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Located in San Mateo, parking is difficult to find during peak hours. The ambiance was very nice and there's a good amount of seating for groups of various sizes. Food is absolutely delicious. I loved the beef wrap and highly recommend it. Overall No. 5 House has got some delicious Taiwanese food. Service is good and food is yummy. I would come back here
Our friends recently hosted us to dinner here. We had never heard of the place before then. It's relatively new, and gaining in popularity judging by how quickly the restaurant filled up on a weeknight after we sat down. They are somewhat known for their steamed and pan fried buns (called Sheng Jian Bao), which are not to be confused with the more widely known and popular XLB (Xiao Long Bao). We had both, and both were excellently prepared. Happy to say that we survived the experience without scalding ourselves while biting into the hot soupy deliciousness. It can be a little tricky, even if you've done it before. The beef noodle soup was also very good as was the Taiwanese fried chicken and the stir fried green beans. The restaurant is a bit cramped and seating is in the frugal side. Come here for the food, not really the ambiance. Service was quick and efficient. We loved it and look forward to coming back.
Very good Taiwanese restaurant in San Mateo. Ordered many dishes to share with the family and everything was great. - popcorn chicken - spicy oil wonton -- very good sesame flavor with spicy oil; doesn't have the Szechuan pepper corn flavor - braised beef noodles (spicy) -- must get! - braised pork noodles - beef pancakes -- one of my faves that is harder to find. They also have the wrap version but I love this version that has minced beef and onion and is super juicy and soupy. - green onion pancakes - very flaky and well done - pork soup dumplings/XLB -- must get! Very soupy and flavorful - pan fried pork buns/sheng jian bao -- must get! Crispy bottom and slightly fluffy bao top. Also very juicy and soupy. So glad to have a good Taiwanese restaurant on the peninsular!
Came because the beef rolls were highly recommended and they did not disappoint!! Also the sheng jian bao was so juicy and crispy and the braised pork rice tasted very authentic to me, very similar to the lu rou fan in Taiwan. Food came out in a reasonable time, the pricing was not bad for the quality!
This place has very comforting Taiwanese food! It's more on the casual side which I like. Prices are on the higher end but not unexpected for San Mateo. The owners are really nice and it feels like a mom and pop shop. The noodles were fresh and bouncy. I think I'm used to more flavorful noodle dishes so these were a bit bland for my taste. I think it needs a bit more punch. But I did like that it didnt taste too salty. Not pictured were the popcorn chicken and the pan fried buns. Wow those were actually really good! I'd recommend those more than the noodles tbh. The texture and flavor were one of the best I've had.
This place absolutely nails Taiwanese comfort food. We tried what felt like the ultimate lineup: crab soup dumplings, braised beef noodle soup, spicy stinky tofu, Three Cup Chicken, and braised pork hock--and honestly, not a single dish disappointed. The standout was definitely the Three Cup Chicken. The bone-in chicken was beautifully caramelized, coated in a rich, savory sauce with just the right amount of char, and finished with fragrant basil that made every bite incredibly aromatic. The braised pork hock was fall-off-the-bone tender and packed with flavor, while the beef noodle soup came with generous portions of beef that practically melted in my mouth. The broth was rich, comforting, and full of depth. Don't skip the crab soup dumplings either--they had delicate wrappers, plenty of filling, and were bursting with hot, flavorful broth. Every dish was well executed, and I'd happily order them all again. Highly recommend if you're craving authentic Taiwanese flavors!
Fairly new restaurant on the north end of downtown San Mateo. It got pretty busy Saturday at noon, but I was able to snag a counter seat. They have a frozen dumpling section so of course I had to buy some wontons to go. They were understaffed though - the poor lady looked so flustered and had to deal with 5 things at once. You have to head backto pay, and I ended up waiting a while before someone checked us out. I would come back though, many more items to try. Dandan Noodle - not bad at all! hot sauce would make it better Popcorn chicken - could use some sauce but was somehow addicting
We arrived on a Sunday around 12:45 p.m., and there were still a few tables available. We were seated after 8 minutes. However, it seemed their system was down, as orders and checks were taken and calculated by hand. While the staff were all very kind, the service suffered because of this. We were forgotten several times--no water was brought initially, our order had mistakes, and we had to ask for bowls and then spoons. The staff also seemed confused about which dishes belonged to which table. It also took a very long time for our dishes to arrive. When the braised rice arrived, it took another 20 minutes for the soup to come out, followed by an additional 25-minute wait for the fried salt chicken bento. Unfortunately, this did not taste like authentic Taiwanese cuisine. Across multiple dishes, it felt like something was missing in terms of flavor. We ordered the fried salt chicken bento box, which was very disappointing. The chicken was bland and sparse--mostly crispy fried batter with very little actual chicken. There were so many "empty" pieces that I was very annoyed. They also give you only a few pieces of vegetables. The fish ball seaweed soup was also quite bland and lacked depth. The one highlight of the meal was the pan-fried buns. They were savory and flavorful, and easily the best dish we tried. We will probably not come back due to the lack of flavor in the dishes.
We came by with a group of 4 this past Sunday at 6:30 and there was one table available. I forget what this restaurant was before but the tables and chairs didn't seemed changed. The highlights were the pork xlb and pan fried dumplings. There was a lot of broth in them but xlb skin was pretty thick. Garlic green beans were good and chicken wings. The Dan Dan noodles and beef noodle soup were mid. Family run business. The young guy that works obviously doesn't want to be there. Order via QR code on table. Street parking Prices are on high side for what it is
One of my favorite Taiwanese foods spots! The food is very well made, a bit pricey but not terrible compared to other Bay Area establishments. 4-5 dishes comes to $60 for 2 people. My favorite items are the stinky tofu which I've ordered several times. Sometimes I get Molly Tea nearby and the stinky tofu to-go. The noodles are always perfectly al dente and have the tooth of freshly made noodles. The soup pan fried buns were a bit of disappointment the one time I went; I think Special Noodle does those the best. But their soup dumplings are great. The garlic salt and pepper wings are amaaazing.
Dropped in for a quick lunch and got combo 1 which gives you a brisket noodle soup with a side of cucumber salad and seaweed salad for a few bucks more than the soup by itself. Ordering is done by scanning a QR code on the table. Payment is done at the counter up front although they bring the check to you and then tell you to go to the counter. I found that a little confusing. Otherwise, the service was friendly. Portion sizes are average, maybe a little on the small side for the noodle soup. The table next to me got several other things that looked like generous portion sizes so it depends on what you order. I thought the food was pretty good overall. The beef noodle soup has a light but tasty broth and the beef was mostly tender except for one piece that was randomly chewy. The noodles were little softer than I'd like. The cucumber salad is another light yet flavorful dish. I didn't care too much for the seaweed salad though because it felt like it was covered in oil. A solid 4 stars for food and I'd come back to try other items.
No. 5 House is a Chinese restaurant in San Mateo serving a variety of offerings such as dim sum, noodles, bento boxes, and fried snacks. It's a small restaurant in the downtown area so expect a wait during busier times. We came on a Friday night and waited about 40 minutes for a table of five. What I thought was really good was the crab pork xiao long bao ($17.95), leek & pork dumplings ($16.95), braised beef brisket noodle ($18.95), beef wrap ($14.95), and garlic string beans ($17.95). What I thought was good was the pan fried dumplings ($12.95) and pork xiao long bao ($13.95). What I thought was okay was the noodle with soybean paste ($16.95) and the spicy shrimp wontons ($13.95). They also have frozen dumplings that you can buy to cook at home yourself. They opened recently and are still in their soft opening phase so they're still ironing out some small issues. However we could tell that all the servers worked hard and we appreciated their efforts. It looked to be a family run restaurant which is always great to see!
Wow I was so pleasantly surprised by our takeout here! With so many Chinese restaurants always popping up in San Mateo, I'm usually not especially excited to visit yet another one. But No. 5 was open early on a day I was craving dumplings so we decided to give it a try. Beef noodle with clear brother - I'm usually not big on beef noodle soup but I thought this was tasty! I wasn't left with that dry mouth feeling after a super salty meal, so I love that. Pork and leek dumplings - loved the dough texture and filling Pork soup dumplings - despite not getting to eat this until 30 minutes later, we still enjoyed it. Beef brisket bento - I thought the beef was kinda chewy but my SO says that's what people (like him) like lol but other than that, I thought the flavor and portion was good. The employee that helped me was friendly and got my order ready asap, even though I had arrived early. Can't wait to try some more stuff!
Got a chance to eat with a good friend of mine and since both of us are Taiwanese, he suggested a recommended restaurant near his work place. Not going to pass that up! [[ Pro's ]] 1.) Service I thought service was amazing. My friend was running late and I ordered ahead and told them that my friend was going to be around 20 minutes late. The waitress told the kitchen to stagger the food coming in and when he did come, the food came out hot and fresh since they timed it for that 20 minute delay. Highly appreciated. 2.) Food The food is genuinely delicious. Great flavor, decent portion sizes, and just pure enjoyment in every dish. We got the following and added a few notes: - Braised Beef Brisket Noodle (Spicy) = delicious, firm noodles, nice kick on the spice - Pork Xiao Long Bao = SOO juicy and definitely the definition of soup dumplings - Fried Buns = Savory rather than sweet. Just how I like it. - Garlic String Beans = Right on point. [[ Some Con's ]] - Parking is quite difficult. I ended up parking a street over near apartments that had free 2 hour parking. That's what I would suggest. - Price. I would say it's on the pricey side but the quality is there and in line with how expensive the post-covid/inflation world we live in is now. Our 4 dishes plus tip was around $85. read more
2 days ago
Nice little local spot with such friendly owners. I came in just around 215 on a weekday for lunch and they sent me down right away. They were eager to share some specials on the menu and I went ahead and picked the stinky tofu and the braised pork intestine noodle. Stink tofu - the flavors were pretty good. It was crispy on the outside and actually almost creamy on the inside which most places can't pull off the pickled veggies and the sauce were flavor bombs, but the one critique was that the tofu itself was super salty. maybe it's an off day. Braise pork intestine noodle - the flavor of the broth was pretty good. It was savory and unique with porky flavors and a good spice. The noodles were thicker than I'm used to almost like a denser udon, not my favorite to pair with a heavy dish like this. What struck me was the workers seem to be pretty proud of their restaurant. I could hear them talking about how customers raved about their food and even someone ordered another portion of braised pork over rice just to take home. I'm excited to try their other items on their menu. This place felt homey and happy. read more
More of a restaurant for individual meals than for family style. Prices are quite high for some more simple dishes like $20 for string beans is a little steep. I also found it weird that their Dandan noodles were hot. Their bento boxes and beef noodle soup look good though, and I'll definitely try those in the future. read more
Located in San Mateo, parking is difficult to find during peak hours. The ambiance was very nice and there's a good amount of seating for groups of various sizes. Food is absolutely delicious. I loved the beef wrap and highly recommend it. Overall No. 5 House has got some delicious Taiwanese food. Service is good and food is yummy. I would come back here read more
Our friends recently hosted us to dinner here. We had never heard of the place before then. It's relatively new, and gaining in popularity judging by how quickly the restaurant filled up on a weeknight after we sat down. They are somewhat known for their steamed and pan fried buns (called Sheng Jian Bao), which are not to be confused with the more widely known and popular XLB (Xiao Long Bao). We had both, and both were excellently prepared. Happy to say that we survived the experience without scalding ourselves while biting into the hot soupy deliciousness. It can be a little tricky, even if you've done it before. The beef noodle soup was also very good as was the Taiwanese fried chicken and the stir fried green beans. The restaurant is a bit cramped and seating is in the frugal side. Come here for the food, not really the ambiance. Service was quick and efficient. We loved it and look forward to coming back. read more
Very good Taiwanese restaurant in San Mateo. Ordered many dishes to share with the family and everything was great. - popcorn chicken - spicy oil wonton -- very good sesame flavor with spicy oil; doesn't have the Szechuan pepper corn flavor - braised beef noodles (spicy) -- must get! - braised pork noodles - beef pancakes -- one of my faves that is harder to find. They also have the wrap version but I love this version that has minced beef and onion and is super juicy and soupy. - green onion pancakes - very flaky and well done - pork soup dumplings/XLB -- must get! Very soupy and flavorful - pan fried pork buns/sheng jian bao -- must get! Crispy bottom and slightly fluffy bao top. Also very juicy and soupy. So glad to have a good Taiwanese restaurant on the peninsular! read more
Came because the beef rolls were highly recommended and they did not disappoint!! Also the sheng jian bao was so juicy and crispy and the braised pork rice tasted very authentic to me, very similar to the lu rou fan in Taiwan. Food came out in a reasonable time, the pricing was not bad for the quality! read more
This place has very comforting Taiwanese food! It's more on the casual side which I like. Prices are on the higher end but not unexpected for San Mateo. The owners are really nice and it feels like a mom and pop shop. The noodles were fresh and bouncy. I think I'm used to more flavorful noodle dishes so these were a bit bland for my taste. I think it needs a bit more punch. But I did like that it didnt taste too salty. Not pictured were the popcorn chicken and the pan fried buns. Wow those were actually really good! I'd recommend those more than the noodles tbh. The texture and flavor were one of the best I've had. read more
2 months ago
This place absolutely nails Taiwanese comfort food. We tried what felt like the ultimate lineup: crab soup dumplings, braised beef noodle soup, spicy stinky tofu, Three Cup Chicken, and braised pork hock--and honestly, not a single dish disappointed. The standout was definitely the Three Cup Chicken. The bone-in chicken was beautifully caramelized, coated in a rich, savory sauce with just the right amount of char, and finished with fragrant basil that made every bite incredibly aromatic. The braised pork hock was fall-off-the-bone tender and packed with flavor, while the beef noodle soup came with generous portions of beef that practically melted in my mouth. The broth was rich, comforting, and full of depth. Don't skip the crab soup dumplings either--they had delicate wrappers, plenty of filling, and were bursting with hot, flavorful broth. Every dish was well executed, and I'd happily order them all again. Highly recommend if you're craving authentic Taiwanese flavors! read more
Fairly new restaurant on the north end of downtown San Mateo. It got pretty busy Saturday at noon, but I was able to snag a counter seat. They have a frozen dumpling section so of course I had to buy some wontons to go. They were understaffed though - the poor lady looked so flustered and had to deal with 5 things at once. You have to head backto pay, and I ended up waiting a while before someone checked us out. I would come back though, many more items to try. Dandan Noodle - not bad at all! hot sauce would make it better Popcorn chicken - could use some sauce but was somehow addicting read more
We arrived on a Sunday around 12:45 p.m., and there were still a few tables available. We were seated after 8 minutes. However, it seemed their system was down, as orders and checks were taken and calculated by hand. While the staff were all very kind, the service suffered because of this. We were forgotten several times--no water was brought initially, our order had mistakes, and we had to ask for bowls and then spoons. The staff also seemed confused about which dishes belonged to which table. It also took a very long time for our dishes to arrive. When the braised rice arrived, it took another 20 minutes for the soup to come out, followed by an additional 25-minute wait for the fried salt chicken bento. Unfortunately, this did not taste like authentic Taiwanese cuisine. Across multiple dishes, it felt like something was missing in terms of flavor. We ordered the fried salt chicken bento box, which was very disappointing. The chicken was bland and sparse--mostly crispy fried batter with very little actual chicken. There were so many "empty" pieces that I was very annoyed. They also give you only a few pieces of vegetables. The fish ball seaweed soup was also quite bland and lacked depth. The one highlight of the meal was the pan-fried buns. They were savory and flavorful, and easily the best dish we tried. We will probably not come back due to the lack of flavor in the dishes. read more
We came by with a group of 4 this past Sunday at 6:30 and there was one table available. I forget what this restaurant was before but the tables and chairs didn't seemed changed. The highlights were the pork xlb and pan fried dumplings. There was a lot of broth in them but xlb skin was pretty thick. Garlic green beans were good and chicken wings. The Dan Dan noodles and beef noodle soup were mid. Family run business. The young guy that works obviously doesn't want to be there. Order via QR code on table. Street parking Prices are on high side for what it is read more
One of my favorite Taiwanese foods spots! The food is very well made, a bit pricey but not terrible compared to other Bay Area establishments. 4-5 dishes comes to $60 for 2 people. My favorite items are the stinky tofu which I've ordered several times. Sometimes I get Molly Tea nearby and the stinky tofu to-go. The noodles are always perfectly al dente and have the tooth of freshly made noodles. The soup pan fried buns were a bit of disappointment the one time I went; I think Special Noodle does those the best. But their soup dumplings are great. The garlic salt and pepper wings are amaaazing. read more
13 hours ago
4 months ago
Dropped in for a quick lunch and got combo 1 which gives you a brisket noodle soup with a side of cucumber salad and seaweed salad for a few bucks more than the soup by itself. Ordering is done by scanning a QR code on the table. Payment is done at the counter up front although they bring the check to you and then tell you to go to the counter. I found that a little confusing. Otherwise, the service was friendly. Portion sizes are average, maybe a little on the small side for the noodle soup. The table next to me got several other things that looked like generous portion sizes so it depends on what you order. I thought the food was pretty good overall. The beef noodle soup has a light but tasty broth and the beef was mostly tender except for one piece that was randomly chewy. The noodles were little softer than I'd like. The cucumber salad is another light yet flavorful dish. I didn't care too much for the seaweed salad though because it felt like it was covered in oil. A solid 4 stars for food and I'd come back to try other items. read more
No. 5 House is a Chinese restaurant in San Mateo serving a variety of offerings such as dim sum, noodles, bento boxes, and fried snacks. It's a small restaurant in the downtown area so expect a wait during busier times. We came on a Friday night and waited about 40 minutes for a table of five. What I thought was really good was the crab pork xiao long bao ($17.95), leek & pork dumplings ($16.95), braised beef brisket noodle ($18.95), beef wrap ($14.95), and garlic string beans ($17.95). What I thought was good was the pan fried dumplings ($12.95) and pork xiao long bao ($13.95). What I thought was okay was the noodle with soybean paste ($16.95) and the spicy shrimp wontons ($13.95). They also have frozen dumplings that you can buy to cook at home yourself. They opened recently and are still in their soft opening phase so they're still ironing out some small issues. However we could tell that all the servers worked hard and we appreciated their efforts. It looked to be a family run restaurant which is always great to see! read more
Wow I was so pleasantly surprised by our takeout here! With so many Chinese restaurants always popping up in San Mateo, I'm usually not especially excited to visit yet another one. But No. 5 was open early on a day I was craving dumplings so we decided to give it a try. Beef noodle with clear brother - I'm usually not big on beef noodle soup but I thought this was tasty! I wasn't left with that dry mouth feeling after a super salty meal, so I love that. Pork and leek dumplings - loved the dough texture and filling Pork soup dumplings - despite not getting to eat this until 30 minutes later, we still enjoyed it. Beef brisket bento - I thought the beef was kinda chewy but my SO says that's what people (like him) like lol but other than that, I thought the flavor and portion was good. The employee that helped me was friendly and got my order ready asap, even though I had arrived early. Can't wait to try some more stuff! read more
New spot for great food!! The service was also great, super friendly! Was greeted when I stepped in and was able to be seated. You can order from the QR code at the table, makes things super easy! Items I ordered: - Pork Xiao Long Bao(6): super juicy and flavorful!!!! And the skin doesn't break on you! - Pan-Fried Buns(6): also super juicy and the buns were perfectly crispy on the bottom! - Crispy Pork Chop Bento: pork chop was seasoned well! The veggies were fresh and had great flavor, pleasantly surprised as usually vegetables are vegetables haha. - Cucumber Salad: nice and refreshing while eating all the other hot fresh items! - Beef Wrap: crispy flakey wrap and flavorful filling! - Braised Beef Brisket Noodle - Nonspicy: very comforting and the soup had great flavor! Perfect for the cold weather lately! Good amount of seating. Check this new spot out when you're in the area! :) read more
We came on a weekend night, they were pretty busy but there's no wait. You scan the QR code on the table to order food, food came relatively quickly. We tried the Xiao long bao, beef wrap, pan fried dumplings, string beans, chicken wings, and beef noodle soup. Food was not bad, service was just okay. The pan fried dumplings have a lot of broth inside, so they were not too dry. Chicken wings were juicy and crispy. Sauce for beef wrap was a little too sweet to my liking. Noodles and XLB were alright. The skin for XLB was too thick. In general, decent experience. read more
9 months ago
New Taiwanese spot in downtown San Mateo! There are a few other Taiwanese restaurants around, but I like that this one has a bigger range of dishes. Besides the usual beef noodle soup, they've got bentos, dumplings, and other staples. -Beef Noodle Soup (4/5): Noodles were great and perfectly cooked with a nice chew. Broth had good flavor too. I just wish there were a bit more beef! -Xiao Long Bao (3.5/5): Pretty average. The broth inside is usually my favorite part of XLB, and these were a little lacking. Not bad, but I'd probably try a different dumpling next time. -Pork Chop Bento (4/5): Really good! Pork chop was seasoned well, super flavorful, and fried nicely. It went perfectly with the rice and veggies. Overall, a good spot for fast-casual, homey Taiwanese food. Excited to try more dishes here! read more
10 months ago
There's not much taiwanese food in the bay area, but this restaurant No.5 house opened a bit ago and seemed pretty interesting based on the pictures from online. We got the dan dan mian, niu rou mian, & chili oil wontons. The dan dan mian was pretty good, I liked the meat sauce. Normally dan dan mian has a peanut or sesame based sauce but this one was just ground meats? but it was good! I wasn't a fan of the beef noodles though. They were super oily and the flavor was just flat. Also was not a fan of the chili oil wontons. The skin was too thick for my liking & the chili oil was more oily than chili-y. Yeah idk where the good Taiwanese food in the bay area is... read more
Pan-fried buns? Fine, but nothing to write home about. The dandan noodles had good flavor, though the noodles themselves leaned a little too soft. The beef wrap, though--that's the dish I'd come back for. Savory, balanced, and easily the star of the table. Our server mentioned they're revamping the menu to highlight more Taiwanese dishes from their Taiwanese chef. That's exciting news, because the Peninsula is sorely lacking in Taiwanese street eats and comfort food. If they nail the new additions, this spot could really stand out. The space itself is a bit dim, and I'd love to see it brightened up--it would inject more energy and match the lively flavors they're aiming for. And honestly, I've seen plenty of restaurants cycle through this location over the years. To stick around, No. 5 House really needs to become a destination, not just another stop. Right now, it feels like a work in progress with flashes of potential. I'll be checking in from time to time to see how the menu evolves. Fingers crossed for some legit Taiwanese flavors to land here soon. read more
10 months ago
We visited No. 5 House for dinner on a weekday evening. It's a new spot in town, and we were excited to see a variety of Taiwanese dishes on the menu. The space is casual, with plenty of tables and a few seats at the bar by the window. Parking is easy, with metered spots nearby and lots a few blocks away. The pan-fried buns were good, although the noodles in the dan dan noodles were slightly overcooked; my favorite dish of the night was the beef pancake. As I'm writing this, I'm already craving those pancakes! I'll definitely be back soon! The service was casual. We appreciated that the wait staff spoke with us as we were leaving, both to get our feedback and to let us know the Taiwanese chef is experimenting with new menu items. It's great that they are taking customer feedback and adapting the menu based on it, as well as the chef's expertise. I look forward to returning! read more
Nice little dumpling spot that opened up and off the main streets of downtown San Mateo! Street parking all around, just depends on your luck. Casual restaurant with quick friendly service, you order with the QR code at your table. Some highlights were the pan-fried buns (on the smaller side, which we actually liked!), hot and sour soup, and the different XLBs (we got a crab pork one and regular pork to try). The dumplings were solid as well. The string beans were a little on the sweeter side. The portions are all a smaller shareable size and between 4 people we finished it all and felt very content. Recommend hitting up if you have a craving for that kind of Chinese food! read more
Came here on a Sunday afternoon a little past 1. The restaurant was busy. I went in to see if there was a waitlist but there wasn't. A little bit hectic as there were others also wanting to be seated. I think they are still trying to figure things out! Service was nice! Very friendly. We were directed to order through the QR code. Overall, I thought it was a great comfort food spot. Cucumber Salad - nothing special but refreshing. Braised Beef Brisket Bento - portion was actually not that much..... maybe because I only had 2 small pieces of beef and everything else was sauce and onion. It came with some vegetables nice portion of rice with mince pork sauce. Pan fried dumplings - good juice and crunch. Texture was great. Beef pancake - very meaty so definitely fulfilling! Also, very juicy. I would be careful eating this as I did not expect so much juice to fall out (haha) Pork potstickers - just your typical potstickers. read more
New place that just soft opened. Hard to tell if it was open at night from the street. The XLB and noodles with soybean paste are the highlights of this restaurant! XLB are pricey but they are the best in the area! Noodles with soybean paste isn't a very common dish so it was nice to see it as an option. The string beans were different, they use like white pepper seasoning more similar to popcorn chicken. The beef wrap was the most disappointing, it wasn't that hot? and the meat was still a bit cold and not that crispy either. read more
I walked by this place and was thinking about trying it for lunch, but it was really dark inside on a sunny day, so I didn't end up dining here until a few weeks later for dinner. I was a little hesitant since the menu seems a little all over the place for regional the cuisine? Idk. It had like 4.5 stars and 30ish reviews though. We ordered on mobile after scanning a QR code. They didn't really check on us but it was easy to flag them down since we were the only diners for a weekday dinner. The review is for the food, really. The Braised Beef Brisket Noodle (non-spicy) didn't have a depth of flavor. I mostly tasted what seemed to be msg seasoning (I love MSG but I expect to taste other spices proportionately too). The noodles and brisket were okay in a pinch. XLB tasted better than expected, skin was pretty thin, good ratio of protein to soup. The cold cucumber dish had an insane amount of garlic. Texturally more mushy than crunchy. I liked the seasoning of it though. Pig ears dish was more gelatinous and didn't have as much of the cartilage crunch areas. Overall, not the worst I've had but there are definitely better spots to eat at for noodles and dumplings. Would've been nice for a spot to take on the China Bee mantle but this wasn't it for me. read more
We came here on a weekday night and it was their Soft Opening, so there was limited wait and we were seated immediately. The ambiance was lively and the staff was super friendly and attentive. And the food was absolutely delicious! We ordered: - Cucumber Salad - I loved how this tasted and the flavor was amazing. - Scallion Fried Pancakes - I liked how flakey it was. - Chicken Potstickers - Crunchy and delicious - Pork Xiao Long Bao - I really liked the soup/broth inside! - Pan-Fried Dumplings - Golden Molten Lave Buns - my favorite part of the meal! It was very flavorful and loved the savory sweetness of it! Overall, I really enjoyed the food here and highly recommend eating here! I'm excited to be back and looking forward to eating here again! read more
Newly opened chinese restaurant at downtown. I stopped by during lunch time. It was not that busy. This place serves chinese/taiwanese dishes. You ordered using the qr code at your table. I ordered bento fried porkchop. It took a while for the order to be ready. The dish is good but the porkchop is a bit dry. The egg is yummy though. I wish the meat they put on the rice is warm. It was cold but ok. It has section where they make dumpling In house. Overall it was good meal. Will try other stuff next time. Need to come in a group so can try many dishes. The price is reasonable. read more
When we stopped by, No 5 House was mostly empty besides a few tables. Service was attentive and friendly the entire time. Food was okay - we ordered the pan fried buns which were good and a dry noodle which was not as good, specifically because it was lacking in flavor. Prices were a bit too steep here for us to feel like this will be a new spot in our rotation. read more
No 5 House is a new soft-opening Taiwanese spot in downtown San Mateo! Solid TW food all around -- comforting, flavorful, and nicely presented. We tried their bentos, which were well-balanced with a main protein alongside luroufan, bok choy, and orange slices for a refreshing touch. - Braised Beef Brisket Bento - rich, savory beef stew on the saltier side but hearty and satisfying - Crispy Pork Chop Bento - nicely crisped pork with some crunchy pork skin bits; same excellent sides - Pan-Fried Dumplings - juicy and soupy inside, a little larger and doughier than usual but still tasty The space has a cute, minimalist Asian decor -- Chinese lanterns, ivory leaves hanging from the ceiling, and black-and-red dining chairs for a clean modern vibe. Service was friendly and fairly quick. Ordering is done via QR code at the table. Overall, a cozy new addition to downtown San Mateo serving Taiwanese classics done right. Can't wait to see how they evolve after the soft opening! read more
6 months ago
I really wanted to try everything on the menu, but I shouldn't eat with my eyes because everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious! Everything from the noodles, to the stir fried dishes, to the dumplings looked absolutely delectable. There were also combo special sets as well such as the beef noodle soup that comes with two sides which was completely worth! The bowl was a lot larger than I thought it would be and it was absolutely filling! The noodles were so chewy and al dente, each chew just made me yearn for more. It was as if my teeth were biting into something that that wanted to be bitten, to show that it was worth every bite, every chew, and every taste. The broth was delicious, beefy and a bit herby I might add. The beef chunks were oh so tender as well. I also got the stir fried string beans and my gosh they were a delight! Crispy, full of garlicky flavor, with chilis that doesn't add the biggest kick, yet still noticeably there. Absolute behemoth in flavor. The braised pork rice I would eat a mountain of! The pork was tender and well made, the sauce covered up almost every grain of rice once you mix it together. I would definitely come back again! read more
New spot in San Mateo. A bit further out from the 3rd and 4th street shenainegans but I like that, away from all the hustle and bustle. It's easier to find parking on the edge of downtown San Mateo and it's still convenient to walk to from the major garages. Why not enjoy a stroll? Lots of seating and cut decorations here and there. There is a QR code to scan on each table and ordering through the app was super straightforward. We arrived on a Sunday around 1:15PM and it was not too crowded. Food was great. My wife is from northern China and she was surprised to find some dishes local to her hometown. She enjoyed them all very much. I ordered the Korean cold noodles as it was a warm day and it completely hit the spot. Scallion pancake was filling as well, albeit a bit oily compared to how I like it. Service was okay. Because this place is still new, I believe they are still figuring out some things and how to streamline processes. I would give them some time as sometimes service was slow and they would send out the entrees before the appetizers were even ready. There was only 1 guy serving the entire floor, which is quite a lot of work (he was taking care of checks too). We didn't get our water until we asked for it. But once again, I would cut them some slack because 1) it's new 2) they're figuring things out and 3) it's not like they don't want to provide good service. We had a chance to talk to one of the workers and they showed gratitude for us stopping by and asked for our honest feedback. I always appreciate a place that asks for feedback and want to improve. I would give this place a try. Lots of reasonably priced dishes (given our current economy and downtown San Mateo) and plentiful places to sit. It's not that inconvenient to get to either! read more
This place is new in downtown San Mateo! They just did their soft opening and I came here on Sunday evening and it was busy. There was a good amount of tables but there was only one server so it was a little slow but not too slow since they have a QR code to order food on. In terms of the food, I really enjoyed their beef wrap, beef noodle soup and their fried dumplings! There are so much flavor and the quality is good for the price Definitely recommend this spot, might be hard to find since it's on the corner but worth it! read more
New spot alert! Just discovered a great place for braised beef noodle soup and dan dan noodles in San Mateo! It's tucked away in a corner just behind the busy downtown area, so there's plenty of parking--street, garage, and even the nearby train station lot. The staff are super friendly and welcoming, giving off cozy, family-owned vibes. The food is authentic and overall really enjoyable! I especially loved the braised beef noodles. The dan dan noodles were a bit bland for my taste, but I asked for some chili oil sauce and that definitely kicked it up a notch. Definitely worth checking out--go try it! read more
Came for soft opening, 2 of us walk in, small shop it's clean. We thought we can sit as no one was outside when we walk ing QR code to order. When I looking around I see someone is rolling the dough for dumpling and a lot of frozen bun and dumplings. A staff/ owner come out to seat us. It's online menu but he comes to take our order. We got cucumber appetizer, xlb, beef pancake and pan fried bun. Cucumbers are not very favorful, it has the sour taste missing a little soy? Garlic ? Just feel like something is missing Then pan fried bun comes after it's very BIG cute dough not very thick it's crispy it has juice inside the bun and favorful. Xlb is next, he kept the it cover after he put it down, to keep it steaming hot. Ginger can be a little be thinner for the sauce. It will be easier to pick up. Xlb is really good as well juicy and thin dough Beef pancake both side is very crispy and inside very juice but onions are big so some of them are raw. I had to pick them out. Everything is really good. In a hot day water is ice cold which is perfect. I wish they have cold soy milk, because xlb doesn't match soft drinks for me. Over all we like this new place. Will comeback again on a cooler day to try their noodle. read more
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5 S Ellsworth Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
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(650) 727-3142
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https://www.no5house.com
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No 5 House - noodles - Updated September 2026
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