Great cakes, fluffy and soft tasting cheesecakes, Japanese style different from American style which is more rich. Easy and quick to pay usually no line at any time of the day. Goes fast and service is efficient Got the tong sui brand coconut jello plus mini cheesecake $11 combo so you save $2 by buying together Love the cute spacious orange paper bag they give you to hold your stuff read more

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Yesterday I tried Uncle Tetsu inside Hillsdale Shopping Center for the first time and I really enjoyed it. There were so many flavors to choose from but I only got the coconut pandan Japanese cotton cheesecake and the ube cheese tart. They're selling the mini cheesecake - cheesetart combo for only $10, a pretty good deal! Cotton cheesecake was super soft and fluffy, and the flavor leans more towards the coconut. I think pandan was only there for the color. Like you can see it but the flavor was really light, not super strong like I expected. Ube cheese tart was also good but definitely on the sweeter side. Me and my friend shared one because it gets kinda sugary after a few bites (but it's still delicious, I highly recommend). The texture is nice, very creamy and buttery inside with a slightly crunchy crust. Place was not busy, and staff was nice. I'd probably come back again when I'm craving desserts. read more

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I walked in for "a slice" and somehow left with four. No regrets. Mostly. We ordered the original, matcha, strawberry, and the Basque -- because self-restraint is overrated. The original is still undefeated. Light as air, barely sweet, that signature wobble that makes you question gravity. It melts on your tongue instead of weighing you down. This is the one. This is why the line exists. Matcha was smooth and subtle -- earthy but not overpowering. Easy to like. Strawberry had that same fluffy texture, but the flavor leaned a little more candy than fresh berry for me. Not bad, just not as natural tasting as I hoped. The Basque looked stunning -- that deeply bronzed top had main-character energy. But flavor-wise, it was too burnt-forward for me. I know that caramelized bitterness is part of the Basque charm, but this one leaned a little too bitter on the finish. I prefer mine more custardy and balanced rather than heavy on the char. Still, Uncle Tetsu is fun, nostalgic, and the original alone earns the repeat visit. read more

Still consistently good ! Love the Pandan and Coffee and many more. :) Everything they make is so good and will not disappoint. Avail of the free taste if you are not sure what to get but we tried all of them and what a treat. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Coffee and Pandan our favorite :) - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got the $10 combo with 1 mini cheesecake and cheese tart Cookies and cream cheesecake was pretty good. Matcha cheese tart was a seasonal item and it was not good at all. The matcha flavor just doesn't blend well with the cheese tart sour taste. Don't recommend it. Service was not that good this time. The person who served us wasn't too friendly. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Sesame cheese tart - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Mmmmmm soft fluffly cheesecake. If you want more egg heavy cheesecake, Uncle Tetsu might not be a good option for you. The ube cheesecake is always tasty, but I was not a fan of the Oreo cheesecake. The Oreo cheesecake was just the classic with bits and pieces of Oreo, doesn't taste at all like Oreos unfortunately. Recommend the classic, ube, and pandan coconut flavors! read more

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Had the original and the pandan Japanese Cheesecake for our Thanksgiving dessert this year. Our niece brought it for the potluck. So light and fluffy. Very different from American cheesecake. The Japanese version is more souffle like. I really liked the pandan flavor one. Located in the Hillsdale Shopping mall. read more

If Uncle Tetsu is adopting, I'll gladly become Nephew Harish. Their black sesame tart and original cheesecake are great too! The mini cheesecake and tart combo deal is too good to pass on! read more

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Got the following: Basque cheesecake, ube cheesecake, regular cheesecake, ube cookies and yuzu green tea. All items were delicious but the cheesecakes tasted moist in comparison to Osaka which has also has raisins. The moisture levels seem higher and decreases the fluffiness factor. Enjoy the different taste profile in the cookie, the sour cream flavor in the cookie made it well balanced to the sweetness. The cookie texture was very fluffy and dense therefore very fulfilling. The yuzu green tea was refreshing but needs more of the citrus jam as the flavor profile goes bland halfway through. There was only one worker available and seemed overwhelmed with the task and neutral in tone. Overall good experience. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Burnt Basque and Ube Cheesecakes - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This location is just a counter near the food court in the mall. Service was friendly and quick! Lol I bought 4 different cheesecakes here for Thanksgiving: original, strawberry, ube, and pandan coconut. All very good with no complaints. Great texture, not too sweet, and subtle flavoring/coloring which was perfect. The original and ube cheesecakes were the crowd favorite. I need to try the black sesame cheesecake (if there is one?). I've had the black sesame cheese tart before which was 10/10. Overall, great Japanese cheesecake chain and super fair prices. (Only complaint is that my husband got a cheesecake card when he bought two and I didn't haha...I'll need to get my two stamps somehow...) read more

Uncle Tetsu - Strawberry Cheesecake & Pandan Coconut Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love this location! Very clean and well maintained. The staff are very nice. When in the middle preparing cakes, they still come to help me as soon as they can. They offer new flavor samples and recommend combo deals they have. My favorites are the ube basque cheese cakes, coffee flavor, sesame tarts, ube cookie and the matcha cheese foam. My kids love their strawberry and Oreo cream cookies. All the flavors are good. What's best is that they aren't heavy and over sweet. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Strawberry cheese cake being decorated by kids - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

It's been a while since I last saw an Uncle Tetsu but it's a must to get the original for me ~ We tried the cherry blossom one and it is delicious, moist and soft. They have many seasonal flavors and even have baby cheesecakes now too. Cheesecakes here are jiggly and fluffy. read more

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Originating from Japan in 1990, Uncle Tetsu is a global chain that specializes in Japanese cheesecake. What is a Japanese cheesecake? It's basically a very light and fluffy pound cake that tastes a tiny bit like cheesecake. As in, it'll take stronger force to throw this cake at someone's face and make a mess than a regular cake. It's more sponge than cake and will most likely just bounce off. When hype is generated for this cheesecake, people line up like crazy; but it's not too big of a deal, and since its opening, these locations in California are only frequented by diehard fans or the ultra curious. Hillsdale is home to Uncle Tetsu's first location in Northern California! They used to only really make Japanese cheesecakes, but they've since expanded their menu and flavors. I personally like getting Uncle Tetsu as a cute, reasonably priced, interesting gift for special occasions. In general, the flavors of their baked goods are on the mild side (good for an Asian palate) - not too sweet, not too intense, and mostly softer in texture. They rotate through different seasonal offers and promotions, so it's worth it to check out what they're up to. I like their original flavor of the Japanese cheesecake the most, because the flavored ones taste just a little bit artificial. One Japanese cheesecake can feed anywhere from 1 to 8 people. It lasts for a couple days at room temperature. Their cheese tarts are pretty neat because they ooze from inside, and are richer than the cheesecakes, though I've had better cheese tarts. If you want something that tastes more like an actual cheesecake, try their burnt Basque cakes. The packaging and bag they put your product in is pretty nice. read more

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I LOVE how their cakes are so light, airy, and FLUFFY. I've tried about every flavor and as basic as it sounds, ORIGINAL is the best one. For the cheese tarts, original, black sesame are the favorites. Anyways, I definitely recommend y'all stop by and try them out when you're on the area read more

This place has really fluffy cheesecakes with the perfect amount of sweetness and I highly recommend everyone to check it out! I went around the Christmas time and they had the cutest stamps for their cheesecakes.. I highly recommend the Oreo and the Ube flavors! The Ube is my all time favorite, as it's not too sweet and is light and fluffy! Oreo is good too, and is on the sweeter side! In particular, the gigantic Oreo in the cheesecake is a favorite among the kids in my family! My only gripe is that the line can be really really long, and sometimes service is a bit slow! It's also in the middle of a mall food court; so ambience is always pretty loud.. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Ube cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I was doing some shopping in Hillsdale and I saw this bakery in the food court so here I am. I ordered the mini original cheesecake and the mini Oreo cheesecake. The cheesecakes are fluffy, airy, light, moist, and lightly sweetened. It was a pleasant surprise. I'll be back to try more stuff next time forsure. Try it out if you like. :) read more

Uncle Tetsu - Oreo Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Hey! Found the elusive Pandanus flavor! It was in stock, and while not hot and fresh, still light and springy, and with enough flavor but not overpowering - and the small was the perfect amout for husband and I to share for a little dessert after lunch in the food court - the highlight of the hour I have to say - glad to have finally tasted it, my new favorite flavor - now... maybe they would make a durian flavor?? nah, they'd probably empty the food court like a fire drill or a big earthquake - but a girl can dream... read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Customer service here is nonexistent. People who work here look like you owe them money.

I love Uncle Tetsu's cheesecake, and this location is no different. It was my first time seeing the mini cheesecakes, which was perfect for us because we wanted to try multiple flavors. We ended up getting Original, Smores, Strawberry, and Pandan. The original is still my favorite (I just like the more eggy flavor that comes through), but all the other flavors were good too (my boyfriend's favorite was Smores). I thought I'd like the pandan the most, but somehow the fragrance of the pandan doesn't really work as well with the base cheesecake flavor for me. This location is pretty convenient if you just want to grab a cake and go - parking was easy to find in Hillsdale mall and the Uncle Tetsu's is located right by the entrance escalator. read more

Just was in a mood for a quick dessert. They had a mix and match for about $10 for a mini cheesecake plus a tart. I would eat the mini cheesecake first as the flavor and sweetness is stronger for the tart. The tart is also very delicate so be careful when carrying it. The crème can easily get smeared on the bag. It is also why I don't have a picture of it. :) I think next time I will probably just stick with the mini cheesecake as it is not as sweet. :) read more

Uncle Tetsu - Ube mini cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

My niece and I were waiting for our Boba tea from Sher tea around the corner and I wanted to show her this particular shop since she loves Matcha! Turns out they had a deal with a mini cheesecake and a tart for $10!! Sold!! We got two different daily specials so we could try different flavors and she actually liked my pandan cheesecake and Ube tart better than her Matcha cheesecake and Matcha tart! Lol I will definitely be back here again!! I also liked how the lady physically showed me each pastry as she box them to double check and make sure the order was correct. I knotted my head and said yes, and she smiled and knotted her head as well! I love the overcommunicate!! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Saturday special! Perfect! Hee., - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I had this spot bookmarked for a while as I love trying new desserts! We were in the area and decided to finally try it out. They are located in Hillsdale mall on the second floor (in a food court area) so there is ample parking. We asked one of the people there a few questions as it was our first time and they did not seem interested in helping us and/or telling us about the desserts, flavors, etc. We decided to go with a large ube cake to bring home for Father's day as we loved the stamp on it as well as one of the dessert bundles - a mini cake and cheese tart for $10. We went with the matcha mini cake and black sesame cheese tart. The desserts themselves were delicious and not overly sweet which was definitely appreciated. Both of the cakes were very fluffy and you could taste an essence of the flavors. I would suggest having it fresh - we had the mini cake right then and there and it was a bit fluffier than the ube cake we refrigerated overnight and ate the next day. The cheese tart was very creamy and funnily enough the black sesame with the matcha were delicious together. We will definitely be back to try more flavors! read more

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Picked up an original Japanese cheesecake to go. Service was mediocre. Server gave this annoyed vibe by our presence. The cheesecake was light, airy, and delicious! It made up for the unwelcoming service. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Located in Hillsdale Shopping Center, parking is plentiful and easy to find. The shopping center is quite sizeable as it has both an indoor mall and outdoor plaza area. Uncle Tetsu is located in the food court. Original (5/5): really fluffy and so soft. The flavor was perfect as it wasn't overly heavy. The light cream used really brought the fluffy texture together. Overall, Uncle Tetsu continues to be a great place for a delicious dessert. Their Japanese cheesecakes are fluffy and soft without being overwhelmingly heavy. read more

So excited to come back here after 3 years. Their cheesecake is fluffy and light and delicious. However, their highlight is the matcha with cheese foam! It's strong, dark, bold, and earthy! This is the only location that I know serving matcha and green tea. I even ordered a matcha drink without ice so I can save it in the fridge for my caffeine fix in the next morning. Other locations need to be consistent and serve these drinks as well. Original cheese tart is legit!!! The shell is crispy without being crumbly after the first bite, and it has subtle sweetness. The filling is generous, creamy, light, and perfectly sweet! It pairs perfectly well with my half sweet matcha drink. read more

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5 stars for the drink, the green tea with cheese foam is awesome. I like it better than the cheesecake. 4 stars for the cheesecakes, they're light, but not fluffy like the normal Japanese cheesecake, it's a bit like a moist cake, which is not my favorite type of cheesecake. I tried ube, original, matcha and pandan. My favorite is the pandan cheesecake, it's rich with the pandan flavor. read more

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I have now tried most of the Japanese Cheesecake flavors since their opening. Recently, Uncle Tetsu added Oreo and Cheese Tarts. which I have yet to try. My faves to date are Original, Ube, Pandan, and Strawberry. Yesterday, I was craving it so my husband and I took an impromptu trip across the bay after lunch to grab it. Little to my unbeknownst excitement, they now make MINI cheesecakes! You know what that means? I can have a little of everything! Of course, I got Original, Ube & Pandan. Staff are always so polite and nice. Service was quick and efficient. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheese Tarts (Original & Ube) - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Quick take: love their cheesecakes I frequent the Hillsdale Mall location the most. Plenty of parking and I've never had to wait in line. But I do tend to come at the very end of the day. Tried matcha, strawberry, and original. I'm an original fan. Each cake is stamped with a cute character every time. Definitely prefer Uncle T's over American style cheesecake. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Loving the Halloween Uncle T! Original. - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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We've tried their fluffy cheesecakes before. This time we tried the smaller cheese tarts in original, strawberry, matcha, and chocolate We loved each and every flavor and savored each bite. Not too sweet and I don't feel gross after finishing two tarts Very cute boxes too. Will definitely be back! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Recently, We ordered original cheese tart, ube tart, lychee rose tart, and yuzu cheesecake. We're satisfied with everything. The pastries and cheesecake were not overly sweet. We like the tart crust, which is thin and easy to bite. The cheese was also soft. The yuzu cheesecake was really delightful and not too cheesy. read more

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It tastes good but not great as I was expecting. All my family loved the taste and service was great.

There is no other Japanese Cheesecake that can compare to Uncle Tetsu. It's a must! Love the variety of flavors as well. The best: Original, Oreo, and Pandan Coconut. This was not our first time here and won't be our last. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Pandan Coconut - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

It has been a hot minute since I've been back to Uncle Testu but this time was LIT! I had the mini cheesecakes. You buy 3 and get 1 free. They were $4.50 each so the bill came out to $13.50. Then the best part is if you follow them on Tik Tok or Instagram, you can get a free mini cheesecake. So I had 5 mini cheesecakes for only $13.50. There were 4 different flavors and I'll rank them based on my favorite: 1) Blueberry 2) Strawberry 3) Ube 4) Original Service was excellent and location was in the food court at Hillsdale Mall. It was clean and inviting. Overall a positive experience at Uncle Testu. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Oreo basque cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Nice classic Japanese cheesecake shop. Located at the corner of the food court. They give free samples and the egg tarts are based off what they have available. They take apple pay and google pay as well. Definitely recommend if you happen to be in the mall as it is nowhere close to anyone in south bay read more

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It was my first time trying Uncle Tetsu's Japanese cheesecake, which I greatly enjoyed. I visited late in the evening, so there was no line. The staff was friendly and welcoming. She was busy baking when I came to the stall but quickly assisted me when I was ready to order. I ordered the original cheesecake. The cheesecake had a cute easter themed stamp. The portion was big and good for about 3-4 people. The cheesecake was fluffy and tasty; it was also light and moist. It was not too sweet, which was a huge plus. I highly recommend Uncle Tetsu for its dessert options. I have only tried the original flavor, so I will return to try their other cheesecakes and tarts. read more

Uncle Tetsu - original cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Super light, sponge cake like cheesecake! Not too sweet and airy. Love that there's this option for East Asian style cakes and that the location is pretty central on the peninsula, but I'm not a fan of the parking situation at this mall ever since the reno happened and the crowdedness of this food court on weekends. No other way to get to this storefront since it's part of the food court without an outside entrance. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Easy option if you're looking for a light and airy dessert for yourself or to share - portion is great for a small family to share (i.e. birthday or tea) but too small to bring to a friend gathering (would need to bring at least two). The good: - Delicious, fluffy and light Japanese cheesecake. I recommend the original - it's been the best flavor of the ones I've tried - though I have also enjoyed Strawberry and Pandan (esp the hot pink and green colors). For some reason I didn't love the ube (purple). I still have the basque cheesecake on my to try list. - Price is reasonable at $14, though they have gone up - I remember them being $12 last year. - There hasn't been a long line/wait the last few times I've been here. It's easy enough to park and go up the escalator and grab this (located in the food court). - There are now samples you can try (next to the register)! - The box and bag that you get makes this look classy. Caveat: - Portions are fairly small - if you're looking for something for a larger group, going with an actual cake, cupcakes or pies would make more sense read more

Uncle Tetsu - Free samples - so you can choose which flavor to purchase! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Always remains as one the BEST REASONS to visit Hillsdale mall. It is Especially nice to visit in their food court location near where the newly remodeled large outdoor court is located....such a great design by this mall--just wish that this outdoor court was bigger! Uncle Tetsu continues to create really fantastic Japanese style cheesecakes, which are lighter, fluffier and less sweet than traditional cheesecakes. They also are running a promo this 2023 holiday season: $22 for a full-size cheesecake, mini tart (my favorites) AND a sweet tea! This is a great deal. My daughter enjoyed their Jasmine Green Tea drink (see pic)--these are like the modern Chinese/Taiwanese style teas. My favorites are the Basque style cheesecake, ube, and chocolate flavors. But I really like their mini tarts as they have a thin pie-crust on the edge and have a slight liquidity consistency in the middle. My favorite tarts are the ube and regular. Come enjoy these Japanese style cheesecakes--they are a treat and great gifts for family visiting. read more

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This is the first Uncle Tetsu I've seen in the United States! I've had their cakes in Taiwan, so I was very excited to see a store here in the Bay Area. My absolute favorite is the Rose & Lychee cake. I could definitely taste the perfect combination of rose and lychee flavors, and it's perfectly fluffy and delicious and not too sweet (the ultimate Asian compliment when it comes to sweets lol). I hope they keep the Rose&Lychee cake! read more

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I love these cheesecakes, their rotating flavors, specialty drinks and those little Burnt Basque Cakes. The online ordering system is very efficient to save time by picking up. They've always had my cakes ready on time. I have not tasted anything here that is anything short of excellent! I am not a fan of very sweet desserts. These have the perfect hint of sweetness and the cakes are light and fluffy like a sponge cake. My mother will have nothing other than Uncle Tetsu cakes for her birthday. She likes the simple tastes that don't weigh you down as I. If you're looking to sample the flavors, the little Burnt Basque Cakes are perfect little cheesecake mini's. They have seasonal flavors also. So the selections are never stale. As for beverages, I have only had the matcha with cheese foam. It looked interesting, and I really enjoyed it. Sweetness levels can be adjusted when ordering. I have more to try. Enjoy a tasty beverage on the go or while you wait for them to get your order together. Love, love Uncle Tetsu and is my "go-to" spot when bringing desserts anywhere. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Love the minis! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California