you remember. Light, subtly sweet, with that toasted green tea flavor that lingers in the best way. Paired everything with a few cocktails and it just tied the whole experience together. This wasn't just dinner. It was an experience. Thoughtful, intentional, and genuinely special from start to finish. Already counting down until we can go back. read more

Rintaro - Kake Udon - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

Finally made it out to Rintaro, which was highly recommended by fellow foodies so I had high expectations going in. I'm glad to report that these expectations were met! It was a meal with casual, homey Japanese dishes that were quality and well executed. I ordered the spring set menu which came with a bunch of their classics. Before going, I looked at photos online and it looked like it wasn't a lot of food. But I left really full so I think a set menu is enough to fill you up. The first thing you get is this tofu paste w spring peas and sesame sauce which was decent. I also ordered their silken tofu because I heard they make it in house and yea if def tasted like tofu. If you love soybean you'd like this dish. But personally I wouldn't get it again. Next, they came out w the sashimi and tho the pieces were really small and thin, it was so flavorful and soft. Beware of the little sauces though because some of them are quite spicy. The chicken yakitori was sooo succulent and had a nice glaze on top. The egg yolk and sauce paired nicely with it as well. Oden isn't a super common Japanese food in the US but is pretty big in Asia as a comfort food so I was excited to finally get to eat oden again. The dashi broth was perfectly umami and not too salty, I ended up drinking all the broth. Their fishcakes had sweet potato in it which was quite unique. I don't actually like radish and I enjoyed the radish here. Love that they paired it with some Dijon mustard just like in Asia. The chicken katsu was crispy, juicy, and had a nice cheese pull but nothing mind blowing. Once again the udon broth was amazing, especially after the nori melts and mixes in with the broth. The udon texture was good but nothing too special. The mochi tasted like those Asian salty crackers and had a nice char to it. The softer parts of the mochi had a super satisfying mochi pull. I don't actually love mochi but this mochi was honestly really yummy. The thing everyone raves about is their hojicha panna cotta and I get it. It has a fragrant tea taste, super silky smooth, and came w a not too sweet hojicha syrup for extra flavor and a thin yummy almond cookie. For my drink I got their homemade Ume chu-hi cocktail which was very sweet and tarte. Service was average. It was a 10 minute wait to check in. Sometimes it took a while to clear my plates which wasn't great considering I was in a counter seat with limited space. The sauce pouring dish would leave a puddle of sauce after each pour so it was a bit messy, but if they did see it they would come clean it up which was nice. They also didn't automatically provide tissues, only a warm towel, which I found a bit odd. However all the servers were very nice and helpful, so no major issues. Overall, I get the hype and was glad I was finally able to try it. If you're trying to enjoy a little bit of everything and want well executed Japanese food, I recommend checking this place out. read more

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Made reservations for a Thursday night at 7pm with a friend, restaurant was very busy, almost every table was take. So definitely try to grab a reservation if you want to give this spot a try. Drink: Ordered their take on a French 75 with shochu - nice and light, sparkling, with a subtle citrus note, balanced sweetness, a great pairing with the food we ordered Yuzu Highball - light yuzu flavor, nice level of carbonation, balanced and refreshing Food: Silken Tofu - a chilled first course, tofu was soft and silky accompanied by high quality katsuobushi really made this dish with it's smokey umami punch, it paired well with the neutral flavored tofu, scallion, ginger and shoyu allowed you to customize each bite Scallop Sashimi - solid, very fresh scallops that were pretty small in size maybe a 1/2" in diameter, these had a subtle sweetness, meyer lemon added brightness and wasabi added some spice, wished scallops were a bit larger but a solid option for sashimi Ika No Nuta - overly spicy from the mustard miso sauce, squid had good texture but couldn't really enjoy it given the imbalance of flavor, rapini and scallion were cut into larger chunky pieces making it difficult to get a balanced bite, apples somewhat helped to reduce the mustard impact, rarely dislike a dish completely but this one was a big miss for me personally Yakitori Momo Sancho - good, tender grilled chicken thigh skeweres that were juicy with a nice char, dipped in the sansho spice mix added a slight kick and a little punch of salt Kama Tama Udon - chilled udon which had a great bounchy chewy texture, garnished with an egg yolk and the same katsuobushi, scallion and ginger, along with a small amount of butter, wish this was served warm personally but great flavor and creamy rich texture Yakitori Tsukune - fantastic, a surprising last dish, the grilled chicken meatball was so tender and flavorful, packed with umami punch, the grilled char added smokiness, the slight glaze added a hint of sweetness, don't miss this one Hojicha Panna Cotta - good, nice soft giggly texture with rich creamy flavor, subtle tea notes, the almond cookies added a great textural contrast to the panna cotta Service was good, attentive and thoughtful, staff is knowledgeable about the menu and courses were well paced. Water was refilled throughout our meal, dish pick up after were were done was super quick and efficient. Team checked in regularly. Overall Rintaro was a bit mixed, some dishes were exceptional while others really disappointed, had high expectations given how difficult it is to score a reservation here after, if you do visit the yakitori and the udon are worth ordering. read more

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One of the chicken skewers was served raw, and even the second attempt still came out undercooked. Instead of focusing on correcting the issue or ensuring the food was safe and enjoyable, the servers immediately asked whether we wanted it removed from the order. There was no apology, no acknowledgment of the mistake, just an attempt to resolve it through the bare-minimum protocol of dumping the item without charging us. As a customer, I ordered the dish to enjoy it, not to have it dismissed as long as it's taken off the bill. The way the situation was handled made it feel like the food itself didn't matter, only the transaction did. Very disappointing experience. read more

Rintaro - Chicken skewer with onions - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've never been this hyped up to dinally get to go to a restaurant that's been on my list for a while. And truth be told, I was a little disappointed. We went for the set menu each and I have to say the only two memorable items were the yakitori and the pana cotta dessert. The katsu was good but I've had better, udon tasted pretty mid(?), and the oden just tasted like something we can make at home. Service and vibes are excellent by the way, but for the food quality and the price point for said food quality? Even though I'm giving four stars here, I'd still say it was a bummer. read more

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I really enjoyed my first time here, the food, servers, and ambiance were absolutely top notch. We came the day before Valentine's and enjoyed the set menu with a bottle of sake. Some of the standout bites for me were the uni add-on, oden radish, the chicken skewer with egg yolk, and the udon. My favorite course was the dessert of hojicha panna cotta, the flavor of the hojicha was concentrated yet balanced with the sweetness of the syrup that it was infused into. The sake we got was very unique, the finish was more like a nice white wine. I liked the balance of raw fish, izakaya classics, and comforting soups in the set menu. Our server was super sweet and welcoming, she described the different options on the menu and how we could accommodate a pescetarian diet. Next time, I'd love to come try their housemade tofu! read more

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My partner took me here for my birthday because I love izakayas, they can't do any wrong. The restaurant was very cool; you start in a rock garden type of waiting area before entering, which definitely gives the Tokyo night market vibe. The service was great, and I always notice and appreciate those extra little steps the wait staff take to make your experience enjoyable. We decided to follow the waiters suggestion and pick a dish from each section of their menu, which gave a good variety of things to try. All the fish was amazing and fresh, and the yakitori was perfectly cooked and flavorful. They had so much more on the menu that we wanted to try, but after ~5 dishes and some beer + sake, we had to call it. I would love to come back, but probably for another special occasion. read more

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Rintaro might be my favorite Izakaya in SF right now. Loved every dish I ordered, it has a modern touch and the flavors are spot on. We opted for the a la carte instead of the set menu so we can try everything we wanted to which ended up being perfect! Everything we ordered: Ika no Nuta, $17 Hikari Farm mizuna, tokyo turnip, fuji apple, scallion and Monterey Bay squid with mustardy sweet white miso Gindara no Sunomono, $23 Saikyo miso-cured Ft. Bragg black cod with Hikari Farm cucumbers in sweet vinegar Shungiku Kamo Sarada, $22 Hikari Farm chrysanthemum greens with charcoal-grilled Sonoma Liberty duck breast and kumquat Kurobuta Tonkatsu, $28 Becker Lane Berkshire pork loin katsu with Acme panko, black Hatcho miso sauce and snowy cabbage Rintaro Hanpen, $12 Steamed fluffy Ft. Bragg lingcod fishcake Kimoto/Yamahai Taiheizan Akita Junmai Draft Asahi, $10 Tokyo, Japan (Rice Lager) Yakitori Sori - Charcoal-grilled chicken oyster Hojicha Panna Cotta, $12 Japanese toasted green tea panna cotta with hojicha syrup and almond cookies read more

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Such a delicious dinner in a cute little spot! We loved the beautiful ceramics and dishware, curated for each dish we ordered. We got 9 dishes for a party of 4. Every dish was delicious and so thoughtful. My favorite was the cold squid dish. The squid was a perfect texture, which is hard to pull off! The miso mustard dressing was excellent. Service was great and attentive. Parking is street parking and can be a little tough! Also reservations only! read more

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First thing, the decor is so cute. It really transport you to a different world compared to the neighborhood right outside. The staff were so nice and even tried to offer me a drink before I even sat down at my table. We got the winter set of 7 dishes. Overall the food was pretty good but something stood out more than other things. Add on the duck salad with hazelnuts. Thank me later. The best part was the panna cotta desert and the sushi with the Yuzu and real fresh wasabi. Freshly ground too. I could pass on the minced chicken meat skewers. I did love their soups and udon. Very earthy with light dashi flavor. Overall, great place and good food. Would return. read more

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I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while now and I'm so glad to say it was worth the wait. We had the special sashimi platter ($110) and it was well worth it. The fish was so fresh and you could tell because there was no fishy flavor and some were even sweet. The uni and ikura were my favorites. The skewers were so delicious as well. The chicken was tender and juicy. Karaage was unique. Chicken wings with a flaky crust and ponzu sauce. Tonkatsu was juicy and flavorful even without sauce. We had the Oden with mushroom stuffed with fish cake which was warm and wonderful. Both udons were delish but I prefer the kake broth. Noodles were bouncy and perfect texture. And to finish we had the soufflé cheesecake which was delicious. Overall I would come back again. The quality is unmatched. read more

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04.27.2026. My brother's birthday dinner. Spring set menu. 90pp. Haru No Shira-ae (sugar snap pea, aspargus, cauliflower with tofu and sesame sauce). This was a little meh. Very refreshing but a little weird. San ten mori (sashimi plate). This was soooo good. the pickled wasabi and pairings with the wasabi/pickles were so appropriate and made the fish shine. Hitokuchi Oden. omg I love the daikon. soooo flavorful and soft. The fishcakes were okay. But overall the soup was sooo nice. Yakitori Tsukune (minced chicken skewer). I also really liked this. The chicken was nicely flavored and had the grilled charcoal flavor. Chiizu tori katsu (cheese chicken katsu). Sakana furai (basically yellowtail amberjack katsu). both of these were nicely fried. The chicken was a little one note for my liking but was good with the katsu sauce. I really liked the fish tho. Esp with the tartar sauce. Chikara udon (udon + grilled mochi + nori). I really liked the udon and nori. I think I just don't like mochi in savory foods. I've seen mochi grilled with soy sauce and nori but I think this mochi lacked flavor. It really would have benefited from the soy sauce. So this fell a little flat for me. But the udon was nice and soft and perfect texture. Hojicha Panna Cotta. My fav of the night. Green tea panna cotta with hojicha syrup and almond cookie. the panna cotta was so smooth with the roasty hojicha flavor. I loved the syrup too. It had the perfect balance of sweet and smooth and then crunchy from the cookie. I'd come back for this. Overall, a good meal, not sure if I'd do the tasting menu again but there were definitely standouts. For service, they really took care of us. There was a special happy birthday menu for my brother and they put a candle for his dessert. They were also attentive to allergies, which as a peanut allergy girly, I really appreciate. read more

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Rintaro has been on my radar for a long time and I've been meaning to try it and finally did! We made a reservation a few weeks in advance and snatched one of the later times at 8:30pm on a weeknight. It goes to say how popular Rintaro is. We got seated a few minutes after arrival. The ambiance is great inside, the restaurant is dimly lit which gave it like an izakaya feeling. The dishes were quite small and they were all quite expensive. Our meal came up to be $150+ and we were barely full. We had the croquette, the tonkatsu, pork belly skewer, some sashimi, mapo tofu rice, and a hojicha panna cotta. All were prepared pretty good. The tonkatsu kind of just fell apart immediately which I expected more coherence in the piece. The sashimi was fresh. The croquette was the highlight. Overall, the meal was expensive, the quality was good. I would say it's worth at least trying once! read more

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My husband and I had a great time at Rintaro! Definitely felt the izakaya vibes as soon as we walked in - casual setting, dim lights, big open bar. If you can, highly recommend sitting at the bar. It was such a joy watching the sushi chefs prepare the fish. The menu seemed a little too intimidating for us, so we opted for the tasting menu, which included 7 courses for $90/pp. We upgraded the sashimi for $15/pp and had no regrets! We added the sake pairing which was also a good value. The three generous pours were delicious and got me buzzin', but all tasted similar. Our faves from the set menu: 1. SASHIMI! I couldn't stop saying "wow" after every piece of fish I put in my mouth. I don't normally like uni because of the fishy taste, but this time it was such a delight! And I usually avoid wasabi, but the wasabi took the fish to a whole new level. 2. Yakitori with egg yolk - what is this concoction!? *claps hands* 3. Chiizu Tori Katsu - can't really go wrong with katsu, but the added cheese was heavenly. 4. That panna cotta dessert was one of the best I've had. It was so light and refreshing; a great ending to our meal. Can't wait to come back to try more of their dishes! read more

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Food (4/5): I had really high expectations for Rintaro, as I'd heard a lot of really good things about it from friends. I'll say I was slightly disappointed, but I do think that's mainly because my expectations had been set so high. Nothing was bad by any means, and it was all very solid. It's just that nothing was mindblowing. Ambiance (5/5): This is what I was really impressed with. The moments I stepped in, I immediately felt like I was transported to Kyoto or something. I love the ambiance that they're able to curate here -- Even the outdoor patio seating area was very nice and quiet, the perfect ambiance for a more upscale-ish dinner. You definitely need to reserve far in advance if you want a shot at getting an indoor table, as reservations filled up fast. Value (3/5): My only complaint here is I wish the portions were a little bigger. It is an Izakaya, so the dishes are more "small plate" style and meant to be shared instead of large entree portions. But for 2, expect to spend at least $100-150 to be full. Overall: It's a solid nice dinner choice, but you're definitely going more for the ambiance, though the food is still very solid all-around. read more

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For the price, I'm unsure if it's worthwhile to go back. Sure, the food is good quality, and you can tell everything is fresh, but I feel like you can find other restaurants in the area that serve these dishes for a better price. Nothing felt particularly unique, and the food served was typical for its genre. The only thing that really stood out to my group was the panna cotta, which I don't see frequently, nor do I see made with hojicha, especially with a green tea syrup on the side. Otherwise, felt like an unremarkable restaurant to me read more

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Great ambiance! The Staff was amazing and is very helpful and walks you through the menu! read more

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i've been to rintaro before, a couple years ago, and really enjoyed the experience; so i went for my birthday this year! to be honest, i was a bit let down. the hostess checking us in wished me a happy birthday, but that was all. staff was friendly but not really at the level of attentiveness that i'd expect from a restaurant at this price point? the food was solid, but not spectacular. the san ten mori (sashimi dish) WAS fantastic, definitely the best dish of the night. the fish was excellent quality and very fresh. everything else was good. there was a special chef from japan cooking unagi for two nights only, so we had to get some. it was just okay and barely warm when served. the mushroom skewers were tasty but not as juicy as i've had before? tonkastu was also not as juicy or tender as others i've had before. the maguro no yukke was slightly better than the rest-- rintaro's fish in general is fantastic quality. the nori comes in a little box with some coals underneath to lightly toast it, which i thought was a fantastic detail. it is a beautiful restaurant and i would go again for their sashimi, but i probably will try a different restaurant for my next birthday :,) read more

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I wanted to like this place so bad!!! It's honestly just ok!!! I came here for a birthday dinner and it was enough people that they had us order the set menu - fine. After add-ons and drinks the bill came out to around $200pp?? Truly nothing was memorable :/ Also if you're a large party they sit you in a back room that's kind of stuffed with storage items which totally ruins the vibe. read more

We ordered the tasting menu with a few off menu yakitori skewers and the carbonara udon. Portion of the tasting menu was big, everything on the menu was impressive. I especially enjoyed the yakitori skewers, the texture of the meat and the seasoning were both authentically done. They made the udon in-house, probably the best udon you can get in bay area. Casual vibes and great service, suitable for both big and small group gathering. read more

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Make sure to make a reservation!! We were kindly offered indoor seating when we originally booked the patio, which was a plus! Teba no karaage: I enjoyed the crispy coating and the large pieces of wings. It came out piping hot, just a warning! The meat was tender and flavor was there but it was really salty. We felt like we needed rice to balance out the salt. Shiitake satsumaage: This oden was pretty tasty. It was a tasty and soft fish cake stuffed in a shiitake mushroom. The broth had a great umami flavor and delicious, but also too salty. The horseradish on the side was a nice touch for an extra kick. Kuronuta tonkatsu: The tonkatsu was beautifully cooked in a light crispy layer. There was a good ratio between the pork and fatty parts. I liked the large pile of shredded cabbage on the side as a palate cleanser. Yakitori sasami: These chicken skewers were our least favorite of the meal. The chicken itself was really salty and the ume-mayo made it even saltier. The chicken was fairly moist otherwise. Kama Tama udon: The udon carbonara was a nice touch to our meal. The udon tasted fresh and had the perfect bounce to them. The raw egg made the dish extra creamy and enjoyable along with the savory katsuobushi. Hojicha panna cotta: My favorite!!! It was not too sweet and super smooth. The hojicha flavor of the syrup and panna cotta was not overbearing. It had a nice texture and cool temperature to end our meal. Much recommended! The place itself gave a warm and welcoming ambiance. The servers were attentive and kind! read more

My husband took me to Rintaro for my birthday, and it ended up being such a fun dining experience. We were seated at the bar right in front of the charcoal grill, which meant we had a perfect view of the open kitchen and all the action happening behind the scenes. Watching the skewers being grilled over the charcoal while the kitchen moved in sync added a really special element to the evening. The service was excellent throughout the night. Attentive, warm, and helpful in guiding us through the menu. Since it was our first time dining here, we decided to go with the late winter set menu so we could try a little bit of everything. Everything included in the set is pictured, along with the additional chicken thigh + onion skewer we added on. Overall, the food was very good, but a few items stood out more than others. Between the skewers, I personally preferred the chicken thigh over the minced chicken. For my fellow Filipinos out there -- the minced chicken skewer reminded me a lot of bola-bola, which just isn't my personal preference. If I came back, I'd probably skip that one and go straight for the chicken thigh again. The sashimi was excellent. The freshness and quality of the fish were immediately apparent, and honestly I wish I had a whole plate to myself. It came with two types of wasabi -- one was meant specifically for the fattier cuts of fish. The server explained what it was mixed with, but I can't quite remember the details now... all I know is that it had such a unique flavor that I ended up putting it on everything. While the meal itself was great, like many other reviews mention, the absolute star of the night was the panna cotta. It was beautifully balanced with hojicha and matcha and not overly sweet. It was the perfect way to end the meal without feeling heavy. I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu and without question, to order that panna cotta again. read more

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Highly recommend rintaro and would say overall it is NOT overrated! Food: Negima (fave) - Chicken + onion skewer grilled to perfection. Juicy, smoky, and full of flavor. The sauce was delicious and the char on the chicken was so good. Tsukune - Had a slight lemongrass flavor and felt like a Japanese-style kebab. Tasty, but not as memorable as the Negima. Kurobuta Tonkatsu - Fresh pork, but a bit heavy for me. Good, just not my fave. Gindara no Sunomono (fave) - Absolutely perfect. The cod was tender and paired beautifully with the pickled cucumbers. No notes, just get it. San Ten Mori (fave) - Super fresh and flavorful fish. The tuna was decent, but every other piece was unreal! Kake Udon - The homemade noodles were fine, but nothing special to me (I'm sorry!). The broth was the real standout -- loved the umami flavor. Japanese cheesecake: I was hoping it would be lighter but it was dense. Really liked the sauce and mangos with it tho! Drinks: Yuzu Cocktail - So refreshing and bright. Paired perfectly with all the seafood. I'd honestly come back just for this. Strawberry Milk - Sweet and good strawberry flavor, but better as a dessert than with dinner. Overall: Service was amazing -- everyone was super thoughtful and kind, and they made our anniversary feel special. We loved sitting at the counter and watching the chefs do their thing. Such a fun experience overall! read more

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I finally had the opportunity to try this restaurant out! Make sure to make a reservation if you plan to dine here, especially on a weekend, because more than likely they won't accept walk-ins due to limited space. My friends and I went here to have a little Friendsgiving dinner. When you walk in, you'll see the patio, where it has some seating, and then going down more will be the inside of the restaurant, with booth seating and counter seating. Don't worry, if you sit at the patio, there are heaters to keep you warm on a cold da/night. You can choose what items you want, OR if you don't want to do that, they do have a set menu option where it has the selections laid out for you. We ordered from each section, minus the cold dishes. The yakitori were very delicious! The one I may skip, however, would be the chicken knee. It was way too hard and crunchy, it did hurt my molars when I bite. Other than that, sashimi was buttery and melt in your mouth, and the carbonara udon was the star!! The green onions and ginger elevated the dish exponentially, so highly recommend that! And lastly, the hojicha panna cotta finished off the entire meal and it was so smooth, not too sweet, a perfect sweet treat. Definitely recommend coming here!! read more

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Came here on a double date and had a lot of fun trying different dishes! We made a reservation in advance for 7:30 on a weekday, which was very much needed since it was packed inside. The ambiance is very cute and great for catching up with friends. We ordered a bunch of different items a la carte (although they do also have a set menu). My favorites were the yosedofu (silken tofu that was perfectly chilled and creamy), the yakitori (especially the chicken oyster one mmmm so tender), and the katsu which was so so crispy. I also found the hojicha panna cotta pretty delightful as a light dessert. The kake udon and sashimi were good as well though less memorable. Overall, we spent exactly $50 per person after tax and tip and I felt pretty satisfied after the meal. Would love to come back and try more things! read more

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Delicious! I thought the set menu was a good sampler of everything. But for next time, I'll know better of what to pick & choose. - Sashimi plate was pretty average - would skip on this next time - Miso black cod was total yums! - would get again - Oden tasted like pure comfort - would get again - Katsu was meh, imo. The cheese made it taste off to me - skip - Yakitori tsukune was also comfort - would get again - Kake udon with its hand-made udon noodles was good, but broth had subdued flavoring - pretty neutral about this one. - Mabodofu don - skip, my hubs makes better mabo, sorry - Hojicha panna cotta - a perfect dessert to end the meal Enjoyed the meal. Can't wait to come back again and try their other offerings! read more

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Went here for a birthday dinner. Loved the vibe walking in and the natural wood structures throughout the space. We sat at the bar too so we could see the behind the scenes but if I went again I'd opt for the booth seating. We got the tasting menus for food and sake. The service was great overall, but when it came to the sake tasting it was a little disappointing. They forgot that I was a part of the sake tasting after during the 3rd round and didn't give me a cup. So we flagged that and the server looked hella sus at us and had to chat with someone for a hot minute to give me a cup and continue the tasting, so that felt a little weird. I also didn't receive an explanation of what sake we were tasting multiple times but my partner did, so that was also weird. Despite the service, the sake itself was good but compared to other tastings I've experienced I don't think this one was as worth it. Focusing on the food, the tasting was great! The cooked fish and nigiri tasted fresh and was wonderful. I really enjoyed the rice based dishes and I love udon and fish balls. The skewers were tender, juicy, and full of flavor. We also got the pudding/panna cota dish with the hojicha syrup which was so good. Overall, aside from the weird service I encountered it was a good experience and I'd still recommend trying Rintaro. The food course tasting is great and I'd recommend it for first timers so you can figure out what you like but honestly you can't go wrong if you choose to go through with ordering the full sized dishes. read more

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I don't like going to San Francisco but since my son wanted to treat his dad to a good dinner and made reservation here we are. It is a happening place as they were fully booked and had to turn away many walk-ins. Strawberry milk was tasty but I think I can make it myself in the future. The food overall was good with the black cod as my favorite, second was the very tender beef tendon. The grilled skewers were decent but nothing to rave about. The sashimi was fresh and thick and tolerated by even for a non sashimi person like me. The katsu... the pieces I tried were 1/3 fat... tender but fatty. The carb dishes... maybe I was full with the pork fat already, I could pass. The dessert- the panna cotta was definitely much better than the cheese cake. The cheese cake was okay but the sauce was overpowering the cake and the mango slices. The overall atmosphere was hip and I can see it was popular and packed with younger generation. The service was good. Like I said I don't like going to San Francisco but if my family wants to come back I would entertain the idea...but definitely give it a try if you have not been here. read more

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Came here to celebrate my wife's birthday as my daughter in-law had made the reservation for our family. This was my first time dining here and learned that this is a very popular place for Izakaya dining and they were right. Service 5/5: Besides the stellar service standards by our server and server assistants every dish that we received came with a detailed background of each ingredient and in some cases the origin of where it came from. Food 5/5: my least favorite of everything we ordered was the chicken skewers with the Japanese mayo as a garnish. Everything else was over the top Cleanliness 5/5: as a party of 5 we were seated in the back dining area and our table was clean and the storage area under the bench seating was very clean. The 2 gender neutral restrooms were also clean between the hours of 6-8 pm. Noise level is very loud so leave your hearing aids at home! In summary, I would come back again read more

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We visited Rintaro during the SF blackout and was happy so see the restaurant wasn't affected. We had a lot of trouble getting there on time but was so grateful the staff gave us a table on a busy Saturday. We ordered a la carte to try specific things since we had been eating all day. My favorite was the duck breast with chrsyanthemum greens, minced chicken yakitori, Hojicha Panna Cotta. Especially the Hojicha panna cotta. I wish I could recreate that at home. The staff is very friendly and it's a great date night restaurant. read more

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Came here recently for a birthday dinner and loved everything about Rintaro! Service was excellent and our waitress was very attentive. We opted for the mid-summer tasting menu ($90 per person) which featured a tomato appetizer, San ten Mori sashimi, yakitori tsukune, oden, chiizu tori katsu, options between the udon or mabodofu don, and a hojicha panna cotta. We were celebrating a birthday and they gifted us a small fruit plate as well. Our favorite dish of the night was definitely the yakitori tsukune! The texture and seasoning were perfect. We also loved the tomato dish and udon. The interior was cute with booths for larger 4+ groups and smaller tables and the outside had a well-lit set up with heat lamps and string lights. I'd love to come back to sit outside for a meal on a warm day. Rintaro is definitely a new favorite of mine, and I can't wait to come back to try more yakitori and their house specials! read more

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This restaurant is probably one of my favorite places to eat in SF. The vibe here is just immaculate. The service is amazing. The food is just impeccable. I highly recommend this place for date nights or dinner with friends . Tbh, I have tried almost everything on the menu and I have no complaints so far! read more

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Made reservations on a Thursday at 5:15pm because it was either that or 9:30pm lol. We got counter seats which was really lovely seeing the hustling and bustling of the kitchen staff and servers. The owner came around and explained to us how to choose items from the menu, basically if not getting the set menu, he suggested 6-7 dishes per two people, one dish from each section. We decided to order for drinks a dry asahi and the yuzu chu-mai cocktail, tonkatsu, one order of chicken oyster Yakitori, yosedofu, Kanpachi no sashimi and the kake udon. Everything was top notch h. Ingredients appeared to be high quality and fresh, the flavors were delicious and customer service is great. Everyone was very attentive and willing to answer any questions. The space is very clean, they provide you with hot hand towels to clean your hands, they pass by every so often to wipe off your table and you can tell everyone is very skilled. Definitely going back to try different items. read more

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This was a fun omakase experience for us. It was very interesting to see all the creativity in the dishes the chefs chose. We loved getting a little bit of everything and the ambiance only added to it all. Staff was very pleasant and very efficient. read more

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Yosedofu - Excellent texture, very flavorful and refreshing soy bean flavor. Suggest using few drops of sauce, cause it's very concentrate. San Ten Mori - very fresh. The fresh wasabi was awesome. Blue fin tuna was excellent. The halibut was so sweet. Amazing. Chicken thigh yakitori - Very interesting marinate. Strong flavor taste like mosquito spray. Minced chicken meat - Very fluffy, soft and tender. Best yakitori here. Chicken tender grill - This one is ok. Much lighter flavor. Grilled mushroom - The sauce is flavorful. Good. Kurobata Tonkatsu - That's the surprised dish of the night. Very tender, juicy and flavorful. Must Tomorokoshi Satsumaage - Very good dashi. Flavorful. Fish ball has nice texture Kama Tama udon - interesting flavor. It's like a dry udon with some sauce. Tomorokoshi udon - The corn fritter was very good. The udon texture was also very Al dente. Excellent. Service was very good. Courteous and professional. read more

Rintaro - Yosedofu - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Second time coming here and can't wait to come back!! Ambiance: very quaint and cute indoor/outdoor setup. Have only been outdoor so can't comment much on the inside. But even though the outside Food: always amazing with options for warm dishes, yakitori, noodles, rice. I usually just ask the waiter for their recommendations and usually am not disappointed read more

Note: My rating is highly influenced by the fact that Rintaro is just expensive for what you get. The food itself, if it was half the price, would be great. My boyfriend and I got the set menu. The server told us we would likely leave feeling pretty full even though the set menu isn't full portions of the dishes if we were to order them a la carte. Overall my favorites were the fresh sashimi, oden, and the hojicha panna cotta. It's obvious the quality of the ingredients is good, but the flavor of the dishes are what you would expect and could honestly probably get for much cheaper at a less trendy but authentic Japanese place. We also added the chicken negima on top of the set menu, and while tasty it's not out of this world. The sashimi add-on was worth it for $15 pp since you get a bit of scallop and uni. The hojicha panna cotta was legitimately quite tasty and I could not stop raving about it. The other disappointing parts of the experience were that it took at least 10 minutes of waiting in line before we were checked in for our reservation. It was a chilly night so standing there waiting for the hostess was not a great first experience. Similarly, my boyfriend found a bone in a piece of sashimi and then a piece of wax paper or something in the udon soup. This to me signals a lack of quality control or care in preparation of the dishes. Arguably the whole point of sashimi is to be able to fully enjoy the fish without worrying about being stabbed by a bone. When we told the server, they comped us a dessert and some tea which was nice, but obviously would have rather just had a smooth meal. Overall, I can't say I really recommend Rintaro if you want a meal you will feel like you got good value and quality out of. If I came back, I'd order a la carte and focus on the yakitori primarily. read more