Minako Organic-ish Japanese Cuisine in San Mateo

Review №1

2023-01-20 21:10:50

This place is amazing. The customer service is also great and the women working there are extremely friendly. They have a lot of vegan options (and non vegan, of course). I’ve had the tofu katsu curry, garlic tofu, and vegan gyoza and they were all delicious.

Review №2

2023-06-13 21:12:52

Everything tasted delicious, and it felt like there was a lot of care and attention put into the food. The service was so above and beyond that I will remember the experience for years. We had a fantastic conversation while we waited for our order, and she was super kind to us on our travels. I will definitely go back if I get the chance. I certainly recommend this place to anyone who has the opportunity to go!

Review №3

2018-12-02 23:30:49

A charming unassuming eatery located at the street corner. Street parking only, but usually not too busy.The decor is very homey, somewhat like being in someones living room. The menus were handwritten sheets in plain binders. There were many signs warning against wearing of scent. We were served by the chef Minakos daughter who treated us like a friend.Waiting for the food took quite a bit of time as the kitchen was open and we could see it was only Minako doing all the cooking.The food was tasty and refreshing. Some of the flavors differ drastically from what I usually associate with restaurant Japanese food, such as the decades old pickled vegetables. We also ordered two of the dinner sets, which came with simple but fresh dishes of vegetable soup, grilled fish, teriyaki fried tofu, and tender chicken. However, the quantity is drastically small for the price.A good experience, but I dont think I would want to pay for it again.

Review №4

2018-03-19 12:56:05

Amazing Japanese cuisine in a small, quaint location. Seating is very limited, so if you plan on dining in, be prepared to wait, or come on off hours. Everything is authentic, and is prepared fresh to order. The sushi is good, but I would also recommend the udon and the ramen.One other important note, the woman who runs the front of house is highly allergic to perfumes and strong fragrances, so please try to be mindful of how much scent you are putting of before entering.

Review №5

2022-04-10 20:10:16

Formerly in San Francisco, this mom/daughter serves up Japanese takeaway food. The mom herself cooks the food and daughter manages the front. Their most popular item is Katsu Curry and are an excellent choice if you have dietary restrictions.I tried the Teriyaki Chicken Bento, and the daughter described it as being different from a normal teriyaki glaze, which it was. It was less salty/sweet and the sauce was light making the dish feel like health was in mind.An amazing thing they mentioned was that if the mom of the shop has the ingredients, they would make items off the menu if it’s requested!! Such a wonderful duo - come support your local business!

Review №6

2022-06-28 13:34:45

Delicious Japanese food! Tastes like home cooked meals and very friendly service. Had chicken curry and tofu katsu and both were delicious. Will definitely come again!

Review №7

2022-08-28 21:38:55

Delicious sushi and curry. I had very good vegan options here and they were all good. Small place so prepare to sit outside or take to go.

Review №8

2023-05-08 03:29:48

Wow what an unexpected find! Fantastic, very warm service, delicious food and reasonable prices. More of a home cooked, authentic Japanese cuisine rather than typical Japanese restaurant food (we loved it since it reminded us of Japan).Unfortunately there was currently no seating inside, and there were only two tables outside, so more of a take out place if you dont manage to score a table. Also the owners take Covid precautions very seriously, so please bear that in mind.All in all a total unexpected highlight of our trip.

Review №9

2023-05-02 16:11:30

The team that works here are top notch. Kind, attentive, hard-working, great food. A mother-daughter team that delivers authentic and thoughtful Japanese cuisine. Nice variety on menu that is not often available in most other restaurants. Many plant-based options as well that are not just Here is a cucumber roll, that should satisfy you. All of the food, including plant-based, has great attention to detail, is well balanced and filling, and you get the impression that you are eating someones homemade food, and the treatment you receive is that of a house guest more than a customer. Cannot recommend them enough

Review №10

2018-06-05 15:16:48

So Good! We went there with new friends of the owners, a mother-daughter team. Mom cooks, Daughter runs the front (and lots more, including dishes!). Both were Very attentive and friendly, introducing us to great flavors and specific details of specials on the Very Creative menu and dishes. Creative flavors, creative playing made all the vegan/vegetarian food visually provocative. The Very fresh, Organic-ish (R) food looked, smelled and tasted great. We’ll definitely go back and take more friends!