I absolutely LOVE this place and can understand why it's so crowded and busy all the time. We lucked out and just showed up with no reservations - waited about 30 minutes which isn't too bad. Gave us time to do a quick run to the library and back! LOL... But definitely best if you had a reservation. We started with the Roti Dip as our appetizer - VERY delicious with a nice sauce - can't go wrong with this. And our second appetizer was the Grilled Squid. It was SO different and unique - I kept saying there was something on the inside of the squid - that was light and creamy - ended up they said they put some kind of egg as a filling. So you get the different textures and most delicious flavors when you eat this. We then got the Tom Kha Kai soup which is their coconut with lemongrass soup - my favorite combo. I basically cleared out the whole bowl to the very last drop! The flavor is a party on your tongue! I'm drooling just thinking about it. Which they offered different sizes - I would have gotten the large for sure! And for out main courses - we got the Lychee Duck Curry and their Pad Kee Mow with Shrimp. EVERYTHING was delicious and tasty. Their food is definitely more elevated than your typical Thai place - very elegant and modern. Was so tasty and the service was friendly attentive. read more

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Probably one of my new favorite Thai spots in the Peninsula + South Bay area! Located in downtown San Mateo Mahasan has a slightly fancier vibe than your typical Thai restaurant, and you can definitely tell in the pricing - dishes are a bit more expensive and portions run slightly small. That said, the flavors here are really good. Everything we tried had a lot of depth and a really nice flavor profile. My standouts were definitely the Lychee Duck Curry and Wing Zaap - both were so good! Overall, I really enjoyed this spot and would definitely add it to my list of favorite San Mateo restaurants. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for Thai food that feels a little more elevated! read more

Mahasan - khao soy - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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It's kind of unfair to Mahasan that they keep getting compared to Khao Tiew, but they do have a similar-ish menu and vibe, so I will be comparing the two as well. To be honest, It just isn't nearly as good as Khao Tiew. Khao Tiew does their shared dishes better (especially the Lychee Duck Curry and Khao Pad Mun Nuer). Lychee Duck Curry: It might be because we came near closing so the kitchen was already starting to close down, but the Lychee Duck Curry was served duck warm and very watery. It was not as thick nor did it have as much depth as Khao Tiew's. The duck was also overcooked and extremely tough. Khao Pad Mun Nuer: The steak was cooked well but I couldn't stand the rice. I think a good fried rice should not have an obvious soy sauce taste and this tasted very much like Maggi soy sauce. It was too pronounced and too salty. Khao Tiew excels at this dish and I definitely preferred their version. Pad Kee Mao with Chicken: I did enjoy this dish as the chicken was cooked well and tender! Servers were nice and took us in even though we came in 40 minutes before closing. Perhaps I would have rated it either if I came a bit earlier in the evening. I'd give Mahasan a second chance as the dishes weren't terrible, but just not the worth the price they were charging in my opinion. read more

Not sure if they were having a bad day or a one off but the food was not worth the high praise. Our table ordered: Tom kha soup - this was not edible at all. There was big and small pieces of lemongrass through out the soup. I know lemongrass is part of the soup but the small bits of lemongrass just scratch your mouth and impossible to pick out or swallow. Duck curry - this isn't bad... definitely on the sweet side but the duck was overcooked. Khao soy - this also isn't bad but just a bit on saltier side. Khao pad mun nuer - the dish just came out on a plate and not a clay pot like many of the pictures. The beef was incredibly overcooked. It wasn't even medium well; it was cooked extremely well. It was tough and dry. Not really a stand out dish. Overall, this place is all hype. Skip it; you're not missing out on anything. read more

First time here, had a great experience! Dinner for 2 on Friday is very packed around 5:30pm. We didnt have any wait by sheer luck walking in when a table was free, but there was a line built up shortly after. They do have Yelp waitlist available which may be helpful to sign up beforehand First impressions of the inside were that it was so lovely and barely recognizable from the previous establishment that was here. I loved the soft soothing green hues, and the columns / chandeliers really elevated the space. It felt like a super cute, fancy casual date night spot. For 2 we had Wing Zaap, Duck Lychee Curry, Papaya Salad, Riceberry, and Thai Ice tea. We left just full enough The Wing Zaap was so delicious , and so SPICY so be warned!! The ice tea really helped. I loved the zesty, spicy dry rub seasoning, highly addictive. Duck Lychee Curry was very tastey, Ive never tried curry with lychee but the flavors work really well together! The cream from the curry really nicely balanced by the sweetness from the lychee. Creative and delicious read more

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I was honestly super impressed by this place and was especially excited to try the lychee duck curry, since it was something I had never tried before! We visited on a Friday evening and waited around 30 minutes for a table. It was definitely a busy night, so the wait and slightly slower service were understandable. As soon as we walked in, I loved the interior - it was beautifully decorated and had such a warm, inviting atmosphere. The service was a little slow throughout the evening because of how busy they were, but the food definitely made up for it. Lychee Duck Curry - Easily my favorite! The flavor was so unique and well-balanced. You get this delicious savory, aromatic curry flavor, followed by a subtle sweetness from the lychee that works surprisingly well together. The duck was also incredibly tender and flavorful. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never had this combination before, but I absolutely loved it. Pad Thai - a classic, but done really well. Thai Tea - I loved the foam on top! Once everything was mixed together, the flavors came together perfectly - creamy, sweet, and refreshing. Pink Milk - Such a cute and classic Thai drink! The pink milk was already sweet and creamy, but I really enjoyed the addition of the whipped cream on top. It made the drink feel like a dessert. read more

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Bay Area foodies!! This new Thai spot in San Mateo is one you need to check out :) Mahasan has elevated Thai food in a really nice, modern space that's perfect for date night, dinner with family, or catching up with friends. Since they're still new, I'd recommend making a reservation before you go. We tried the Lychee Duck Curry, Crab Fat Fried Rice, Garlic Prawns, and Thai Tea Bingsu. Everything was so good, but the Lychee Duck Curry and Crab Fat Fried Rice were my favorites. And definitely save room for the Thai Tea Bingsu!!! One of my favorite new spots in the Bay Area and I'll definitely be back to try more of their menu items VERY SOON. read more

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Found Mahasan with a relative short wait on a Friday night so we took advantage of the opportunity to try it. Looking over the menu several items sounds great off the bat but as we looked through some photos, some admittedly fell by the wayside. Eventually boyfriend and I decided on sharing the tom kha soup, the duck curry, and the minced pork with basil. Everything was honestly really tasty! My runaway favorite was the soup! It was punchy and chock full of fillings. Perhaps some of the dregs of lemongrass could have been strained a bit more since they were kind of woody in the soup but otherwise, totally recommend! When it came to the curry, it was actually more spice forward than coconut which I could appreciate! The duck was also very nice and tender and I really liked the inclusion of the lychees. The sweet and spicy balance was really good. For the minced pork and rice, I really enjoyed the savoriness. The fried egg was also done well and I throughly enjoyed the pops of basil flavor. Would order again. There was a fair bit of seafood on the menu so I'll definitely have to come back to try that again. The fried whole shrimp the table next to us ordered looked divine! read more

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Such a gem that has opened up in downtown San Mateo! We came for a weeknight dinner and waited about 20min for it to open. The inside is nicely renovated and felt classy, great spot for a nice dinner. All of the food blew us away! Some standouts were: - ribeye rice (gave us the feeling of Chinese claypot rice in the best way) - duck curry - burnt butter toast A little on the pricier (regular) side, but highly recommend, and I will be back to try some of their other delicious food!! read more

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The wait on a Tuesday was about 15 minutes. The service was ok. Took a long time to get water refill. The roti app came out after all the entrees. The food had good flavor. But some of the dishes ran on salty side like yellow curry, grilled squid, khao soi. The burnt butter toast was really good. Thai milk tea bingsu actually tastes like Thai iced tea. The restaurant is really loud. Street parking and garage nearby read more

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Ok honestly. This place is ok. Expensive as hell. To be fair, 4 girls and we ordered hella food. All the favorites and then some. ~$65/pp Parking is easy. Downtown San Mateo, Main Street. Service is kind of bad. They weren't even that busy, but forgot our appetizer and didn't really check if we needed anything... I would not come back. Go to Khao Tiew in SF or Thai Basil in Berkeley. Trust. Ambience cute as hell though. 10/10 decor. Even the bathroom is cute. It's giving royal modern chic read more

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I made a reservation here for Sunday night just before opening and I recommend because this place gets packed fast! There is availability for walk-in, but you may have to wait. Since this is directly on 3rd Ave. make sure to give yourself some time before your reservation to find some parking. We were seated quickly and oh my! The interior of this space is beautiful! The aesthetic is perfect for photos and the energy of the place is fun. It gets really loud with all the customers and you have to speak loudly to have conversation with the people you're with. The servers here are very polite and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the menu. The service is fast once you get your order in. We started off with lychee iced teas and I completely recommend. This was probably my favorite part of our meal. It was very refreshing and the sweetness level was just right. The Basil Nuer Toon is beef shank with fried egg, plain rice and cucumbers on the side. The flavor of the beef shank is good and it went perfectly with the white rice and fried egg. I feel like the cucumber could've been sliced differently because it was pretty thick. The Kew Mow Ribeye surprised me because it was really instant noodles that you could get from a ramen packet with a whole lot of flavor. The peppercorn and basil were prominent and a sip of water was needed. The ribeye was well-seasoned and the plating was impeccable, but I think next time I'm going to try another ribeye dish. Overall, the food was decent and the interior is so pretty that it's good for a special occasion. I would come again and good to know they accommodate groups because there were a lot of families in there. They do have walk-ins available if you didn't make a reservation so if you're in downtown San Mateo, try it out! read more

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We wanted to try this restaurant for dinner on a Friday night around 8 PM. They do have reservations available on Yelp, but being last minute, there wasn't anything available. We added ourselves onto the waitlist and were quoted about a 15-30 minute wait. We were seated shortly after. The restaurant itself is pretty large, but the waiting area/cove is a little tight, with people frequently walking in and out. We ordered a handful of items to try, family style: - Wing Zaap: On the menu, it does have two chili peppers, but I think most of the spice comes from the powder. It's like a dry spice rub wing and came with five pieces. - Papaya salad: We asked for mild, as our waiter told us medium was a little spicy. When the mild came out, it was not spicy at all, so you could probably go for medium. - Duck lychee curry: The lychee itself was not very noticeable in the dish. I thought the duck was a little tough/chewy. They do give you a lot of curry though! - Khao Pad Man Neur: This was a solid dish! The ribeye was very tender. Overall, I think a lot of people have tried this place because it's a trendy Thai food spot and it's very similar to Khao Tiew in San Francisco. I'd definitely give it a try if you want to eat somewhere new in the San Mateo area. read more

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3.5 stars. Food is tasty, but the service knocked down our rating. Our party of 5 came shortly after 5pm on a Friday and were seated about 1 hour after adding ourselves to the Yelp waitlist. After we were seated, it took them over 15 minutes to bring water or acknowledge our table. Throughout the meal, they repeatedly asked us what dishes we haven't received, which gave off an unorganized vibe. I think forcing a minimum 20% tip for mid service is pretty wild. Looks like other reviews agree. We enjoyed the food overall. We would pass on the papaya salad and appetizers next time. They were tasty, but not very worth the prices. The standouts of the night were the beef tallow fried rice and the spicy crab noodle (they did not skimp on the crab). Mahasan is new, so I definitely understand they are probably working out the kinks still. I am hoping they can smooth out the bumps in service, because the food is good! read more

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Cute interior aesthetics! Food we ordered: 1. Crispy pork belly ($13) this portion was a lot smaller than we expected, but ended up being the best dish of the three we ordered. It's tiny pork belly pieces that pairs well with the sauce in comes with. 2. Lychee duck curry ($30 + $3 for rice) The presentation was nice and the curry flavor is good. I'm not sure if I'm just not a fan of the duck, but it tasted a little gamey. 3. Kee mow ribeye ($33) This unfortunately didn't meet my expectations. The noodles were a bit soggy and the ribeye didn't have much flavor. We had to use the sauce from the crispy pork appetizer to dip with this meat. I'd skip this in the future. Overall, it's a little pricier than regular Thai restaurants, but it was still a cute place for lunch/dinner. read more

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Still dreaming about Mahasan !! Food is pretty and delicious, service was excellent, and it's pretty inside. be prepared for a bit of a wait but there's a yelp wait list tablet to put your name down. plenty of places to walk around nearby if you do wait :) The Thai tea was a bit too creamy for my taste, the stand out dishes were the roti and the khao pad mun nuer (fried rice with ribeye steak) Definitely would come back and need to try their dessert! read more

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Mahasan offers a modern take on Thai cuisine with creative flavors and beautiful presentation. The crispy pawn was perfectly crunchy and the duck curry was rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. The crab fried rice was so so, while the dessert was definitely a highlight--warm, buttery toast topped with creamy ice cream and caramel sauce made for the perfect ending. The restaurant has a stylish atmosphere and the food came out looking amazing. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the service could have been a bit more attentive and the pacing between dishes felt slightly inconsistent. Overall, it's still a great spot for modern Thai food read more

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We've been eyeing Mahasan for a while, so we were thrilled to grab an early Sunday dinner here with friends. Arriving as a party of four just before 6:00 PM, we were 3rd on the walk-in waitlist. We were quoted 5 minutes, but it ended up taking closer to 30--so be prepared for a bit of a wait, as it's a popular new spot! At the time of writing, they only take reservations for parties of 8 or more, though between the long walk-in wait and how rich the dishes are, bringing a large group to share everything really feels like the ideal way to dine here. Located in downtown San Mateo, parking is easy enough with several lots and street parking nearby. The space is tastefully decorated; our friends even remarked that it felt a bit like an elegant afternoon tea spot. The service throughout our meal was delightful. Overall, we really enjoyed the food. My personal favorites were the Hoi Jor (crispy tofu-skin rolls filled with shrimp and pork) and the crispy pork belly. The pork belly portion is on the smaller side, but honestly, it's so rich that the portion size was spot-on. We also tried the Khao Pad Mun Nuer (ribeye fried rice with garlic chips), which reminded us of a similar dish at Kemiri. Because it's fried in beef fat, it's undeniably rich and comforting (definitely not a guilt-free dish! lol)--we liked it, though it didn't quite reach top-favorite status for us. Lastly, the lychee duck curry was good--a great alternative if you're not a fan of traditional pineapple--though it carried a bit more heat than we expected. The Thai tea bingsoo was cute; it basically is a Thai ice tea in another form. Overall, a great meal and a welcome addition to San Mateo! read more

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Absolutely Stunning and Beautiful! Loved the decor. We had reservations and were seated immediately when we got there. Staff are attentive. They're always walking around to make sure your cups are filled with water and checking to see if you need anything. We were pretty impressed with the food. We ordered: Pad see ew Pad Thai Zaap Wings Thai Tea The pad see ew was so good! You can taste the slight char on the noodles. The pad Thai was also really yummy. The zaap wings were the star of the show. Crispy and SEASONED! The seasoning reminds me of larb seasoning. The Thai tea wasn't too sweet which we liked. Overall a great place to dine. Everyone dining in seemed casual but you can absolutely do a nice date night or celebrate special occasions here. read more

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37 minute wait from the time we placed our order to the one and only appetizer (a plain roti) appearing on the table is insane. I took timestamps of when we first put our name on the waitlist until we left the restaurant. (See screenshot.) We ordered, as mentioned, the roti, and then the khao pad mun nuer, and a khao soi. The khao soi was (agreeably to other reviews) salty! The khao pad mun nuer was plain for $33. If you thought this place was comparable to another place you may know about in SF, it's sadly not. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday night around 5:30PM with two friends for my belated birthday dinner. This is such a cute spot with nice interior for girls night out or date night. I originally picked this place because the menu had a lot of dishes you don't normally see at most Thai restaurants. The food actually reminded me of Khao Tiew at West Portal in San Francisco but if I had to choose between the two, I think I'd give Mahasan the slight edge. The flavors here felt more balanced and never got too sweet or too salty. The service here was also excellent and quick even with full house. * Roti - You get to choose between yellow or green curry. Our server recommended the yellow curry, and I'm so glad we listened because it was so so good! * Garlic Rice with Ribeye - The garlic rice was really fragrant without being overpowering, and I liked that it didn't have any burnt garlic taste. My only complaint was the ribeye. It was cooked nicely but could've used a little seasoning, even just some salt, to bring out the flavor of the meat. * Lychee Duck Curry - Our favorite! The curry had a really nice balance of savory and sweet, and the duck was super tender without tasting too fatty. This dish doesn't come with rice, so you'll have to order that separately. We ended up eating the curry with the garlic rice and ribeye, and everything actually paired really well together. * Papaya Salad - Pretty standard. It was good, but I personally would've liked a little more spice and a bit more sourness. We really enjoyed everything. I'm looking forward to trying more dishes next time! read more

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Everything is pretty tasty. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. My party ordered the following: -Khao Soy - delicious, no changes needed -Garlic Prawn - big prawns, good crunch (fried), may need a little more seasoning -Khao Pad Mun Nuer - fried rice is good, but ribeye overcooked (med-well to well done, I like med-rare) -Pad Kee Mow w/Ribeye - Good dish!! The ribeye was cooked how I like it, medium rare -Cabbage and bacon - cabbage was yummy, bacon was crispy and good but not fully needed. -Chicken Pad Sew - it's ok, no wow factor. I wish they had another protein choice besides chicken and shrimp -Thai Iced Tea Bing Su - my husband loved it. I don't care for Thai Iced Tea. I prefer Thai Iced Coffee. I can't wait to try other dishes next time. read more

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Got resys on a Tuesday night at 6 and still a pretty full house. Staff were friendly and kind. Review might be a little hard after traveling to Thailand but definitely still a great restaurant. Wing zapp- Spicy and sour, very popular, was even available in the McDonald's and other fast food places in Thailand. Did great here with the flavors. 5/5 Roti dip- can never go wrong with roti dip! Dipping sauce was perfectly complimented with it. 5/5 Tom yum: good choice if you want soup but honestly hard to rate compared to Thailand. ?/5 Pad Thai: it's good, wasn't an amazing standout. Was a little sour for me after having the real deal but maybe it's for the American palette. 3.5/5 Lychee duck curry- the sauce really stood out here, it was delicious along with the rendered duck breast. 5/5 Kee mao ribeye- good overall but I'd skip this, just not worth $33 imo but if you love it to go for it! 3/5 Pla Tod Nam Pla- friend ordered it, I'm not much of a fish person . ?/5 Burnt butter toast-after having Kaya toast at khao tiew in west portal, I was most excited about this but it didn't give me that ecstasy feeling. The toast was little more "toasted " than we'd have liked. 3.5/5 read more

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Got the papaya salad, roti, pad Thai, crab fried rice, and rib eye! Everything was all flavorful and delicious! We all loved them. Got the papaya salad in medium. Roti was flaky. Pad Thai was flavorful. Crab fried rice was so good. Rib eye was perfectly cooked and tender. Service was kind and attentive. Place is aesthetically pleasing. Parking isn't too bad. read more

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New Thai place in Downtown San Mateo that we've been seeing on IG. Cute decor from the Roman-inspired columns to the little table lamps. Taste-wise, it was good! Though not sure if we would actively seek it out again but if people wanted to go, we'd go back lol. Our fav was the Crab Fat Fried Rice -- fragrant and good amount of crab. Pad Kee Mow with Ribeye was a close second -- the ribeye had the right amount of char. They were out of their Pla Tod Nam Pla (barramundi fried fish) unfortunately but it looked good online. A little pricey especially given the portions but tasty. Wish there was more meat/protein. Make sure to make a reservation. We also got: - Roti Dip: more of a Chinese pancake (cong you bing) than a roti but tasty still. We got it with yellow curry. - Grilled Squid: really tasty but expensive given the amount you get - Garlic Prawn: comes with 4 big pieces (they separate the shrimp from its skin and fry both) -- good but a little too fried, probably better to share and eat 1 piece per person, probably would have been too much fried stuff if we had gotten the Pla Tod Nam Pla too. - Lychee Duck Curry: this was the dish we saw the most on IG. Really rich coconut milk curry that was tasty and fills you up fast so we couldn't finish it (also would be unwise given our lactose intolerance lol). Lychees were a nice touch of sweet. - Thai Tea Bingsu: served with condensed milk and grass jelly that you can pour in yourself. Good bingsu texture on top with shaved almonds, slightly icy on portions on the bottom. read more

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Food was super delicious but service was a bit lacking in terms of checking in on us. My friend and I felt a bit rush during dinner. We had a 5:30 reservation and finished dinner around 6:40. The moment we stopped eating to take a quick break before eating again the server came over to ask if we are done eating and need boxes when we didn't request it yet. Just the food alone, I would rate it a 4.5. Everything was in the pricier side but all the dishes we had were super yummy. read more

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I love the service here and the ambiance. This is a great place to dine in for a date or to catch up with friends. My favorite dish is the lychee duck curry, the flavors are so fragrant and the lychee tastes so good inside the curry sauce. I definitely will be coming back regularly! read more

Mahasan - lychee duck curry - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Wow. Really damn good. Food: Food is really solid, didn't have any bad dish at all. The fried fish is AMAZING, hands down the best dish they have. It's perfectly crispy and flaky with a great tangy green sauce. The dessert too, is SO GOOD. The Thai Tea Bingsu is freaking awesome and the Toast is out of this world. Also got the Kho Soy which was also quite good. Vibes: Cute interior, though it's busy, I'm pretty relaxed here. Layout is really good, and the dishes are also really nice! Service is great :) Next time, definitely trying the duck curry, fried shrimp, and the Thai Tea with the cream on top! Heard great things about these! I usually don't eat Thai food, so this is definitely a top place here, and as someone who's allergic to nuts, they did a good job of separating it! (But obviously know the risk) read more

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**Ambiance:** I arrived about 10 minutes before opening during the restaurant's soft opening and was able to secure a spot in the first seating without a reservation. The dining room filled up quickly and appeared to be at capacity within about 15 minutes of opening, which speaks to the excitement surrounding the new spot. The decor is modern, stylish, and thoughtfully designed, creating a welcoming atmosphere. **Food:** The menu delivers bold flavors and satisfying dishes that should easily satisfy any Thai food craving. We started with the fried shrimp appetizer, which was crispy, flavorful, and a great way to begin the meal. The Khao Soi was the standout for me--rich, comforting, and deeply flavorful. It's the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out and keeps you coming back for another bite. **Service:** The service team was attentive and personable throughout the experience. The staff offered thoughtful recommendations and took the time to explain menu items, which made ordering much easier. Their guidance was especially helpful for deciding between several tempting options. read more

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We came here on a Sunday night for dinner. I recommend coming with a reservation as there was a long waitlist (and wait), but with the reservation, we were seated with little to no wait. The ambiance was very beautiful and aesthetic and the plates and dish ware were all so cute! We ordered: - Wing Zaap - This was delicious and spiced very well! It wasn't incredibly spicy, but the tangy almost slightly sour flavor was very delicious and the chicken was very tender. - Roti Drip - Not my favorite roti, but still solid - roti was crunchy and the curry was pretty decent. - Pad Kee Mow (with chicken) - The Pad Kee Mow was fantastic! It was very spicy and the chicken was delicious and very tender to eat. Overall very flavorful! - Thai Tea Bingsu - It was a fun dessert! The Thai tea part was surprisingly not very sweet, you can taste the flavor, it just wasn't very sweet. The condensed milk didn't add much in terms of flavor (or sweetness) but the grass jelly was a fun addition. It is definitely a dish that is meant to be shared between 2-3 easily. Overall, I had a great time eating here and will be back to try more items from the menu! read more

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Had a reservation at 5 pm and the place was already packed with first seating. We ordered and it took about 25 mins before our first dish came out. Luckily the tables weren't too close together and it was comfortable to sit. Crispy pork belly - the pork belly was very dry. Portion was very small. the dipping sauce it came with was good and made the crispy pork belly less dry. Tom Yum noodle soup - perfect balance of spiciness and sourness. It had minced pork, fish ball slices and meatballs. Basil Nuer Toon - flavorful beef shank but the beef shank was pretty dry as well. Lychee duck curry - the best dish here! The duck was tender and the lychee curry was creamy and flavorful. The lychee added a nice hint of sweetness. Spicy eggplant - it was good, just your usual Thai eggplant dish. Crab fried rice - moist, full of flavor, and the crab was fresh. Thai tea bingsu - great on a hot day! It was on the sweeter side but the grass jelly add nice texture to the soft ice. read more

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The reservation system through Yelp made our experience great! It was easy to book for a party of 5 on a Thursday night and we got to the restaurant 15 minutes early and got seated immediately. We ordered quite a few dishes including the roti dip, crispy pork belly, lychee duck curry, crab fat fried rice, tom kha kai, papaya salad, pad thai, cabbage and bacon, and the asparagus with shrimp. Nothing was particularly amazing, but it nothing was bad. We were able to ask our server if we could make some dishes non-spicy too. They were able to do this with our papaya salad. However, they were unable to change the spice level of the duck curry. In addition, the menu said the tom kha kai soup should not be spicy, but it was spicy when it arrived!! That was a bit disappointing for us. Overall, we were excited to try the lychee duck curry, but it wasn't a surprise that the curry itself did not have lychee flavor. The curry and other two dishes also don't come with rice so we ordered jasmine rice separately. Service was good, but there's an automatic large party fee of 20%. The restaurant does get pretty crowded so it was loud inside. It was hard to talk to each other because of the noise level. read more

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Solid cuisine, not quite the hype but still very good food and spotty service. We made reservations and came when it opened on a weekday - could have walked in then but it filled up soon after so reservations are advised. Four of us ordered : - Duck curry with lychees (5/5) : Standout dish of the night, the curry had depth of flavor and was sweet but not overly so, with perfectly cooked duck - Wing Zaap (2/5): while cooked well, we did not like the dry spice flavoring on the wings - it tasted like eating too much spice by itself instead of being well integrated into the meat. - Khao Pad Mun Nuer aka ribeye with garlic fried rice (4.5/5): Fried rice had a lovely flavor which matched well with the perfectly cooked steak on top. Didn't seem very Thai but was still delicious, though not as exciting as some of the rest of the menu - Pla Tod Nam Pla aka deep fried fish (4.5/5): at first it seemed a little dry but with the sauce and continued bites it really grew on us. - Thai Tea Bingsu (4/5): Decent dessert but not so special we would order it again. - Thai Tea (2/5): much sweeter than the bingsu, in fact way too sweet. Not sure what happened here The only spicy dish we had were the wings which was a little disappointing, but the flavors were on point except for a couple items. Service was disjointed - it was hard to get the servers' attention, they weren't very efficient in their movements and how they delivered or cleaned up plates. However it's a nice addition to downtown San Mateo and we would return. read more

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Everyone that has reviewed so far about the food, I completely understand your opinions and thoughts. Everyone's taste preferences vary and it can get quite subjective. However, everyone who has trashed the service being slow or whatnot, ya'll tripping. Mahasan is still at a soft opening so they are probably figuring out kinks, training new staff, streamlining processes, and learning as they go. I implore you to be more considerate and give them some grace. That being said, my party of 4 visited without a reservation on a Saturday night around 6PM. We put down our name and had to wait maybe 20 minutes and promptly got seated. We did not have to wait too long for them to roll back around to take our orders. I didn't end up taking pictures of everything that we ordered but the meal was quite memorable and I overall enjoyed the dishes. Pros - 1) They frequently refilled our water. I am sorry to hear previous yelpers who went and felt they were ignored. Perhaps they are improving on this point. I felt my water glass was always with water whenever I was thirsty. 2) The Ribeye and Crispy Prawns were the highlight for me. Flavorful and not dry at all. The instant noodles kinda worked with the Ribeye and I'm all for it. 3) The ambience was really nice. There was a lot of space for tables and seating, especially since they took out the bar area from the previous establishment. 4) The servers checked up on us twice to make sure everything was okay. I have to say, they seem willing to take feedback and want to improve for guests. Great service. 5) They use real flowers for decoration...felt that was a nice touch. Cons - Little if any but... 1) The chicken in the Pad See Ew was way too dry. I don't know which part of the chicken they used (breast?) but it was not very good. 2) Waiting area is a bit cramped. Not sure how they can accommodate this but it's definitely not a major bad point. 3) The entrance door...while we were waiting, we watched as multiple parties got confused on how to push the door open. The handle is one of those old style locks where you have to use your thumb to push down and it opens. Not everyone is familiar with these which I would recommend they replace it, put a sign, or at least leave the door open? Some guy almost slammed the door lol. Overall, I'm down to try Mahasan again and try their other dishes. I'd love to see how they improve over these next few weeks :) It's nice to have Thai food in downtown San Mateo! read more

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Made a reservation for 5 people on Thurs for dinner and luckily we did since it was super crowded! They do wait for your full party to arrive before seating you and I did see a party with a dog being turned away (very nicely) so not dog friendly. It did get a bit loud as it was quite crowded, but the vibes were still fun. Drinks ordered: Lychee Iced Tea (9/10): delicious but on the sweeter side, tasted more like canned lychee syrup than fresh lychee which I personally enjoyed. Not saying that's how it's made, but it was of that sweetness level Thai Iced Tea (9/10): A classic and very delicious. Also on the sweet side like it should be Food Ordered: Golden Tofu (9/10): I love deep fried tofu and their sweet chili sauce paired so well with it Fried Cheese (9/10): loved how it was in wonton wrapping as it really had a crunch and the cheese pull was AMAZING Khao Pad Mun Nuer (10/10): best thing on the menu that we tried!! Ribeye was cooked perfectly and the rice was too good Lychee Duck Curry (7/10): I liked the concept but there wasn't any lychee taste unless you ate the lychee chunk. Overall flavor was good though Spicy Crab Noodle (7/10): was good but nothing super memorable in comparison Tom Yum Noodle Soup (6/10): I normally love tom yum, but this one wasn't it for me. There was a lot of spice especially on the bottom, but I wouldn't get this again personally and would try other things instead Papaya Salad (9/10): super refreshing and very good flavor!! Also had a nice crunch Asparagus w/ shrimp (6/10): the asparagus was definitely on the harder side but flavor was okay The service was wonderful and the server who helped take our group photo was wonderful with trying to get all the different angles. I plan on coming back but will try new things!! read more

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I dined at Mahasan during its soft opening, so this review is a little late. But my experience was wonderful for a restaurant that had only been open for just two days at the time. It's difficult to find a local place that serves Khao Soi, so it was exciting to see they had it on their menu. The flavor of the soup was rich and delicious! It was almost exact to the dish we had in Chiang Mai. The tom yum noodle soup however was not sour enough for me but the waitress had made sure to check in and offer me limes to add. Tom yum is my favorite Thai dish but unfortunately this one did not satisfy my craving. The soup had a more umami taste rather than the sourness I was familiar with. The staff were very kind and even asked us for feedback, which we were glad to offer. For dessert, there were two options and we opted for the Thai tea bingsu. Delicious! One of the best desserts I've ever had. It came with a side of condensed milk and grass jelly. So refreshing after a nice dinner. The restaurant itself feels high scale, it's quiet, well decorated and the experience of dining here is wonderful! The staff are attentive and respectful. Our water glasses were never left empty. I'd love to come back to try the lychee duck curry and other entrees on the menu! read more

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Had a nice dining experience with hubby at Mahasan. We started with the roti paired with a rich, creamy curry dip. It was the perfect appetizer! Yum! The papaya salad was fresh, crisp, and had just the right balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. I love it! We also had the shrimp Pad Thai. It was flavorful, cooked perfectly, and they put good amount of shrimp. The food was beautifully presented, the portions were generous, and the service was warm and attentive. Will definitely try other food in the menu. read more

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Came on a Friday night around 8, waited about 30 minutes to be seated. Maybe because it was their first couple days open but when we went, it took 35 minutes for my wife's entree to come and another 25 minutes for my food after that. Khao Pad Kun Nuer: 4/5 The flavors were there and the tallow fattiness umami was noticeable. The steak slices were also perfectly rendered with a balance of meat and fat. I wish I could say I enjoyed everything but it was just a bit too salty. Panang Curry with Shrimp: 3/5 Had really nice aromatic curry smell and tasted great. However, the dish only consisted of curry sauce and the fried prawns. I think some garnishment or vegetables would help give the dish some more layers. Overall, definitely worth a try but try coming during off hours to avoid long waits. read more

Mahasan - Khao Pad Mun Nuer - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

Trendy Thai spot with amazing flavors. The decor and ambience is well done but the service was on the slow side. Make sure you make a reservation as there is usually a bit of a wait during peak hours! Now for the food - each appetizer and main entree we got was fantastic from the pork belly to the roti. The panang curry was incredibly flavorful, and the crispy prawns were cooked to perfection. The Thai tea bingsu was tasty as well. Definitely will be coming back. read more

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Probs my new favorite Thai spot in the Peninsula. Everything I had here was SO good! We were looking for a restaurant to host a team dinner (~13 people) and made reservations over the phone. Making reservations was a bit more difficult than I would've expected... it took so many call attempts before we were finally able to reach someone. Some highlights: + Wing Zaap ($14) (5/5): I loooove a crispy wing and this definitely hit the spot. The dry rub was delicious and seasoned perfectly, it has a huge kick to it so be mindful if you don't have a huge spice tolerance. + Panang Curry w/ Crispy Prawns ($25) (5/5): The panang curry was rich and had so much depth to it! The crispy prawns were equally delicious and fried perfectly. I'd order this again! + Spicy Crab Noodle ($30) (4/5): This felt like a fancier pad thai since it was essentially pad thai with crab paste lol. HUGE portion that I'd share in the future but this definitely hit the spot and wasn't too spicy. Food came out quite slowly; we were a bigger party, but everything came at different times so it made the timing of our meal a little awkward. I do wish they were a bit more proactive about clearing empty dishes too, because it was getting hard to fit everyone's meals on the table. They're still new so they're definitely working past the hiccups, but luckily everyone was happy with their meals. I personally loved how unique and vast the menu was - I had so much trouble ordering because everything just sounded too good. read more

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