Never had I had a dining experience like this and I'll definitely be coming back! I fell in love in the ambiance and how guests take off their shoes and sit in sunken booths separated by glass borders. With the dim lighting, the space feels intimate dining with others yet still private with the space and window encasings between each pod. Not to mention, the playlist slaps - we had to ask our server for the playlist cuz everyone around the table was shazam-ing throughout the meal haha. We spent about $60/person which was a bit of a splurge; though we all left more than satisfied. We got a variety of kushiyaki, tapas, and dessert (of course). Our must gets: - chicken karaage - fries w/ kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce, bonito flakes, green scallions, seaweed sprinkles - wagyu beef w/ salt + pepper (kushiyaki) - unagi (kushiyaki) - pork belly (kushiyaki) - bacon asparagus (kushiyaki) - raspberry mascarpone cake - creme brulee We were very impressed and surprised with how good the dessert is! Definitely grab dessert if you have a sweet tooth after dining, you won't regret it. Our servers and host were attentive. Definitely recommend this place for a date night or a night out with friends. We will definitely be back! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]If you're looking for a cozy yakitori spot with a fun twist, Mokutanya is worth checking out. The restaurant has these unique sunken seats that make the dining experience feel extra intimate--perfect for a date, a night out with friends, or even just a treat-yourself kind of evening.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We started our meal with the yakitori-style fries and baby squid. The fries had a nice tangy kick, but the real standout was the baby squid. It wasn't your typical chewy squid--these were soft, slightly tender, and surprisingly flavorful, making them a fantastic appetizer. For the mains, I went with the wagyu beef cold noodles and oolong tea, while my partner tried the black garlic spicy ramen with pork belly. The wagyu beef was good, but definitely pricey, especially considering it isn't authentic Japanese wagyu. The cold noodles, however, were everything I hoped for--refreshing, perfectly balanced with just a hint of wasabi, fish eggs, and seaweed. Honestly, that was my favorite item of the night. The oolong tea was a delight as well, served beautifully with loose leaves that added to the presentation. The ramen really stands out, especially if you like garlic and spice. The heat is noticeable and satisfying but not unbearable, and the pork belly adds a rich, savory depth that pairs perfectly. One of the fun touches at Mokutanya is their little trinket trading station at the front. While you wait, you can browse and swap small collectibles, which is a cute and unexpected perk. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, Mokutanya hits the right notes for a fun, flavorful, and somewhat unique dining experience. The food is mostly excellent, the atmosphere is cozy, and there's a lot of little details that make the visit memorable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely a spot to consider for a date night or casual outing with friends. (Unfortunately i completely forgot to take pictures) read more

Was looking for a late night spot for small bites/lighter food, and saw this place bookmarked on my Yelp. At 11 PM on a Wednesday night, usually the only things open are fast food or convenience/grocery stores, so to find a legit, full blown restaurant that was open and serving until last call at 1:15 PM was already an amazing plus! Parking was easy because it was so late at night, but maybe 1/3 of the spots in the parking lot at the plaza are reserved for other businesses. Something to note. Got seating within 5-10 minutes even without a reservation, and honestly loved the idea of sitting on the floor with no shoes. There were glass partitions between the tables, but everything about this place was elegant, cozy, and thought out. It was a bit dark, though, and I think it'd be cool if they provided a little table light that would provide extra lighting if needed. Of the 6 skewers ordered, I loved the chicken yuzu one the most (surprising because chicken is my least favorite), but the flavors of all the skewers and the timing of when it came was all perfect. The ramen was not memorable at all. The noodles seem like they came straight from a package--no real texture or anything special about them--the broth was so mild and flavorless. Maybe like a really diluted soy sauce. I only ever order Shoyu ramen, but to have such a flavorless broth was a first. They have unique meat choices, like fox and bobcat................... Which I did not try! Overall, this place is one of the better skewer places I've had! read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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Great place for food and drinks with friends! My favorite skewers were the pork cheek and Wagyu. Also got the lychee soju to share with our table. Service is good and ambience is a pretty cool as well! read more

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Yelp Review for Mokutanya (3/5 Stars) Mokutanya has a stylish, modern vibe with dim lighting and glass walls that give it an intimate feel. The service was solid--our server kept refilling our water without us asking--but the food service was painfully slow. We sat down at 6:30 and didn't leave until 9:30, waiting nearly two hours just for a zucchini skewer. The food itself was great, though. The wagyu skewer was delicious, and the spicy pork belly skewer had a perfect amount of heat and flavor. If the kitchen were quicker, this place could easily be rated higher. If you don't mind waiting a long time for your food, Mokutanya is still worth a visit for the tasty skewers, but the slow service drags down the experience. read more

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Love this place! Came specifically for the oysters and they did not disappoint! Will be back soon for the special, Monday and Tuesday $1 oysters!! As always service is great and the vibes are amazing! read more

Mokutanya - $1 oysters !! - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

We came in during a return trip from SFO airport to drop off a family member and were looking for a place that was still open after 10pm. I do wonder how many other SFO wanderers this place picks up, because it's very easy to reach from the highway before going over the south bay bridge to go back up north where we are. :) We don't travel beyond our local town all that often, so we decided to find somewhere around here since it was an opportunity, a chance to splurge a bit, and it was nice we did so here for an impromptu date! Luckily for us, it was a Thursday night, so we got to try the exotic meats menu. We got coyote, alligator, and water buffalo. I'm a bit of an animal geek overall, so they mostly tasted as I expected (coyote was tough and gamey as predators tend to be, alligator like fishy chicken, water buffalo like juicier beef), and it was a fun experience! We also got the tonkatsu ramen since the kushi and tapas were very pricey after we were already splurging on the exotics, but we wanted SOMETHING of larger substance to satiate since we knew the skewers would be very small. Unfortunately, there was a lot of basic sweet corn and bean sprouts in the ramen which came off as super budget. The broth itself was heavily carried by the sweet corn too. Despite our disappointment in the ramen, I'm still comfortable giving top ratings for this place because I LOVE the atmosphere and would most certainly be open to coming back if I need a place to show off the cool izakaya life we have in the bay area~ Service was nice and friendly, no complaints there. Thank you :) read more

Mokutanya - Thursday menu - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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Soooo good! My favorite was the Wagyu. Very intimate and romantic vibe. Miso soup was also very good and LOVED the cod. read more

Mokutanya - Meat - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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This place sets a chill vibe. Dim lights and low tables. Service was pretty quick and food was great. Skewers only has 2-3 pieces of meat so the bill can add up pretty quickly. But overall good place to eat. read more

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This place is good for a date night. The yakitori are all tasty and the drink menu is pretty extensive. The prices are definitely on the higher end, but I suppose you're paying for the ambiance, charcoal grilled and private eating space. I'd probably only go back for the skewers and drinks. The fries were too saucy and the ramen is meh. In my opinion, the drink menu has too many choices, especially since there's not much descriptions. We tried two different Negori's and I'd recommend the Ozeki since it has a lighter and less alcoholic flavor. For improvements: I wish they had more skewer options. Also, they should put what cut of beef it is on the menu. read more

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The set up of this place is really great and feels authentic as you take off your shoes and eat while sitting on the floor. You can come here for a nice occasion for a celebration or a casual dinner. Items ordered: - Wagyu beef (sweet): I personally liked the sweet skewers over the salt and pepper. However, it was a little chewier compared to salt and pepper. - Wagyu beef (salt and pepper): A bit too much salt on one of the pieces but it was ok. Overall great flavor from the salt and pepper. - King oyster mushroom: I like how the pieces were fairly big and thick. Great flavor overall. - Spicy black garlic miso ramen: You can smell the garlic once the dish is put down in front of you. I liked the flavor of the soup which did get a little spicier as you continue eating it. I was not a fan of the chashu meat as it was tougher and chewier to eat than other places. Would probably only come back for a nice occasion as the prices are a little steep ($8 for one skewer is a little crazy). Great to experience sitting on the floor while enjoying yakitori. read more

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I haven't been here in about 3 years and could not wait to eat here again. Last time it was quite the exquisite experience. This time however, was woefully miserable. We immediately got a table when we arrived for our reservation, and everything started out normal, but then we were left waiting a long time after we got our miso soup. The next set of food came out and then we were forgotten again. We had to ask if our food was coming. Grilled squid was cold. The lobster tail was dry, overdone, and tasteless, actually the shell was burnt and flaking off. The only thing that was really good was the miso soup. Everything else was either undercooked (chicken hearts) or overcooked (lobster tail), or over seasoned (pork belly). Definitely not coming back. read more

Joined some friends for a weeknight dinner at Mokutanya and it was a pleasant experience! It was my first time visiting the restaurant and I thought the service was great, and the menu had a lot of different options for skewers. They also have a good amount of appetizers, a few rice bowl options along with ramen! I will say the restaurant is dimly lit, and you will need to remove your shoes before sitting down at the table, which was okay. Overall, it seems to be a great spot for group meals and sharing dishes, so I'd definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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I wanted to try this place for the longest time and I finally got to try this place out. I didn't have expectations before I went but this place really blew my mind. Even though the portions are on the smaller side for the price, the flavors and the quality of the skewers and the ramen was amazing. I really enjoyed the pork cheek skewer, the wagyu beef skewer and on Tuesday they have $1 Oyster which as so worth it! The service is also really good, the staff was attentive and nice and I love the vibe of this spot too. A really great place to eat with friends or family! read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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I'd highly recommend to make reservations F - S because this place is very popular. The setting inside is very intimate as each table is separated in a glass box with dim lighting and you have to take your shoes off. $1 oysters on Mondays and Tuesdays Exotic meat on Wednesdays and Thursdays Drinks: We actually won 3 free bottles of beer through a game our waitress had us play lol :) Food: Skewers were delicious but somewhat pricey. Ex: 1 skewer of abalone is $12 but it's actually just 1 abalone cut up in 3 pieces lol. Tonkotsu ramen - I can't vouch for their ramen because it's not their speciality... our Tonkotsu broth was too light in flavor and wasn't rich.. chashu were also thin and on the drier side. *This is not a place to walk out being full because most of their items are bite sized** read more

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Mokutanya is tucked in a small plaza beside a Chevron gas station. I discovered it while searching for a place to meet halfway for dinner with friends from SF. AMBIANCE Mokutanya is a unique dining experience that serves delicious yakitori, tapas, and other items like ramen. Individual rooms have low tables where shoes are taken off before entering. There is padding for your bum and a drop for leg space. PARKING There is limited parking in the plaza lot, but street parking off-Broadway is available in what seems like an old downtown Burlingame. SERVICE/ORDERING The staff are friendly and have great personalities, but it could've been better. The service is spotty. The ordering process is through a paper menu; if you want to order more, the staff has to provide another piece of paper menu and a pen. My party sat and chatted and ordered a total of 3 rounds. There was lots of waiting in between since we had to wave down a server each time we needed something. FOOD The food is excellent. We enjoyed everything we ordered. The yakitori over charcoal is a must-try if you come here. I'll list a few of my favorites. * Chicken Knee Cartilage * Chicken Meatballs * Fried Chicken Skin with ponzu & scallions * Pork Belly * Pork Cheek * Cod Belly * Spicy Beef * Chicken Karaage * Grilled Squid * Fries * Fried Baby Octopus Overall, I'd come back and highly recommend this Japanese cuisine. read more

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Just unbelievably overrated, premium meat but it's for the wow factor, felt grossed out the entire time, physically and my wallet, would not come back. read more

I wanted to go on a solo date on my day off and I just happened to be craving Yakitori so here I am. When you come in the restaurant, you are asked to remove your shoes before stepping into the dining table. The staff then hands you paper in which you mark off which items you want and how many of each you would like. Before I ordered any skewers, they started me off with complimentary yam chips which were very crispy. I ordered the one of each wagyu beef skewer (salt and pepper, spicy, and sweet). I also ordered three mini skewers (spicy mayo, wasabi, and yuzu honey glaze). I also got one mackerel, one tsukune, one sausage, and one lobster skewer. All of these skewers were amazing and well seasoned. My favorite would probably be the Momo set. At the end of my dinner, I was given a delicious complimentary cheesecake by the staff. The service here is really good. My server Janine was really kind, attentive, and she gave great menu recommendations. The ambiance here is just divine and the decor is very elegant. The lighting in this restaurant is dim. This restaurant literally is a hidden gem, you would never expect a restaurant like this to be in small corner near a gas station. The parking situation can be a lil rough so I recommend coming early with a reservation. All in all, I had a great experience here. Try it out if you like :). read more

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This experience here was unique & different, something I truly appreciated. It's a very cozy, traditional atmosphere. The food/soup was amazing here. The salmon skewers were something I highly recommend trying. They have a variety of different drinks & a very broad menu selection. The food came fairly quickly, the waitress took time explaining menu since I've never been there & the recommendations were great. The parking here is terrible so definitely plan ahead for that. The portion size is smaller so it is fairly pricey but very delicious! Suggest making a reservation in advance. read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

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Mokutanya is a unique izakaya experience when you remove your shoes in a traditional Japanese setting mixed with modern design aesthetics. You can easily taste the smoke imparted to each piece of grilled meat thanks to the binchotan coals they use here. We tried nearly everything they had to offer, chicken skin, gizzard, heart, thigh, seafood, and even the ramen. All of it was delicious and no meat was overcooked! My only advice is to wear clothes that you don't mind getting a bit smokey :) read more

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We celebrated my daughter's birthday here and made reservations. Parking is challenging right by the eatablishment so be ready to circle the neighborhood for a safe place to park and walk. The male host was very pleasant and welcoming. We were led to a room enclosed in glass so you can have a conversation in what could otherwise be a noisy enviroment. The restaurant was full. Be ready to take off your shoes and navigate the dimly lit space which requires one to step down into a sunken dining table. Once seated, it was comfortable though. We had the Chicken Karaage, Hamachi Carpaccio, Wakame Salad (seaweed), Hawaiian Purple Yam Chips, and Edamame to start. The Chicken Karaage was not the best. Butabara (pork belly), Momo (chicken thigh), pork cheek, Reba (chicken liver), wagyu beef, okra, quail eggs and shiitake mushroom were all good. The smelt, Ika Sugata Yaki (grilled squid), and salmon were just okay. Our server was attentive and kind. They provided my daughter a slice of their Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake with a birthday candle to end our meal. Good food and service overall. We will be back for sure. read more

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Incredibly expensive. Horrible parking. Slow service. And food was burnt or forgotten by the kitchen staff. The manager also tried to bring me my forgotten food after I asked for the check, saw I was charged for missing items, and asked for said items to be removed. I read more

We went at midnight-ish. These little things are interesting cute to share! Loaded fries were yummy. Ramen, can be very spicy if you like that. Ambiance is sooooo cute. Good date or small group gathering as they have these cute booths Service, extremely attentive at most times when you get their attention. Not sure if that's intentional to give you privacy? read more

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My partner and I visited for the first time for dinner on New Year's Day. Overall: I would say that the quality of almost all the items were very good, but definitely on the pricey side as you're paying $7-$8 per skewer of meat (each order is 1 only). It did feel like they were a bit heavy-handed when salting some of the meats like the beef tongue and pork belly. We ordered: Skewers: - King Oyster Mushroom (I really enjoyed this one!) - Butabara (Pork Belly) - Gyutan (Beef Tongue) - Spicy Berkshire Pork Belly - Wagyu beef (Salt/Pepper) - Wagyu Beef (Spicy) (we both really liked this!) - Unagi (we both really liked this!) - Uzura Tamago (Quail Eggs) - Lobster (Tail) - Negima (Chicken Thigh w/ Scallions) - Negima w/ Yuzu Honey Glaze Other: - Tonkotsu Ramen (relatively basic, but the chashu was surprising tender) - Lychee Shochu (Soju) - Kirin Large Service: The servers were attentive enough, they checked in periodically to ask if we needed anything. I will say we had a slight wait when we arrived even though we had booked a reservation time ahead, I think they had mentioned they were moving us to a better seating spot possibly but it wasn't super clear when we arrived. Maybe a personal preference, but we mentioned it was our first time there, and the server didn't necessarily offer any recommendations on what we items should start with. When our first order of Beef Tongue arrived, the "front" piece was super thin and almost burnt so we flagged it to our server and they readily accomodated us with a new order that was definitely an improvement. The speed at which our orders came was a bit sporadic, but I wouldn't say we waited super long for our food - with the exception of the fried chicken skin. We had ordered the chicken skin in the beginning but it wasn't until we checked in with the server halfway through our meal that they informed us that they had actually ran out of the item. They immediately offered to take it off our bill so no problems there - we just wished we had been told sooner without finding out after asking after it. The glass "rooms" were a nice touch and made it seem like each dining space was private even though you could see the other parties. The music was slightly louder than you would expect for a place with more "intimate" seating arrangements. We would go again for special occasions I think, and it's definitely worth checking out if you've never been - as there's very few yakitori places in the Bay Area. read more

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Took my husband here for his birthday and I have nothing but great things to say about this place, from the service, to the food, to the ambiance, everything was amazing. Don't let the parking lot fool you, this place is a gem. My husband's birthday fell on a Monday this year, made a reservation for 2. Monday was perfect since he LOVES oysters and they have dollar oysters on Monday's. This was our first time here so we pretty much let our server order for us. We got the oysters, several different skewers and the fries W/ kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce, bonito flakes, green scallions & seaweed pickles. Although I love those kinda fries, at other places I'm kinda over it after a few bites. My husband and I finished every last fry. Amazing. For the skewers my husbands favorite was the wagyu salt and pepper, and mine was definitely the bacon mochi. I could've eaten a dozen of those. Soooo gooood. My husband had some ramen too, can't remember which one but he loved it. The restaurant was dimly lit, you take off your shoes and get cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. 10/10 recommend. Will absolutely be back to try more dishes. They have exotic meat night as well, I believe Thursday? Would love to come back for that. The one and only con is parking. I came early and was lucky to get a spot right in front but the parking lot is tiny with several different businesses so keep that in mind, but absolutely come check them out! read more

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Signs you're getting older when dining out: 1. Complain about small text menu 2. Complain about dark lighting 3. Request standard tables instead of high bar seating or low sunken table seating I'm guilty of #2 and #3 here at Mokutanya. The dark lighting is part of the ambiance, but I don't care for it. Their sunken table seating adds to the unique setting and dining experience, and you're supposed to take off your shoes. But there's one standard table upon request, where you sit in normal chairs and keep your shoes on. Aside from my personal ambiance complaints, Mokutanya's service and food are excellent. Employees are super friendly and willing to answer any questions. Majority of the menu items are yakitori, or skewered meats grilled over charcoal fire. There's also a few appetizer plates and ramen. Vegetarian options are limited. Items we order every visit are the butabara pork belly and salt & pepper wagyu beef, both of which are so flavorful, delicious, and the perfect balance of tender and fatty. The main caveat of yakitori is you tend to order a lot and price adds up quickly, so we try not to come to Mokutanya on empty stomachs. Their small private parking lot is shared with businesses next door, but street/residential parking isn't too difficult either. read more

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I came here late night on a Sunday and there were a few tables of large parties and a few solo diners like myself. I came here primarily because it was open late and I was craving ramen. There was no wait of course and this is a traditional Japanese place in that you take your shoes off and the seating is below ground, (not laying down). As I said, I came for ramen, but was quickly swayed to the meat skewers they had on the menu. I went straight for the wagyu, which were pricey, but oh so good! I got 4 skewers, and definitely could have had a few more. I got the Wagyu Salt & Pepper, Spicy, and Sweet. My favorite was the Spicy and you get two medium sized chunks of meat on each skewer. My 4th skewer I got was the spicy pork belly. That was good as well, but not as good as the wagyu. I was in and out in no time and the service was good. read more

I've known about Mokutanya for over 10 years, but honestly, I kind of forgot about it. We went back recently and wow--I can't believe I stayed away this long. The food is incredible. Every skewer had unique falvor, and the ramen hit the spot. The vibe here is awesome. Those sunken seating areas are such a cool touch--makes the whole experience feel unique. Service was top-notch too, super friendly and on point. I had no idea they do Oyster Night and an Exotic Meats Night! I'll definitely be back soon for that alone. If you haven't been here in a while or ever, you're missing out. read more

Monday and Tuesday $1 oysters! Went here with my cousins and the oysters were delicious! We also added on fries and chicken karraage, all 10/10. It's very serene, dimmed lighting, really sets a mood when you walk in. Plus, you have to remove shoes before going in to sit, which is a nice characteristic to the restaurant. Service was fast and attentive, will be going here again! read more

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Solid 3/5. Ambiance is great as you get these private glass enclosed sunken in tables (shoes off). Skewers are also great, host and waiting service is decent, but the kitchen staff don't seem to be detail oriented. Food was good, but they forgot a few orders which was a big miss because the restaurant wasn't even busy. It makes me question how many people miss 1-2 of their skewers when they order a lot (you order by writing a number by the skewer on a sheet of paper). Was even missing an entire ramen order..I mentioned it to our server and she took it off our bill. read more

Called at 11:50pm to make sure they're still opened and they told us there's no wait and last call is at 1am. We walked in at 12:05am and they told me there's a 10 mins wait which was fine. But we sat at the waiting area for over 20 mins and no one came to check in with us. I decided to walk inside and saw there's empty tables and it just seems like they didn't want to serve us. Not sure if it's because we had 3 children or whatever it was but I'm definitely not coming back to this place. My friends come here pretty often and they're not going to hear the end of this. The phone conversation and in person experience was a total opposite. You can tell they were sincere on the phone and when we arrived, we felt unwelcome.They probably thought we weren't going to eat much and since we got kids, we won't be drinking either. If that was the case then they just missed out on a fat bill/tips. read more

My friends and I came here on a Thursday night for a birthday celebration. One friend had called in last minute to make a reservation and they were easily able to accommodate us! When we all arrived, we got ourselves comfortable and situated and we were looking forward to a great meal. The restaurant itself is quite beautiful, with its dark paneling and private rooms. I was really looking forward to this meal but unfortunately everything was underwhelming. The service was quite subpar in that we felt like the staff completely overlooked us. The staff was very very sweet but our group table just felt like an afterthought, especially when we could see groups of people who came after us were being served food promptly and efficiently. The food itself was a bit uninspired as well. It was good but overall a bit bland. I had the Spicy Beef Ramen. The quality of the ingredients was great but the overall execution fell flat. The broth was neither flavorful nor spicy. On the table there was a little plate with different dipping salts and seasonings. It would have been nice for the food server to explain what each of them were and what dishes would benefit from them. But the food server just took our order and left. We also ordered a few skewers and a few appetizers (chicken kaarage and hamachi carpaccio). Again, these were a big disappointment, and the portion is definitely on the smaller side considering the price. I think they looked beautiful when presented, but again the flavor was just lacking. The chicken kaarage was probably the best tasting order out of everything we had.  We ordered the Wagyu salt and pepper skewer as well as the okra skewers. The beef was just fine...for Wagyu beef, you would assume that it would be soft and unctuous with a rich mouthfeel, but it just felt like a regular piece of sirloin. The okra had so much more potential than what was served. It was practically raw with barely a char. Roasted okra is fantastic when cooked properly and this was a big let-down. Since it was for a birthday celebration, they were kind enough to provide us with a black sesame seed cheesecake. That was very nice of them and they didn't even ask for ID. Unfortunately just having to constantly grab the attention of the staff to bring us the check, to bring us to-go containers etc didn't really live up to our expectations. Perhaps we went on an off-night but I am not sure I'll be back. With so many other options in the area, this place might be placed a bit lower on my list. read more

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The first thing I noticed about this place is that it is very dark. I remember during the birthday meal I attended at this place, I went to the bathroom and was having difficulty finding my party again when I went back out. A cool thing about this restaurant is that it is one of these restaurants where you have to take off your shoes and eat closer to table level. The food seemed kind of pricey and I remember it only tasted okay as a pescatarian. Parking is very hard to find as this is a very small plaza, so my family and I had to park a little further using street parking. Service was alright as well, so I hope all this explains my 3 star rating. read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

Highly recommend making a reservation for this restaurant as it's always packed. They have a wide variety of Japanese skewer options. The fried octopus was my favorite! Love the interior designs and the theme where you take off your shoes to sit down. Love how each table is separated by a glass wall, which blocks out the sounds from other tables. read more

Mokutanya - Ramen Near Me - Burlingame, California

This is a great place to come to for a fun family meal or even for a more intimate date night. All the tables are set in the ground - you take off your shoes and then sit down on padded cushions to enjoy your meal. The food here is served tapas style. We decided to get two skewers of each of the following: black cod, bacon quail eggs, pork cheek, and salt & pepper waygyu beef. We also ordered a couple of croquettes and a hamachi carpaccio dish, along with a bowl of tonkatsu ramen (their most popular ramen choice here). This food was more than enough for two people to share - we left feeling absolutely stuffed. But I don't regret getting all of it as it was all so delicious - the hamachi and pork cheeks were by far my favorite. We also split a bottle of their white peach sake which was sweet and refreshing, perfect to pair with our heavy, savory meal. read more

The food was pretty good. I think the food varies from time to time so they are not super consistent but still i'd rate it 4-5 starts depending on the visit. The chicken hearts were too bloody in my opinion but the beer was excellent. The service was great and the vibes are definitely great. The interior is very interesting and I've never been in a place like that before. I'd come back here again and see how it is again; I'm curious to see if the quality changes. read more

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The food tasted great! I ended up preferring the skewers over the ramen. The skewers were more flavorful and cooked perfectly. The wait staff were great! I really enjoyed the ambiance and table set ups! read more

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Today we ordered the croquette, bacon asparagus, bacon, lobster, momo chicken thigh, Sunagimo chicken, gizzards, waygu beef with salt and pepper, Genmaicha, green tea, onibi Matcha, stout, Suijin sake, Hamachi grilled yellowtail collar, and steamed rice. Our top three dishes were the croquettes, the bacon lobster and the hot green tea. Our bottom, every other dish was anything that was not the croquette or the bacon lobster. The waygu was extremely overcooked, and you had to chew very hard to taste the meat and the taste of the meat wasn't that great it didn't taste fresh and it was definitely over cooked. The servers were very nice. We had Vicky and May helping us out today and they were very friendly. As for the ambience, it is really dark inside, but I do like that you have to take your shoes off before eating. I do not like that people have to step into the room, wearing their shoes when they're taking your order or you have any questions to ask them . I also like that they have a large selection of sake, but because we came here on a whim, we didn't want to drink too much on a weeknight. Overall, if we ever have to return, I will order the croquet and the bacon lobster and the green tea. And it will have to be a snack because that is not enough food for somebody who loves to eat good foods. read more

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I used to enjoy coming here for night catch up with friends but the skewers are a bit of a let down. The wagyu skewers were a bit over cooked and tough. The oyster mushrooms were too heavy with salt and the others were underwhelming. The hamachi carpaccio was a bit lukewarm and not as fresh. The only dish I really enjoyed was the cold ramen.. Great service by the staff and lovely ambience but not sure if I will be coming back for the food. read more

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Food was delicious, [[HIGHLIGHT]]the restaurant had really good ambiance[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. [[HIGHLIGHT]]we we in a Japanese style room[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the service was great and attentive. read more